Global Medical Director for the diabetes portfolio at Merck KGaA Dr. Kerstin MG Brand is the Global Medical Director for the diabetes portfolio at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. She leads medical lifecycle management for metformin, the key ingredient in the original metformin brand, Glucophage®. With over 20 years of experience in cardiometabolic drug development, Dr. Brand has successfully spearheaded multiple lifecycle innovation projects for metformin and other cardiometabolic therapies at Merck. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biology from the University of Bonn and is passionate about the interconnected functions of the body, particularly the insulin signaling pathway, as well as value-based innovation, women’s health, and medical storytelling.

Dr. Jackie Maalouf is Vice President at the International Diabetes Federation IDFserving on a second term, board member at the NCD Alliance, and board member at the GMHA, she is the Founder and President of Dialeb- The National Diabetes Organization, a leading diabetes organization in Lebanon which she founded with her daughter Sylvie living with type 1 diabetes in 2010. As of January 2026 she was appointed on the international board of the Global Metabolic Health Alliance GMHA. She is a certified diabetes educator. She made it her mission in life to advocate for those living with diabetes and other NCDs, and delivers educational and motivational talks around these topics across the globe. She has over 15 years of experience in leading Dialeb’s awareness campaigns and activities across Lebanon., and has earned several awards and certifications related to diabetes, nutrition, sports, public health… She has participated as a speaker at many local, regional, and international diabetes conferences. She takes parts as member at 3 committees at the global board of IDF, and is leading the sustainability committee since 2022. With IDF- MENA she is a member of several committees and has led the youth committee since 2022.She is an expert consultant with the WHO and sits on the boards of several local regional and global organizations, She has participated in many research papers as a co-author or reviewer. Dr. Jackie Maalouf is a seasoned educator who has taught for many years at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and AUCE. A passionate diabetes advocate and a staunch believer in social innovation, she frequently delivers talks at various forums, championing impactful initiatives. Her dedication to driving social change has earned her multiple awards of appreciation from local, regional, and international institutions. Fluent in four languages and proficient in two others, Dr. Maalouf excels in fostering global communication and collaboration. Guided by the principle of “Being the Change” and leading by example, she finds immense fulfillment in empowering communities to strive for a better future and a better quality of life.

Chimezie Udochukwu Anyiam is a diabetes advocate and Founder of the Goodly Heritage Initiative, a nonprofit organization based in Nigeria focused on improving health outcomes through diabetes awareness, menstrual health education, and community outreach. Living with Type 2 diabetes for over a decade, she brings both lived experience and advocacy insight into her work. Her journey reflects the practical and emotional challenges often associated with a diabetes diagnosis, including stigma and limited awareness. Through her platform, she works to promote early diagnosis, strengthen community understanding, and encourage individuals to take informed and practical steps toward better health. Her work focuses on patient education, peer support, and reducing stigma associated with diabetes within underserved communities.

Hussain Jafri is the Chief Executive Officer of the World Patients Alliance (WPA) which is the largest umbrella organization working across all disease areas. He also serves as a Assistant Professor at the Institute of Patient Safety Research, University of Kalisz, Poland, where he advances academic work in patient safety and healthcare quality. He serves on the WHO Civil Society Commission Steering Committee, strengthening engagement between WHO and civil society worldwide. He is also a member of the Advisory Group for WHO’s Patients for Patient Safety (PFPS) program, where he previously served as Vice Chair. At the national level, Hussain founded the Pakistan Patient Safety Initiative and was appointed by the Government of Punjab as Provincial Focal Person on Patient Safety and Quality, where he led the development of provincial healthcare policies and services. He also established Alzheimer’s Pakistan, the country’s first national association for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, inspired by his experience as a caregiver for his grandfather. With over three decades of advocacy, Hussain has worked extensively with governments, patient groups, and international organizations. He is a member of the Person and Family-Centred Advisory Council (PFCAC) of ISQua and serves on the taskforce of the Global Alliance of Partners for Pain Advocacy (GAPPA). An accomplished speaker, Hussain has addressed international conferences on patient safety, caregiving, person-centred healthcare, and advocacy. He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and holds a PhD from the University of Leeds, UK, with research focused on the prevention of genetic disorders. He also served as Director General of the Punjab Thalassemia & Other Genetic Disorders Prevention & Research Institute.

Oliwia Kaczmarek is a Young Leader at the Polish Diabetes Association, where she actively contributes to advocacy and community engagement for individuals affected by metabolic conditions. She brings both lived and family experience to her work, living with insulin resistance and supporting close family members with Type 2 diabetes. This perspective informs her commitment to patient-centred awareness and education. Her work focuses on promoting early identification of risk, strengthening public understanding of prediabetes, and encouraging preventive action at both individual and community levels.

Andrew Spiegel has nearly two decades of experience in the patient advocacy arena. Spiegel co-founded the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, now the leading US based national patient advocacy organization dedicated to colon cancer. Mr. Spiegel, an attorney, besides being a co-founder of the organization and longtime board member of the Alliance became CEO in January of 2008 and he ran the CCA for nearly 5 years, before undertaking his next venture, the Global Colon Cancer Association (GCCA). Currently, Spiegel is co-founder and executive director of the GCCA, an international patient advocacy organization. This organization is an international community of nearly 50 colon cancer patient advocacy organizations and stakeholders dedicated to end the worldwide suffering of the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths. In addition to his work in the colon cancer community, Spiegelis an active advocate for health care policies both in the US and now worldwide. He is a co-founder and currently serves on the steering committee of the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM). He is on the Board of Directors, and in December 2014 was elected to Chair, of the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC),a founding member of the Coalition to Increase Clinical Trial Participation. In addition to his work in the colon cancer community, Spiegelis an active advocate for health care policies both in the US and now worldwide. He is a co-founder and currently serves on the steering committee of the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM). He is on the Board of Directors, and in December 2014 was elected to Chair, of the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC),a founding member of the Coalition to Increase Clinical Trial Participation. Spiegel is a 1986 graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in English and Philosophy. He is a 1989 graduate of the Widener University School of Law. After working for a Philadelphia litigation firm, Spiegel opened his own law firm in 1995.