Speaker Biographies

Philipp Adelhelm is a professor for physical chemistry at Humboldt-University Berlin. His current main interest is research on sustainable batteries. After studying materials science at the University of Stuttgart, he moved to the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam (department of Professor Antionetti / Smarsly, 2005-2007) for his doctoral project. This was followed by a 2-year postdoctoral stay at the University of Utrecht (Professor de Jongh) and then a position as a junior research group leader at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Professor Janek, 2009-2015). From 2015-2019 he was a professor at the Institute for Technical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. He has been a professor at the Institute for Chemistry at Humboldt-University since 2019, and heads a joint research group on operando battery analysis at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB).

Ali leads the battery research team at S&P Global Mobility. Under his leadership, the team provides comprehensive market intelligence services related to automotive batteries through syndicated reports and forecasts. Prior to his current role, he was responsible for the product development of the battery raw material forecast, a highly granular dataset that tracks materials from mining through to vehicle production. Before joining S&P Global, Ali was in charge of the design and release of battery cooling systems at Maserati. He also worked at the e-mobility startup Italianvolt, where he was responsible for battery design and development. Ali holds a master’s degree in Energy Engineering from Politecnico di Milano and is an alumnus of the Unitech management program.

Tuulia is BEV Business Development Manager for the underground Load & Haul division at Sandvik, overseeing and supporting sales of battery-electric mining vehicles globally. She holds a MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management from Tampere University of Technology, and an International Mining Engineer degree from Montanuniversität Leoben in Austria."

Holger Althues studied chemical engineering and received his doctoral degree in inorganic chemistry at the University of Technology Dresden in 2007. Since then he is working at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology in Dresden, Germany. In 2008, he became a team manager for the chemical surface technology group and his team was transferred into a division with 3 sub-groups in 2015. In his position as division manager he administrates various projects in the area of film deposition techniques, electrode processing and energy storage applications. His main research topics are materials and surface technologies for high energy secondary batteries. A recent focus is on material and electrode development for lithium sulfur and solid state battery cells.

Shunsuke Amagai, Co-CEO of Beff, has 15 years of experience in lithium-ion battery R&D and manufacturing in the automotive industry. He joined Nissan Motor Corporation where he was involved in the development and manufacturing of electric vehicle batteries. After that, he transitioned to Mercedes-Benz Group, taking charge of the advanced and mass production development from cells to battery packs. Subsequently, he led the establishment of strategic partnership agreements between Mercedes-Benz and lithium-ion battery manufacturer.

Dr. Elixabete Ayerbe holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and brings over 15 years of experience in batteries, fuel cells, and related energy storage technologies. Her expertise encompasses both fundamental research and technological applications, with a particular emphasis on modeling and advanced diagnostics. As the Team Leader for Modeling and Post-mortem at CIDETEC Energy Storage, she coordinates the development and implementation of multi-physics and data-driven models, oversees parameterization and validation of diverse cell chemistries, and leads post-mortem analyses to understand degradation mechanisms. Her work bridges experimental and computational approaches, supporting innovation in cell design, performance optimization, and lifecycle assessment.

Chirranjeevi "Chirru" Gopal is the Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder of Mitra Chem, a battery materials start-up that is innovating and commercializing next-generation iron-based cathodes for Li-ion batteries. Chirru leads the product and engineering orgs spanning cathode materials R&D and process development, and machine learning accelerated R&D to scale-up. Prior to founding Mitra Chem, Chirru was at Illumina, building informatics-based approaches to accelerate genomics assays and applications at Illumina, and then at Toyota, using physics-based machine learning and analytics to accelerate battery optimization and manufacturing quality control. Chirru has a PhD from Caltech and a Post-Doc from Stanford University on battery materials and catalysis.

Andrea Balducci is Professor of Electrochemistry at the Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, Germany. He has been working on innovative electrolytes for supercapacitors and metal-ion batteries for several years and his group is currently involved in several national and European projects dedicated to these devices. His research activities focus on the development of innovative electrolytes containing sustainable and bio-derived solvents, and salts with low fluorine content. Furthermore, he is working on the development of in-situ and in-operando techniques suitable for investigation of the degradation processes taking place in these electrolytes.

