Speakers — Vilnius Health Innovation Forum

Peter Arlett is Head of the Data Analytics and Methods Taskforce at the European Medicines Agency (EMA). In this role, he leads operations and transformation in clinical evidence at the EMA, including clinical trials, real-world evidence, safety reporting and data science, including AI.

He is Chair of the EMA Data Board, Co-Chair of the HMA-EMA Network Data Steering Group, Co-Chair of the EMA AI Coordination Group, Co-Chair of the Vaccine Monitoring Platform Steering Group, and a Member of the ACT EU Steering Group. Prior to taking up this role in 2020, he held leadership roles within the EMA in the areas of pharmacovigilance, epidemiology and risk management.

Before joining the EMA in 2008, Peter worked on new legislation and international collaboration for the European Commission, served as the UK delegate to the European Committee for Human Medicinal Products, and worked as an assessor and manager at the UK’s MHRA. He holds a medical degree from University College London and began his career as a hospital physician in Oxford and London.

In addition to his role at the EMA, Peter is an Honorary Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of London.

Dana Burduja is a health economist with more than 25 years of experience in life sciences and health investments, healthcare financing, health system reforms, public-private partnerships and the implementation of major public health programmes. She holds a medical degree, Master’s degrees in Social and Health Services Management and Political Science, and a postgraduate qualification in Health Economics.

Since 2022, she has served as Head of the Life Sciences and Health Division within the Innovation and Competitiveness Department of the European Investment Bank’s Projects Directorate. In this role, she oversees the evaluation of life sciences and health projects financed by the Bank, supports the development and implementation of institutional partnerships, and supervises the team’s analysis of innovation trends, markets and policies.

Previously, she spent nine years as a Senior Health Economist at the EIB, contributing to the preparation, due diligence and monitoring of healthcare investments both within and outside the EU, with a particular focus on economic evaluation, sustainability and technical assistance. She also contributed to the development of new financial instruments, programmes and partnerships supporting healthcare investment.

Before joining the EIB, Dana worked for more than 15 years with international organisations, including the World Bank, USAID, IFC, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Her experience includes coordinating healthcare reform projects in Romania, Moldova and Turkey, as well as teaching postgraduate programmes in Health Management and Health Economics at the Romanian National School of Public Health. Until 2022, she also served as President of the Patients’ Classification Systems International (PCSI) professional organisation.

Neringa Čiakienė is Director of the Lithuanian Cancer Patient Coalition (POLA), representing a community of more than 70,000 people affected by cancer. She advocates for greater patient involvement in health policy decision-making, with a particular focus on access to innovation, reimbursement and cancer care.

Neringa represents patients in national health policy and governance bodies, including the National Cancer Board and the Compulsory Health Insurance Council. She also brings extensive experience in public administration, EU affairs and strategic planning.

Neil Grubert has 25 years of experience in market access and policy. He spearheaded the development of Decision Resources Group’s international market access business, most recently serving as Vice President of Global Market Access Insights.

Since 2014, he has worked as an independent global market access consultant, trainer and writer. He has completed projects for 14 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies, as well as smaller manufacturers, industry associations and health technology assessment (HTA) organisations.

Neil is a leading voice on pharmaceutical pricing and market access, sharing daily insights on global trends and policy developments with more than 33,000 followers on LinkedIn.

Zoltan has served as Vice President for CEE at AbbVie since 2015, having previously served as General Manager for Hungary.

Prior to joining Abbott/AbbVie, he held several positions across the pharmaceutical industry at both national and European levels and served as Chairman of the Board of the national trade association for innovative pharmaceutical manufacturers (AIPM).

He is a medical doctor by education.

Sonata Jarmalaitė is an Adviser to the President of the Republic of Lithuania and Professor of Genetics at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University. She holds an MSc in Biology and Medical Biology, an MSc in Health Management and Policy, and a PhD in Biology (Genetics).

For a decade, she served as Deputy Director for Research and Development at the National Cancer Institute of Lithuania. Her scientific achievements have been recognised with the Lithuanian Science Prize, while her professional contributions have been honoured with the Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas and the St Christopher statuette.

Dr. Julius Juodakis is the Head of the Health Data Division at the State Data Agency of Lithuania. He holds a PhD in Statistics and has more than 10 years of research experience, having worked across various fields of biology and medicine in five different countries.

For the past few years, he has been leading the health data reuse process in Lithuania. His goal is to make Lithuania a global leader in digital medicine, where data is made available quickly and equitably to researchers, hospitals, and private-sector innovators.

Živilė Kropaitė-Basiulė is a Lithuanian journalist, television and radio presenter, author, and experienced moderator of high-level conferences and international events. Throughout her career at Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), she has covered a wide range of political, social and international affairs.

She has moderated major international conferences and high-level discussions, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and experts from diverse fields. Živilė holds a Master’s degree from Humboldt University of Berlin and is recognised for her journalistic expertise and ability to facilitate engaging, insightful discussions.

