Expanded agenda brings together global pharmaceutical leaders to tackle manufacturing transformation, future therapies, AI and sustainability
Informa Markets has announced the conference programme for CPHI Milan 2026 (6th to 8th October), bringing together more than 260+ speakers from across the global pharmaceutical industry to address the biggest challenges shaping the future of drug development and manufacturing. Headlining the programme will be Edgardo Hernandez, Executive Vice President and President of Manufacturing Operations at Eli Lilly and Company, who will deliver the Day 1 keynote in the Manufacturing 5.0 Theatre. New for 2026, the event will also introduce the inaugural CPHI Sustainability Summit, reflecting the growing importance of sustainability across the pharmaceutical value chain.
Spanning three days, CPHI Milan will unite pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotech companies, regulators, consultants, suppliers and technology innovators to explore topics including AI and technology, manufacturing, biomanufacturing, supply chain resilience, regulation and policy, packaging and drug delivery, and market insights.
Part of the global CPHI portfolio, the annual event provides a platform for the pharmaceutical industry to connect, exchange expertise and explore practical solutions to the scientific challenges facing the sector. This year’s programme is centred around the theme, “Insights from leaders navigating real-world industry constraints,” with sessions designed to provide practical perspectives from the organisations shaping the future of pharmaceutical innovation.
Among the featured speakers:
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Edgardo Hernandez, Executive Vice President and President, Manufacturing Operations, Eli Lilly and Company, will deliver the Day 1 keynote, “Manufacturing for the Medicines of Tomorrow,” exploring how pharmaceutical manufacturers are preparing for future demand through technology-driven modernisation, proactive capacity investment, and strategic redesign of global supply networks.
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Catalina Vargas, Senior Vice President, Global Business Unit, Bristol Myers Squibb, will present “Building the Future of Manufacturing: The Leadership Behind Digital Transformation,” exploring what it takes to move beyond pilots and embed digital capabilities at scale — and why people, processes, and operating models are the true determinants of success.,
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Steffen Saltofte, CEO, Zentiva and President, Medicines for Europe, will present “New Rules of Global Pharma: When Everything Changes at Once,” discussing how geopolitical change, regulation and evolving market dynamics are redefining the global pharmaceutical landscape.
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Elisabeth Stampa, CEO & Board Member, Medichem SA, will present “From Commodity to Critical: Reframing APIs for Complex Formulations and Resilient Supply,” exploring how manufacturers can move beyond price-driven procurement toward a differentiated API strategy, recognising when APIs are critical determinants of formulation performance, regulatory continuity, and supply security versus when they can remain a commodity.
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Ronald T. Piervincenzi, CEO, United States Pharmacopeia (USP), will discuss “Pressures and Strategic Imperatives of Resiliency: Rethinking Pharma Supply Chains,” exploring how geopolitical fragmentation and resource nationalism are reshaping sourcing strategies, and addressing the operational complexity of translating policy ambitions into practical supply chain changes amid mounting political pressure to secure domestic access to critical medicines.
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Marco Farinelli, AstraZeneca, will be on the panel “ From Policy to Practice: Europe’s Integrated Approach to Medicine Security,” addressing the complex reality of translating coordinated policy intent into operational outcomes across fragmented regulatory environments.
New for 2026, the CPHI Sustainability Summit will take place on 5th and 6th October, immediately ahead of CPHI Milan. Bringing together more than 300 sustainability leaders, pharmaceutical executives and supply chain stakeholders. The two-day event will focus on practical approaches to sustainable manufacturing, supply chain decarbonisation, packaging innovation, green chemistry and evolving regulatory expectations, while encouraging collaboration across the pharmaceutical value chain.
Tara Dougal, Event Director at Informa Markets, said:
“The pharmaceutical industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace, from advances in AI and next-generation therapies to changing manufacturing strategies, regulatory expectations and sustainability commitments. This year’s conference programme has been designed to bring together the people leading those conversations, providing attendees with practical insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the industry.
“Alongside an expanded conference programme, the introduction of the CPHI Sustainability Summit creates even more opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing and meaningful discussion across the pharmaceutical value chain. We look forward to welcoming the global pharmaceutical community to Milan this October.”
Registration is now open. To view the full conference programme and register, visit https://www.cphi.com/europe/.
