Paul Hesselink has been the CEO of Kiwa between 2003 and 2023. In that period, Kiwa expanded from a local not-for-profit certification institute into an advanced global TIC organization. After a cultural change, the expansion implied broadening the service portfolio, strong organic growth combined with c. 75 acquisitions, some transformative incl. 5 refinancings. By this, the 200 FTE staff size and €19 m revenue ‘Dutch’ Kiwa of 2005 developed into today’s 12,000+ FTE international organization generating over € 1.5 bn of revenues with its footprint in 40 countries on 5 continents. Early 2024, after 20 years of being CEO, Paul passed the baton to his colleague Luc Leroy and to continue as Kiwa strategy advisor himself. On top, Paul fulfills several Board roles in professional services companies at present. Between 1995-2002, Paul was the National Chief Executive of SGS in the Netherlands as well as executing some corporate SGS and ‘think tank’ roles in Geneva. Before, Paul worked as a scientific researcher at Dutch contract research organization TNO with a focus on Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Environmental Sciences from 1988-1995. Numerous international projects, reports, several publications and a few patents were produced in this period. Professional side activities include(d) Board roles in Industry and Science Associations incl Fenelab and TIC Council, Supervisory roles of RvA and Dutch and EU Research Programs (selection). Paul Hesselink holds a PhD in Biotechnology (1989), an MSC in Biochemistry (1983) and BSc in Chemistry from the University of Groningen. Post-doc research at GBF in Brunswick, Germany (1988).

Transformational executive with a strong track record of delivering P&L performance and scaling Business Services and Compliance platforms. He has driven aggressive growth across testing, inspection, and certification (TIC), software, data, and advisory businesses through 30+ acquisitions, customer-centric commercial strategies, and disciplined execution. He has scaled and turned around businesses, driven operational excellence, optimized pricing, and converted 100%+ of revenue growth into profitability. Carlos brings deep expertise in strategy transformation, platform scaling, and building integrated, technology-enabled solutions that enhance enterprise value. He offers a global operating perspective shaped by leadership roles across Europe, Asia, and the United States, and is known for building and leading high-performance management teams aligned with shareholder value creation.

Natalia Shuman is the President and Chief Executive Officer of MISTRAS Group. She brings over twenty years of global leadership in the Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) industry. Known for her strategic vision and operational expertise, she has consistently led organizations through periods of transformative growth and creating long-term value. Before joining MISTRAS Group, Natalia served as EVP at Eurofins Scientific, overseeing a team of more than 12,000 employees and driving enterprise growth strategies. Prior to that, she was the CEO of Bureau Veritas North America, where she led the company through significant expansion and diversification. Additionally, Natalia held global executive positions at Kelly Services. A passionate advocate for developing talent and advancing women in leadership positions, Natalia has been recognized for her dedication to build more diverse and inclusive workplaces. Natalia holds a dual MBA from Columbia Business School and London Business School.

Calin Moldovean is a seasoned leader in the TIC+ industry with more than 30 years of experience shaping global assurance, testing and certification services. Over the course of 16 years at Intertek Group plc, he served as Global President of Business Assurance and Food Services, where he led strategy development and execution, P&L management, global operations, M&A, and strategic growth across more than 50 countries. Prior to Intertek, Calin spent 16 years with TÜV SÜD in the United States, advancing from automotive test engineer to Vice President of Auditing and Medical Services for North America. His extensive leadership track record spans technical expertise, people development, operational excellence, and global business development. He holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and an Executive MBA. Calin currently advises private equity firms in Europe and the United States and would be happy to contribute his passion for international business, innovation and talent building in a Non-Executive Board role.

R. Douglas Leonard Jr. (“Doug”) is Executive Director of the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), the world’s most comprehensive and globally recognized accreditation body. Under his leadership, ANAB continues to expand its portfolio of accreditation programs, delivering trust and credibility across diverse industries and government sectors. With more than 30 years of experience in accreditation, conformity assessment, and international recognition frameworks, Doug focuses on strengthening quality systems and advancing global confidence in accredited results. Internationally, he serves as a lead evaluator and trainer for APAC and contributes to IAAC, ILAC, IAF, and NAAF. He also served two terms as President of NACLA.