Dr. Brian Barnett serves as CTO for Nyobolt and leads the company's US operations. Dr. Barnett has extensive experience in development and commercialization of battery technology. He is recognized as both a technical and industry expert related to batteries and an expert in battery safety and has directed a series of successful lab-based, highly multidisciplinary battery technology development programs that resulted in technology licensing, spin-off or sale.

Lukasz Bednarski is an associate director at IHS Markit. He covers battery materials market with particular focus on lithium, graphite, manganese, cathodes, and anodes materials. Lukasz has worked in the commodity sector spanning physical trading, training, product management, and research. Prior to joining, his interest in battery materials led to the development of an independent industry portal covering the sector. In addition to his degree in economics and business administration from Aalborg University, Lukasz has studied financial topics in China, Russia, Germany, and Liechtenstein. He is the author of popular non-fiction book "Lithium: The Global Race for Battery Dominance and the New Energy Revolution.”

Dr Philip Bellchambers is a Research Fellow at WMG, University of Warwick. At WMG Philip is experienced at facilitating the scale-up of technologies from the gram to kilogram scale through specialisms in electrode mixing including continuous extrusion processing, and metrology e.g. Rheo-EIS of slurries. His prior research centred on novel routes to the manufacture of transparent electrodes at scale and targeted for next-generation thin-film photovoltaics. Philip was awarded his Ph.D. in 2021 for his work stabilizing nano-structured ultrathin copper films.

Kimberly is an independent consultant specializing in energy transition materials and related commodities working with firms such as Avicenne, Positive Materials and the World Bank Group. She has researched, written/co-written, and published numerous major papers and reports on lithium-ion and next-gen battery technologies, alternative fuels, electric vehicles, stationary power storage and the de-globalisation of battery supply chains. Previously, she worked at BMO Capital Markets and developed the firm’s proprietary industry knowledge around energy transition technologies.

Patrick Bernard’s expertise in battery research has led him to diverse positions and activities, and he is now heading Saft corporate research teams in the domain of electrochemistry, process, battery management, modeling, and materials. Fellow of the company, he has published more than 40 articles in journals, books and proceedings and has filed more than 50 patent applications.

Dr. Wolfgang Bernhart has been working in consulting for over 30 years. He has been Senior Partner at Roland Berger since 2007. Within Roland Berger's Automotive and Industrials platform, he is the Global Co-Head of the Advanced Technology Center, supporting automotive, industrial, and technology clients globally to master the challenges and opportunities that new technologies bring to their businesses and markets. One of his core areas of expertise is the Lithium-Ion battery industry. Since 2008 he advises OEMs and other battery customers, most of the global relevant cell suppliers as well as new players, material producers, refiners, mining companies and LiB recyclers, as well as public and private funds and lenders – in Europe, China, Japan, Korea, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas.

Professor Rohit Bhagat is chair of electrochemical energy storage at Coventry University. He specialises in the characterisation and optimisation of processes, systems and devices through application of electrochemical techniques and materials knowledge.

Dr. Andreas Bittner is founder and managing director of the battery recycling start-up CellCircle, which works on new processes to directly recover the functional materials of lithium-ion batteries for reuse in new battery cells. Benefits are low energy demands, reduced chemical waste, a significantly improved carbon footprint and closed material loops. The scientific background of Dr. Bittner is the material development with a strong focus on batteries and recycling. He carried out his doctoral thesis “Innovative Material Concepts for Electrochemical Energy Storage” at the Fraunhofer R&D Center for Electromobility Bavaria FZEB in cooperation with the Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg. During his more than ten years at Fraunhofer, he has built up the Business Unit Energy Materials at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS, the battery recycling field at Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC and the international non-profit organization European Lithium Institute eLi.

Frederick is a Senior Analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence researching battery materials. His main areas of focus are lithium and battery recycling markets in Europe, North America and Asia. Before joining Benchmark, Frederick received his Master's degree in Green Chemistry at Imperial College London. With a particular interest in black mass trading, Frederick regularly speaks with players across the global battery recycling market, where he has gained extensive knowledge of trade flows, prices and policy on top of information on the wider recycling value chain, such as gate fees, tolling fees and the price of battery scrap and other recycled intermediates.

