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A professional, intuitive platform makes all the difference when every search counts. Mario Milijic, Chief Regulation & Operations Officer at ASKi & Data Intelligence GmbH, shares how easy it is to navigate the Esomar Directory and find the right contacts quickly, without the guesswork.

🔍 Explore the network: https://shorturl.at/0RDkE

Esomar Foundation is hiring a Programme Administration Manager.

This isn't a standard admin role. We're a small, ambitious Foundation with big plans, looking for someone who thrives in a purpose-driven environment and enjoys bringing clarity and structure to passionate, volunteer-driven teams across the globe. You'll help power our programmes, connect stakeholders, and keep momentum going as we grow our impact.

Full details here: https://shorturl.at/jyZnY

📍 Amsterdam (Hybrid/Remote)
📧 [email protected]

That's a wrap on the Esomar CEO Forum 2026. Two days that reminded us why this community matters.

We kicked things off the evening before with an intimate welcome dinner, setting the tone for what was to come: open conversations, new connections, and a room full of leaders ready to dig in.

The first day opened with Anne-Sophie Damelincourt and Patrick De Regt welcoming a room of CEOs ready to ask hard questions about where the industry is heading. Daniel Gebler of Picnic Technologies took us inside what it really means to build in a software-defined world, sharing how digital-first thinking is reshaping everything from logistics to mobility. Jayasree Iyer brought a powerful shift in perspective, showing how the Access to Medicine Foundation is scaling impact to reach the populations most often left behind. A reminder that innovation matters most when it travels furthest.

Xabier Palacio then unpacked the latest Esomar AI Trends Report, giving us a clear-eyed view of how business leaders are actually applyingAI today. That set the stage for a rich panel moderated by Herbert Höckel, with Alex Hunt, Jackie Cuyvers, and Erling Eriksen exploring what it takes to move AI from pilot mode into real enterprise value, along with the cultural, organisational, and ethical questions that come with it. Annemarie van Gaal closed the morning with a deeply personal talk on resilience, unconventional thinking, and finding growth in uncertain times.

The afternoon belonged to our delegates, and the energy was something else. From the moment the interactive roundtables began, the room came alive with curiosity, sharp arguments, and the kind of candid exchange you only get when peers truly trust each other. Across three discussions on AI & the future of insights, industry outlook & trends, and the growing & leading research businesses, CEOs challenged one another with honesty and intent. Karin Lieshout of SKIM then brought us back to the bigger picture, asking what we're really building as leaders and what kind of legacy our daily choices create. Stefan Jenzowsky of 2b AHEAD Ventures closed the programme by inviting us to think like venture investors, spotting tomorrow's signals before they become today's headlines, and the conversation carried on long into farewell drinks.

A heartfelt thank you to Giulia Elisa Gasperi for moderating the entire programme, and to every speaker, panellist, roundtable host, and the CEO in the room. The candor, generosity, and ambition you brought made this so much more than a programme. Last but not least, thank you to all our sponsors: Make Opinion & market-i

It made it a community! Until next year.