Sessions

John has a strong background and reputation in the European e-cigarette industry, having held senior executive positions in some of the US and Europe’s biggest companies. As Managing Director of Dyflin Group Consulting, he advises many leading industry analysts, financial institutions and media organisations looking at the vaping and CBD sectors. John is also Director-General and one of the founders of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the UK’s largest vaping Industry association and has advised the UK governments All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping as well as giving evidence before the UK Science & Technology Committee investigation into the Vaping industry and the Australian Parliaments review on vaping.

John regularly appears on national television, radio as well as national and international print media. John is a popular guest speaker at many of the world’s leading conventions.

Dr. Mark Tyndall is a Canadian physician with specialty training in Internal Medicine (McMaster University), Infectious Diseases (University of Manitoba) and Public Health (Harvard University). He was formerly the Executive Director of the BC Centre for Disease Control and Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He has over three decades of community-based clinical and research experience and is internationally recognized for his contributions to HIV prevention, harm reduction, human rights, and drug policy reform. He has led programs and research studies around HIV prevention, harm reduction (needle exchange, supervised injection sites), and human rights. He has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publication and presented a 2017 TEDMED talk on harm reduction. His current research and advocacy efforts are focused on accelerating the global transition away from combustible cigarettes to vaping and other safe(r) nicotine products. He is the author of the 2025 book, Vaping: Behind the Smoke and Fears.

www.drmarktyndallauthor.com

John has a strong background and reputation in the European e-cigarette industry, having held senior executive positions in some of the US and Europe’s biggest companies. As Managing Director of Dyflin Group Consulting, he advises many leading industry analysts, financial institutions and media organisations looking at the vaping and CBD sectors. John is also Director-General and one of the founders of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the UK’s largest vaping Industry association and has advised the UK governments All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping as well as giving evidence before the UK Science & Technology Committee investigation into the Vaping industry and the Australian Parliaments review on vaping.

John regularly appears on national television, radio as well as national and international print media. John is a popular guest speaker at many of the world’s leading conventions.

Founder & chairman of the Romanian trade association AIV and founder and board executive at Independent European Vape Alliance (IEVA)

Enthusiastic proponent of nicotine-based alternatives as a way to combat smoking, he is committed to making harm-reduction a reality.

As a board executive, Ciprian has been highly involved in IEVA’s communication activities and led recruitment and membership management during the last 7 years, against the background of an ever more complex EU regulatory landscape. This has given him an unparalleled level of interaction with main sector players from all over the world, and a deep understanding of what makes the industry tick.

Lee Bryan is a two-time international best-selling author and recognised global authority on regulatory compliance in highly regulated consumer products sectors. He is the founder and chief executive of Arcus Compliance, a strategic compliance advisory firm that helps innovative companies in regulated industries anticipate enforcement risks, interpret complex regulatory frameworks, and build business systems that withstand scrutiny.

Lee’s work combines deep regulatory domain expertise with a practical, commercial mindset. He has guided hundreds of brands across novel nicotine, consumer electronics, cosmetics, and other regulated categories through compliance strategy, product launches, regulatory submissions, and risk mitigation programs.

His books The Compliance Edge: How Disruptive Entrepreneurs Win in Regulated Markets and How Safe Is Your Vape? have both achieved international best-selling status and are widely used by regulators, industry leaders, and compliance professionals as core references on regulatory strategy, risk intelligence, and market access.

Lee is a frequent speaker at industry conferences worldwide, including regulatory symposia in North America, Europe, and Asia. He is known for translating dense regulatory regimes into actionable business intelligence and for a brutally honest advisory style that challenges assumptions and drives results.

Based in London, Lee works with emerging brands and global enterprises alike to build scalable, defensible compliance architectures and to proactively manage regulatory change across markets.

