Burkard Schemmel is a General Manager specialized in B2B Commerce, Technology, and Ecosystem Plays. Burkard has been working for 20+ years in High Tech and Consulting. Being an entrepreneur at heart, he founded 4 companies serving as CxO, helped mid-size organizations to develop new services, consulted large enterprises in strategy, technology, and operations, and ran large technology teams and B2B commerce operations. His focus is on accelerating growth by building global services, ecosystem plays, and ‘as-a-service’ business models. During his career, Burkard served in multiple international roles in leadership, program management, and business operations for Fortune 500 companies. His focus is on growth strategies, business origination, and strategic selling. He founded and led a global practice of 900+ cross functional experts in Medical Technology industry, ran business transformation projects, and built digital commerce teams in commercial and public sector. Most recently, Burkard leads the Northern Europe Sales Organization of Maersk. Burkard believes that business success is based on ethical values. He is co-founder of a non-profit think tank that leads the transformation of our society into an alterocentric market economy. Working with deep tech companies, he connects unicorns with cooperations to sell, partner, and learn from each other. Burkard has influenced the career of hundreds of professionals and grew some of the most versatile business leaders. As executive sponsor for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and initiator of ESG initiatives, Burkard drives organizations towards sustainability, sovereignty, and societal value. As thought leader, author, and speaker Burkard is known for Corporate Strategy, B2B Commerce, and Business Ethics. He has published several books in German and English. Burkard holds a diploma in Business Information Systems and worked in the USA, Singapore, Japan, and various EU countries. Burkard collects contemporary art, is passionate about nature, and enjoys cooking with family and friends.
Dr. Charlotte de Brabandt's journey to becoming one of technology and negotiation's most influential voices was forged in the crucible of personal adversity. Faced with a cancer diagnosis at a young age, she transformed this profound challenge into a wellspring of strength that would define her unique approach to leadership. Rather than allowing her diagnosis to limit her aspirations, she emerged as a warrior leader whose personal battle taught her invaluable lessons about resilience, authenticity, and the power of embracing vulnerability in professional settings. This warrior spirit has infused every aspect of her remarkable career. Just as she approached her cancer treatment with determination and strategic thinking, she brings the same focused resolve to her role as Senior Procurement Manager at Amazon Business, where she masterfully oversees strategic initiatives across EMEA and DACH regions. Her authentic leadership style, shaped by her personal health journey, has enabled her to build deep, meaningful relationships with over 129 key customers and reach an audience exceeding 200,000 professionals, including 22,500 C-level executives. Her experience with cancer taught her that true strength often lies in transparency and human connection – a philosophy she applied during her tenure at Johnson & Johnson, where she led the company's largest energy negotiation in history. Managing a $1 billion spend and achieving 33% global savings in just 4 months, she demonstrated how the resilience and strategic thinking developed during her personal health battle could translate into extraordinary professional achievements. During eight years with the Volkswagen Group, including her role as Head of Procurement at Porsche Design Timepieces AG, she channeled the same determination that helped her overcome cancer into building a procurement team from scratch and generating €1 billion in savings. Her personal battle with illness taught her the importance of building strong support systems and fostering team resilience – lessons she's applied throughout her career. Understanding firsthand the importance of support and inclusivity, Dr. de Brabandt has become a passionate advocate for creating supportive professional environments. She serves on the ISM Thought Leadership Council and holds executive positions with Global Women Procurement Professionals (GWPP) and the Global Council for Diversity and Inclusion in Procurement. Her three published books on negotiation draw not only from her professional expertise but also from the profound insights gained during her cancer journey. Her academic achievements, including a Doctorate in Business Administration and an MSc in Philosophy focusing on technology organizational change, are made more remarkable by the perspective she brings as someone who has faced and overcome significant health challenges. As a TEDx speaker and guest lecturer at Rutgers University, she shares not just her professional insights, but also the transformative lessons learned from her personal battle with cancer – teaching others how to turn adversity into advantage. Dr. de Brabandt's multilingual capabilities and global citizenship (German, Swiss, and US) allow her to share her message of resilience and authentic leadership across cultural boundaries. Her ongoing commitment to both business excellence and medical research, including recent publications on hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis treatment, reflects her dedication to making a meaningful impact in multiple fields. Through her work with philanthropic organizations like the Swiss Red Cross and Lions Club International, she demonstrates that true warrior leadership extends beyond professional achievement to creating positive change in others' lives. Her story stands as a powerful testament to how personal challenges, particularly her battle with cancer, can forge stronger, more empathetic, and more effective leaders in the modern business world. Dr. de Brabandt's journey from cancer patient to influential business leader illustrates that our greatest challenges can become our greatest sources of strength. Her warrior spirit, forged in personal battle, continues to inspire and transform the business landscape, proving that authentic leadership isn't just about professional expertise – it's about the courage to embrace our vulnerabilities and use them to create positive change.