Eric Donaldson is a Senior Vice President at Jefferies Investment Bank, where he leads US Test & Measurement coverage. Across Test & Measurement, Eric covers TICC+ services, instrumentation, sensors & asset monitoring. Eric has been covering the broader Test & Measurement arena for nearly a decade and has advised on $20B+ worth of deals, across M&A, equity capital markets and leveraged finance. Prior to joining Jefferies, Eric co-founded a boutique advisory / investment banking firm focused on Industrial Technology, Healthcare and FIG. Eric previously worked at a high-growth automation start-up and Rothschild & Co. Eric received his BSBA from Boston University and is originally from Minnesota.

Raj Naran is a Board Director and former CEO with over 35 years of global leadership experience in the Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) sector. As CEO of ALS Limited, Raj guided the organization to exceed its’ strategic plan, delivering 73% revenue growth, 123% EBITDA increase, 135% total shareholder return and increased company market cap by $2.1 billion. He brings deep expertise in operations, profitability improvement, strategic planning and M&A execution. Raj has a proven record of transforming under performing businesses, driving portfolio diversification, and embedding sustainability within corporate culture. Known for his disciplined strategic focus and global mindset, Raj continues to advise and lead organizations toward sustained growth, innovation, and long-term stakeholder value.

George joined New Mountain Capital in January 2026, supporting private equity investments across industrial, commercial, infrastructure, and energy-focused businesses. He previously spent over a decade at Applied Technical Services (now part of SGS), where he led more than 50 acquisitions and helped grow annual revenue from under $50 million to over $480 million. He continues to advise the business as a consultant. Earlier in his career, George led PE platform investments for family offices in the US and Europe, investing over $180 million, all successfully exited. He also built and led Corporate Development at Roper Industries, completing 20+ acquisitions globally and helping establish a $200 million analytical instrumentation platform. George began his career in private equity and investment banking and holds a BS in Business Administration from Boston University.

Chairman and founder of Amtivo Group, an international provider of accredited certification, supporting businesses to achieve globally recognised standards that drive performance, credibility, and long-term, sustainable success. For the last 20 years, Mike has held senior leadership roles in PE-backed businesses, leading disruptive change in the business services and software space, deploying technology and data to transform the client proposition while scaling the business model to fundamentally accelerate value creation. This has involved leading diverse groups of professionals across multiple industry sectors and geographies including Engineering, HR services, Occupational Psychology, Veterinary, and, most recently, Compliance. Prior to that, Mike was a Major in the Royal Engineers, where he picked up his passion for travelling and working internationally.

With over 35 years of distinguished career success, I am currently the President & CEO of the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), a role I have held since September 2016. My expertise spans strategic leadership, financial oversight, and operational management, underpinned by a deep understanding of both domestic and international regulatory landscapes. At A2LA, I spearhead initiatives that drive organizational performance and compliance, ensuring alignment with the association's vision and mission. My leadership approach emphasizes fostering a high-performance culture, mentoring executives, and promoting accountability and growth. Before A2LA, I was the President of Trescal Inc., where I expanded the company’s revenue from $24 million to over $45 million through acquisitions and organic growth, overseeing the integration of seven acquisitions and expanding our operational footprint nationwide. My earlier roles include serving as Managing Director at Dynamic Technology, Inc., where I significantly increased revenues and expanded operational locations. I hold an MBA from Webster University and actively contribute to several professional forums, including the North American Accreditation Forum as Board Chair, demonstrating my commitment to excellence and fair trade in accreditation standards globally. Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated a competitive spirit and a strong commitment to driving business success and employee development.

With nearly three decades at DEKRA, Mark has held a range of senior leadership roles, contributing to the company’s strategic development, global growth, and expansion across multiple industry sectors. His work has supported DEKRA’s evolution beyond its automotive roots into a broad portfolio of testing, inspection, and certification services worldwide. Mark began his career in consulting and finance at Alcatel, bringing a strong analytical and strategic foundation to his leadership approach.

