The January packaging event in Paris has unveiled the "Future Leaders class of 2025" - a group of talented young professionals who embody innovation, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit in the packaging industry today.

This second edition 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.

International and committed talents

Coming from diverse countries including France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the Netherlands, this year’s talents stand out not only for their technical expertise but also for their ability to naturally integrate environmental challenges into their professional practices.

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?,’” highlights Gérald Martines.

The Future Leaders class of 2025 includes:

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

These young leaders span the entire packaging value chain, from sourcing to eco-design, recycling, and consumer experience.

This new generation of innovators will also be honoured during roundtable discussions at Paris Packaging Week, where they will share their vision of upcoming challenges and opportunities for the industry.

Paris Packaging Week will take place on 28 and 29 January, 2025, at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.