Confirmed Speakers




Peter Weber, BMW_crop

Dr Peter Weber

Director, Plant Munich

BMW Group


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BIO


Dr Peter Weber has led Plant Munich, BMW’s mother plant located next to it headquarters, since September 2021. Here he is helping to drive the next phase of the plant’s transformation, including the launch in October 2021 of the BMW i4 electric vehicle, the relocation of engine production from the plant, and preparing to implement a new EV platform, the ‘Neue Klasse’. Prior to this role, Dr Weber was chief executive officer of BMW UK Manufacturing, including Mini production at the Oxford plant and its pressing plant in Swindon. Dr Weber, who has a PhD in engineering, has been with BMW since 2005, holding leadership roles in the group’s research and innovation centre, including in technical planning for production systems, as well as at BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany.


Seonhi Ro, Ford

Dr Seonhi Ro

Industry 4.0 Specialist

Ford Research and Advanced Manufacturing Europe


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Dr Seonhi Ro is top specialist in manufacturing technologies, analytics and processes at Ford’s advanced R&D centre in Aachen, Germany, which is focused on cutting edge production tools and concepts. She is currently focused on high potential technologies for the factory of tomorrow, including generative design, 3D and 4D printing, AR/VR, AMRs, cobots and more. She has worked at Ford for more than 20 years, with experience in manufacturing analytics, in powertrain manufacturing and cycle planning. She also worked for eight years as research engineer and project manager at tier-1 supplier Vaillant. Dr Ro has a PhD in mechanical engineering from the Technical University Braunschweig.




Michel Peña

Michel Peña

Group Technical & Engineering Director

Teknia


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BIO


Michel Peña has led technical engineering since 2019 across automotive supplier Teknia, which builds metals and plastic components. His responsibilities include the transfer of technology between the group's global plants, the improvement of global processes, the management of technological innovation and the group's investments and divestments. His career in Teknia began the year the company was founded in 1992. Since then, Peña has developed different technical and management functions. His achievements in the company encompass the growth, development and internalisation of the metal, machining and aluminium activities, as well as the creation and development of new technical directions by technology. Michel Peña is Industrial Technical Engineer from the University School of Industrial Technical Engineering of Bilbao of the Basque Country University and he studied a PDG (General Management Programme) in the IESE of the University of Navarre.


Francisco Carranza, Automotive Cells Company

Francisco Carranza

CEO

Basquevolt


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BIO


Francisco Carranza is the chief executive for Basquevolt, a battery cell and energy storage startup that aims to become a leader in solid state batteries. It was founded in 2022 and aims to produce solid state batteries by 2027; it is also bringing to market new electrolyte and anode technology for lithium-ion batteries. Previously, Carranza led strategy, sales and marketing, and was a member of the executive committee for battery cell producer ACC, a venture between Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and Saft. During his career he has worked in vehicle R&D, external affairs, corporate planning and in managing new business opportunities such as connected services, electric vehicle grid integration (V2G, smart charging), renewable energy generation and stationary energy storage using second life vehicle lithium batteries. Francisco Carranza has two engineering degrees (Escuela Superior de Ingenieros of Sevilla and Ecole Nationale Superieur de Petrole et Moteurs) and an MBA (EM Lyon and Cranfield School of Management).


Tim McGrath, BMW

Timothy McGrath

Technical Process Leader, Plant Oxford

BMW Group


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BIO


Timothy McGrath hold key roles in areas of quality and maintenance for BMW Mini. He has worked at the carmaker since September 2001, where he started as an apprentice. Once qualified he became a maintenance associate followed by a maintenance technician. After several years he moved into a Joining Specialist role with his area of expertise being resistance welding techniques. He then progressed to an area manager looking after maintenance, production, joining specialists and weld destruct. He also manages BMW’s input in a collective group of likeminded companies on the ‘Weld Zero Project’, an initiative to develop and showcase the benefits of digital technologies applied to welding operations in an industrial manufacturing context to support a zero-defect strategy. McGrath has spent just over one year of his career working abroad with stints in Turin, Italy, Dingolfing, Germany and Munich, Germany with the majority of this time being at BMW’s R&D headquarters in Munich, known as the FIZ.


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Karthik Krishnamurthy

Global Strategy and Business Development leader for Automotive Manufacturing and Supply Chain

AWS


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BIO


Karthik Krishnamurthy is the Global Strategy and Business Development leader for Automotive Manufacturing and Supply Chain at AWS. In this role, he works with Automotive customers (OEMs, Suppliers, dealerships and startups) to help with their digital transformation journey for shop floor modernization such as Industry 4.0/ Industrial IOT/smart factory use cases and Supply chain workloads (planning, visibility, traceability and operations) across the automotive value chain. Prior to his current role in AWS, he led Business Development for Amazon.com's exports business and critical cross border supply chain initiatives for 4 years and has 12+ years of industry experience leading production ramp ups for model launches, process optimizations, strategic sourcing, parts logistics and distribution working for Auto OEMs and suppliers such as Toyota, TVS and as part of consulting engagements for Ernst & Young.


