Tomaž Gornik has built a globally recognized company in the field of healthcare digitalization, with its solutions used in more than 30 countries worldwide. The Better digital health platform stores over 40 million patients’ electronic health records. Gornik believes that health data should be long-lasting, openly accessible, and not tied to any single software provider. He also emphasizes that Slovenia has a unique opportunity to fully complete the digital transformation of its healthcare system, particularly by creating a single, unified entry point for patients accessing care.
Robert Ljoljo, MSc, is an experienced manager and strategist. A former President of the Management Board of Lek, President of Sandoz Slovenia, and the first President of the Slovenia Biotech Hills, he has served as Director General of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia since January 2025, managing an organization with approximately €6 billion in annual revenues. His ambition is to strengthen the public insurer -acting as both the provider and purchaser of compulsory health insurance and long-term care insurance – in its role as an active buyer of healthcare services. The focus is on system stability, greater efficiency, transparency, and digitalization to ensure responsible management of the system and the use of public funds.
Nika Marđetko, PhD, represents a company that develops and brings to market a wide range of breakthrough medical innovations. She focuses on how Novartis can actively contribute, through partnerships with healthcare professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders, to ensuring that healthcare systems are ready to adopt new innovations. A key part of her work is providing scientific support to the medical community and co-creating solutions that enable the timely, safe, and effective integration of innovative therapies into clinical practice, ultimately benefiting both patients and the healthcare system.
Matej Pečovnik is the president of Onkoman, Slovenia’s first organization dedicated specifically to men’s cancer awareness and support. The association is driving meaningful change in how men’s health is perceived and discussed in Slovenia. Drawing on his own experience with a serious illness, Pečovnik brings a unique and personal approach to his work. This is reflected in initiatives such as “SMS fotru” (“Text Your Dad”), “Don’t Miss the Goal,” and many others that aim to raise awareness in a relatable way. Onkoman works closely with healthcare institutions and continues to serve as a strong and influential voice for patients and their families.Assoc. Prof. Marko Pokorn, MD, is a specialist in pediatrics and infectious diseases and has served as Medical Director of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana Pediatric Clinic since 2019. The clinic is Slovenia’s leading institution for diagnosing and treating children and adolescents from birth to age 18. It is actively engaged in research and in implementing modern approaches to diagnosis and treatment, with a particular focus on its Rare Diseases Centre, as approximately 80% of rare diseases affect children. Through close collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana Department of Pediatrics, the clinic ensures the rapid translation of new scientific knowledge into clinical practice.