Linas Kukuraitis holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Social Work from the Faculty of Philosophy at Vilnius University.

He has more than 30 years of experience in community and social work, with a particular focus on public health, addiction prevention and the well-being of vulnerable groups. He led Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vilnius for more than a decade and previously founded and directed the St George Matulaitis Social Centre in Vilnius, contributing significantly to the development of community-based, preventive and social services.

For ten years, he taught at Vilnius University, supervising undergraduate and postgraduate internships and developing models and methodologies for social services and the integration of vulnerable groups. He also delivered training to representatives of the business, public and non-governmental sectors for 17 years. He has served on the Lithuanian Social Work Council, the Vilnius NGO Council and the Lithuanian Caritas Council, and has represented Lithuania at international conferences and plenary sessions.

Linas Kukuraitis has extensive experience in public administration and social and health policy development. He served as Minister of Social Security and Labour in Lithuania’s 17th Government. During the 13th Seimas, he was Vice-Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs and Labour and a member of the Commissions on Addiction Prevention and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. During the 14th Seimas, he chaired the Committee on Social Affairs and Labour, served on the Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and was a member of the Commission on Youth, Social Affairs and Sports.

Nathalie holds an Honours Degree in Biochemistry and Biotechnology from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and has over 30 years of experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries at both EU and national levels, working in corporate and association roles.

She has been Director General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) since 2017. EFPIA represents the pharmaceutical industry operating in Europe. Its membership comprises 40 leading pharmaceutical companies and 33 national associations representing more than 1,900 companies. In collaboration with health and research stakeholders, EFPIA’s mission is to create an environment that enables its members to innovate, discover, develop and deliver new therapies and vaccines for people across Europe, while also contributing to the European economy. EFPIA was named Best Business EU Trade Association in Brussels in 2022.

Prior to her current role at EFPIA, Nathalie worked at EuropaBio, where she ultimately served as Secretary General for seven years. During her tenure, the organisation was ranked the most effective trade association in Brussels in 2013.

In 2013, Nathalie received the Technovisionaries Women Innovation Award, organised by Women & Technologies®. In 2009, Nathalie and EuropaBio’s Green Biotech Team received the Leadership and Excellence in Advancing Ag-Biotech and Food Issues Award. She was also named one of the 15 leading women in biotech in Europe in 2017, recognised by POLITICO Europe as one of the “20 Women Who Shape Brussels” in 2020, and named among the women advancing associations in 2021.

Mike Morrissey joined MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme), a leading global pharmaceutical company, in January 2025 to lead the Public Policy team for Europe and Canada. Prior to joining MSD, he served as Chief Executive of the European Cancer Organisation, having previously worked as Chief Operating Officer at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). He is also Honorary President of the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE), having served as its President from 2021 to 2024. Mike is a dual citizen of Ireland and the UK.

At MSD, Mike is responsible for leading the Europe & Canada Hub, as well as the Brussels policy team and office. The Hub brings together colleagues from Public Policy, Patient Innovation & Engagement, Communications, and Sustainability & Social Impact. He also coordinates MSD’s representation within EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) and works closely with MSD Managing Directors and Policy Leads across Europe and Canada on policy issues.

Mike has a proven track record of leading and revitalising international organisations across the health sector and beyond. He previously served as Executive Vice President & Chief Global Officer at the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) and as Managing Director of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA).

Earlier in his career, Mike was one of the world’s leading tennis officials, working for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and umpiring numerous finals at Grand Slam and Davis Cup events.

Dr Malina Müller is Head of Health Economics at WifOR Institute, specialising in statistics, health policy and alternative economics. Since joining WifOR’s Health Economics team in 2016, she has led research projects analysing the social impact of medical innovations and the long-term benefits of preventive approaches at the population level.

Her research focuses on assessing the broader socioeconomic value of health interventions, including the efficacy and return on investment of innovative medicines, using advanced econometric, statistical and simulation methods.

Dr Müller holds a PhD on the determinants of healthcare utilisation in German social health insurance and is a guest lecturer at various universities across Germany, teaching topics including health economic decision modelling, labour market and alternative economics, and institutional economics.

Daniel Naumovas holds a bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering and a master’s degree in Nanobiotechnology from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Biology at Vilnius University.

He has extensive experience in biomedical research, having contributed to numerous research projects and scientific publications.

Prior to his appointment as Vice-Minister, he served as a board member of LithuaniaBIO, Associate Professor-Partner at VILNIUS TECH, and Head and Senior Researcher of the Biobanking Department at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos. He also worked as a Junior Researcher at Thermo Fisher Scientific and as a Senior Laboratory Technician at the Genetics Laboratory of the Nature Research Centre.

Dr Olegas Niakšu has more than 20 years of experience in the governance, implementation and management of digitisation projects across Europe, Asia and Africa. He has served as Vice-Minister at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania and as a digital health and interoperability expert for international organisations such as the UNDP, the World Bank and the German development bank KfW.