Paloma is an Industrial Engineer specialized in Technological Management and Operations, with a Master’s in Engineering from Universidad Panamericana. With over 17 years of private sector experience—12 in the Mexican conformity assessment field—she has served as General Director and Administrative & Projects Director at Tecnología y Servicio S.A. de C.V. (TYSSA), leading its testing and product certification divisions. A key figure in national and international standardization efforts, she also acts as a liaison with government bodies, chambers of commerce, and customs to support the development and application of standards, helping to strengthen Mexico’s quality infrastructure.

Mike de Groot is the Chief Investment Officer at Normec Group since 2024 and is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Mike started his career in Investment Banking in London with the US Investment Bank Robert W. Baird and has spent several years covering the TICC space among other things throughout Europe. Post his advisory career, Mike has held several roles at an American company called Corpay (NYSE: CPAY), now a listed S&P500 company previously backed by Private Equity (Advent, Bain and Summit). Mike served as President of their European operations and as Head of M&A Europe/Asia. Mike holds two Master of Science degrees in International Corporate Finance and Business and Management.

Mr. Williams has completed global M&A transactions in excess of $15 billion building businesses across multiple industries - most recently as the Chief Strategy Officer leading AmSpec Group's expansion into the Environmental Testing and Business Assurance/Sustainability sectors. With a proven track-record leading growth and transformation, and always with a focus on value creation, Mr. Williams has led investment strategies in TICC/industrial/business service, energy, power/infrastructure and sustainability sectors including low carbon, energy transition and venture capital portfolios for public corporations, private equity and family office investors. Prior to his role at AmSpec, Mr. Williams held leadership roles of increasing responsibility in corporate development, strategic planning & budgeting and sustainability as Callon Petroleum grew production 5x leading to a $4.5 billion exit in 2024. He has built and sold an energy business for a prominent Houston family office, led global M&A and portfolio evaluation processes for BHP Billiton, coordinated annual capital budgets in excess of $1 billion, and supported capital market activities raising nearly $1 billion of senior credit facilities and asset-based loans. Mr. Williams has cultivated a strong cross-functional background spanning both operations and finance, with an action-oriented entrepreneurial mindset, enabling effective communication and people-focused collaborative leadership at all levels of an organization.

Innovative and results-driven executive with extensive experience in building and scaling SaaS platforms across Quality, Risk, and Compliance industries. As the President and COO of CMX1, I have spearheaded product innovation, operational excellence, and go-to-market strategies that have consistently delivered. Fostering partnerships with industry leaders such as BV, SGS, LRQA, Solenis/Diversey, Restaurant Brands International, Inspire Brands, Chick-fil-A, and many more, I thrive at the intersection of strategic leadership and technical expertise. My journey is marked by significant entrepreneurial success, including navigating three startups to prosperous outcomes, one culminating in a landmark Initial Public Offering (IPO). This foundation is complemented by extensive C-suite experience, holding roles such as Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), President, Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in dynamic, technology-centric organizations.

Jake Lewin is the CEO of Intact US, an international leader in certification and inspection operations and technology. Mr. Lewin is an expert in auditing systems and data utilization. He previously served as the chief executive of an organic food and food safety certification body before leading the US operations of the Intact group of companies. Under his leadership, he grew a certification body to the largest in the sector while delivering superior service and innovation in the field. Today, Mr. Lewin leads Intact’s aerospace business unit and is a key driver in utilization of AI for value added audit and certification. Lewin holds a master’s in business administration and has a background in horticulture. He also sits on the IAF AI in Conformity Assessment task force. He is an avid bike rider who has reached the rational limits of bikes he can keep in the house. He lives in Santa Cruz, CA.