Eric is a manufacturing engineering leader and technical expert for Jacobs Engineering. His expertise includes battery cell manufacturing, facility design, process engineering, equipment selection, product development, and product commercialization. He has a demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and on budget. He played key roles in the development and commercialization of over a dozen of new battery cells ranging from solid state lithium metal cells to high power Formula 1 race cars cells while partnering with teams in Europe and Asia. Recent project locations include Canada, Germany, Australia and several facilities in the United States.

Dr. Braun is leading the HV Battery Development at AVL in Germany. He is head of Battery Systems & Methodology. Before, he was Team Leader and Project Manager for battery development projects for customers in Asia and Europe. He joined AVL in 2014 after graduating from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with a PhD degree. During his time at KIT he was acting manager of the Engineering Methods and Management Group and researcher/consultant in development projects for automotive and non-automotive customers. Andreas holds a Diploma degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Dr. Simon Bremer is Head of Development at ACCUREC-Recycling GmbH, where he leads innovation in battery recycling technologies. With a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering from RWTH Aachen, his expertise spans lithium extraction, pyrolysis, mechanical separation, and vacuum refining. Prior to his current role, he worked as a project engineer at ACCUREC and as a scientific assistant at Fraunhofer IWKS and IME RWTH Aachen, focusing on sustainable resource recovery and advanced recycling processes.

PD Dr. Gunther Brunklaus is head of the division “Electrolytes” at the Helmholtz-Institute Münster (IEK-12) of the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany. The division focuses on design and optimization of advanced electrolytes, particularly polymers, as well as development of analytical methods for the characterization of batteries. In addition, the group evolves NMR/MRI-based techniques for operando-analysis of energy storage technologies, particularly emphasizing mechanistic aspects of irreversible capacity losses. PD Dr. Brunklaus has more than 20 years of experience in scientific research, thereof 11 years in the field of batteries, and is author/co-author of more than 120 scientific publications and inventor of 6 patent applications.

Vice President Technology Strategy and Planning, Electromobility, AB Volvo. Worked with electrification within the automotive sector for 20 years. Has a PhD in Li-ion batteries from Uppsala University, Sweden.

Senior Electrical Engineer in Amazon Robotics. Highly experienced engineer with a strong background in R&D, and electronics design and manufacturing. Specializing in battery specification and design.

Dr. Robert Burrell is a Research Manager at Project Blue covering research on the lithium-ion battery supply chain, focusing on end-use demand development and its impact on raw material outlooks. Robert combines prior market research experience with his PhD in chemistry to develop forward-looking views of the evolving lithium-ion battery landscape. Project Blue provides market-leading intelligence on raw material supply chains for the energy transition.

Serena Carelli is a battery scientist with a strong focus on lithium-ion battery modeling, degradation mechanisms, and fast-charging optimization. Currently, she works at Electra Vehicles as part of the R&D team, contributing to advancements in battery technologies and energy storage solutions. Serena holds a PhD in Energy Storage from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where her research centered on mechanistic modeling of electrochemical aging at the graphite anode. Her postdoctoral experience at Offenburg University of Applied Sciences (HSO) further honed her expertise, particularly in lithium plating and experimental-modeling approaches to mitigate battery degradation. Her career also includes previous diverse research roles across Europe, exploring polymer interfaces and ceramic materials for energy storage applications. Her academic contributions include multiple high-impact publications in journals such as the Journal of The Electrochemical Society and Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. Outside of her scientific career, Serena has a passion for traveling, art, and cosmology, having explored over 85 countries.

Shivangee is a Cost Analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. She specialises in battery production costs across both established and emerging technologies. She leads the generation of Benchmark’s battery price outlook and examines how evolving cost structures influence technology adoption.

Richard is the Global Head of Specialty Materials and Processes for Appian Capital Advisory, responsible for technical and intellectual property assessment and oversight in energy-related businesses, of which there are several within the Appian portfolio. Prior to joining Appian, Richard was Global Lead, Energy Storage for Morgan Advanced Materials, an industry-leading global carbon and ceramics manufacturer, where he was responsible for all Morgan's technical, commercial and business development activities related to energy storage including materials and components for lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, electric vehicles and fuel cells. He is the named inventor on several patents related to energy storage and has spoken at over 50 international conferences. Richard is a dual national with US and UK citizenships. He holds a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Cambridge and is also a registered United States Patent Agent.

