Martin Cullip is a former company director and International Fellow of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, who has written and blogged on free market and lifestyle consumer issues for over a decade. As a user of e-cigarettes and other safer nicotine products, he is a particularly passionate consumer advocate for all forms of tobacco harm reduction and has a keen interest in the rapidly-evolving nicotine market and the politics surrounding it. Martin is a former Chair of UK educational charity The New Nicotine Alliance and has taken part in parliamentary evidence sessions and consumer, industry, and political events on the subject domestically and internationally.

Harry Shapiro is Director of DrugWise – an online drug information service - and Managing Editor of DS Daily - the daily online drug, alcohol and tobacco news service. He has worked in the drugs field for over 40 years, first with the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence and then from 2000 with DrugScope where he was Director of Communications until the charity folded in 2015. Since 2015, he has been working with Knowledge-Action-Change promoting public health through harm reduction. He is the author and Executive Editor of the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction report, contributes a blog to Nicotine Science and Policy and is one of KAC’s media spokespeople.

Mark Tyndall MD, ScD, FRCPC is a Professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He was formerly the Executive Director of the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Deputy Provincial Health Officer. He received his medical degree from McMaster University, his infectious diseases training at the University of Manitoba, and his doctoral degree in public health from Harvard University. He has over three decades of community-based research and advocacy experience with a focus on global health, drug use, HIV, and harm reduction. He has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, presented a 2017 TEDMED talk on harm reduction, and is releasing a new book; “Vaping: Behind the Smoke and Fears” at this year’s GFN. His current research and advocacy efforts are focused on innovative programs to reduce drug overdose/poisoning through safe drug supply programs and accelerating the global transition away from combustible cigarettes to vaping and other safer nicotine products.

Since graduating with a degree in Politics and Government in 1978, Paddy has worked in a number of aspects of public health and social care, including alcohol and drug services, the probation service and public health advocacy. In addition to these he has worked in event management, including directing five editions of the International Harm Reduction conference. Since 2012 he has been mainly involved in the development and promotion of Tobacco Harm Reduction, including directing the Global Forum on Nicotine.

Dr Beaumont is an Australian general practitioner. She founded the Australian ‘SmokerHealth’ national telehealth clinic (formerly MedicalNicotine) for vape prescriptions - a policy unique to Australia. Lung cancer and cardiac disease testing is also provided, for early diagnosis of the main diseases that kill smokers. Carolyn combines this with locum GP work in remote Australian communities, and understands firsthand the complex healthcare barriers that
smokers from these regions face. In Australia’s generally negative stance towards vaping, Carolyn plays an important role in THR. She is well known for her media engagement, presentations, publications and conference involvement. She is writing her first book titled ‘Unfiltered’, a collection of interviews with doctors from fields such as cardiology, vascular surgery, anaesthesia, neurosurgery and oncology. ‘Unfiltered’ aims to provide a compelling narrative across medical specialties, which focuses squarely on the harms caused by smoking and not by nicotine itself.

Dr. Sarkar leads a team of scientists within Regulatory Affairs at Altria that provide strategic direction towards developing the science and evidence for regulatory submissions for smoke-free tobacco products. Before being appointed to his current position, Dr. Sarkar led the Clinical Research Team. He has authored more than 100 scientific peer-reviewed publications and presentations at scientific meetings and authored a variety of scientific book chapters. Dr. Sarkar has also participated in multiple presentations on harm reduction including at FDA, Institute of Medicine and at various scientific conferences. Before joining Altria, Dr. Sarkar was a tenured Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at West Virginia University, and Professor, Tobacco Research Center, WVU Cancer Center, conducting research on smoking and health, funded by the National Cancer Institute. He continues to teach at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is Fellow of the College of Clinical Pharmacology and the Royal Society of Medicine.

Dr. Arielle Selya is a behavioral science consultant specializing in tobacco harm reduction. Through her primary role as Senior Scientist at PinneyAssociates, Inc., she supports Juul Labs, Inc. in their scientific and regulatory efforts through behavioral study protocols, statistical methodology, and scientific publishing strategy and execution. Dr. Selya is also a consultant to the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) on e-cigarette use behavioral research and critical analysis of scientific literature. She received her PhD in Neuroscience at Rutgers University and, prior to becoming a consultant, spent a decade in academia studying adolescent substance use and addiction. In addition to being a prolific contributor to the scientific literature, with over 70 scientific publications to her name, Dr. Selya is also actively engaged in both post-publication critiques of published research and in communicating scientific findings to broader audiences (see her collection of tweetorials here).

Nancy’s THR advocacy began in 2015 as one of the founders/co directors of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) in New Zealand, doing battle for the rights of vapers to be able to access what they need to become/remain smoke free. Nancy is also the Executive Coordinator for the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA). CAPHRA supports consumer THR advocacy organisations and activities throughout the Asia Pacific region and beyond, and has developed various programmes for consumers including the Voices4Vape online seminar series, sCOPe consumer livestream, the Advocates Voice online newscast and the Advocates Voice Live sessions. CAPHRA, under Nancy’s leadership, also established the collaborative “Right2Vape” testimonial database with CASAA in the USA, and the “Right to Switch” change.org petition, both featuring thousands of consumer testimonials from across the world.