Sydney Hiller, Ph.D., specializes in navigating evolving regulatory and scientific challenges in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer products industries across dynamic, global environments. Sydney has a proven track record of success integrating scientific rigor with regulatory strategy to support innovative product development, regulatory submission and market entry, and ongoing compliance in challenging sectors including tobacco harm reduction and cannabis. Her ability to distill intricate scientific concepts into actionable plans has consistently driven success in these high-stakes, regulated environments. Sydney received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Southern California and her B.A. from New York University. During her studies, she worked under Raphael Mechoulam, commonly known as the father of cannabis research. In addition to her active participation in numerous professional societies, Sydney is passionate about advancing women in STEM fields. She has served as a mentor for both Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) and Women in Chemistry (WiC) and is a member of Organization of Women in Nicotine and Tobacco (OWNiT).

With extensive expertise in the Vaping & E-Cigarette sector, Chris Kelly has excelled in senior sales roles spanning Insurance, Leisure, Retail, and Medical industries. Notably, he led the Specialist Retail division at JUUL Labs, shaping UK commercial strategy, and served as the National Sales Manager at British American Tobacco.

In October 2021, leveraging his industry network, he founded Phoenix 2 Retail to forge innovative paths beyond traditional brands. Chris, alongside his adept team and strong network connections, earned the Best New Entrepreneur award at the Tees Business Awards 2022, showcasing remarkable achievements and inspiring leadership for fellow industry enthusiasts. With his excellent reputation and being one of the most seasoned professionals within the industry, Chris aims to now embark into projects that will lead into government steering groups, thus helping to revolutionise the Vaping industry.

Warren Gell is Sales and Marketing Director at Flavour Warehouse, one of the UK’s leading FMCG manufacturers in the vaping sector. He is responsible for the company’s commercial strategy across B2B and B2C channels, overseeing international sales, brand and product marketing, trade marketing, and category development. His remit supports the business’s continued expansion across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.

Warren brings more than two decades of experience in FMCG and premium consumer goods, having held senior commercial roles that span sales, marketing, product, and category. Throughout his career, he has built a strong track record in opening new routes to market, strengthening trade partnerships, and aligning commercial functions behind coherent growth and channel strategies.

Throughout his career, Warren has worked with well-known British manufacturers such as Made in Britain, Portmeirion Group, Dartington Crystal, and Wax Lyrical, where he helped broaden export channels and elevate the profile of British-made consumer products in international markets.

At Flavour Warehouse, Warren leads the integration of sales and marketing disciplines to build a more unified commercial framework, enhance retail execution, and develop category value across both domestic and export markets. He is recognised for his strategic approach to commercial operations and his ability to bridge FMCG sales and marketing to support sustainable international expansion.

Dr. Mohammed Mueen is a pharmacist and entrepreneur active in the Middle East vape and harm-reduction industry.

With a background in pharmacy, he approaches vaping from a health-aware and evidence-based perspective, focusing on safer nicotine alternatives, market regulation, and consumer education. He is the Founder and CEO of HAZE Vape, a regional distribution and business development company operating across multiple Middle Eastern markets.

Dr. Mueen is known for combining medical credibility with commercial execution, building structured distribution networks and partnering with leading international manufacturers. At the World Vape Show, he contributes as a pharmacist-entrepreneur with hands-on experience in developing and scaling regulated vape markets.

Sairahis a chartered health psychologist and award-winning stop-smoking clinician with 20 years of experience within the smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction sector.

She is currently the managing director of Salim-Sartoni Associates(SSA).

A passionate and effective category leader and expert,Sairah provides successful scientific/clinical engagement/project management/regulatory and external affairs support for the vaping industry in addition to providing category training to healthcare professionals onthe evidence base to decrease misinformation and increase confidence in vaping as a stop smoking tool.

More recently she has supported the onboarding of clients onto the Swap to Stop platform and is excited to be part of a national programme that focuses on giving the most vulnerable smokers in our society a potential exit from tobacco. She is an accomplished advocate and public speaker on tobacco harm reduction with the inspirational goal of leaving no smoker behind.

