Keynote Speakers:
Brunhilde Wirth
Brunhilde Wirth, PhD, is Professor of Human Genetics and Chair of the Institute of Human Genetics at the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne in Germany. She graduated at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Bucharest in 1983 and subsequently worked as a Biology teacher at the Grammar School in Romania for two years before she moved to Germany in 1985. She gained a PhD at the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Bonn in 1989. Before becoming an independent group leader in 1990, she spent one year of postdoc at the Imperial Cancer Research Laboratories in London in the group of Prof. Annemarie Frischauf. Brunhilde Wirth worked from 1990-2003 at the Institute of Human Genetics in Bonn and received her venia legendi in Human Genetics and her speciality in Human Genetics in 1996. She was appointed as Head of the Institute of Human Genetics at the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne in 2003, where she had the challenging opportunity to build up an entirely new Institute. Her main scientific interests are neurogenetics, molecular basis of diseases, epigenetics, therapy and modifying genes. Her particular focus is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Prof Wirth contributed with over 100 original papers in this field and succeeded in making breakthrough contributions on the way from the gene to therapy of SMA. Her group successfully identified a first full protective SMA modifying gene. Brunhilde Wirth served on the board of the German Society of Human Genetics from 2002-2006, has been SPC member of the ESHG since 2005. Since 2009 she is chair of the scientific program committee of the ESHG. Brunhilde Wirth loves teaching and education of students and has become 2009 - as a successor of Prof. Victor McKusick - co-director of the European School of Medical Genetics.
Kees van der Graaf
K
ees van der Graaf joined IMD as Executive-in-Residence in November 2008, following his retirement from the Board of Unilever, where most recently he was responsible for their European business. His 32 year-long career brought him to most countries in the world. He worked in The Netherlands, the US, England, Spain and Switzerland, mostly in food businesses, with emphasis on the ice cream sector. The establishment of an ice cream operation for Unilever in China was one of his most exciting assignments. As global category leader for ice cream, he was responsible for the roll-out of these activities across the world. The integration of the Bestfoods business in Europe was his next assignment, followed by the global launch of the core brand in his capacity as European head of the Ice Cream and Frozen Foods Business Group. He then joined the Unilever Board as Foods Division Director. In his final role, Kees created a sustainable, growing European business. A radical change plan was successfully implemented.Kees is the founder and chair of the FSHD Foundation, an organization that raises research funds for this rare form of muscular dystrophy. Subsequently, together with the Dutch National Soccer team, he created an organization that raises money for children with a muscular dystrophy in general. Kees is now in the process of creating an international patients organization. The latter years of Kees’ career allowed time for self-reflection. He concluded that his life was out of balance, with too much time absorbed by his profession. His family and the foundations were not getting the attention they needed. He therefore decided to ask for early retirement from Unilever. He joined IMD to study the concept of total balance and share his experience with other executives. Kees is a graduate mechanical and business engineer from the University of Twente in The Netherlands. After his studies he completed his national service in the Dutch Navy. Kees loves outdoor sports like sailing, skiing and golf: a passion that he shares with his wife (except for the sailing). They have three sons, who all live in Amsterdam; the two youngest are students, the oldest is a young graduate in his first real job. The muscular dystrophy disease of the oldest has created a very close family relationship. They enjoy taking holidays together. The China Olympics experience was unforgettable. Kees is a non-executive director of the ANWB (automobile club) and Ben&Jerry (as from 2009). He is also a supervisory member of the Board of Spieren voor Spieren and, until the end of 2008, of Synergos, the organizational arm of the Global Philanthropists Circle. His current portfolio of activities allows him to really enjoy everything he does.
Bruce Mutsvairo