Tara Dougal, event director – pharma, Informa Markets, shares what to expect at CPHI Frankfurt, what not to miss and what’s new this year.
What are you most looking forward to at CPHI Frankfurt this year?
For me, it's always the same thing, seeing the community come back together. This will be my 10th CPHI, and finally getting to the show never fails to amaze me – seeing so many people from all over the world with a shared purpose and passion, coming back together at our show. That's the magic of CPHI!
How does this year's CPHI differ from previous years?
In Hall 4.0, we've launched several small-scale emerging zones such as Coldchain and Logistics, Cleanroom, AI & Tech, and Suppliers within the sustainability sector. These zones are designed to reflect industry evolution, foster cross-sector collaboration, and address emerging challenges and opportunities.
We also have more innovators on-site than ever before – our Start-Up Market, also in Hall 4.0, will host over 100 companies. A great opportunity to explore new products and solutions from dynamic young companies.
Are there any sessions, panels, or keynote speakers you're especially excited to see?
This year, we have a bigger content programme than ever before, with six theatres across the show floor, and a brand new Leadership Summit featuring an impressive line-up of C-Suite speakers. Big thanks to our content theatre sponsors, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Fujifilm, Catalent, SK Pharmateco, and Siegfried for their support!
CPHI is very much a business-focused event, but we have really seen interest and engagement in content rising over the years, showing a clear need from attendees and exhibitors for insights into where the market is heading. The programme is hugely diverse, with sessions on how the global economic outlook is affecting pharma, to AI applications and important regulatory updates, such as the Critical Medicines Act.
Honestly, there are too many sessions or speakers to choose from, so I really encourage everyone to head to the CPHI Frankfurt website to look at the agenda, and plan which sessions to add to your schedule.
Which topics do you think will dominate conversations at CPHI Frankfurt this year?
CPHI is all about partnering, and given the uncertainty around the impact of potential US tariffs on the industry, this has never been a more important topic of conversation. Beyond that, I think we're going to see lots of interesting developments in the realm of AI applications for pharma, and around the GLP-1 supply chain.
Is there a session or area you think is a "hidden gem" for attendees?
I'm very excited about our new Leadership Forum. Taking place on 28th October, the first day of the show, we have an exciting line-up of C-Suite leaders from Lonza, Novartis, Polpharma, Recipharm and USP sharing insights into critical industry challenges and future opportunities. This is an event which is only open to our Leaders, Leaders Platinum and Networking Accelerator badge holders so make sure to upgrade if you'd like to attend.