Ian is an independent consultant with expertise in regulatory and scientific aspects of nicotine and tobacco products. His consulting work encompasses clinical and behavioural studies of tobacco and nicotine products for regulatory submissions in the US and Europe, and he has a wealth of experience of both consumer goods and medicinal licensing submissions. His 17 years working in the Tobacco Harm Reduction arena has included roles as Senior Director of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs EMEA with JUUL Labs, Director of Tobacco Research with Celerion, and Principal Scientist and Head of Clinical Research at British American Tobacco. As well as his consulting, Ian is a Scientific Advisory Board Member with Qnovia, a medtech startup seeking authorisation for a novel NRT in the UK and the US, and is also an Independent Non-Exec Director with Advanced Inhalation Rituals (AIR), a global shisha manufacturer.

Christopher Russell, Ph.D. is a behavioural scientist and Director of Russell Burnett Research and Consultancy Ltd (RBRC), Glasgow, United Kingdom. Dr Russell leads the design, conduct, and reporting of perception and behavioural research studies of reduced-risk tobaccoand nicotine products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, vaping products), heated tobacco products, and modern oral products (e.g., nicotine pouches, film strips). RBRC’s studies are designed to inform regulatory evaluations of the potential impact of marketing a new tobacco/nicotine product on future tobacco use behaviour and population health.

Rachael Trimpert Schmidt, CAPT, USPHS (Ret.), is a former senior officer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products and a regulatory strategy advisor with more than two decades of experience in federal public health, laboratory compliance, and tobacco product regulation. As Assistant Director for Laboratory Compliance and Coordination at FDA, she led national initiatives supporting implementation and enforcement of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

During her tenure at FDA, CAPT Schmidt established and coordinated the agency’s tobacco regulatory laboratory framework and oversaw product testing and compliance programs. Her work spanned premarket application reviews, post-market surveillance, adverse event assessments, and the development of tobacco product standards, requiring continuous coordination across FDA centers, federal agencies, and international regulatory bodies.

Drawing on an extensive professional network developed through years of senior regulatory service, CAPT Schmidt provides strategic advisory support informed by deep institutional knowledge and real-world regulatory insight. She advises a number of organizations navigating complex, high-stakes regulatory, enforcement, and compliance challenges within the tobacco and nicotine sector.

John has a strong background and reputation in the European e-cigarette industry, having held senior executive positions in some of the US and Europe’s biggest companies. As Managing Director of Dyflin Group Consulting, he advises many leading industry analysts, financial institutions and media organisations looking at the vaping and CBD sectors. John is also Director-General and one of the founders of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the UK’s largest vaping Industry association and has advised the UK governments All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping as well as giving evidence before the UK Science & Technology Committee investigation into the Vaping industry and the Australian Parliaments review on vaping.

John regularly appears on national television, radio as well as national and international print media. John is a popular guest speaker at many of the world’s leading conventions.

Manoj researches drinks and tobacco, dairy products and alternatives,
and non-alcoholic drinks for markets in the Middle East. He also writes
content promoting insights and thought leadership discussion.

Manoj advises clients across the GCC on his focus industries, with a special interest in different consumer behaviour patterns across the region's dynamic economic landscape. Manoj has over 14 years of experience in research, having previously worked in B2B regionally in the Middle East and North Africa, and locally, on the client side with Al Ain Dairy supporting in sales reporting and strategic decision-making.

Christopher Russell, Ph.D. is a behavioural scientist and Director of Russell Burnett Research and Consultancy Ltd (RBRC), Glasgow, United Kingdom. Dr Russell leads the design, conduct, and reporting of perception and behavioural research studies of reduced-risk tobaccoand nicotine products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, vaping products), heated tobacco products, and modern oral products (e.g., nicotine pouches, film strips). RBRC’s studies are designed to inform regulatory evaluations of the potential impact of marketing a new tobacco/nicotine product on future tobacco use behaviour and population health.