Heneage Mitchell, commonly known as ‘H’, has been resident in Asia for over 40 years. He spent most of those decades working in regional media, including as managing editor and co-publisher of Tobacco Asia, a trade publication reporting on the regional tobacco industry. In 2012, he established factasia, an independent, not-for-profit, consumer-oriented regional advocacy for rational debate about – and sensible regulation of – the rights of adult citizens throughout the Asia-Pacific region to choose to use tobacco or other nicotine-related products. Heneage smoked for over 45 years before switching to vaping in 2016, since when he has never touched a cigarette.

Prof. Dr. Rohan Savio Sequeira, a distinguished Consultant Cardio-Metabolic Physician with an extensive career spanning over 25 years. He specializes in Non-Invasive Cardiology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Management, and holds senior consultant positions at prestigious institutions such as Jaslok Hospital, St. Elizabeth Hospital, S.L. Raheja Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, and Breach Candy Hospital in India. His wealth of experience extends to cross-country healthcare implementation and the international medical and para-medical domain. With a keen understanding of addressable market needs and a vast network in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, Dr. Sequeira plays a vital role in advancing healthcare solutions.

Jeffrey Zamora is President of Asovape Costa Rica, Social Media Director and Audiovisual Producer for INNCO, recipient of the Enhanced KAC THRSP Scholarship with a project on a documentary series called #Safer and a documentary called "Love Kevin", and Project Leader for the Veritas Study of ECLAT (Spin-off of the University of Catania, Italy) and CoEHAR, and former president of ARDT Iberoamerica. Jeffrey Zamora has worked in Social Media, Audiovisual Production, and Marketing with NGOs, Governmental Entities, and Commercial Brands.

Jeannie is founder and managing director of JCIC International Consultancy specialising since 2011 in advocating for harm reduction policy. She was also recently elected to the States of Alderney parliament, a UK Crown Dependency. Jeannie was formerly Assistant Director of the International Legal Section of the Australian Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and is a specialist in treaty law with an LLM from King’s College London including a dissertation on Emerging International Public Health Issues – Human Rights, Harm Reduction and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Jeannie attended all negotiating meetings to create the FCTC during 2001 and 2003. Jeannie is an active commentator on tobacco harm reduction, alternative nicotine product policy and the therapeutic benefits of nicotine. She has recently published an article on using optional protocols to international human rights treaties enabling individuals to take cases against domestic government policy preventing their right to the attainment of the highest level of human health.

Professor Tikki PANG is an Indonesian citizen and is presently a senior academic at a leading university in Asia. He was formerly Director, Research Policy & Cooperation, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland (1999-2012). He has held senior academic positions at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, including as Professor of Biomedical Sciences. He holds a PhD in Immunology from the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (UK), American Academy of Microbiology (USA), and Academy of Medicine of Malaysia. He has published >250 scientific articles, and was lead author on several major WHO reports including the World Health Report 2013: Research for Universal Health Coverage (2013), Knowledge for Better Health (2004) and Genomics and World Health (2002). Professor Pang has a recognisable profile as a global health expert and his research interests are in the fields of infectious diseases, biosecurity, global health governance, linkages between research and policy, and harm reduction approaches to mitigate health problems.

Derek Yach MBChB MPH, is a global health expert focused on addressing major chronic diseases, mental health and their underlying risks. He has led major initiatives to address tobacco use, healthy diets, and mental health at the World Health Organization, Yale, PepsiCo, the Vitality Group, and most recently as President and founder of the Foundation for a Smoke Free World. Derek has published over 250 peer reviewed publications. He has served on several advisory boards including those led by the World Economic Forum, Wellcome Trust, NIH's Fogarty Center, and Cornerstone Capital. He currently is a member of APCO's International Advisory Board. He lives in Connecticut, USA and swims most days.

David Khayat is Professor of Medicine, Medical Oncologist at the Clinic Bizet in Paris. He was Head of Medical Oncology at the Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière for 28 years, Paris, France. Professor Khayat gained a Master of Science in tumour immunology from the University of Paris and went on to complete his PhD in tumour immunology at the University Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris. In addition to his current position, he is also Adjunct Professor of Medicine in the Department of Breast Diseases at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, United States. He was the President of the French National Cancer Institute from 2004 to 2006. He was member of the ASCO Board Directors (2014-2018). In 1998, he organised the French Federation of Medical Oncologists (FFOM) and was elected its first President, a post he held until 2001. He set up the Master of Excellence of Medicine in Oncology programme. Professor Khayat was one of the organisers of the World Summit Against Cancer, 2000 and 2001, and the Charter of Paris Against Cancer, 2000, both at UNESCO. He is Professor Emeritus of several institutions, including the Suzhou Institute for Onco-haematology in China, the Matsumoto University in Japan and the Heraklion University in Greece was elected in 2011 as Full Member of Russian Academy of Sciences. Professor Khayat received the American Association for Cancer Research public service award in 2000. He received the ASCO distinguished Achievement Award in 2011. He is also Commander of British Empire (CBE) and Officier de la Légion d’Honneur in France.

