Paris Packaging Week unveils the “Future Leaders class of 2025” – a group of talented young professionals who embody innovation, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit in the packaging industry. This second edition of the Future Leaders highlights emerging leaders from around the world, representing the future of a sector in full transformation, driven by sustainability and innovation challenges.

Selected by a jury of three influential experts in luxury packaging – Emmanuelle Bonardi, Operations Director at AmorePacific; Thierry de Baschmakoff, Founder of De Baschmakoff agency; and Gérald Martines, Founder of In-Signes agency – these 10 young talents reflect a diversity of skills, backgrounds, and approaches.

The class of 2025: International and Committed Talents 

The ‘Future Leaders’ of this edition come from diverse countries including France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the Netherlands. They stand out not only for their technical expertise but also for their ability to naturally integrate environmental challenges into their professional practices. As Gérald Martines highlights: “What impressed me most about these young talents is their vision of sustainable development, which they see not as a constraint but as a given. Where previous generations had to adapt, they have grown up with this reality and directly ask the question, ‘How can we do better?’”

List of Future Leaders Class of 2025:

• Robbert Antony Bouman, Netherlands – Design Director, Innovative Beauty Group
• Romana Guennoud, United Arab Emirates – Packaging Engineer, Huda Beauty
• Jake Inglis, United Kingdom – Design Engineering Intern, Crown Holdings Inc.
• Hector Lapre, France – Aerosol Expert Engineer, L’Oréal
• Peyam Mirnejad, France – Regulatory Compliance Expert, Albéa
• Anna-Liisa Palatu, Estonia – CEO and Co-founder, Woola
• Brodie Vander Dussen, United States – Sustainability Program Manager, Orora Packaging Solutions
• Teresa Vargas Matos, Portugal – Co-founder & Strategy Lead, Matters To You Studio
• Maxwell Williams, United States – Researcher, The Packaging School
• Madison Wright, United Kingdom – Project Manager, Pentatonic
• A Diversity of Talents Driving Sustainable Innovation

These young leaders span the entire packaging value chain, from sourcing to eco-design, recycling, and consumer experience. As Emmanuelle Bonardi explains: “Our panel of Future Leaders perfectly illustrates the diversity of approaches shaping the future of packaging. Their challenge will be to creatively and effectively combine these areas of expertise, finding innovative solutions that address the issues of our time.”

This new generation of innovators will also be honored during roundtable discussions at Paris Packaging Week, where they will share their vision of upcoming challenges and opportunities for the industry. Thierry de Baschmakoff encourages them to dare to be bold: “The future of packaging relies on our ability to take risks and to imagine unprecedented approaches. Don’t be afraid to be pioneers of new and radical ideas.”

Paris Packaging Week: A Key Event for Packaging Innovation

Paris Packaging Week will take place on 28 and 29 January, 2025, at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles. This event brings together key players in the industry around four major shows:

• PCD for the cosmetics and fragrance sectors;
• ADF for aerosol and dispensing solutions;
• PLD for premium and luxury drinks;
  Packaging Première for luxury products, including fashion, watches, jewellery, and fine foods.

PARIS PACKAGING WEEK