When I first launched Yalla, my vision was to create a vape brand that truly represented the Middle East—a brand we could proudly call our own. I wanted it to reflect the region’s rich culture, vibrant society, and growing success, while offering something unique and innovative in the market.
Our core mission is to help people quit smoking by offering a range of alternative nicotine delivery products. We don’t see ourselves as just a vape brand, but rather as an alternative nicotine solutions provider. We’re constantly exploring innovative ways to support people in their journey to quit smoking.

Tim Phillips is the Founder of Tamarind Intelligence, a global independent market and regulatory intelligence service providing data for businesses operating in a number of fast-moving consumer sectors facing regulatory change, including vape, cannabis and tobacco alternatives. Tamarind Intelligence provides market leading insights and regulatory tracking for clients ranging from governments and academic institutions to multinational companies and professional service providers.

Phillips is a UK-qualified attorney, having worked at the European Commission, international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, media companies BSkyB and AOL, and Betfair (now Flutter Entertainment), where he ran global public affairs as the company went through its IPO. He was also a partner in a New York venture capital-funded start-up in the diamond sector. Tim holds a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the University of Law, London and a masters degree in geology from Oxford University. He has run Tamarind Intelligence for the past 11 years.

Sydney Hiller, Ph.D., specializes in navigating evolving regulatory and scientific challenges in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer products industries across dynamic, global environments. Sydney has a proven track record of success integrating scientific rigor with regulatory strategy to support innovative product development, regulatory submission and market entry, and ongoing compliance in challenging sectors including tobacco harm reduction and cannabis. Her ability to distill intricate scientific concepts into actionable plans has consistently driven success in these high-stakes, regulated environments. Sydney received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Southern California and her B.A. from New York University. During her studies, she worked under Raphael Mechoulam, commonly known as the father of cannabis research. In addition to her active participation in numerous professional societies, Sydney is passionate about advancing women in STEM fields. She has served as a mentor for both Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) and Women in Chemistry (WiC) and is a member of Organization of Women in Nicotine and Tobacco (OWNiT).

Sairahis a chartered health psychologist and award-winning stop-smoking clinician with 20 years of experience within the smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction sector.

She is currently the managing director of Salim-Sartoni Associates(SSA).

A passionate and effective category leader and expert,Sairah provides successful scientific/clinical engagement/project management/regulatory and external affairs support for the vaping industry in addition to providing category training to healthcare professionals onthe evidence base to decrease misinformation and increase confidence in vaping as a stop smoking tool.

More recently she has supported the onboarding of clients onto the Swap to Stop platform and is excited to be part of a national programme that focuses on giving the most vulnerable smokers in our society a potential exit from tobacco. She is an accomplished advocate and public speaker on tobacco harm reduction with the inspirational goal of leaving no smoker behind.

Dr. Marina Murphy is Senior Director of Scientific Affairs at Haypp Group, where she leads scientific communications and public health advocacy to support tobacco harm reduction. With over 20 years’ experience, she has held senior roles at Juul Labs, British American Tobacco, and ANDS, focusing on translating complex science into accessible, evidence-based narratives. Marina is a passionate advocate for transparent science communication and sound regulatory frameworks that support public health. A vocal proponent of evidence-based policy, she regularly addresses misinformation around nicotine products.

Marina holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the National University of Ireland, Galway and a Masters in Science Communication for Dublin City University, Ireland.

Expertise

• Tobacco Harm Reduction
• Public Health Advocacy
• Scientific Communications
• Regulatory Affairs

Dr Sudhanshu Patwardhan is a British-Indian U.K.-licensed medical doctor, passionate about health tech innovation in tobacco cessation and cancer prevention. For the past two decades, Sud has lived and worked in three continents, holding senior roles in research, strategy, and policy in the pharmaceutical and nicotine industries, and health tech startups. Sud splits his time between the U.K. and South Asia on projects that address the unmet health needs of the most disadvantaged tobacco users.