The author received the academic degree Dipl.-Ing. in material- and process engineering at the University of Bayreuth in 2011. After, he worked at the Fraunhofer-Institute for chemical technology (ICT) in Karslruhe and changed to IAV GmbH in 2012. Now he is working as battery innovation manager and technical consultant in the topic of battery system development from raw material to platform design. Since 2014, he is responsible for the bipolar battery development and chassis-embedded energy approach. Based on sustainable mobility targets a new eco-design battery system concept was made in 2020.

Stefan Debruyne is Director of External Affairs at SQM, focusing on SQM’s engagement with stakeholders of the global EV battery value chain. He joined SQM in 2005 as Lithium and Iodine Sales Director Asia-Pacific where he witnessed firsthand the boom in lithium-ion battery production in Asia and the emerging electrification of transportation in China. He earned a Master's degree in Commercial Engineering from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) in 1997 and an Executive MBA from Vlerick Business School (in Belgium) in 2021. Prior to joining SQM in 2005, he held a variety of international commercial roles in different listed companies.

Shmuel De-Leon, Founder and CEO of Shmuel De-Leon Energy Ltd., is a leading international expert in the business of energy storage. Prior to founding the company, for over 21 years, Shmuel held various positions as an energy storage, electronic engineering, and quality control team manager. Shmuel holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University, and an M.B.A. in Quality Control and Reliability Engineering from the Technion Institute in Haifa, as well as an Electronic Technician's diploma.

Dr. Kamil Burak Dermenci is a senior researcher in Battery Innovation Centre, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). He obtained his MSc Degree from Materials Science & Engineering in 2012 at Istanbul Technical University, Turkey. In 2018, he dived into battery field with his PhD titled “Development & Characterization of All Solid-State Li-ion Batteries”. Dr. Dermenci worked as a Research Assistant between 2012 – 2019. Then, he moved to Battery Innovation Centre, VUB. Since 2023, he holds Associate Professorship title from Turkish authorities. Dr. Dermenci co-authored 30+ scientific publications; involved in more than 5 EU-funded projects and currently coordinating BATMACHINE project. His main research interests are battery prototyping and structure-property-processing-performance relationships of battery-related materials.

Philippe Desprez is a DrEng in Chemical & Process Engineering from ENSIC. He started his career working at Semitool, µelectronic equipment supplier, then joined Alcatel in 1997 as Research Engineer in the battery and fuel cell fields. He worked at Saft-Total starting in 1999 as electrochemist dealing with alkaline batteries, supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries with the creation and development of Saft Battery Management Group. He joined ACC in 2020 as a pioneer and is ACC Principal Expert, with main focusses on Fast Charge & Battery Testing & Simulation. He is EC Independant Expert.

Robert Dominko is a Research Professor at the National Institute of Chemistry and a Professor at the University of Ljubljana. He leads the battery research group at the National Institute of Chemistry. He obtained his PhD in Materials Science from the University of Ljubljana in 2002. Since than his research activities are focused on materials science and electrochemical systems for energy storage, with a particular emphasis on advanced battery technologies. His current research interests include multivalent battery systems and the integration of smart functionalities into battery cells. Professor Dominko is actively involved in European battery initiatives as a key contributor to the Battery 2030+. His bibliographic reports contain over 230 publications and 15 patents. He is a member of the Slovenian Academy of Engineering.

Dr. Verena Drews is heading the product development & engineering department for large Lithium-ion round cells at V4SMART, which is a joined company between Porsche AG and VARTA AG. Verena is working in the field of Lithium-ion battery technology and research for 10 years with various positions in the industry and leading universities, obtaining her PhD at Zentrum für Sonnenenergie & Wasserstoff-Forschung ZSW, Ulm. Her talented and diverse team and herself are pursuing to develop the next generation of high power & energy cells in round formats by superior mechanical and electrochemical cell designs.