He has been actively involved in the preparation of national digital transformation programmes and strategic plans in the fields of health, education and e-government across Europe and Asia. He also has hands-on experience in implementing e-health systems in Africa, Europe and Asia.

In Lithuania, he has overseen the architecture of national digital health solutions and the use of international standards, particularly HL7 FHIR and openEHR. He is currently a researcher at the Digital Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University.

Dr Monika Paulė is the Director of Lithuania’s Innovation Agency and has more than 20 years of international experience in innovation, life sciences and high-tech business. Throughout her career, she has led international companies, contributed to the development of Lithuania’s innovation ecosystem and been involved in the strategic management of various organisations.

She currently leads Lithuania’s Innovation Agency, which is responsible for strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem and promoting exports.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Valdas Pečeliūnas is a haematologist with extensive experience in clinical practice, scientific research and healthcare management. Since November 2023, he has served as Director of the National Cancer Centre in Lithuania, combining institutional leadership with clinical practice as a haematologist.

Previously, he served as Medical Director of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos. He graduated from Kaunas University of Medicine, specialising in internal medicine and haematology, and obtained his PhD from Vilnius University. He is actively involved in scientific research and has published more than 20 international scientific articles in the fields of haematology and oncology.

His professional focus is on strengthening collaboration between scientific research and clinical practice to improve the accessibility and quality of cancer care and support the implementation of innovative treatments. Under his leadership, the National Cancer Centre also places strong emphasis on patient experience and the well-being of healthcare professionals.

Dr Pečeliūnas is actively involved in public awareness initiatives, encouraging participation in cancer screening programmes and promoting early diagnosis, healthy lifestyles, personalised medicine and technological advances in oncology.

Živilė Simonaitytė-Vasiliauskienė, PhD, is an economist, public policy expert and lecturer with extensive experience in public governance, finance, risk management and organisational performance.

She currently works as an Economist at the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists and teaches at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Vilnius University. Previously, she served as Vice-Minister of Health of Lithuania, where she was involved in coordinating the healthcare system and government decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also spent more than a decade at the National Audit Office of Lithuania, including serving as Deputy Auditor General, where she assessed public sector performance, governance and the effectiveness of public spending. Her professional expertise combines economic and public policy analysis with practical experience in strategic decision-making, governance and institutional resilience.

Martin Smatana is an Associate at GLOBSEC, an action-oriented international policy institution. He holds a degree in Healthcare Management from Imperial College London and began his career in England as an analyst for the NHS, later working as an analyst for hospitals in the Central Bohemian Region of Czechia.

From 2016 to 2020, he headed the Health Policy Institute at the Slovak Ministry of Health, where he was responsible for the budget, reform projects, and efficiency measures. Since 2020, he has worked as a consultant for the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, focusing on health systems in Central and Eastern Europe. He is also the author of the GLOBSEC Healthcare Readiness Index.

Martin is the lead expert for the Quality of Life pillar of Vision Slovakia 2040, prepared by the Slovak Academy of Sciences. He is a former Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the General Health Insurance Company (VšZP) and cooperates with the Slovak Association for the Protection of Patients’ Rights. He also lectures on health economics at the Slovak Medical University, has authored several publications, and serves as a member of several working groups of the European Commission and the OECD.

Prof. Aurelijus Veryga is a Professor at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and a psychiatrist with more than 10 years of professional experience in addiction treatment. He was an initiator and one of the founders of two successfully operating national NGOs: the Kaunas Drug Abuse Help Centre for Youth and the Lithuanian National Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition.

In 2005, he became a member of the National Health Council, where he was responsible for tobacco, alcohol and drug control and prevention. From 2009 to 2012, he served as an adviser to the Prime Minister on the prevention of drug, alcohol and tobacco use.

He served as Lithuania’s Minister of Health from 2016 to 2020, including during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He joined the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union in 2018 and has served as Chairman of the party since 2025.

From 2020 to 2024, he was a Member of the Lithuanian Parliament, serving as Vice-Chair of the Committee on European Affairs and as a member of the Health Committee.

In 2024, he was elected to the European Parliament, where he is a member of the ENVI and SANT Committees. He represents the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) in the 2024–2029 European Parliament.

Padraic Ward’s career at Roche spans more than two decades. As Head of Pharma International, he is responsible for the business operations of Roche’s Pharmaceutical Division across Europe, Asia, Latin America, Canada, the Middle East and Africa, covering all markets outside the US and Japan.

He joined Roche in 2004 and has held a number of key roles, including leading the team that brought a new breast cancer medicine through the final stages of development and regulatory approval. He has also led Roche’s commercial organisation in France and subsequently across Europe.

Padraic left his native Ireland for France in the late 1980s while working for the Irish Export Board. His first experience in the pharmaceutical industry came while working for a strategic consultancy in London, before joining Glaxo Wellcome. Since then, he has held roles of increasing responsibility and worked in countries including the US, Brazil, Portugal, France and Italy.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Dublin and an MBA from INSEAD.