John has a strong background and reputation in the European e-cigarette industry, having held senior executive positions in some of the US and Europe’s biggest companies. As Managing Director of Dyflin Group Consulting, he advises many leading industry analysts, financial institutions and media organisations looking at the vaping and CBD sectors. John is also Director-General and one of the founders of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the UK’s largest vaping Industry association and has advised the UK governments All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping as well as giving evidence before the UK Science & Technology Committee investigation into the Vaping industry and the Australian Parliaments review on vaping.

John regularly appears on national television, radio as well as national and international print media. John is a popular guest speaker at many of the world’s leading conventions.

John has a strong background and reputation in the European e-cigarette industry, having held senior executive positions in some of the US and Europe’s biggest companies. As Managing Director of Dyflin Group Consulting, he advises many leading industry analysts, financial institutions and media organisations looking at the vaping and CBD sectors. John is also Director-General and one of the founders of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the UK’s largest vaping Industry association and has advised the UK governments All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping as well as giving evidence before the UK Science & Technology Committee investigation into the Vaping industry and the Australian Parliaments review on vaping.

John regularly appears on national television, radio as well as national and international print media. John is a popular guest speaker at many of the world’s leading conventions.

Dr. Pete Gibbons is the Business Development Director at Labstat International. Pete is a chemist by training with extensive experience in New Category Nicotine Products, aerosol science and analytical chemistry. He is a frequent contributor to the development of European (CEN) and worldwide (ISO) standards and actively participates in Coresta. His previous positions include Head of Reduced Risk Product Analysis at Hall Analytical (Manchester, UK) and Head of Technical for a major Independent UK ENDS business. Prior to joining the Nicotine Product industry in 2015, Pete enjoyed a successful career as a drug discovery expert.

Pete Lomas is the Founder of Capseca Limited – a Product Development Consultancy specialising in Next Generation Products (NGP) within the nicotine industry. He assists his clients with concept generation, prototyping, evaluation, Intellectual Property, Regulatory compliance, and manufacturing of NGP products.

Pete has a background in Electro-Mechanical Engineering, having worked in Product Development for nearly 30 years. He has specialised in NGP Product Development for the last eight years, initially spending four years at Imperial Brands leading the engineering team working on NGP device development (including Blu and Pulze devices). Pete spent a further two years as Managing Consultant at Broughton Life Sciences, assisting clients in developing their nicotine delivery products to be compliant with regulatory requirements (PMTA, TPD, MAA).

Pete is passionate about Product Development and finding novel and innovative solutions to engineering problems. He believes in questioning and challenging everything, constantly striving for improvement. As a result, he is named as inventor on over 100 published patent applications, the majority of which are in the NGP field.

When I first launched Yalla, my vision was to create a vape brand that truly represented the Middle East—a brand we could proudly call our own. I wanted it to reflect the region’s rich culture, vibrant society, and growing success, while offering something unique and innovative in the market.
Our core mission is to help people quit smoking by offering a range of alternative nicotine delivery products. We don’t see ourselves as just a vape brand, but rather as an alternative nicotine solutions provider. We’re constantly exploring innovative ways to support people in their journey to quit smoking.

Maryna Gudym is the Business Development Director at Wingle Group Electronics Limited, a market and business intelligence consultancy specializing in Reduced Risk Products (RRP). She focuses on market trends and developments across the RRP landscape, monitoring and analysing emerging technologies, innovative devices, and next-generation solutions. Her work supports strategic decision-making through data-driven insights, competitive intelligence, and forward-looking market prognosis.

In parallel, Maryna has spent five years leading sales for Wingle’s vape-testing initiative, delivering industry-tailored analytical solutions and vaping equipment. She has worked closely with manufacturers and R&D teams on operational testing of diverse devices and systems, supporting product development, performance validation, and regulatory readiness.

