Wednesday 4th March 2026

6.30pm onwards – Opening drinks reception at The MA'DAM Sky Bar. Separate registration is required.

Thursday 5th March 2026

8.15 – 9.00 – Registration and welcome coffee

9.00 – 9.15 – Welcome remarks from International Employment Lawyer

9.15 – 10.30 – Plenary Session 1: M&A’s people pitfalls and why employment lawyers need a seat at the table

In today’s deal environment shaped by regulatory scrutiny, shifting workforce expectations, and global mobility demands, employment law considerations increasingly determine whether mergers and acquisitions succeed or stall. While financial, operational, and tax issues dominate early conversations, people-related risks often emerge as the most significant drivers of deal value, post-merger integration success, and long-term stability. This session will explore the critical people issues that deal teams must navigate and how employment lawyers can add real value by spotting deal-breakers early, structuring workforce transitions effectively and aligning people strategies with commercial goals. 

Moderator: Cara Pronk, Partner, Van Doorne (Netherlands)

Panellists: 
Andrew Middlecote, VP, Employment Counsel EMEA & APAC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (United Kingdom)
Darren Issacs, Partner, Littler (United Kingdom)
Kate Pumfrey, Partner, A&O Shearman (United Kingdom)
Michael Doyle, Partner, A&L Goodbody (Ireland)
Ming Evans, ACG – Employment, Smiths Group plc (United Kingdom)

10.30 – 11.00 – Coffee break

11.00 – 12.00 – Breakout Session 1: Restrictive covenants under pressure: Navigating calls for reform 

Long-standing tools used to protect business interests are facing political pressure worldwide. From proposed statutory limits and outright bans to tougher enforcement standards and heightened competition law oversight, employers must now navigate a rapidly shifting landscape that varies markedly from one jurisdiction to the next. This timely panel will unpack the latest legislative, regulatory, and case law trends to provide practical insights for multinational employers on how to draft and enforce post-employment restrictions.

Moderator: Philipp Schäuble, Partner, Morgan Lewis (Germany)

Panellists: 
David Rintoul, Senior Counsel, Slaughter and May (United Kingdom) 
Inge de Laat, Partner, Rutgers & Posch (Netherlands)
Lonneke Schallenberg, Senior Director, Head of Employment, Cognizant (Netherlands)
Nadège Owen, Partner, Orrick (France)

11.00 – 12.00 – Breakout Session 2: Compensation & Benefits: Navigating new expectations from shop floor to C-suite

As labour markets across Europe continue to shift, compensation and benefits strategies are undergoing rapid transformation. Inflationary pressures, new pay transparency rules, evolving workforce expectations, and heightened scrutiny of executive remuneration are forcing employers to rethink how they reward talent at every level of the organisation. In this panel, leading experts will examine the latest trends shaping remuneration packages for blue-collar workers, white-collar professionals, and senior executives. From sector-specific pressures and new statutory requirements to innovative benefit models and cross-border compliance challenges, this session will provide a 360-degree overview of what employers must understand to remain competitive, compliant, and attractive to talent across Europe.

Moderator: Bernd Weller, Partner, Seitz (Germany)

Panellists:
Ana Manuela Barbosa, Partner, Abreu Advogados (Portugal)
Burçak Kurt Biçer, Managing Partner, Biçer Güner (Turkey)
Jenna Poon, Director & AGC, Employment Legal, Meta (United Kingdom)
Olivier Van Koninckxloo, Chief People Officer Europe, gategroup (Switzerland)

12:00 – 13.30 – Networking lunch

13:30 – 14.30 – Breakout Session 3: Making remote work sustainable in Europe’s post-covid workplace

Across Europe, remote working has moved from a pandemic necessity to a permanent feature of workforce strategy. Yet its long-term success depends on balancing flexibility with productivity, wellbeing, inclusion, and compliance within Europe’s distinctive employment culture. This session will look at how organisations can design effective remote work policies, manage performance fairly and consistently, support employee mental health, and maintain trust and engagement in a workforce that is no longer office-centred.

Moderator: Hylda Wiarda, Partner, Bronsgeest Deur Advocaten (Netherlands)

Panellists: 
Caroline Scherrmann, Partner, Flichy Grangé Avocats (France)
Darren Burr, Lead Legal Counsel, Employment (EMEA), GitLab (United Kingdom)
Susanna Dall'Ara, Senior Director, AGC Employment Law, EMEA, Nike (Netherlands)
Thomas Hey, Partner, Bird & Bird (Germany)

13:30 – 14.30 – Breakout Session 4: The disputes shaping the future of work in Europe

From landmark rulings on worker status and collective bargaining rights to headline-grabbing pay transparency challenges and mass claims linked to restructurings, the legal landscape is shifting at speed. This panel brings together leading litigators and in-house specialists to examine the most significant employment disputes currently working their way through European courts and tribunals – and why these cases should be watched closely by employers.

Moderator: Stefanie Tack, Partner, Strelia (Belgium)

Panellists:
Donal Hamilton, Partner, McCann FitzGerald (Ireland)
Marine Hamon, Counsel, Mayer Brown (France)
Thomas Croxford KC, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers (United Kingdom)
Veronica Pelaez, Head of Social Relations International Markets, Sanofi (France)

14:30 – 15.00 – Coffee break

15.00 – 16.00 – Plenary Session 2: Question Time

With European employment law evolving at a rapid pace, keeping up with the latest trends and developments is a challenge for HR and legal teams alike. IEL’s popular interactive Question Time panel provides a unique opportunity for attendees to directly engage with leading experts in employment and labour law, gaining real-time insights into pressing issues, future trends, and best practices. From navigating specific new regulations and workplace challenges to exploring broader trends, no topic is off-limits. Whether you’re looking for practical advice or expert perspectives, this is your chance to steer the conversation and get the answers you need.

Moderator: Karen Killalea, Partner, Maples Group (Ireland)

Panellists: 
Angelo Zambelli, Managing Partner & Founder, Zambelli & Partners (Italy) 
Erdem Balkan, Partner, Güzeldere Balkan Göçen (Turkey)
Marco Citone, Director – Legal Labor and Employee Relations Center of Excellence, Baker Hughes (Italy)
Rosamund Browne, Global Employee Relations Director, Arcadis (United Kingdom)

16.00 – 17.15 – Plenary Session 3: EU Pay Transparency Directive: Countdown to Compliance

With the EU Pay Transparency Directive due to take effect in just a few months, employers across Europe are approaching one of the most significant shifts to pay regulation in decades – yet many are still operating in the dark. Although the implementation deadline is rapidly approaching, most member states have been slow to publish or adopt domestic legislation, leaving businesses unsure of their precise obligations, timelines, and enforcement risks. This expert panel will assess the patchwork of national progress, and provide practical frameworks for preparing under uncertainty while managing cross-border complexities, data risks, and heightened expectations around pay fairness. 

Moderator: Danielle Pinedo, Partner, Baker McKenzie (Netherlands)

Panellists: 
Brechje Nollen, Partner, Freshfield (Netherlands)
Catherine Rawsthorne, Legal Counsel, Standard Chartered (United Kingdom)
Elizabeth Graves, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland (United Kingdom)
Isabel Hexel, Partner, Oppenhoff (Germany)
Luca de Vecchi, Senior Director, Employment Law, Bain & Company (Netherlands)

17.15 – 17.30 – Closing remarks from International Employment Lawyer

17:30 onwards – Close and networking drinks reception