Sebastien SAl ZE portrait

Sébastien Salze

Automotive Business Dev Specialist

SAMES


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BIO


Sébastien Salze has worked for more than 10 years leading marketing activities for SAMES automotive division. He has worked for more than 20 years in the automotive industry, including more than 10 years at a major French OEM, where he was responsible for product, platform and market analysis, as well as in performance and consumption modelling. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.


erich barnstedt, Microsoft

Erich Barnstedt

Lead Architect for Azure

Microsoft


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BIO


Erich Barnstedt has worked in various engineering roles at Microsoft for almost 20 years, initially in the Windows team and later in the Azure team. Throughout his career, he focused on the automotive and manufacturing verticals and has more recently shifted his work to the support of standards and commitments to open-source and consortia work at Microsoft. He holds a bachelor and two master degrees in computer science from Trinity College, Dublin.


Zentgraf_Matthias_CATL Europe

Matthias Zentgraf

President for Europe

CATL


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Matthias Zentgraf is the head of region Europe for Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), one of the world’s largest lithium-ion battery cell manufacturers. He has led operations in the region since 2015, which includes the construction of CATL’s first plant outside Europe and Germany’s first full-scale battery cell factory, which is set to start production in the state of the Thuringia by the end of 2022 and has recently received approval for expansion. CATL will further expand its production in Europe with a new plant confirmed in Debrecen, Hungary. Matthias Zentgraf has held key roles at Samsung and has more than 30 years’ experience in the automotive industry, including systems and series introduction of drive-by-wire systems, and key account management for powertrain systems, including engine controls, drivetrain electrification and sensors. He is a mechanical engineer by training with specialisation in internal combustion engines and turbo machines.




Kjell Walöen, cofounder and chief manufacturing officer at Volta Trucks

Kjell Walöen

Co-Founder and Chief Manufacturing and Logistics Officer

Volta Trucks


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BIO


Kjell Walöen leads production at Volta Trucks, an electric commercial vehicle manufacturer based in Sweden, which he also helped to found in 2019. He joined Volta Trucks from Polestar where he had responsibility for manufacturing and purchasing for Volvo’s new electric performance marque, leaving once the new Polestar plant in China started production. Prior to this, he worked for Volvo Cars, running the manufacturing business office for many years, including three years in China supporting the early phases of building three plants in three years. Before this, he worked for Ford, initially joining the Manufacturing Leadership Program at Ford headquarters, holding various assignments around Europe including launch manager, assembly plant manager and strategy manager. Kjell Walöen spent eight years racing on the Norwegian National Alpine Team and on the US Pro Tour, and holds an MBA at INSEAD, France. He met the founder of Volta Trucks, Carl-Magnus Norden, through the INSEAD alumni association.


Stefan Rudolf, e.Go

Dr Stefan Rudolf

Chief Technology Officer

Next e.GO Mobile


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BIO


Dr Stefan Rudolf is a member of the management board with responsibility across product technology, engineering and production at Next e.GO Mobile, a role he has held since the company was founded in Aachen, Germany in 2016. At e.Go, he oversees the development of electric vehicles, including a dedicated EV platform, and a micro-factory production concept. He has more than 10 years’ experience in product development, production and complexity management, including as part of the Complexity Management Academy in Aachen. Dr Rudolf has a PhD in mechanical engineering from RWTH Aachen University.


henner-lehne, S&P

Henner Lehne

Vice President – Global Vehicle Forecasting, Automotive

S&P Global Mobility


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BIO


Henner Lehne is vice president of Global Vehicle Forecasting for the Automotive team at S&P Global Mobility (formerly IHS Markit). He manages the global vehicle sales and production forecast services and leads an experienced analyst team in each of the world's key automotive regions. Since December 2011, he has also managed the global vehicle production team. He first joined in 2005 in what was then CSM Worldwide, and became global director for the vehicle sales forecast service in 2008, a position he maintained after the merger of CSM and Global Insight, which later became part of IHS Markit. He previously worked in the central marketing department at Porsche in Stuttgart, Germany. Henner Lehne holds a degree in international business and marketing from Fontys University of Professional Education in the Netherlands.


Paegle_Jesse (2)

Jesse Paegle

Automotive Steel Solution Director

ArcelorMittal


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BIO


Jesse has worked in the mining and automotive industries since 1997. His experience with different companies has given him a good understanding of the entire automotive supply chain – from raw material acquisition to serial vehicle production. During his career, Jesse has worked with leading companies in the automotive sector including Renault, ArcelorMittal, Gestamp, Aperam, and JWP Consulting. He has always been at the forefront of new developments in the industry, including the development and launch of new vehicles. Jesse first joined ArcelorMittal in 2005 as technical customer support engineer. He then became responsible for the development of ArcelorMittal’s advanced high strength steel (AHSS) families in the Mercosur region. After leaving ArcelorMittal in 2012, Jesse re-joined the Group in 2019 to lead new developments at ArcelorMittal Tailored Blanks in Europe and now is responsible for steel solutions developments including BIW, Battery pack and chassis components. Jesse holds a degree in chemical engineering and a Master’s in automotive engineering from Parana University (Brazil).


