Head of Unit - Bioeconomy, Chemicals & Cosmetics (GROW.F.2)
European Commission
Hans Ingels
Hans Ingels is heading the Unit responsible for the bio-economy, chemicals and cosmetics in the European Commission's DG for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. The unit also manages the EU legislation on CLP, fertilising products, toys, detergents, pyrotechnics, civil explosives, Good Laboratory Practice and drug precursors. Before that, he was the head of unit responsible for single market policy, mutual recognition, market surveillance and free movement of goods.
Hans Ingels joined the European Commission in 1995 and spent most of his career on files related to the single market for products. He obtained a Law Degree (KULeuven – Belgium), a Degree in Notarial Studies (KULeuven - Belgium), a Postgraduate in Company Law (KUBrussel Belgium) and a Master Degree in European and International Law (VUBrussel – Belgium).
Dr. Zänker graduated as a Doctor in veterinary medicine at the University of Liège, Belgium in 1989. In 2016, she received an Executive Masters in International Association Management at the Solvay Business School (ULB) of Brussels. After one year in academic research for an EU Commission project on rabies, Susanne joined in 1990 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH in Germany as Product Manager for vaccines. In 1993, she moved to the European Federation for Animal Health FEDESA (now known as AnimalHealth Europe), where she became Technical and International Affairs Director in 2000 and Managing Director in 2004.
Dr. Zänker has been Director General of A.I.S.E., the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products since 2005. As head of the association and based in Brussels, she leads the A.I.S.E. Team and the membership, interacting with stakeholders on a daily basis, spearheading the industry agenda and presenting key developments for the detergents industry in Europe at major events and conferences. Susanne is the author of several scientific publications and was a speaker at numerous international symposia and congresses on animal health until 2005.
Emma Burlow is one of the UK’s leading specialists on circular economy and sustainability in business. She has worked directly with business on sustainability for 25 years and founded Lighthouse Sustainability in 2020. Lighthouse supports businesses to set and achieve their sustainability goals. Emma assists Boards and senior management teams to navigate the complexity world of sustainability from SDGs and BCorp, through carbon and Net Zero to materials and circular business models.
Emma has a unique hands-on understanding of the sustainability challenges and opportunities for business. To amplify her impact, Emma delivers business facing training in Carbon Literacy and circular economy. She works with established business to improve their currently sustainability, supports start-ups to disrupt and make the most of growing markets and delivers bespoke training from Board to shop floor level. Clients include Beko, Magnox, Engie, OPRL, FEN Group, Revolution ZERO, Packoorang, CanCan and Vanguard Medical Devices.
Peter is in high demand for facilitating dialogues and conferences related to sustainable development issues. He founded Quest Associates in 1995, based in the UK, which has delivered facilitation services to hundreds of clients on every continent. In recent years he has particularly focused his energies on interventions related to the circular economy agenda, including hosting the first three World Circular Economy Forums held in Finland and Japan.
Eline Brugman is the leading director of Deloitte Belgium Sustainability Team, where she supports industry in making the shift towards sustainable business. She has over 15 years of experience in supporting industry and the public sector, with a strong track record throughout different sustainability fields, and with a specialisation in climate & energy.
With a marketing and communication background, Valérie Séjourné started her career with Unilever in the UK in 1994. After a couple of years with the French Energy and Environment Agency (Ademe) as Communications Manager, she joined A.I.S.E. in 1997 in Brussels and is now in charge of Communications & Stakeholders Outreach. In addition to corporate communication activities, she is involved in several priority projects for the association notably related to sustainable production and consumption, circular economy, end-user engagement, hygiene promotion, labelling and digitalisation, and works in close interaction with members, value chain partners and external stakeholders.
