Christel Pullens

Director a.i.

PortXL

Christel Pullens started her career at a Belgian shipyard 27 years ago and has loved the international maritime industry ever since. By closing contracts and executing projects for almost any type of inland and oceangoing vessel in over 60 countries, she built her technical and commercial knowledge over the years. 

Christel believes sustainable innovation is key to resolve the challenges that the industry is currently facing. Since 2020 she has committed herself to contributing to a sustainable blue economy by driving innovation and minimizing the existing gender leadership gap in the maritime, trading and logistic sectors. 

As Director of PortXL, the global entrepreneurship hub for start- ups and scale-ups in the logistics, maritime, offshore, green energy and process industry sectors, Christel makes impact by creating tangible business value for start-ups and scale-ups that have the potential to disrupt the industry.

Claudia Ohlmeier

Head of Section, Class Systematics, Data and Operation Centre

DNV Maritime

Hans Laurberg

Owner, Consultant

Lektinut

Leslie Meredith

Marketing & Media Director

Breakbulk Events & Media

Leslie Meredith is the marketing and media director for the Breakbulk portfolio. She is the head of Breakbulk Magazine, runs Breakbulk Studios and is the founder of Women in Breakbulk. She grew up in the industry as the daughter of a head of global logistics for a major EPC and most values her discussions with industry experts as a constant source of learning more about this ever-evolving industry.

Lukasz Chwalczuk

President | Board Member

Polish Abnormal Road Transport Association (OSPTN) | ESTA Europe

Margaret A. Kidd

Program Director and Instructional Associate Professor

University of Houston

Margaret Kidd joined University of Houston in 2016, as Instructional Assistant Professor, Supply Chain & Logistics Technology. In 2018 she was promoted to Program Director and in 2022 was promoted to Instructional Associate Professor. Currently she serves on EIC, North & Central America Regional Advisory Board, Houston Maritime Centre Board of Trustees and University of Houston, Community Relation Alliance, Committee Member.

She is frequently in the media including, BBC World News, Fox Morning with Maria, Fox Sunday Night in America with Trey Goudy, NPR, Transport Topics, CNBC, Washington Post and many more, discussing supply chain disruption and solutions. Most recently, Margaret was featured on the cover of World’s Leaders as one of the World’s Outstanding Women in Supply Chain, 2022 and Breakbulk Magazine, Issue 2, 2024.

Margaret has a BBA, MA Cross-Cultural Studies, and has completed 60 doctoral credits in Urban Planning & Environmental Policy with a focus on port-city interface, sustainability, and economic development.

Prof. Dr. Sven Hermann

Founder and Managing Director

ProLog Innovation

Prof. Dr. Sven Hermann is founder and managing director of ProLog Innovation GmbH, professor for logistics & supply chain management at NBS Northern Business School Hamburg and chairman of the association LogistikLotsen für die Metropolregion Nordwest e.V. He worked several years in the logistics and purchasing business for industry and logistics companies.

ProLog Innovation is a consulting company for organizational development and innovation management in logistics. Focused on digital challenges and the chances of new work, ProLog Innovation works with industry and logistics service provider customers especially in the segment of project and breakbulk logistics.

Thomas Skellingsted

President

4D Supply Chain Consulting

Tina Benjamin-Lea

Senior Logistics Manager - Construction & Project Logistic

Northvolt Drei Project GmbH