Stephen Nunn VP Hardinge

Stephen C. Nunn

Vice President of Corporate Development

Hardinge, Inc.


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BIO


As of January 2021, Stephen Nunn joined Hardinge as the Vice President of Corporate Development, responsible for all global M&A activities and the Company’s global growth initiatives. Mr. Nunn has over 35 years of deep experience within the industrial equipment manufacturing industries. Previously, he held various senior leadership roles within American and European manufacturing firms. He is the past President of Piovan North America, The F.R. Drake Co.,Inc. (A Middleby Company) and Ross Industries. He was the past Executive Vice President of Cozzini, Inc. (A Middleby Company) as well as The Executive Vice President of The Middleby Corporation (NASDAQ: MIDD), where he was also responsible for M&A and Business Development. Mr. Nunn began his career with an apprenticeship in his family’s food equipment business where he went on to take over as 3rd generation owner and Managing Director of this company. Since joining Hardinge, the company has made 2 additional acquisitions; Ohio Tool Works in Ashland, OH USA and J.G. Weisser Söhne GmbH in St. Georgen DE, where he recently completed a 6-month term as interim CEO. Mr. Nunn holds a BBA from The Virginia Commonwealth University with Executive and MBA studies at both The University of Richmond and Regis University. He lives with his wife Rebecca in the state of Virginia in the USA. They have 5 children and 1 grandchild.


Robin Kaufmann, FANUC

Robin Kaufmann

Head of Sales Paint Shop Automation Europe

FANUC Europe GmbH


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BIO


After almost 20 years of continuous work in the industry of automated paint application Robin Kaufmann is respected as an international senior sales and product specialist with significant experience and in-depth process knowledge. He has an wide-ranging know-how in sales channel development, both in new and consolidated markets, and an open minded industrial B2B approach. Working in and with multicultural and multilingual environments have always proven an exiting endeavour. Successfully managing multifunctional teams in matrix organisations with a strong focus on organizational employer involvement support the result orientated performance.


Güllering_2

Arno Güllering

Senior Vice President Operations – Division Electrified Powertrain Technology

ZF


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BIO


Arno Güllering is helping to lead ZF’s transformation to producing for electromobility and to being a full systems provider. He has overseen operations at the company’s fast-growing electrified powertrain technology division since October 2019. He has nearly 25 years’ experience in complex and advanced manufacturing operations at automotive suppliers, including at Stabilus and later at Schaeffler, where he was president of the company’s business unit for valve train engine systems.


Dr Ruediger Eck, Audi (websize)

Rüdiger Eck

Director Production Data Analytics & Governance

Audi


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Rüdiger Eck is one of Audi’s leading experts in data analytics and artificial intelligence in manufacturing, with responsibility for production data analysis at the carmaker’s Ingolstadt plant, where Audi has already implemented artificial intelligence solutions. He is also leading strategic data governance and analytics across production and logistics. From December 2022, he is taking on leadership of the newly formed Production Data Factory department. Eck joined Audi in 2015, holding roles in assembly maintenance and digital assembly. He previously held multiple positions in factory and equipment planning at Mercedes-Benz starting in 2001, three years at MB HighPerformanceEngines in the UK, where he was responsible for developing motor testing for Formula 1, and later leading systems planning for the ‘marriage’ of chassis and powertrain across passenger vehicle plants. He studied mechanical engineering at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.




Matthias Preuß, next e.GO 2

Dr Matthias Preuß

Vice-President, Global Microfactory Technology

Next e.GO Mobile


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BIO


Dr Matthias Preuß is responsible for urban electric vehicle manufacturer e.GO’s strategy for global manufacturing, including the carmaker’s existing microfactory in Aachen, Germany, its planned facility in Bulgaria, and exploring other markets. He was among a small team who formed e.GO in 2015 together with the company’s founder Professor Günther Schuh, when Dr Preuß was a research assistant at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University. He has since held roles at e.GO in factory planning, supply chain management and, since November 2021, in microfactory technology. He has a PhD in production management and an MSc in mechanical engineering from RWTH Aachen.