Education – High School from England; Bachelor from Assumption University, Thailand; Master from Avila University, USA Social – Past President of Rotary club, committee of the Federation of the Thai Industries, etc. Works –Intertrade Manager at Probiotic and Herbal manufacturing company. Present – Director / founding member of ENDs Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST). Also, member of the Parliament's committee on Laws and Regulations of E-Cig. Asa was a former smoker who smoked for over 37 years and had tried almost all quit methods until he found vaping in 2005 and completely switched over 15 years ago (there were some years of dual-use) which made him successfully quit smoking ever since. Asa is an avid advocate for Tobacco Harm Reduction who resides in Thailand, the country that prohibits importation and distribution of vape products. ECST is a consumer group that Asa founded over 10 years ago when vaping became illegal. ECST had sent petition letters to various governmental and related entities asking for the right to choose. The primary goal is to legalize THR as an alternative for those who want to quit smoking.

Sudhanshu Patwardhan is a British-Indian U.K.-licensed medical doctor, passionate about innovation in cancer prevention and early screening. Between 2000 and 2019, he lived and worked in three continents, holding senior roles in research, strategy and policy in the pharmaceutical and nicotine industries. For the past six years, Sud has set up and grown ventures in strategic advisory and healthtech, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.

Satenik Muradyan is a medical doctor and medical genetics resident from Armenia with a strong interest in public health, research, and science education. She serves as the Head of the Scientific Improvement Department at BIL Armenia, the Healthcare Students’ Association of Armenia, where she leads initiatives to support young researchers and promote scientific literacy. Satenik is actively involved in tobacco harm reduction (THR) advocacy and education, having conducted researches on the perspectives of Armenian healthcare professionals toward smoking cessation and alternative strategies. She has also delivered trainings for medical practitioners and regularly speaks at youth-centered health events. Passionate about bridging science and community impact, Satenik volunteers widely and contributes to projects ranging from rare genetic disease awareness to mental health support. Her work combines a strong foundation in clinical medicine with a commitment to making healthcare more inclusive, evidence-based, and prevention-oriented.

Will is the founding editor-in-chief of Filter, an online magazine that launched in 2018 to cover drug use, drug policy and human rights through a harm reduction lens. He's also the executive director of The Influence Foundation, the New York nonprofit behind Filter. His past work in the drugs and human rights spaces has included founding and/or editing a number of other publications, and consulting for various organizations. Originally from England, he now lives in Vermont.

Kiran Sidhu is a tobacco harm reduction fellow for US-based harm reduction publication, Filter. She completed a THR scholarship programme with KAC in 2024. She has written numerous articles covering developments in the world of THR. She is a writer and journalist who has written for publications including the Guardian, the Telegraph, I Paper and the Times, among many others. Her book, I can Hear The Cuckoo, was published by Gaia in 2023. She wrote and co-produced a short film called, Heart Valley, which won a Bafta in 2023.

Dorrie Heemskerk supports Esigbond, the Dutch trade association for e-cigarettes, as external secretary. Her main focus is on legislation and regulation of e-cigarettes and other smoke-free nicotine products. In the Netherlands, these alternatives face considerable political opposition and a broadly negative public sentiment. To safeguard adult access to harm reduction, Esigbond runs public campaigns and advocates for proportionate, evidence-based regulation.

Jacob Grier is a writer and journalist covering tobacco policy. His work has appeared in Reason, Slate, The Atlantic, and many other publications, and he is the author of two related books: The New Prohibition: The Dangerous Politics of Tobacco Control and The Rediscovery of Tobacco: Smoking, Vaping, and the Creative Destruction of the Cigarette. With nearly two decades on the beat, his coverage spans smoking bans, harm reduction, innovation, and the unintended consequences of prohibition. He is also the founder of the link-sharing app Seabird. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

Jeffrey Zamora is President of Asovape Costa Rica, Social Media Director and Audiovisual Producer for INNCO, recipient of the Enhanced KAC THRSP Scholarship with a project on a documentary series called #Safer and a documentary called "Love Kevin", and Project Leader for the Veritas Study of ECLAT (Spin-off of the University of Catania, Italy) and CoEHAR, and former president of ARDT Iberoamerica. Jeffrey Zamora has worked in Social Media, Audiovisual Production, and Marketing with NGOs, Governmental Entities, and Commercial Brands.

Carmen Escrig received a PhD. in Cell Biology and Genetics from the Autonomous University of Madrid, and is the founder, coordinator, and/or scientific advisor of different organisations related to smoking harm reduction, such as the Spanish Medical Platform for Smoking Harm Reduction, composed of about 30 doctors, professors, and health professionals, as well as the Spanish Association of Personal Vapourisers Users (ANESVAP). She is the organiser of THR SUMMIT SPAIN, the first scientific congress on smoking harm reduction in Spain, now in its second edition. She has attended or participated as a speaker in several congresses related to tobacco harm reduction. Carmen also collaborates actively with users and scientific organisations in Latin America.

