Speaker Bio
Caroline de Gruyter is a Europe correspondent and columnist for the Dutch newspaper NRC. Based in Brussels, she is also a columnist for Foreign Policy, De Standaard and EUobserver, and a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Caroline has covered European politics for over 25 years. She has also lived in the Gaza strip, Jerusalem, Geneva, Vienna and Oslo. Her book about the lessons today’s Europe can draw from the Habsburg Empire became a bestseller. It is published in Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Hungarian and Croatian. Her latest book, Zondagskinderen (Children of Fortune), available in Dutch and soon in French, explores the effects of the ‘long peace’ on society and (security and defence) policy in post-war Europe.

Speaker Bio
Andreas Ekström is an author and a speaker, currently making it big with his autobiographical book “Two Boys” in his native Sweden. But for the most part, his focus lies on digital humanities – mankind’s space and place in the digital revolution. Andreas has spoken in 34 countries all around the world and got a global outreach through TED.

Dr. Marcia Goddard took neuroscience out of the lab and into the Formula 1 paddock. A trained psychologist with a PhD in neuroscience, she left academia to study what sustainable high performance looks like in practice, in a sport where the difference between winning and losing is measured in thousandths of a second.

Her research inside Formula 1 forms the foundation of her company Brain Matters Consulting, and of her book Driving Performance: Ten Lessons About Building High Performing Teams from Neuroscience and Formula One (Wiley, 2026). She is a sought-after coach for senior leaders in F1, advising teams on the culture, leadership, and team dynamics that turn talented individuals into title contenders.

On stage, Marcia does what she does best: making the science of high performance accessible, practical, and entertaining. Drawing on stories from the F1 pit wall and the boardroom, she shows audiences how the brain responds to pressure, why psychological safety wins championships, and what every organisation can borrow from the fastest teams on earth. Expect sharp science, plain language, and a healthy dose of humour.

Joris Luyendijk wil be the moderator of the breakfast session.

Joris Luyendijk is an anthropologist and a writer. He has written for The Guardian, Die Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Le Monde Diplomatique and a range of newspapers and magazines across Europe.
In the Netherlands he is best known for his work as correspondent from the Middle East, for his columns in NRC Handelsblad about the culture of finance in London, and for his TV work for Vpro Zomergasten and Vpro Tegenlicht.

Mr Luyendijk received the Dutch national book award twice, and his books have appeared in over two dozen countries. In the course of his life he lived in the US, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel and the United Kingdom. The author of seven books so far, his most recent work is ‘de zeven vinkjes’ (’the seven ticks’) which caused a massive response when it was published in 2022.