Lars Carlston - web

Lars Carlstrom

Founder and CEO

Italvolt


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BIO




Cengiz Kizilkan, Magswitch

Cengiz Kizilkan

President Global Sales Automation & Executive Director Europe

Magswitch Technologies


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BIO


Cengiz is working with Magswitch Technologies since 2012 and established the European subsidiary at the end of 2013. He is in charge of Global Automotive Sales and simultaneously covers the position of Executive Director Europe. Starting his career as a proposal engineer and gathering a lot of experience in the area of body-in-white manufacturing, he has over 20 years of experience in the industry including assignments in China and the US within supplier and OEM organisations. He now is focusing on revolutionising the conventional methods of automotive manufacturing using single sided Magswitch clamping technologies combined with new and innovative concepts to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of the industry.


Adolfsson, Jonas SSAB

Jonas Adolfsson

Business Development, Project Mobility Docol

SSAB


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BIO


Jonas Adolfsson is part of the business development for SSAB, harnessing his technical expertise to create strategies to build SSAB’s client base and deliver on the business’s objectives. Jonas’s 25 years in the mobility industry include working with a global OEM and in the aluminium industry. He has been deeply immersed in multiple design projects to develop sustainable solutions. With his extensive experience in body-in-white, structural designs and sustainability, Jonas has a comprehensive understanding of the needs of mobility designers and forming engineers at OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, while balancing the industry move to decarbonise.


Johannes Buehrle, Trumpf

Johannes Buehrle

Head of Global Industry and Business Development Management – Mobility

Trumpf


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BIO


Johannes Buehrle is responsible for Trumpf’s business unit expertise for laser applications across the automotive sector, including in battery cell and battery pack manufacturing, car body, electrified powertrain and fuel cell. He is also a subject matter expert in battery and module-related production applications. Prior to this role, he had a leadership role in implementing Trump’s e-mobility business plan. Buehrle has held a variety of business development, management and strategy roles in manufacturing and technology companies over the past 20 years including Trumpf and Zwick. He a degree in industrial engineering from the Ulm University of Applied Sciences and an MBA from IE Business School.

Previous Speakers




Ravi Subramanyan HiveMQ

Ravi Subramanyan

Director of Industry Solutions Manufacturing

HiveMQ


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BIO


Ravi is a product management leader with extensive experience delivering high-quality products and services that have generated revenues and cost savings of over $10B for companies such as Motorola, GE, Bosch, and Weir. His expertise spans industries such as Mining, O&G, Industrial Automation, Automotive, Mobile Devices, Enterprise communications, Automotive and Fleet Management. He also has technical expertise in Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Data Security, Product Marketing, Product Engineering, Cloud Platforms, SaaS/PaaS, and Agile Methodologies.


Lars-Eklof-

Lars Eklöf

President, Motor Vehicle Industry

Atlas Copco Group


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BIO


Lars Eklöf leads the automotive arm of the Atlas Copco Group. Before joining Atlas Copco more than 20 years ago, he received an undergraduate degree in business from Dartmouth College in the US and a graduate degree in mechanical engineering from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. Today, Lars complements his high-profile role at the forefront of automotive innovation at Atlas Copco as a board member of software companies Beijer Electronics Group and ISRA VISION.


Thomas Hörnfeldt, VP of Sustainable Business at SSAB

Thomas Hörnfeldt

VP Sustainable Business

SSAB


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BIO


Thomas Hörnfeldt heads SSAB's sustainable business operations. He has unique insights in how to incorporate sustainability into the business model of the entire organization. Thomas Hörnfeldt has an MSc from Stockholm Technical University and an MBA from Uppsala University. He has vast experience in general management & sales, market intelligence as well as sustainability.


Katerina Mouliadou, ATS

Katerina Moliadou

5GEM Representative & Innovation Lead

ATS Global


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BIO


Katerina Moliadou, who is helping to drive internet of things (IoT) solutions across industrial automation specialist ATS, represents 5GEM (5G-Enabled Manufacturing), a consortium of companies exploring use cases for 5G private networks in different manufacturing environments, which has been supported by the UK government. She has more than 10 years of experience in R&D and innovation of new products, manufacturing processes and Industry 4.0 technologies. She joined ATS in 2019 and has since helped to secure and manage more than £4m of external funding for the development of new technology offerings. She has previously worked in product and technology development for highly regulated sectors such as medical devices and pharmaceutical industries, including for Johnson & Johnson family of companies. She has an Honours BEng degree in Product Design Engineering from Loughborough University, a MSc in Biomedical Engineering from Imperial College London and is currently an Executive MBA candidate at Warwick Business School where her research is focused on enabling data driven organisations.


Jacqui Murray, Deputy Challenge Director Faraday Battery Challenge, UKRI

Jacqui Murray

Deputy Challenge Director: Faraday Battery Challenge

UKRI


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BIO


As Deputy Director of the £330m ($407m) Faraday Battery Challenge, Jacqui Murray helps lead government investment to develop batteries that are cost-effective, high-quality, durable, safe, low-weight and recyclable. Her background in the steel industry, environmental regulation and advanced materials innovation provides industrial relevance in her role as a Visiting Professor (Royal Academy of Engineering) at the University of Leicester, where she enhances the engineering programme. A keen STEM ambassador, Jacqui takes an active leadership approach on diversity and inclusion throughout her work. She was named as one of Autocar’s Top 100 Women in Automotive based on Seniority and Influence in 2020.