Andrew Koh is a seasoned branding and marketing leader with over 16 years of experience across diverse industries, supported by academic credentials from Harvard Business School, Victoria University, and Deakin University. Originally from Malaysia, he joined AIRSCREAM inspired by its bold vision and authentic commitment to innovation and community impact. His career is defined by purpose-driven initiatives—from supporting smoking cessation and youth engagement to empowering communities through creative partnerships. At AIRSCREAM, Andrew plays a pivotal role in shaping public understanding of the vaping industry by championing responsible practices, education, and progressive regulatory frameworks. A lifelong LEGO enthusiast and strategic thinker, he brings a blend of imagination, integrity, and leadership that helps position AIRSCREAM as a socially conscious brand for the future.

Warren Gell is Sales and Marketing Director at Flavour Warehouse, one of the UK’s leading FMCG manufacturers in the vaping sector. He is responsible for the company’s commercial strategy across B2B and B2C channels, overseeing international sales, brand and product marketing, trade marketing, and category development. His remit supports the business’s continued expansion across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.

Warren brings more than two decades of experience in FMCG and premium consumer goods, having held senior commercial roles that span sales, marketing, product, and category. Throughout his career, he has built a strong track record in opening new routes to market, strengthening trade partnerships, and aligning commercial functions behind coherent growth and channel strategies.

Throughout his career, Warren has worked with well-known British manufacturers such as Made in Britain, Portmeirion Group, Dartington Crystal, and Wax Lyrical, where he helped broaden export channels and elevate the profile of British-made consumer products in international markets.

At Flavour Warehouse, Warren leads the integration of sales and marketing disciplines to build a more unified commercial framework, enhance retail execution, and develop category value across both domestic and export markets. He is recognised for his strategic approach to commercial operations and his ability to bridge FMCG sales and marketing to support sustainable international expansion.

📍MENA's Leading Vape Influencer &Business Consultant🏆Award-Winning Vape Expert 23 & 24🚀Helping Brands Grow & Dominate theVape Industry

Mr. Waqas Khan is a senior executive with over 20 years of prolific

experience leading global roll outs for Fortune 500 companies including

BAT, Juul Labs, Etisalat, Telenor and Ooredoo. He has led teams to

launch and grow brands across 3 continents across varied sectors

including consumer packaged goods, telecommunications, mobile device,

broadband, med-tech and fintech sectors. Mr. Khan has also cofounded 3

startups, the most of recent of which, LIX Innovations Inc, was acquired

by ITG brands USA in a multimillion-dollar deal in 2023. He now serves

as the Global CEO of NEVCORE Innovations Inc, the brand owners of the

newly launched USA FDA accepted, revolutionary nicotine pouch, CLEW.

Founder & chairman of the Romanian trade association AIV and founder and board executive at Independent European Vape Alliance (IEVA)

Enthusiastic proponent of nicotine-based alternatives as a way to combat smoking, he is committed to making harm-reduction a reality.

As a board executive, Ciprian has been highly involved in IEVA’s communication activities and led recruitment and membership management during the last 7 years, against the background of an ever more complex EU regulatory landscape. This has given him an unparalleled level of interaction with main sector players from all over the world, and a deep understanding of what makes the industry tick.

John has a strong background and reputation in the European e-cigarette industry, having held senior executive positions in some of the US and Europe’s biggest companies. As Managing Director of Dyflin Group Consulting, he advises many leading industry analysts, financial institutions and media organisations looking at the vaping and CBD sectors. John is also Director-General and one of the founders of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the UK’s largest vaping Industry association and has advised the UK governments All Party Parliamentary Group on Vaping as well as giving evidence before the UK Science & Technology Committee investigation into the Vaping industry and the Australian Parliaments review on vaping.

John regularly appears on national television, radio as well as national and international print media. John is a popular guest speaker at many of the world’s leading conventions.