Informa Markets has unveiled the conference programme for CPHI Milan 2026, held October 6-8, bringing together over 260 speakers from the global pharmaceutical industry to address the biggest challenges shaping the future of drug development and manufacturing
Headlining the programme is Edgardo Hernandez, executive vice president and president of manufacturing operations at Eli Lilly and Company, who will deliver the Day One keynote in the Manufacturing 5.0 Theatre.
New for 2026, the inaugural CPHI Sustainability Summit will be introduced to reflect the growing importance of sustainability across the pharmaceutical value chain.
CPHI Milan will bring together pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotech companies, regulators, consultants, suppliers and technology innovators to explore topics such as AI and technology, manufacturing, biomanufacturing, supply chain resilience, regulation and policy, packaging and drug delivery, and market insights.
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. The 2026 programme is focused on the theme, ‘Insights from leaders navigating real-world industry constraints’, with sessions designed to offer practical perspectives from the organisations shaping the future of the industry.
Featured speakers include:
- Edgardo Hernandez, Eli Lilly and Company, will deliver the Day One keynote, ‘Manufacturing for the Medicines of Tomorrow’, exploring how pharmaceutical manufacturers are preparing for the future via technology-driven modernisation, proactive capacity investment, and strategic redesign of global supply networks.
- Catalina Vargas, senior vice president, global business unit, Bristol Myers Squibb, will present ‘Building the Future of Manufacturing: The Leadership Behind Digital Transformation’, outlining what it takes to move beyond pilots and embed digital capabilities at scale, and why people, processes, and operating models determine success.
- Steffen Saltofte, CEO, Zentiva and president, Medicines for Europe, will present ‘New Rules of Global Pharma: When Everything Changes at Once’, examining how geopolitical change, regulation, and evolving market dynamics are redefining the global pharmaceutical landscape.
- Elisabeth Stampa, CEO and board member, Medichem SA, will present ‘From Commodity to Critical: Reframing APIs for Complex Formulations and Resilient Supply’, discussing 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.
- Ronald T. Piervincenzi, CEO, United States Pharmacopeia, will discuss ‘Pressures and Strategic Imperatives of Resiliency: Rethinking Pharma Supply Chains’, exploring how geopolitical fragmentation and resource nationalism are changing sourcing strategies, and addressing the operational complexity of translating policy ambitions into practical supply chain changes amid political pressure to secure domestic access to critical medicines.
- Marco Farinelli, AstraZeneca, will be on the panel ‘From Policy to Practice: Europe’s Integrated Approach to Medicine Security’, discussing the reality of translating coordinated policy intent into operational outcomes across fragmented regulatory environments.
The CPHI Sustainability will take place on October 5 to 6, immediately ahead of CPHI Milan. Attracting over 300 sustainability leaders, pharmaceutical executives, and supply chain stakeholders. The event will focus on practical approaches to sustainable manufacturing, supply chain decarbonisation, packaging innovation, green chemistry, and regulatory expectations, while encouraging collaboration across the 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/.