Nitin Rajurkar - web

Nitin Rajurkar

Consultant Advisor

Jay Global Techno Alliance and Partners LLC


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BIO


Nitin Rajurkar is a well-respected professional from the Automotive industry, with 40+ years of rich experience in the Automotive industry. He has served at Senior Positions with leading Automotive OEMs in Asia, like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra and Vinfast LLC. He has a strong domain experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing Operations, New Product Development, Program Management etc. He has been instrumental in planning and setting up of the Modern Manufacturing facility. He has been driving Automation and Robotics projects, to bring in efficiency and quality robustness. He is an exponent of promoting Digital Manufacturing Planning, Digital Twins, Manufacturing Execution System and Industry 4.0 in the Automotive Industry.


Jerome Favero

Jérôme Favero

Head of Automotive Steel Solutions – Global R&D

ArcelorMittal 


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BIO


As portfolio director in charge of steel solutions and co-engineering for automotive, Jérôme Favero is in charge of piloting engineering activities for automotive applications and customers, including in areas such as forming techniques, sustainability and additive manufacturing. He has worked in ArcelorMittal Global R&D for ten years, and has managed R&D projects in areas including hot stamping processes, and has worked as key leads for ArcelorMittal at major automotive manufacturers.  


Peter Wilson, Lancaster University

Dr. Peter Wilson

Senior Research Associate

Lancaster University


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BIO


Dr. Peter Wilson is an engineer with extensive experience in developing processes, including specification of production equipment and defining equipment validation criteria, and managing the installation of new products to manufacturing processes. He is currently a senior research association at Lancaster University in the UK, where he works closely with research, technology, OEM and suppliers. He has also been a process specialist at aerospace manufacturer Rolls-Royce. He has a PhD from Loughborough University in data analysis and machine learning for manufacturing, as well as an MBA in technology management from the Open University.


Romain Herry, Conductix-Wampfler

Romain Herry

Global Business Development Manager

Conductix-Wampfler


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BIO


Romain Herry has been responsible for business development of automated industrial vehicle solutions at Conductix-Wampfler since 2020. He coordinates system solutions from all product lines for AGV and AMR projects, as well as for AGV/AMR stakeholders who are in the design phase or optimization phase of their new vehicles. His main office is located at the company's headquarters in Weil-am-Rhein (Germany). Romain joined Conductix-Wampfler in 2016 initially at JAY Electronique (France), which, following the acquisition, has become the group's center of excellence for safety radio solutions – an important added value for automated industrial vehicles. Previously, Romain held several positions in business development and sales management for complex technical solutions in an international context. He holds a master’s degree in Engineering from Hautes Etudes d'Ingénieur, Lille, France.


SVUB Vaclav

Vaclav Svub

Global Digital Lead Business line Automotive

ABB


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BIO


Václav Švub is responsible for ABB digital solutions and Innovations in Automotive Tier 1 segment. He is focusing on digital strategy, developing of new solutions and supporting the digital transformation of ABB customers. Václav is also in close collaboration with global digital ABB partners and working with them on joint innovative solutions. Václav started his journey with ABB in 2006 as a developer in ERP area. He was heading from 2011 ERP competence center for Central and Eastern Europe before he become responsible for digital portfolio in 2019. Václav has a master diploma in Telecommunications from Brno University of Technology Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication.


EDGAR FALER, CAR

Edgar Faler

Senior Industry Analyst

Center for Automotive Research


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BIO


Edgar Faler is a Senior Industry Analyst at the Center for Automotive Research (CAR). Edgar joined CAR in January of 2020, and has more than 25 years of experience as an automotive analyst. Most recently, he was a member of the M&A Transaction Advisory team at Ducker Worldwide LLC, a strategy consulting and transaction advisory firm, with offices in Troy (MI), London, Berlin, Paris, Bangalore, and Shanghai. He also previously consulted for Center for Automotive Research, during 2015-2016, for the Technology Research Group (e.g., Fleetwide Material Technology and Costs to Lightweighting Vehicles, and Assessment of Powertrain Technology Associated with Meeting CAFE and DHG Standards), and during 2018-2019 (e.g., Cost Benefits Analysis of Container Tracking for the Automotive Supply Chain). His experience includes 15 years of strategy consulting, M&A transaction advisory and due diligence. Also, he has 10 years of experience as an equity research analyst, for an NYSE/NASDAQ member firm, and for a boutique investment research firm that served institutional investors. Also, Edgar was previously interim Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Advisor for a non-profit, The Empowerment Plan (TEP), which focused on breaking the generational cycle of homelessness. TEP hires single parents from homeless shelters and provides them with training and full-time employment. Also, it manufactures the EMPWR coat, which is designed to meet the needs of the homeless community, i.e., can transform into a sleeping bag or bag when not in use. Career highlights include being twice-named to the Wall Street Journal “All-Star Analyst Team / Best of the Street – Automotive Industry” and honorable mention twice more by Fortune Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. He was also lead financial analyst on the $9 billion financial assistance proposal for automotive suppliers, as presented by OESA to the U.S. Treasury Department (2009). Edgar has a BBA from the University of Michigan, with dual concentrations in Finance and Accounting.


Ken Royce - Infor

Ken Royce

Automotive Electrification Transformation Strategy and Solutions Architect

Infor


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BIO


Ken Royce is a Sr. Global Automotive Solution Architect at Infor, where he works with customers to help solution business process challenges, Leveraging Data Sciences, Sustainability, Compliance and Data to guide customers through their transformation journey. Innovation is of keen Interest to Ken, as with over 20 years of providing enterprise solutions to customers in the Automotive space, Ken has solved many complex process Issues and helped customers to become more agile, overcoming regulatory, compliance, sustainability and architectural issues. Ken is currently involved in delivering Solutions for Aston Martin, GM and UniPres among others – focused on aligning data, to meet business outcome objectives. Ken is based in the Sonoma Valley, with his wife Anastacia and sons Jake & Nikko.


IGNAZIO_DENTICI, Hexagon

Ignazio Dentici

Vice-President, Global eMobility Industry

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence Division


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BIO


Ignazio Dentici is playing a key role in electric vehicle and battery production at Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Divison. He is an experienced automotive professional with many years' experience working in the sector for OEMs and with Tier 1 organisations. He has previously worked as Head of Product Management (Electric Powertrain) for a Global Tier 1 where he led the product development function and had global responsibility for the BU business plan. Prior to that he was the Head of Systems Engineering and Innovations Manager for Electric Powertrain. He’s used to driving product strategy in fast paced and transforming environments, supporting the shift to the new automotive industry landscape. Based in Italy, his career has always been driven by a strong passion for the automotive world.


Hans Pehrson, Polestar

Hans Pehrson

Head of Polestar 0

Polestar


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BIO


Hans Pehrson is leading on the Polestar 0 Project, the carmaker’s lighthouse project to create a carbon neutral vehicle by 2030 without offsetting emissions, with a total lifecycle approach to sustainability in manufacturing and supply chain. He joined Polestar in 2018 as Chief Technical Officer of R&D from Volvo Cars where he was Technical Director for the C30 Electric and Manager, Electric Propulsion System Engineering. He brings over 30 years of industry experience across R&D and manufacturing.


Josh Tech, REE Automotive1

Josh Tech

Chief Operations Officer

REE Automotive



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BIO


Josh Tech, who was recently appointed COO of REE, leads all operations, manufacturing and expansion activities of the vehicle technology and EV platform manufacturer, including the launch of REE’s integration centres in Austin, Texas and Coventry, UK. Josh Tech has more than 23 years of experience in manufacturing, engineering and supply chain, including most recently as head of the new product/manufacturing introduction group at Tesla. Previously he oversaw manufacturing development and launch at an automotive exterior and manufacturing firm, and at US construction specialist, Plant Prefab. He will help REE to launch vehicle prototype testing this year ahead of commercial production of EV platforms in 2023.




Edgard Faler, CAR

Edgar Faler

Senior Industry Analyst

Center for Automotive Research


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BIO


Edgar Faler joined the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) in January of 2020, and has more than 25 years of experience as an automotive analyst. Most recently, he was a member of the M&A Transaction Advisory team at Ducker Worldwide LLC, a strategy consulting and transaction advisory firm, and consulted on projects related to lightweighting vehicles, powertrain technology and container tracking. He also has 10 years of experience as an equity research analyst, for an NYSE/NASDAQ member firm, and for a boutique investment research firm that served institutional investors. He was previously also previously head of a non-profit, The Empowerment Plan (TEP), which focused on breaking the generational cycle of homelessness. Career highlights include being twice-named to the Wall Street Journal “All-Star Analyst Team / Best of the Street – Automotive Industry” and honorable mention twice more by Fortune Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. He was also lead financial analyst on the $9 billion financial assistance proposal for automotive suppliers, as presented by OESA to the U.S. Treasury Department (2009). Edgar Faler has a BBA from the University of Michigan, with dual concentrations in Finance and Accounting.


Owain Griffiths, Volvo Cars

Owain Griffiths

Head of Circular Economy

Volvo Cars


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BIO


Owain Griffiths is responsible globally for leading Volvo Cars’ transformation to becoming a circular business. He covers all aspects of business operations including manufacturing and supply chain, ensuring that the entire lifecycle of Volvo’s vehicles is optimised for circularity. He joined Volvo in 2021, having previously led circular economy strategy at consultancy Oakdene Hollins. Current hot topics include closing material loops, understanding impact beyond CO2 to consider water and biodiversity and developing the 2040 circular business plan.


PERSSON TONY, Scania updated

Tony Persson

Head of Battery Production

Scania Group


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BIO


Tony Persson has been responsible for Scania’s in-house battery assembly for electrified trucks and buses since 2019. He is leading on the planning and development on all manufacturing aspects for Scania’s upcoming battery assembly plant in Södertälje, Sweden, which will start operations for highly automated battery pack and module assembly in 2023. He has been with Scania since 2000 mainly in production management, process engineering and logistics operations for truck, bus and chassis manufacturing. As well as being specialised in lean production and logistics, he is closely involved in coaching and management training. He has a MSc from Sweden’s Luleå University of Technology including a thesis in Manufacturing and Process Engineering from the University of South Australia as well as a Bachelor’s in Economics from Stockholm University.


Kevin-Brundish, AMTE

Kevin Brundish

Founder and CEO

AMTE Power



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BIO


Kevin Brundish is a founder and director of AMTE Power, a battery cell manufacturer specialised in high performance cells, which is planning to develop a gigafactory in the UK. He is also director of two further companies in the energy storage sector. A successful business leader with over 25 years of experience within publicly traded and private companies. He is a chartered engineer and has worked with world leading engineering companies such as Rolls Royce and Siemens and has taken a number of technology businesses through concept, design and into production. He is a member of the Faraday Challenge advisory board and has been part of the industry group advising the top tier of government on energy storage.




Mohan Savakar_2, Tata

Mohan Savarkar

Vice-President and Product Line Head

Tata Motors


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BIO


Mohan Savarkar is responsible for the product lines of ICE vehicles at Tata Motors across A to C segment vehicles, including the Tiago, Tigor, Nexon, Altroz, Punch, Harrier and Safari. He has oversight of cycle management, capacity and profitability, working closely in line with engineering, operations, sales and marketing. Savarkar is also on the board of Fiat India Automobiles, a joint venture between Tata and Stellantis in India. He has played key roles in developing and implementing strategy and continuous improvement across operations. Mohan Savarkar has worked across automotive, aerospace and production tooling, and at Tata he has led powertrain, planning and new product launches, logistics and supply chain. He has a masters technical degree in aircraft product technology from the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai, and a degree in bringing technology to market from ESMT in Berlin. He is a fellow of the Institute of Engineers in India.


Jason Muccioli

Jason Muccioli

E-mobility Manager

Li-Cycle


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Jason is a seasoned product manager with more than 11 years of experience in engineering, purchasing, and strategy with a focus on electric vehicles. At Li-Cycle,he leads business development for customers in the mobility and transportation sectors, managing and growing existing customer accounts.Before joining Li-Cycle in 2021, Jason was Product Planning Manager, Electrification at Dana Incorporated where he led vehicle integration product strategy for batteries and power electronics. Previously, Jason was Product Manager, Battery Cells at A123 systems where he maintained a high voltage battery cell portfolio product strategy and roadmap. Prior to that, Jason held severalroles at General Motors with a strongemphasis onelectrification.


Gary Brotman, CEO, Secondmind

Gary Brotman

CEO

Secondmind


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Gary Brotman is a passionate technology maven and leads Secondmind as Chief Executive Officer. He brings 20+ years of leadership experience building, commercialising, and evangelising of product and service lines for leading Fortune 500 companies and startups with machine learning, mobile, and technology at their core. When spare time arises Gary hacks at golf balls, spins records, and hunts follies while exploring England with his family.


Ignacio Martin

Ignacio Martín

Body-in-White (BIW) R&D General Director

Gestamp


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Ignacio Martín has led R&D for BIW at Gestamp since 2014, playing a role in the tier-1 supplier’s body and chassis innovation. He started at Gestamp since 1999 as Sales and Technical Director in Madrid for new business development and has since been responsible for numerous areas at the company. Martín began his career around 30 years ago at German automotive supplier Brose, before working in automotive engineering at Magna in Austria. Ignacio Martín holds degrees in Methods-Time Measurement (MTM) Process Time analysis as well as in Mechanical Engineering from Düsseldorf University; a degree in Program Management and Controlling from REFA-Landesverband Bayern, and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Science from the University of Wuppertal.


Claude Chanson, Recharge

Claude Chanson

General Manager

Recharge


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Claude Chanson leads the Brussels-based non-profit association RECHARGE, which represents stakeholders across the battery supply chain and advocates for a sustainable and competitive lithium battery value chain in Europe. Prior to joining the European association for advanced rechargeable batteries, Claude Chanson has worked for SAFT, a Total company, where he held various management positions, including Division Technical Manager and Director of Li-ion technology. He started his career as R&D engineer and project manager in telecommunications and automotive. Claude Chanson holds a Master’s degree in chemical and physical engineering from French ENSCPB and a PhD in electrochemistry from Bordeaux University.


