Speakers

Opening Keynote Speaker | August 17

Birgitte Skadhaue | Carlsberg

Birgitte Skadhauge is Vice President of the Carlsberg Research Laboratory (Carlsberg Group R&D) and Adjunct Professor at the University of Copenhagen. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Genetics and Biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen. With more than three decades of experience in brewing science, fermentation, and crop research, her work has focused on barley genetics, trait development, and innovation in brewing and fermentation technologies.

Birgitte has held multiple leadership roles within Carlsberg, and she is a member of the company’s global leadership team. She has contributed extensively to scientific literature and holds numerous patents related to raw materials, traits, and beverage production. In addition to her industrial leadership, she serves on several boards and scientific advisory boards and is a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.

Tuesday Keynote Speaker | August 18

Dr. Emma Walker | Diageo

Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Dr Emma Walker, began working for Diageo in 2008 and for more than a decade has been one of the small team of 12 expert whisky makers working together in pursuit of blending excellence.

She has a background in scientific research with production expertise and has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of whisky production, maturation, and blending.

During her career, she has worked in different areas of whisky production, gaining experience and understanding of how flavour develops in fermentation, distillation, and maturation, striving to ensure quality at every step.

Leading the Whisky Specialist team based in Menstrie, Scotland, Emma has access to more than ten million casks of maturing Scotch whisky from distilleries across the four corners of Scotland.

In 2025, Emma was named Master Blender of the Year by The International Spirits Challenge, recognition of her exceptional skill and dedication to the craft of whisky blending.

Closing Keynote Speaker | August 19

Jay Keasling | University of California, Berkeley

Jay Keasling is the Philomathia Professor of Alternative Energy at the University of California, Berkeley in the Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, senior faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Chief Executive Officer of the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI). Dr. Keasling’s research focuses on the metabolic engineering of microorganisms for the degradation of environmental contaminants or for the environmentally friendly synthesis of drugs, chemicals, and fuels. Keasling received a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Nebraska, an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and did post-doctoral research in biochemistry at Stanford University. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors.