The Universal Language of Creativity
In a world becoming increasingly divided by borders and perspectives, creativity offers a common language that unites us all. Bringing together artists from the Bavarian State Ballet and Princess Sophie of Bavaria, this session explores how artistic expression transcends geography, politics and history.
Join us to explore how creativity not only entertains, but can be a powerful tool for building empathy, respect and shared identity.
Speakers
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Marcia Brown-RayfordVice President of Healthcare, Global Life Sciences Leader at ZRG Partners. Head and Founder, BrightPath STEAM AcademyMarcia Brown-Rayford
Vice President of Healthcare, Global Life Sciences Leader at ZRG Partners. Head and Founder, BrightPath STEAM Academy
Marcia Brown-Rayford, inaugural Vice President of Global Life Sciences at ZRG Partners and Founder of BrightPath STEAM Academy, is a transformative executive with over 30 years of experience driving global innovation, operational excellence, and business transformation. Her leadership has delivered more than $1 billion in efficiencies, productivity gains, and cost savings across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, MedTech, contract research and development, and other life sciences service organizations. Marcia began her career as a research chemical engineer in Merck’s R&D labs, where she contributed to breakthrough therapeutics for HIV/AIDS, prostate cancer, asthma, and animal health—igniting a lifelong passion for advancing scientific innovation and improving lives across borders. Following dual MBAs in Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, she joined PwC’s Life Sciences practice, delivering results for industry-leading clients. She later rejoined Merck to help lead enterprise-wide R&D restructuring, M&A integration, and operational transformation. As the founding leader of the Global Life Sciences Practice at RGP consulting firm, Marcia spearheaded high-impact global engagements focused on execution, change, innovation, and continuous improvement. A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with certifications in Change Management, Enterprise Process Management, and Program/Project Management, she is known for precise, agile leadership in complex environments. In addition to her Wharton MBAs, Marcia holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. She continues to shape the future of science and access through her nonprofit BrightPath STEAM Academy and her role as a U.S. Ambassador to One Young World, a platform that builds the next generation of world leaders to advance global equity and innovation.
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Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie-Alexandra of BavariaPrincess Sophie-Alexandra of BavariaHer Royal Highness Princess Sophie-Alexandra of Bavaria
Counsellor
Princess Sophie-Alexandra of Bavaria
Spending a decade in various UN and diplomatic roles centred around human rights in New York, Geneva, and London, Princess Sophie of Bavaria has worked as Health Advisor at the Office of Secretary-General António Guterres in the Sustainable Development Unit led by Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, as well as at the World Health Organization UN Office, covering issues such as adolescent health, gender and climate and health. In this position, she served as Rapporteur and supported mediation for country negotiations including the Global Health and Foreign Policy Resolution and various Political Declarations of UN High-Level Meetings. Through this work she developed a passion for efforts which help build global consensus and bridge voices of the Global North and South. Currently, Princess Sophie supports the development and humanitarian work of the Nymphenburg Aid Foundation (https://hn-bavaria.org/) at her home in Munich, in particular managing two new initiatives for helping those affected by crises, as well as supporting an aging population. She is also based part-time at Oxford University, where she is a pursuing her PhD at the Law Faculty, focusing on justice for women who have faced of conflict-related sexual violence.
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Jinhao ZhangPrincipal DancerJinhao Zhang
Speaker
Principal Dancer
Bayerisches StaatsballettJinhao Zhang is a Chinese-born Principal Dancer with Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich. He is also a graduate of Tongji University, one of China’s top academic institutions. After winning a prize at the Prix de Lausanne in 2013, he was awarded a place at English National Ballet School before joining English National Ballet, where he began performing lead roles - including Le Corsaire on tour at the Palais Garnier.
In 2017, Jinhao joined Bayerisches Staatsballett as a Soloist, quickly gaining recognition in principal roles such as Crassus in Spartacus and Jean de Brienne in Raymonda. He was promoted to First Soloist in 2018 and Principal in 2019. His repertoire includes full-length classical and narrative works such as Swan Lake (Siegfried), Giselle (Albrecht), Cinderella (Prince Guillaume), Romeo and Juliet (Romeo), La Sylphide (James), as well as contemporary pieces including Bella Figura, Jewels, and Le Parc.
Jinhao has worked closely with choreographers including Akram Khan, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Andrey Kaydanovskiy - who created the role of Richard Ramirez on him in Cecil Hotel. He has guested internationally with companies such as the Lithuanian National Ballet and Astana Opera, and most recently appeared as Guest Principal in the White Snake production at Shanghai Grand Theatre in 2024.
He is a former winner of the Emerging Dancer Competition (2015), a Silver Medalist and Best Choreography Award recipient at the Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition (2016), and continues to support dialogue between cultures through dance. In 2024, he was invited to speak at Beijing Dance Academy’s international symposium “Global Vision, Chinese Expression”, where he discussed how Chinese artists can shape the global ballet landscape and cross cultural boundaries through their work.
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Jeanette KakarekaSoloistJeanette Kakareka
Speaker
Soloist
Bayerisches StaatsballettJeanette Kakareka (stage name) is an American ballet dancer and Soloist with Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich. She trained at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia and later at San Francisco Ballet School. During her traineeship with San Francisco Ballet, she already began performing corps roles, and soon after received her first professional contract with English National Ballet in London. While there, she was twice named a finalist for the Emerging Dancer Award and toured internationally, performing in countries including China, Japan, Oman, Spain, France, Poland, Colombia, and throughout the UK. Jeanette joined Bayerisches Staatsballett in 2017 and was promoted to Soloist in 2019. Her repertoire includes leading roles in Giselle (Giselle), La Bayadère (Nikiya), Jewels (Emeralds couple), Anna Karenina (Dolly), Raymonda (The White Lady), amongst others—spanning both classical and contemporary works. She has taught masterclasses and summer intensives at The Rock School and in Lyon, France. Jeanette is currently studying BASI Mat Pilates, with a focus on supporting prenatal and postnatal communities—an area of personal connection following the birth of her own daughter in 2024. She returned to Bayerisches Staatsballett in September 2025 following her maternity leave.