Doctorada en Biología Celular y Genética por la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, es fundadora, coordinadora y/o asesora científica de distintas organizaciones relacionadas con la Reducción de Daños por Tabaquismo, como la Plataforma Médica Española por la Reducción de Daños por Tabaquismo, compuesta por cerca de 30 médicos, catedráticos y profesionales sanitarios, así como de la Asociación Española de Usuarios de Vaporizadores Personales (ANESVAP). Esorganizadora del THR SUMMIT SPAIN, primer congreso científico sobre Reducción de Daños por Tabaquismo en España que ya va por su segunda edición. Ha asistido o participado como ponente en varios congresos relacionados con la THR. También colabora activamente con organizaciones de usuarios y científicos hermanas en Latinoamérica.

Diego Joaquin Verrastro graduated from U.B.A (University of Buenos Aires), and is a medical surgeon specializing in general and emergency surgery, mini-invasive surgery, ultrasonography and obesity, spokesperson and co-founder of the Latin American network for the reduction of harm associated with smoking (www.RELDAT. org), member of the Pan America Harm Reduction Alliance (PAHRA), Co-author of the latest Swedish SAVING LIVES report, Co-author of the LIVES SAVED report, and speaker at the Second African Conference for Health Harm Reduction, with the theme “Water, Environment and Food Security".

Miguel Okumura is the president of THR Brasil, where he leads efforts to educate about the responsible use of nicotine and smoking harm reduction. He is also the host of Vaporacast, a podcast dedicated to fostering an open dialogue between consumers, healthcare professionals, researchers, scientists, and promoting safer alternatives. As an electrical engineer, he works in the design and execution of sustainable construction projects, aligning his technical knowledge with his passion for environmental and public health causes.

Vannesa Morris, Socióloga Especialista en Estudios del Territorio. Trabaja en la Corporación de Acción Técnica Social liderando proyectos de prevención en consumo de sustancias psicoactivas, así como también estrategias de reducción de riesgos y daños y análisis de sustancias en ambientes festivos. Actualmente es coordinadora del Proyecto Échele Cabeza y directora del Festival de Cortos Psicoactivos. 

Dr Roberto A Sussman (PhD University of London) is a full time senior researcher and lecturer at the Institute for Nuclear Sciences of the National University of Mexico. His main research areas are General Relativity and Cosmology, but he has conducted research in other areas of Physics, including peer reviewed publications on e-cigarette aerosols. He advocates for an appropriate regulation of Tobacco Harm Reduction products in Mexico and Latin America and is active in spreading scientific information on these products, as well as advising consumers on how to counter the rampant governmental disinformation and prejudice about them.

Martin Cullip is a former company director and International Fellow of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, who has written and blogged on free market and lifestyle consumer issues for over a decade. As a user of e-cigarettes and other safer nicotine products, he is a particularly passionate consumer advocate for all forms of tobacco harm reduction and has a keen interest in the rapidly-evolving nicotine market and the politics surrounding it. Martin is a former Chair of UK educational charity The New Nicotine Alliance and has taken part in parliamentary evidence sessions and consumer, industry, and political events on the subject domestically and internationally.

Anna Franzén holds an MSc in Pharmaceutical Biosciences and a PhD in Toxicology from Uppsala University, Sweden. With over 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory environments such as the Swedish Medical Products Agency, Anna has developed a deep expertise in risk assessment, clinical research, and regulatory strategies. She has also worked extensively in industry-academic collaborations, supporting the development of innovative healthcare solutions. Anna joined Emplicure in 2021 and leads the company’s regulatory strategy. Passionate about innovation and safety, she is dedicated to advancing novel solutions for nicotine and drug delivery

Mark Oates is the Director of We Vape and the Snus Users Association, which are both consumer groups standing up for the right of individuals to use safer nicotine products. He advocates for evidence-based harm reduction in a range of areas from tobacco to drug policy, a subject he has written on for the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Adam Smith Institute, where he is a Fellow. He also provided consumer evidence in the 2018 ECJ case to overturn the ban of snus across the European Union.

Cecilia Kindstrand has spent the last 15 years working for Swedish Match in Brussels, a company with tobacco harm reduction at the core of its business. She predominantly focuses on EU regulatory matters, especially the TPD 2014/40, the legislation banning the ‘proof of concept’ of tobacco harm reduction in 26 of the 27 Member States. Since PMI’s acquisition of Swedish Match, she now represents PMI. The focus of her work remains the same.

Barnaby Page is editorial director of Tamarind Intelligence, the publisher of ECigIntelligence, TobaccoIntelligence and CannIntelligence. As a journalist he has been covering the worldwide reduced-risk nicotine sector since 2014, with a particular focus on public health and regulatory issues; in his current role he manages Tamarind’s editorial and reporting teams, producing a wide range of nicotine-related content. He has been participating in the Global Forum on Nicotine since its inception. Before coming into this field, Barnaby spent 30 years as a reporter and editor for newspapers, magazines and online services, specialising in technology and business. He is based near London.

Dr. Arielle Selya is a behavioral science consultant specializing in tobacco harm reduction. Through her primary role as Senior Scientist at PinneyAssociates, Inc., she supports Juul Labs, Inc. in their scientific and regulatory efforts through behavioral study protocols, statistical methodology, and scientific publishing strategy and execution. Dr. Selya is also a consultant to the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) on e-cigarette use behavioral research and critical analysis of scientific literature. She received her PhD in Neuroscience at Rutgers University and, prior to becoming a consultant, spent a decade in academia studying adolescent substance use and addiction. In addition to being a prolific contributor to the scientific literature, with over 70 scientific publications to her name, Dr. Selya is also actively engaged in both post-publication critiques of published research and in communicating scientific findings to broader audiences (see her collection of tweetorials here).