Joe McCabe - web

Joe McCabe

President & CEO

AutoForecast Solutions


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As President and CEO of AutoForecast Solutions LLC (AFS), Joe leverages his decades of industry experience and knowledge to provide production forecasting and advisory services to the global automotive community. Joe manages the automotive turnkey operations at AFS including the global light vehicle, powertrain, drivetrain, and alternative propulsion forecast as well as a suite of AFS proprietary opportunity and sales planning software. AFS supports all tiered suppliers, VMs, government agencies, financial institutions, and the academic community with data, planning solutions, and a personalized support to help identify new business opportunities while mitigating risk. Joe’s 25+ year career in automotive forecasting ranges from his tenure at AutoFacts, PwC, AutomotiveCompass, and now AutoForecast Solutions. Joe earned his Bachelor’s of Chemical Engineering at Villanova University and an MBA at Pennsylvania State University.


Sam Haig, RS Bruce

Sam Haig

Battery Recycling Business Manager

RS Bruce Metals & Machinery


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Sam Haig is a chartered chemical engineer specialised in the waste and resource efficiency sector, with specific expertise in the battery sector. He is responsible for the lithium-ion battery recycling operations of RS Bruce Metals and Machinery, which specialises in the recovery of precious metals. He oversees efficient and sustainable ways to manage the end of the first life for batteries and cells. He was previously head of engineering and research at Axion Consulting. He has a Masters of Engineering in Chemical Engineering with Chemistry from the University of Manchester.


Grzegorz Ombach (1)

Grzegorz (Greg) Ombach

Senior Vice President, Head of Disruptive R&T

Airbus


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Grzegorz (Greg) Ombach has recently been pointed head of disruptive research and technology at Airbus, where he is examining future technology and strategies around sustainability, including for changing battery technology and the future of air transport, including urban mobility. He previous oversaw Dräxlmaier’s battery business, from the initial concept to high volume production to deliver cutting edge technology in a premium market for the automotive sector. He has previously worked at Qualcomm as a Global Vice President and General Manager of a breakthrough automotive technology licensing business. Greg is passionate about managing technological innovation from an idea to broad market adoption. His combination of technology, leadership and commercial expertise together with a truly global outlook, having worked across Europe, the USA and China, puts him in a solid position to drive international market success for high-tech innovations.


Daniel Burseth - Eckhart

Dan Burseth

Vice President, Business Development

Eckhart


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Dan Burseth is the Vice President of Business Development at Eckhart, a leading integrator of advanced automation and Industry 4.0 technologies. Dan works with Fortune 500 manufacturers like Ford, Tesla, Honda, John Deere, and Peterbilt to transform manufacturing processes to be more efficient, safe, and profitable through the use of robotics, autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), and vision systems. Dan resides in Chicago and is a graduate of the engineering schools at both Northwestern University and MIT.


Sajid Yacoob, Tata Consultancy

Sajid Yacoob

Senior Partner – Smart Vehicle Mobility Group

Tata Consultancy Services


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Currently part of the leadership team in the Smart Vehicle Mobility Group, Sajid Yacoob has over 23 years of experience in the automotive industry. His early career included technology innovation consultancy at Arthur Andersen, and he later held roles at Ford’s Premier Automotive Group and then Jaguar Land Rover, before joining TCS in Jan 2017. His global experience includes key strategic roles in the UK, Europe, India, USA and China. He was the Programme Director for a $1 billion JV negotiation in Shanghai, has set up automotive business operations in emerging markets and provided advisory services on the EV battery ecosystem. A motor enthusiast at heart,he has driven over 400 vehicles from supercars, to classic vehicles and everything in between. Sajid Yacoob has a degree in Economics and a master’s in computer science, both awarded by the University of Birmingham and is currently based in Dallas, Texas.


David Threlfall, Britishvolt

David Threlfall

Chief Information Officer

Britishvolt


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With over 30 years building and leading world class IT functions in global manufacturing and financial services organisations, David Threlfall is passionate about driving digital technologies and processes to support the delivery of corporate objectives and adding value to business products and services. At Britishvolt he is responsible for designing and building the IT enterprise architecture as well as a diverse and inclusive IT team that will support and enable the overall Britishvolt business objectives.


Wolfram Volk, Technical University of Munich

Professor Dr. Wolfram Volk

Chair of Metal Forming and Casting

Technical University of Munich (TUM)


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Prof. Wolfram Volk, who holds a doctorate in engineering, has been the head of the department of forming technology and casting at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) since 2011. He has also been a member of management at the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composites and Processing Technologies since 2016. He studied applied mechanics at the Technical University of Darmstadt and then worked as a researcher at the Institute for Applied Mechanics at the University of Stuttgart. After earning his PhD, he served in high-level positions in the BMW Group in Munich from 1994 to 2011. He worked in innovation management in tool and plant engineering and in product and process planning in the forming field.