After finishing his engineering degree in Materials Science at Polytech Marseille, in 2017 in France, Dr. Arthur DUPUY did his PhD studies at the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada. During 4 years, the purpose of his research was to develop new graphene/semiconductors nanocomposites for an application as on-chip anode for LIBs. This technology was successfully developped and led to the publication of articles, brevets and to a new study field. Subsequently, wishing to improve its skills in the field of batteries techonolgies and project management, Dr. Arthur DUPUY has been Research Associate at the Fraunhofer IWS in the department “Chemical Surface and Battery Technology” since 2021. His current objectives are to develop technically and scientifcally dry electrode processing for both LIBs and SSBs as well as to lead R&D projects with industrial stakeholders.

After the engineering school, Asmae El Mejdoubi did her PhD in electrical engineering from 2012 to 2015. She continued her research on the SoC and the SoH diagnosis and prognosis models for Lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, to join TIAMAT in September 2018. Since 2020, Dr. El Mejdoubi is leading the product department, improving and optimizing the TIAMAT sodium-ion products to solve customers' problems and create customer delight.

Mark Ellis is the Senior Vice President and Head of Battery Monitoring and Optimization (M&O) Technology at Volvo Energy, a position he assumed in January 2024. He is a member of the Volvo Energy Executive Leadership Team and is focused on shaping the electrification landscape through sustainable energy solutions and innovative battery technologies. His work at Volvo Energy emphasizes leveraging his extensive experience to optimize battery performance, efficiency, and enable circularity through extending the battery lifecycle. Ellis is an experienced engineering manager with over twenty years of active engagement in the battery and automotive industries. Before joining Volvo Energy, he served as the Director of Engineering, Battery Systems at Northvolt from July 2019 to January 2024. His career also includes significant roles at leading automotive companies like Jaguar Cars and Ford Motor Company, where he held positions such as Principal Engineer - Sustainability and Technical Alignment Manager. Additionally, he worked as a Principal Engineer in Battery Systems at WMG, University of Warwick, leading multi-million pound R&D programs. He holds a B.Eng (Hons) in Metallurgy & Materials Science from the University of Birmingham, an MSc in Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick, and an MBA from Aston University. His technical expertise spans electric vehicles, product development, technical leadership, and process innovation, all contributing to Volvo Energy's commitment to a greener, more sustainable future.

Dr. Simon Engelke is the Founder & Chair of Battery Associates. Simon completed his Ph.D. on Lithium-ion batteries at the University of Cambridge. He is the recipient of multiple awards, including the Trinity Bradfield Prize and Cambridge University Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Simon has been invited to speak at various events, including the European Battery Show, UN Climate Change Conference (COP25), IAA Mobility, FT Future of the Car Summit, and the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. He served as Co-Curator of the WEF Strategic Intelligence for Future of Energy and Batteries and as a Fellow of the WEF Global Future Council on Energy Technologies.

I am a Junior Battery Cell Costing Expert at Renault, focusing on the techno-economic evaluation of lithium-ion battery cells for automotive applications. In my role, I analyze cost drivers across the entire battery cell value chain, from raw material sourcing to cell design, manufacturing processes, and final assembly. My work supports strategic decision-making by aligning technical innovation with industrial feasibility and competitive cost structures. I completed my PhD in 2022 in collaboration with Umicore, where I investigated cathode materials at high-voltage and developed expertise in inorganic material synthesis, electrode assembly, and electrochemical characterization. I have six years of experience in the lithium-ion battery field across both research and industry.

After completing his PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Stuttgart, Alexander Fandakov joined IAV’s research and technology department in 2018 where he has contributed to numerous research and prototype projects. Today he leads the battery & e-traction research and technology team, with one of his main areas of focus being the development of battery system concepts employing novel technologies and cell chemistries, as well as establishing model-based methodologies enabling the fast and cost-efficient concept definition and optimization.

Dr. Mona Faraji Niri is a research focused Assistant Professor at WMG, University of Warwick. She has her PhD in control engineering. She is Fellow of Alan Turing Institution in Artificial Intelligence, and a MIET member. She also holds a Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). She is specialised in modelling, control and machine learning algorithms and has extensive experience in energy storage systems, li-ion batteries, battery management as well as electric vehicle powertrain. Her research interests also cover areas in optimization of battery manufacturing processes via machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Mona has been endorsed as Future Promise in this field by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2021. She was the recipient of the TechWomen100 UK award in 2021, and recognised as WMG early career researcher of year for 2022. Mona's research on the application of AI for li-ion battery manufacturing was selected to receive the postdoctoral research excellence award in 2022 and put her in the shortlist of the IET Sir Henry Royce achievement medal.