Clive Bates has had a diverse career in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Starting out with IBM, he then switched career to work in the environment movement. From 1997-2003 he was Director of Action on Smoking and Health (UK), campaigning to reduce the harms caused by tobacco. In 2003 he joined Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Strategy Unit as a civil servant and worked in senior roles in the public sector and for the United Nations in Sudan. He is now Director of The Counterfactual, a consulting and advocacy practice focussed on a pragmatic approach to sustainability and public health.

Jacob Grier is a writer and journalist covering tobacco policy. His work has appeared in Reason, Slate, The Atlantic, and many other publications, and he is the author of two related books: The New Prohibition: The Dangerous Politics of Tobacco Control and The Rediscovery of Tobacco: Smoking, Vaping, and the Creative Destruction of the Cigarette. With nearly two decades on the beat, his coverage spans smoking bans, harm reduction, innovation, and the unintended consequences of prohibition. He is also the founder of the link-sharing app Seabird. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

Marina Murphy PhD is a scientific communications and engagement professional with more than 25 years of experience including 15 years in the tobacco and nicotine sector. With a background in chemistry, she also has broad outreach, engagement and advocacy experience. Marina has previously worked as Senior Director of Scientific and Medical Affairs at ANDS, Head of Public Health Advocacy at JUUL Labs and spent nearly ten years working for British American Tobacco , during which she held various roles, including Head of Scientific Media Relations and International Scientific Engagement Manager. Marina has also worked as a journalist, editor and columnist and has published in several high-profile publications including New Scientist, The Irish Times, BBC Science and sciencebusiness.net.

Cliff Douglas is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Global Action to End Smoking. Cliff has dedicated his 37-year career to eradicating death and disease related to tobacco use by promoting science-based policies and education. Prior to Global Action, Douglas taught a graduate tobacco policy course at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and directed the university's Tobacco Research Network. Douglas served as the American Cancer Society's National Vice President for Tobacco Control and as Tobacco Control Policy Advisor to the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health and the U.S. Surgeon General. Other career highlights include leading the campaign to prohibit smoking on airplanes in the U.S., serving as an attorney in landmark lawsuits against cigarette manufacturers on behalf of state attorneys general and individual smokers, and successfully defending Uruguay against Philip Morris International’s international trade action seeking to block that nation's tobacco control laws.

Maria Papaioannoy is the founder and spokesperson of Rights 4 Vapers (R4V), Canada’s largest movement advocating for access to safer nicotine products. She has led nationwide protests against restrictive policies, ensuring the voices of those who rely on these alternatives are heard. Maria’s advocacy began in 2014 with Vapor Advocates of Ontario, and in 2019, she launched R4V to push back against government overreach. For over a decade, she has engaged with legislative bodies, public health units, and media to challenge provincial and federal flavour bans. In 2024, under her leadership, R4V collected and mailed over 100,000 letters to elected officials, marking one of Canada’s largest consumer-led advocacy efforts. Maria remains a tireless champion for safer nicotine choices, driven by her belief in harm reduction, personal freedom, and public health. Her dedication ensures consumers have a voice in shaping policies that impact their lives.

Ian is an independent consultant with expertise in regulatory and scientific aspects of nicotine and tobacco products. His consulting work encompasses clinical and behavioural studies of tobacco and nicotine products for regulatory submissions in the US and Europe, and he has a wealth of experience of both consumer goods and medicinal licensing submissions. His 17 years working in the Tobacco Harm Reduction arena has included roles as Senior Director of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs EMEA with JUUL Labs, Director of Tobacco Research with Celerion, and Principal Scientist and Head of Clinical Research at British American Tobacco. As well as his consulting, Ian is a Scientific Advisory Board Member with Qnovia, a medtech startup seeking authorisation for a novel NRT in the UK and the US, and is also an Independent Non-Exec Director with Advanced Inhalation Rituals (AIR), a global shisha manufacturer.

Christopher Russell, Ph.D. is a behavioural scientist and Director of Russell Burnett Research and Consultancy Ltd (RBRC), Glasgow, United Kingdom. Dr Russell leads the design, conduct, and reporting of perception and behavioural research studies of reduced risk tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, vaping products), heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches. Studies are designed to yield a range of cross sectional and longitudinal evidence on: (i) the likelihood that tobacco users and non users will initiate use of a new product; (ii) how adult consumers actually use a new product in everyday life; (iii) how cigarette smoking behaviour changes over time concurrent with new product use (e.g., switching, reduction); and (iv) behavioural intentions, risk perceptions, and subjective effects of a new product. These sources of evidence can inform regulatory evaluations of the potential impact of marketing a new tobacco/nicotine product on future tobacco/nicotine use behaviour and population health.

