CEO ROUNDTABLE
COFFEE IN TRANSITION: GLOBAL COFFEE PERSPECTIVES ON RISK, RESILIENCE, AND RENEWAL
DATE: Friday, June 27, 2025
TIME: 10:30 - 11:45
LOCATION: World of Coffee Geneva, Room X
This 1h15-minute panel discussion will bring together senior leaders from across the global coffee value chain to explore the evolving realities facing coffee producers, traders, and roasters today. From shifting consumer demand and rising compliance burdens to climate risks and price volatility, the coffee sector is under unprecedented pressure. Yet with change also comes opportunity — for renewal, innovation, and new forms of cooperation.
This session will offer high-level insights and reflections from international institutions and business leaders who are helping shape the future of coffee. The panel will be moderated jointly by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Swiss Coffee Trade Association (SCTA).
MODERATORS
Dr Krisztina Szalai (she/her)
Secretary General, Swiss Coffee Trade Association (SCTA)
Krisztina serves as the Secretary General of the Swiss Coffee Trade Association (SCTA), bringing over a decade of hands-on experience in the coffee sector following an earlier academic career. Her background spans commercial management, green coffee buying, speciality coffee trading, sustainability, and industry representation across both mainstream and specialty markets.
In her role, Krisztina plays a central part in strengthening relationships across the Swiss and global coffee sector, engaging actively with coffee companies, producing countries, international institutions, and regulatory bodies. She leads SCTA into a new era of strategic collaboration and growth, with a particular focus on advancing ESG priorities, sustainability practices, and sector-wide preparedness for regulatory change.
Dedicated to bridging the private and public spheres, she works to ensure SCTA members are not only well-informed but also well-positioned to shape and respond to the evolving global landscape of coffee trade and policy.
Yannis Apostolopoulos (he/him)
Chief Executive Officer, Specialty Coffee Association
Yannis Apostolopoulos is the Chief Executive Officer of the Specialty Coffee Association and also serves as a board director for World Coffee Events and the Coffee Science Foundation. He has more than 25 years’ experience in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) with a focus on coffee, wines, spirits, and beers, working for major brands like Red Bull, Stoli, Remy Martin, Cointreau, and McCallan, where he held completely diverse senior roles. He has served as a non-executive director on numerous boards, in both FMCG and investment firms. A long-time specialty coffee volunteer, Yannis was the Vice President of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, spearheading the creation of both the Barista and Roasters Guilds of Europe. He has studied chemical engineering and is a Harvard Business School alumnus. He is a Q-Grader and an AST.
PANELISTS
Germán Bahamón (he/him)
Chief Executive Officer, Colombia Coffee Growers Federation
Germán is the CEO of the Colombia Coffee Growers Federation entity that represents the Colombian coffee guild integrated by 560.000 families located in more than 600 towns nationwide. He is an Agro-industrial Production Engineer, with a specialization in Executive Marketing from CESA and Kellogg (Northwestern). With over 20 years of experience, German has been instrumental driving sustainable growth, market development and community outreach programs to companies listed as among the 100 largest in the world: Apple, Sony, Kimberly Clark.
Germán is a coffee grower and entrepreneur, particularly passionate about coffee’s production and high-quality export. He has also been a professor and leader in the public and private sectors.
Cyrille Jannet (he/him)
Managing Director, Keurig Trading
Cyrille Jannet is the Managing Director of Keurig Trading, where he leads all green coffee procurement and sourcing activities for the Keurig Dr Pepper Group. He also serves as Vice President of the Swiss Coffee Trade Association (SCTA), based in Geneva, and sits on its Board of Directors.
Cyrille began his career in coffee over 20 years ago in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, working as a trader with AMSA, a leading exporter and part of the Ecom Group. He later joined United Coffee & UCC as Group Buying Director, also based in Geneva.
A licensed Q Arabica and Robusta Grader, Cyrille has completed Coffee Processing Course Level II and currently serves as a Trustee on the Board of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). He brings deep expertise in sourcing, quality, and international coffee trade.
Nicolas Tamari (he/him)
Chief Executive Officer, Sucafina SA
Nicolas A. Tamari is CEO of Sucafina SA, a leading global coffee merchant rooted in a family trading legacy dating back to 1905. Headquartered in Geneva since 1977, Sucafina operates across the entire coffee supply chain in over 40 countries, driven by a commitment to sustainability, innovation and shared value. Since joining the company in 1994, Nicolas has led its global expansion and transformation into a fully integrated 'Farm to Roaster' business. He currently serves as President of the Swiss Coffee Trade Association (SCTA) and previously held the role of President of the European Coffee Federation. A graduate of Harvard Business School, he also sits on the boards of several companies and foundations.
Dr. Edwini Kessie (he/him)
Director of the Division on Agriculture, World Trade Organization
Dr. Kessie has been a staff member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since January 1995. He is currently the Director of the Agriculture and Commodities Division and was Head of the WTO Delivery Unit. He has worked in different Divisions, including the Council and Trade Negotiations Committee Division, Development Division and the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation. Between June 2012 and May 2017, Dr. Kessie took leave from the WTO to become the Chief Trade Adviser of the Pacific Island Countries and Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the Chief Trade Adviser located in Port Vila, Vanuatu. In this capacity, he provided technical advice on a broad range of trade and investment issues to the Pacific Island countries and supported them in the free trade negotiations (PACER Plus) with Australia and New Zealand.
Dr. Kessie has participated in many international conferences on international trade and written a number of articles on international trade issues. His principal areas of interest are regional integration, agriculture, trade and development and dispute settlement.
Edwini Kessie has a Doctorate Degree in Law from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia and Masters' Degrees in Law from the University of Toronto, Canada and the University of Brussels, Belgium and a Bachelor's Degree in Law from the University of Ghana. He is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Courts of England & Wales, New South Wales, Australia and Ghana. He has practised Corporate and Commercial Law in Sydney, Australia and International Trade Law and European Community Law in Brussels, Belgium.