Expert Jury, Gérald Martines, powerful perspective on Future Leaders at Paris Packaging Week
At the heart of Paris Packaging Week’s mission is a firm belief in the importance of nurturing the next generation of leaders who will reshape the packaging industry. The Future Leaders programme celebrates emerging talent, individuals with the vision, values and potential to challenge conventional thinking and lead meaningful transformation.
Each year, a carefully selected jury of senior industry experts reviews dozens of outstanding applications to identify those best equipped to take the industry forward, not only through innovation and creativity, but also by addressing the urgent need for generational renewal and sustainability-driven reinvention.
We are honoured to share a powerful and insightful testimonial from Gérald Martines, Founder and President of IN • SIGNES and expert jury member for the 2025 edition, who explains why this programme is more vital than ever:
“Being part of the jury for the Future Leaders programme is, for me, a way to help identify and support individuals with the potential to positively shape the future of the beauty packaging industry.
Having worked in this sector for the past three decades, I’ve seen first-hand the challenge it faces in renewing its leadership. A large number of Baby Boomer managers – myself included – are approaching retirement, and many companies are at risk of losing critical expertise in key roles. There’s an urgent need to accelerate the development of a new generation ready to step up.
But beyond this significant shift, the industry is facing an unprecedented challenge: reinventing itself to meet the demands of sustainability – a transformation that is now vital to its survival. The business models that once drove success must be fundamentally rethought, as the solutions of the past are often the root of today’s problems.”
“Tomorrow’s leaders – and by that, I mean the very near future – will need the ability to step back from the dominant thinking, to challenge ‘business as usual’, to break away from tried-and-tested formulas, and to invent bold new approaches. While this is a widely accepted principle in theory, my work as a strategy consultant shows me daily that many players still underestimate the scale of the transformation ahead and are far from ready to face it.
To meet this collective challenge, we need ‘Sustainable Natives’ – individuals for whom sustainability is not just another constraint to be awkwardly squeezed into existing business models, but a starting point, an obvious foundation for deep and lasting change. I was delighted to see that the 2025 cohort – as was already the case in 2014 – fully embody this mindset, each in their own way and within their respective areas of expertise.
What’s more, as a jury, we had no difficulty selecting profiles that represented a wide range of roles across the value chain – a promising sign, given that building a truly sustainable industry will require an unprecedented level of collaboration across all sectors.
I believe the Future Leaders programme plays a vital role in identifying and nurturing those with the vision and ability to reinvent beauty packaging for a new era.”
Why become a Future Leader?
- Connect with industry leaders and expand your network
- Gain visibility and be recognised as a rising talent
- Join the Future Leaders community and take part in shaping the programme
- Influence key conversations and share your perspective on the industry’s biggest topics
Then enter now – it’s free, and entries close on 22 August.
Before you enter, check that you meet the criteria in the ‘Are you eligible?’ section below.
Are you eligible?
We’re looking for young professionals who are driving packaging forward with their ideas, their projects and their commitment.
- You are aged 30 or under
- You work in the beauty, drinks, aerosols or luxury packaging sectors
- Your role is packaging related (whatever your title!)
If you’re a packaging engineer, designer, product manager, marketer, buyer, entrepreneur or supplier and you’re helping to shape the future of packaging, this is for you.
All entries will be carefully considered by our panel of experts and the Paris Packaging Week team.
What are we assessing? Your achievements, your potential, your ambition in the world of packaging.