Matt joined Philip Morris International as VP, U.S. Scientific Engagement & Regulatory Strategy in Aug 2022. In this role, he leads the development and execution of PMI’s U.S. tobacco harm reduction strategy. He works to build understanding and support for smokefree products and the science related to tobacco harm reduction among stakeholders. He is also responsible for PMI’s U.S. regulatory strategy. Prior to joining PMI, Matt spent two decades as a regulatory scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where he served in numerous leadership positions. He joined FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products one year after it was created as a division director in the Office of Science. He ended his tenure at FDA as the Director of the Office of Science. In his positions within the Office of Science, he helped create the marketing application review programs and signed final actions for millions of tobacco products.

Elizabeth Becker serves as Senior Director, Population Science within the Regulatory Sciences organization of Altria Client Services (ALCS) in Richmond, VA. In this role, she leads a team of scientists who develop and execute perception and behavior research and narrative strategies to support product applications and regulatory submissions. Elizabeth oversees research to understand the impact of new products, claims and marketing on tobacco user and nonuser perceptions, intentions, and behaviors. Since 2005, Elizabeth has held a variety of positions across Altria. Elizabeth started her career supporting underage tobacco prevention and cessation support research and has since held roles in Corporate Communications and Innovation. Prior to joining Regulatory Sciences in 2018, Elizabeth led Altria’s Corporate Responsibility efforts. Master Business Administration, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, 2010 B.S. Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2004

Autumn is a toxicologist who has been conducting health research of reduced risk nicotine delivery products for over a decade. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of toxicology, which includes a diverse background working with consumer product manufacturers, pharmaceutical research and development teams, and various large and small clients to address complex toxicology issues during product development and in preparation of regulatory dossiers around the globe. She has developed PMTA strategies and numerous submissions for device, liquid, and pouch manufacturers. She has also developed risk assessment strategies to assess the potential health effects of ENDS products and to facilitate product design and development. Her experience has led to effective communications with governmental regulators in scientific advisory meetings.

Jonathan Fell has followed developments in the tobacco and nicotine industries for 30 years. He began his career as an equity research analyst covering tobacco and other consumer industries at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank, and from 2013 to 2022 he was a founder and portfolio manager at Ash Park, an investment manager focused on investments in the fast-moving consumer goods industry. Jon now spends his time as a consultant in the tobacco and nicotine spheres and working in the not-for-profit sector, including chairing a London livery company charity, helping to run a Scout group, and serving as a director at Article 36, a UK-based organisation working to promote public scrutiny over the development and use of weapons.

Asanda Gcoyi is a prominent advocate for the adoption of harm reduction strategies in nicotine consumption in South Africa. As the Chief Executive Officer of the Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA), she has championed evidence-based regulations that balance public health priorities with consumer choice. Recently, Gcoyi played a leading role in negotiations about South Africa’s efforts to amend the Tobacco Products Control Act (83) 1993 in South Africa’s National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), which is a statutory body established in terms of the NEDLAC Act (35) 1994. With over 18 years of diverse industry experience, Gcoyi is a dynamic business leader with a strong leadership and public policy advocacy background. She holds an MBA from Peking University in Beijing and a postgraduate degree in media studies. In addition to her role at VPASA, Gcoyi serves on several influential boards, including the Advertising Regulatory Board of South Africa.

Sam Tam is a leading advocate for balanced, evidence-based vaping regulations in Canada. As President of the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA), he is committed to ensuring adult smokers have access to safer, affordable alternatives to combustible cigarettes while preventing policies that inadvertently fuel the illicit market. Sam works closely with federal and provincial policymakers, providing expert insights to strengthen enforcement, compliance, and illicit trade prevention. His advocacy focuses on harm reduction, emphasizing vaping’s role in helping smokers transition away from cigarettes without overregulation that could drive consumers toward unregulated products. Recognized as a subject matter expert, Sam has collaborated with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), contributing policy recommendations for the Cannabis Act review. He also serves on the Standards Technical Panel for UL 8139 (vaping safety standards). Sam’s work underscores the importance of fact-based policymaking to reduce smoking rates while combating the illicit market.

Deborah joined Imperial Brands plc as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer in June 2024. Deborah is an experienced Corporate Affairs Director drawing upon over 20 years of international experience in sectors including FMCG, energy, technology, retail and e-commerce. Deborah has previously worked at Shell, Centrica, National Grid, Alibaba Group, eBay and Puma Energy.

Clive Bates has had a diverse career in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Starting out with IBM, he then switched career to work in the environment movement. From 1997-2003 he was Director of Action on Smoking and Health (UK), campaigning to reduce the harms caused by tobacco. In 2003 he joined Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Strategy Unit as a civil servant and worked in senior roles in the public sector and for the United Nations in Sudan. He is now Director of The Counterfactual, a consulting and advocacy practice focussed on a pragmatic approach to sustainability and public health.

Dr Roberto A Sussman (PhD University of London) is a full time senior researcher and lecturer at the Institute for Nuclear Sciences of the National University of Mexico. His main research areas are General Relativity and Cosmology, but he has conducted research in other areas of Physics, including peer reviewed publications on e-cigarette aerosols. He advocates for an appropriate regulation of Tobacco Harm Reduction products in Mexico and Latin America and is active in spreading scientific information on these products, as well as advising consumers on how to counter the rampant governmental disinformation and prejudice about them.