Chemical Engineer since 2007, Working in the Battery Production and Test Industry since 2008 as Product Designer, Test Engineer and Head of Validation in several international companies. Since 2022 Product Manager for Batterie in Europe.

Prof Figgemeier studied chemistry and did his PhD at the University of Paderborn. This was followed by academic research at the Universities of Dublin, Basel and Uppsala. In 2007 he joined Bayer Technology Services heading the materials and corrosion lab as well as the development of materials for battery applications. From 2012 on, he worked as application development engineer for battery materials at 3M Deutschland responsible for technical support of customers in Germany and Europe. Since 2016 he is group leader at the Helmholtz Institute Münster, Forschungszentrum Jülich (section Aachen) and he holds the chair for “Ageing and Reliability of Batteries” at the RWTH Aachen University.

Dr. Martin Finsterbusch is leading the team “All-Solid-State Batteries” at the Institute of Materials and Devices (IMD-2) at Forschungszentrum Jülich. With his team, he develops ceramic-based cells and components for future electrochemical energy storage devices. Know-how ranges from new materials and synthesis techniques, over conventional and advanced ceramic processing methods all the way to full battery cell manufacturing. In addition, his team is world leading in advanced analysis via ion-beams (IBA), enabling 2D and 3D Li quantification. He studied Physics at the Technical University Ilmenau, Germany and obtained his PhD in collaboration with the Montana State University, USA (MSU) in 2011. At MSU, he spent 4 years studying degradation phenomena in solid-oxide fuel-cells using synchrotron and ion-beam based analysis techniques. For his Post-Doc, he moved to Forschungszentrum Jülich, where he started his research on oxide-based all-solid-state batteries. He took over the Team “All-solid-state” batteries in 2016. Webpage: https://www.fz-juelich.de/profile/finsterbusch_m

Researcher in Hydro-Quebec/CEETES for 4 years and named lead researcher of ceramic cell team 3 years ago: head of design, electrochemistry and scaling for ceramic technologies. He was previously assistant professor in LRCS/Université de Picardie Jules Verne Amiens, France in electrochemistry and all-solid-state battery with specialty in interfaces, devices and impedance measurement.

Eibar Flores is a Research Scientist in the Department of Sustainable Energy Technology at SINTEF Industry (Norway). In 2019 he received his Dr. sc. degree from ETH Zurich (Switzerland), and later joined the Technical University of Denmark as Postdoctoral Researcher. He currently develops digital tools to accelerate battery research using machine learning and semantic technologies.

Dr. John Forgie is an Electrochemistry Senior Manager at Accelera by Cummins, where he leads the Electrochemistry team. John's group is responsible for the characterisation of Li-ion cells and modules for current and future customer programs for commercial vehicle batteries, with focus on electrochemical, thermal, and mechanical aspects and influences to optimise performance and life. In addition, the Electrochemistry team also research next generation cathodes and anodes.

Dr. Alejandro A. Franco is a Full Professor at Université de Picardie Jules Verne (Amiens, France), Honorary Member of the Institut Universitaire de France, and Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington (Seattle, USA). With over 23 years of experience, he is a leading expert in multiscale modeling and AI for battery manufacturing. He is the recipient of two ERC grants, as well as the 2025 Battery Division M. Stanley Whittingham Mid-Career Award of the Electrochemical Society. Prof. Franco coordinates the Erasmus+ i-MESC Master Programme and serves as an Editor for the Journal of Power Sources. He has an extensive track record with over 180 publications, 23 patents, 165+ invited conference lectures, and 72+ invited seminars. Additionally, he is the co-founder and CSO of Aikemics, a startup leveraging digital twin technology to revolutionize the battery industry.

