Young Egg Leaders delve into global health & bird flu, megatrends, and the future of business

27-28 March 2025

For the latest instalment of their 2-year programme, the WEO Young Egg Leaders (YELs) were guests of World Health Organization (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) in Geneva and Paris.

For their first visit, the YELs were welcomed by the WHO in Geneva. The morning began with introductions led by Dr Wenqing Zhang, Head of the Global Influenza Programme, followed by presentations and discussions on the ‘One Health’ initiative, the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, and zoonotic influenza surveillance and risk assessment.

The discussions around avian influenza and its potential risk to public health were particularly valuable. “It’s been an excellent opportunity to meet the scientists at WHO and provide a grassroots perspective when it comes to farming and what we do on our farms each and every day,” shared Tonya Haverkamp, YEL and third-generation egg farmer from Canada.

The following day, the group were hosted by WOAH in Paris, beginning with a welcome from Director General, Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran. Next, experts from the WOAH Science Department provided a global update on avian influenza and the role of vaccination.

The YELs found the open dialogue with the WOAH team extremely beneficial, offering a platform to share the realities of the disease’s impact at farm level.

Also in Paris, the YELs were guests of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), where they explored the growing role of artificial intelligence in the supply chain. Discussions focused on current use-cases of new technologies among retailers and how they could shape the future of food production and business.

During the WEO Tenerife Conference that followed, the YELs were invited to a dedicated breakfast meeting with macro strategist Afshin Molavi, who offered insights into geopolitics, emerging markets and global megatrends. The session sparked dynamic conversation about the forces shaping their future as leaders in the egg industry.

Thank you to all our hosts for the insights, shared discussions and valuable connections made. These engaging conversations represent important steps towards our shared goals.

This ongoing bespoke programme is designed to broaden the YELs’ understanding of the egg industry, provide unique opportunities and foster leadership growth.