Summer Hanna, PhD serves as Head of Scientific Regulation on behalf of BAT. She is responsible for Group-wide scientific engagement to drive the awareness and acceptance of Tobacco Harm Reduction and the development of science-based regulatory approaches for reduced risk products globally. Dr. Hanna has held a variety of US and Global roles across Scientific Research & Development and Regulatory Affairs. She most recently led the development of the cannabinoid discovery science programme as part of BAT’s Beyond Nicotine strategy. Previously, Summer led teams within Reynolds’ FDA Submissions & Engagement team focused on their smokeless tobacco portfolio, along with previous roles in Analytical Research. Before joining Reynolds American in 2011, Hanna received her PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Wake Forest University. She currently serves as treasurer to the US Technical Advisory Group for ISO/ TC 126.

Riccardo Polosa is the founder of the Center of Excellence for Accelerating Harm Reduction (CoEHAR - University of Catania, Italy). Dr. Polosa is a full professor of Internal Medicine at the same University and together with the 100-member CoEHAR research team with different specializations, they conduct several high-profile clinical and behavioral research in the field of smoking-related diseases. According to a bibliometric analysis, Professor Polosa is considered the most productive scientist in the world in the field of e-cigarette research.

Dr. Thomas Nahde is the Global Head of Harm Reduction & Engagement at Imperial Brands. He leads the scientific substantiation of Imperial’s next generation product (NGP) portfolio, as the business seeks to make a meaningful contribution to tobacco harm reduction. Thomas oversees a multidisciplinary team who conduct NGP scientific research, as well as educate, engage, and communicate the scientific results to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders. He is passionate about translating complex scientific research into meaningful health outcomes that benefit consumers and public health, and inspiring and developing others through empathetic, inclusive and authentic leadership. Thomas holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science and had previously held senior global and regional medical education & medical affairs roles at Smith & Nephew, and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.

Maria Papaioannoy is the founder and spokesperson of Rights 4 Vapers (R4V), Canada’s largest movement advocating for access to safer nicotine products. She has led nationwide protests against restrictive policies, ensuring the voices of those who rely on these alternatives are heard. Maria’s advocacy began in 2014 with Vapor Advocates of Ontario, and in 2019, she launched R4V to push back against government overreach. For over a decade, she has engaged with legislative bodies, public health units, and media to challenge provincial and federal flavour bans. In 2024, under her leadership, R4V collected and mailed over 100,000 letters to elected officials, marking one of Canada’s largest consumer-led advocacy efforts. Maria remains a tireless champion for safer nicotine choices, driven by her belief in harm reduction, personal freedom, and public health. Her dedication ensures consumers have a voice in shaping policies that impact their lives.

Jagannath (Jaggi) Sarangapani is a passionate independent tobacco harm reduction advocate from India and a former member of the Association of Vapers India (AVI). After smoking 40 cigarettes a day for 20 years, he quit through vaping almost a decade ago and has remained smoke-free since. He strongly believes smokers should have access to safer alternatives and the right to remain smoke-free. An avid fitness enthusiast and trekking lover, Jagannath maintains an active lifestyle alongside his advocacy work. A seasoned industrialist, he has spent over 30 years managing his family business, a pioneer in cellular plastics and insulated panels in India. He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and is also an alumnus of Columbia Business School.

Konstantinos Farsalinos, MD, MPH, is a physician and senior researcher specialising in Public Health at the Universities of Patras and West Attica in Greece. He has conducted extensive research on smoking, tobacco harm reduction, and vaping since 2011, publishing over 100 studies and presenting in more than 80 conferences. He authored the first systematic review on the safety and risk profile of e-cigarettes in 2014 and the first book on e-cigarettes, published by Elsevier. His research was influential in shaping the EU’s regulatory framework on vaping. In 2020, he was recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher for his significant impact in global science. During the pandemic, he published studies exploring the relationship between smoking, nicotine, and COVID-19.

Martin is a management consultant specialising in organisational and leadership development; a designer and facilitator of innovation and organisational change. He is an experienced manager, having held a number of senior executive and non-executive positions during his career. Having worked for over 40 years across health/social voluntary and philanthropic sectors, he possesses an extensive range of skills, knowledge and experience successfully providing management, leadership and governance support to organisations and individuals. Throughout his career Martin has worked with a range of stakeholders, including national and local politicians, ministers, senior civil servants, local authorities, NHS Boards and other sectoral groups. He has also been a non-executive board member of various agencies, including voluntary sector organisations, professional bodies and social enterprises. Martin has professional qualifications in nursing and holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Masters in Community Care.

Dr McGovern qualified in Medicine in 1995 from Trinity College Dublin and has worked as a GP specialising in the treatment of substance misuse since the implementation of the methadone treatment protocol in 1998. He is Medical Director of the Priority Medical Clinic, a private addiction treatment programme located in South County Dublin. In January 2022 he was appointed Clinical Lead for the HSE Addiction Services in Louth Meath & The Midlands. Dr McGovern holds a Master’s degree in Clinical and Public Health Aspects of Addiction from The National Addiction Centre, King’s College London, is a Diplomate of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) and holds a Professional Diploma in Clinical Leadership from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He is also one of the first members of the International Doctors for Healthy Drug Policies (IDHDP),an international group of medical addiction experts aiming to promote sensible drug policies. Dr McGovern is also a member of the Irish Chapter of the New Nicotine Alliance.

