Nick Kounis, Head Macro Research at ABN AMRO

Nick is responsible for the bank's analysis of the global economic outlook and the implications for interest rates and exchange rates. The group’s analysis is used by wide range of clients, including a broad spectrum of investors and corporates, as well as the risk and asset and liability management within the bank. Nick has published on a wide range of areas, including the impact of commodity prices on the global economy, the eurozone sovereign debt crisis, global economic and financial imbalances and monetary policy. He frequently gives presentations for participants in the financial markets as well as in industry and appears regularly in the financial media, including the Financial Times, Bloomberg and Reuters. Nick was previously Chief European Economist in the Merchant Banking business of Fortis, providing research for institutional investors and large corporates on the European economy and the ECB’s monetary policy. Before becoming a bank economist, he worked at HM Treasury in London (the UK ministry of finance), advising ministers on the international economy, including sovereign debt problems and IMF programmes. He also advised on macroeconomic policy and the fiscal framework. Nick holds degrees in economics and finance, most recently from Durham University in the UK.

Werner Verbiest, Head of Companion Diagnostics Center of Excellence
& General Manager VIRCO Worldwide, Johnson & Johnson

Werner joined Johnson & Johnson in 1991 with the International Clinical R&D group of the Janssen Research Foundation, where he was active in HIV drug development and Hepatitis B vaccine development.

In 1997, Werner joined Virco, as Project Director, Business Development. He was promoted to Managing Director, Virco Ireland in 2002 and became Vice President, New Products and Pharma Business.

He has been actively involved in all phases of HIV clinical trial implementation and resistance test development, and has contributed numerous papers and presentations.

He is currently Global Head Janssen Diagnostics, comprising Virco, Veridex and Johnson and Johnson’s Companion Diagnostics Center of Excellence.