World Nicotine Congress

The World Nicotine Congress (WNC) is a global events platform which states that it brings together “experts from the worlds of politics, health, law enforcement, finance and other valued stakeholders to develop and improve … industry and benefit the consumer”.¹ Its sponsors include transnational tobacco companies (TTC), and has TTC employees on its advisory board and more listed as speakers.²

Background

WNC was founded by Elise Rasmussen who was also the founder and executive director of the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF) from 2008 to 2025.¹³⁴ Previously, Rasmussen was Vice President at the US-based organisation the Tobacco Merchants Association (TMA).³⁵

WNC Global Ltd was registered at UK Companies House in April 2025.⁶

The WNC is hosting a three-day forum in Brussels from 23rd – 26th March 2026. The forum is described, on the WNC website, as an “open discussion on the science, policy and innovation shaping the future of nicotine”.⁷

Relationship to the Tobacco Industry

Sponsors

Image 1: WNC 2026 sponsors. (Source: WNC website)²

WNC is sponsored by three major transnational tobacco companies (TTCs): British American Tobacco (BAT), Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Imperial Brands.²BAT sponsored the event as OMNI (see image 1), its “knowledge sharing resource”.⁸

Other sponsors include companies in the tobacco supply chain. Some have also sponsored the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF).

Advisory Board

Five out of the seven advisory board members are from the three TTC sponsoring companies. A full list of members can be found on the WNC website:⁹

• Chris Junker, Group Head of Life Science, BAT
• Philipp Hansen, EU Affairs Director, JTI
• Tom Hirons, External Affairs Director, JTI
• Deborah Binks-Moore, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Imperial Brands
• Joseph Thompson, Group Science and Regulatory Affairs Director, Imperial Brands

Speakers

The speaker list published before the 2026 Brussels event included representatives from BAT, JTI, Imperial Brands and Philip Morris International (PMI):¹⁰

PMI

• Brindusa Taranu, Head Product Safety Surveillance

BAT

• Chris Junker, Group Head of Life Sciences
• Christa Pelsers, EU Head of Fiscal Affairs and International Trade
• Danielle Tower, Group Head of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs
• Elaine Round, Senior Vice President at Reynolds American
• Flora Okereke, Group Head of Global Policy, Insights and Foresights
• Helena Digard, Head of Analytical Services BAT; President at CORESTA
• Karina McQuillan, Global Head of Toxicology
• Summer Hanna, Global Head of Scientific Regulation

JTI

• Francesco Gaglioppa, EU Affairs Director
• John Clayton, External Affairs Vice President
• Karin Jacobson, Science Advocacy and Engagement Director
• Tom Hirons, External Affairs Director
• Vincent Byrne, Global Anti-Illicit Trade Operations Director

Imperial Brands

• Joseph Thompson, Group Science and Regulatory Affairs Director
• Niccolo Balzini, Regional Corporate Affairs Director Europe
• Shaun Murray, Head of Scientific Regulatory Affairs
• Paolo Pocci, Chief Consumer Officer
• Tony Dunnage, Global ESG Director

Listed attendees also included former industry employees, industry-funded consultants, and others with industry links.

Activities and Themes

The WNC is hosting a three-day forum in Brussels from 23rd – 26th March 2026. Themes in the event programme include the “regulatory and public health landscape shaping the industry”, emerging technology, illicit trade, consumer behaviour, and AI integration.⁷

The WNC website also features an “Industry Insights” page with blog posts covering topics on tobacco harm reduction, science, innovation, and politics.¹¹

Relevant Link

World Nicotine Congress website

Tobacco Tactics Resources

Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum

CORESTA