Konstantin Klingler is the Founder and CEO of Seamflow, a London-based technology company building AI-native systems for TIC industry. Seamflow works with global TIC companies to automate core operational workflows such as technical file review, regulatory completeness checks, audit and auditor scheduling, and report generation. The company began in medical device notified bodies, where certification is traditionally slow and operationally complex. By embedding AI directly into certification workflows, Seamflow has fundamentally accelerated end-to-end certification processes while maintaining regulatory quality and oversight. This focus has shaped Seamflow’s broader ambition to build AI-first operating systems for TIC organizations. Seamflow is backed by €4.5 million from leading Silicon Valley investors behind companies such as Spotify, Klarna, Reddit, Coinbase, and Flexport, and is built by a team with experience from Amazon, Google, X, SAP, and Bosch. Konstantin works closely with TIC leaders across medical devices and business assurance to modernize how certification is delivered, with a focus on scalability, consistency, and operational efficiency. His long-term vision is an AI-native TIC industry that can keep pace with growing regulatory complexity and global demand.

Throughout my time leading GRUPO ISATEL, I have had the privilege of witnessing significant technological changes that positively impact humanity in its daily life within the electronics and telecommunications sector. I am pleased to be part of bringing these technologies to Mexican society in a reliable and secure manner.

At GRUPO ISATEL, we clearly define our future: a constant commitment to supporting organizations in facing the challenges that are emerging in terms of regulations for new technologies, seeking to ensure that these technologies coexist in a healthy way without losing sight of consumer safety.

Bart Riegman is Co-Founder and Director of Business Development at Zertic, where he helps organizations in the Testing, Inspection & Certification (TIC) industry digitize and automate their audit and certification processes. With a strong focus on innovation, SaaS solutions, and customer value, Bart plays a key role in Zertic’s growth and international expansion. He bridges market needs with technology and works closely with clients and partners — including Red Swan — to enable more efficient, reliable, and future-proof automated certification processes. Bart has previously participated in international Red Swan events, representing the technology perspective of the TIC industry. At the upcoming event in Cancún, he will also join as one of our panelists, sharing insights on digital transformation and automation within the sector. Before co-founding Zertic, Bart founded and scaled multiple ventures in the Audit and Risk domain, ranging from education and consultancy to the implementation of Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) methodologies and GRC software solutions.

Before Calibre, Steve was a Technical Lead at Palantir, where he deployed bespoke solutions for Europe’s largest banks, focussing on regulatory compliance and AI automation. Working alongside customers in Zurich, New York, Riyadh and Verona shaped his conviction that successful enterprise solutions need deep customer understanding and an effective rollout plan. Nowhere is this truer than in TIC: an industry with complex operations, demanding regulations, and IT systems built up over many years. At Calibre, the team builds AI systems that solve our customers' biggest problems, architectured to integrate with existing systems, and deployed with a rollout model that drives adoption. Our technology is built to address some of the industry’s biggest challenges: capturing deep institutional knowledge while maintaining the highest levels of privacy and trust in the era of AI. Steve holds a Master's in Computer Science, with research focused on early large language models.

Calibre, a VC-backed startup building the AI backbone for the next era of TIC. Before founding Calibre, Gautham was a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) at Palantir, reporting directly to CTO Shyam Sankar. At Palantir, Gautham led deployments across 20+ industries including medical device certification, NHS healthcare, human trafficking detection, and Formula 1. He closed over $60M in contracts applying outcome-based pricing. Palantir’s FDE model focuses on embedding with customers, identifying their highest-value problem, and owning delivery of business outcomes. MIT research now credits the principles underlying the FDE model for separating the 5% of AI pilots that succeed from the 95% that fail. Calibre applies the FDE approach to TIC. The goal: humans on judgment, machines on everything else. Gautham holds a Master's in Mathematics and Computer Science, with multiple peer-reviewed conference publications in machine learning.

Harry is a Director at Metric Search (BGF backed) recruitment agency – founded in 2019 with four locations across the US (NY, FL, TX, CA) and three locations across the UK (London, Nottingham, Leeds). Harry leads the TIC practice specialising in placing executives across the Globe with PE backed TIC platforms or directly with the PE Firms themselves to develop an investment thesis in TIC+…Harry has had the absolute pleasure to network across the TIC space and fortunate to have placed multiple leaders into businesses that are making the world a safer place. If not at work, Harry will be most likely be found on a golf course, a bike or with his partner in London.