With over 20 years of experience in the drugs field, Adriana Curado is a harm reduction advocate and community researcher at the Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos (GAT) in Lisbon. She has played a key role in designing and implementing harm reduction interventions for high-risk drug users, including the development of drug consumption rooms. She has also led community-based research projects and actively advocates for evidence-based drug policies in Portugal. More recently, under a KAC scholarship, she expanded her focus to tobacco harm reduction, working with people who use drugs and those experiencing homelessness. With a background in Psychology and Public Health, she is committed to advancing the rights and health of marginalized populations through pragmatic and inclusive harm reduction approaches. Her work highlights the intersection of drug policy, public health, and community-driven solutions, ensuring that the most vulnerable have access to safer alternatives and supportive services.

Michael Stoney is a Prison Governor currently in charge of Scotland’s Largest prison HMP Barlinnie which holds 1400+ adult males. Michael is also Project Executive /SRO for the design, build and delivery of HMP Glasgow a circa billion-pound new prison project. The new prison design is based on Salutogenic principles ensuring that the design and operation will focus on creating good health in people in the broadest sense. Achieved through building resource in people to make life more manageable, comprehensible and meaningful. Harm reduction is a fundamental part of improving health in prison and this approach has been present throughout Michael’s career where he has been developing addiction support approaches for SPS since mid-90’s. In 2019 he led the team to successfully remove tobacco from prisons using vapes as the alternative product. This was delivered without incident and had a significant positive impact on the health of officers and prisoners.

Professor Dr. Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh is a public health physician whose work are at the confluence of health policy, health economics and public health. She has served in significant roles including as the Dean of School of Liberal Sciences, President of Malaysia's Society of Harm Reduction (MSHR), the Chairperson for health economics in the Technical Advisory Committee for Health Economic Evaluation with Health Technology Assessment MoH. She is a consultant to governmental bodies on using casemix in health and technical advisors to a few LMIC on various health-related matters, including tobacco control, health financing and hospital efficiency.

Dr Christopher Snowdon is the head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). He is a regular contributor to the Spectator, The Critic and Spiked, and is the author of ‘Polemics’ (2020), ‘Killjoys’ (2017), ‘Selfishness, Greed and Capitalism’ (2015), ‘The Art of Suppression' (2011), ‘The Spirit Level Delusion’ (2010) and ‘Velvet Glove, Iron Fist’ (2009). He is the editor of the Nanny State Index and the author of more than twenty reports for the IEA.

As one of PMI’s most experienced global leaders, Tommaso Di Giovanni drives PMI’s communications and engagements around the world. He joined PMI in 2001, and has since worked in business development, regulatory affairs, and communications in France, Switzerland, Latin America (based in New York City), Brazil, and Italy. Tommaso was one of the pioneers in of PMI’s industry-leading transformation to bring to life the bold vision of a smoke-free future. In 2019, he was appointed Vice President of Market Activation & Support and was recently named Vice President of International Communications and Engagement leading affiliates worldwide in their efforts to share PMI’s vision. Prior to joining PMI, Tommaso worked for the European Parliament and for the European Statistical Office. He has a business management degree from Università Bocconi, Milan and FGV (Fundacao Getulio Vargas—Sao Paulo, Brazil). He lives in Lausanne with his wife and two children.

David is an environmental-health risk governance analyst specialised in EU policy debates. Until 2006, he worked twelve years in chemicals issue management for Solvay, Cefic and Burson-Marsteller. Until 2022, David was a professor in communications, public relations, lobbying and marketing at Vesalius College, Facultés Saint-Louis and Odisee University College. In 2001, he was one of the founders of GreenFacts, a science-based risk communications tool for non-specialists. A pioneer in science communications and science and society issues for more than two decades, David sits on various research ethics panels and frequently serves as a chair, expert, rapporteur, ethics adviser or evaluator for European-funded research projects. He writes a blog under the pseudonym: The Risk-Monger, assessing the European use of evidence in environmental-health policy management. He is the editor of The Firebreak, a news site that monitors media coverage of environmental-health news.

Fiona Patten was a member of the Victorian parliament from 2014 to 2022. She campaigned on harm reduction policies for 30 years and ran the Australian adult industry association (Eros) for 20 years. She initiated and delivered reforms including voluntary assisted dying, abortion law reform, the decriminalisation of sex work and drug law reform. Since leaving parliament she has continued to work on social reform issues including criminal justice reform, regulating adult use of cannabis, access to medicinal cannabis, drug harm reduction including for tobacco, and a greater separation of church and state. She currently sits on a variety of health and justice boards. Fiona is passionate about tobacco harm reduction and constantly disappointed with her own country’s approach to it. In 2018 she published her autobiography -‘Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll’. She is the owner of a registered wildlife sanctuary.

Jessica Harding became involved in tobacco harm reduction when vapes helped her to quit smoking, in 2012. She helped to establish the political party Vapers in Power and later worked as an administrator for the New Nicotine Alliance. Jessica is a Director at Knowledge•Action•Change and its sister company KAC Communications, which runs the Global Forum on Nicotine. She previously worked as an English teacher and lives in the UK.