Following a lifelong passion to power cars with solar energy, Pete Frischmann has devoted the past 10 years to advanced materials R&D for breakthrough energy storage technologies. In 2015 he co-founded Sepion Technologies, a California Bay-Area Startup, to commercialize ion-selective membrane products he co-invented at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab that boost the energy density, safety, and lifetime of lithium batteries. His technical expertise in chemical self-assembly provides a unique vantage point to leverage innovative materials to solve long-standing battery problems. With support from the prestigious Cyclotron Road Energy Technology Incubator (now Activate) and US Department of Energy, Pete transitioned his focus from technical leadership to deeptech entrepreneurship placing him at the crossroads of technology and business development. He has grown Sepion from a concept to Series A funded startup with 30 employees, co-invented 8 patents, and authored 26 peer-reviewed journal publications. Prior to Sepion, he was a Project Scientist at Berkeley Lab, JCESR Postdoctoral Fellow at Berkeley Lab, an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Würzburg in Germany, and he holds a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of British Columbia and a B.Sc. in chemistry from Idaho State University.

Advised clients on both short- and long-term growth strategy while bridge-making between Asian-USA/European companies as a management consultant for 20 years. Expertise Area: Business strategy, Transformation, Cross border M&A, Business Due Diligence, Alliance advisory & PMI (Post Merger Integration). Industries: Chemical / materials and automotive / auto-parts / aerospace industries including lithium-ion battery and electric vehicle.

Dennis Gallus studied chemistry in Münster and worked as research associate at MEET under the supervision of Professor Martin Winter. In 2016 he joined P3 as an automotive battery consultant and collaborated in numerous project setups with automotive OEMs, cell manufacturers and material suppliers along the battery value chain. Currently, he is leading the battery and cell technology team at P3 including experts from various disciplines. His projects encompass technical benchmarking, technology scouting & road mapping, cell & module development, cost assessment, value chain analysis, technical due diligence and market entry strategies for cell materials.

Inigo Gandiaga is Project Manager & Researcher at Ikerlan. Graduated in Physical Sciences from EHU-UPV (University of the Basque Country). Iñigo Gandiaga joined IKERLAN in 2010. He has actively participated and led different industrial projects in the last 12 years. His professional research background are energy storage and data analytics, more in detail Iñigo is focused on the field of analysis of the useful life and state of batteries for electric mobility and stationary applications with different storage technologies (Li-ion, post Li-ion, Supercaps and Lithium-ion Capacitors). As result of his research, he has participated in more than 15 publications in leading magazines. Reserchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Inigo-Gandiaga/research Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/i%C3%B1igo-gandiaga-3a1669205

Katharina has 15+ years of experience in the battery industry ranging from the direct lithium extraction to dry battery electrode process. Her mission is to bring value to a wide range of battery companies. In addition to her role at Siemens, Katharina is a Vice President of NAATBAtt International and a Co-chair of the “Electrode Materials Committee” at NAATBatt. Katharina holds a doctorate degree in Battery Materials from the University of Bonn, Germany.

Keri Goodwin has over 15 years of materials chemistry research experience. She is currently a Chief Technologist at CPI focused on battery materials formulation and energy storage applications. Her expertise lies in materials development for electronic applications as well as optimisation of coatings and interfaces using a variety of deposition techniques.

Responsible for the design & integration of Li-ion batteries and their associated power distribution systems, primarily for automotive applications. Denis has worked in automotive powertrains since 2009, starting with advanced combustion engines and moving in 2016 to electrification. With experience at major Engineering Service Providers and global OEMs, Denis' work ranges from prototype vehicle builds to consulting for high volume applications

Alex Graf is a specialist advisor on responsible sourcing, supporting the European Commission in implementing due diligence across various EU legislation. He works with the OECD and advises companies on various areas of EU mandatory due diligence and supply chain sustainability. His work includes academic publications on responsible sourcing in mineral value chains and responsible research and innovation. He also holds a PhD in Transcultural Studies from Heidelberg University (Germany).

Mechanical engineer and certified data scientist with a long history in automotive powertrain simulation in many serial development projects. Since 2015 head of department powertrain simulation @FKFS. Since 2018, he has been engaged and fascinated by the combination of physics-based and AI-based simulation. "I am convinced that we have to use AI in all phases of the development process. It is crucial that we understand AI as more than just large language models like ChatGPT. We need AI approaches that can handle numbers and physical contexts."

Michael Harenbrock holds the position of Principal Expert, Electric Mobility at MANN+HUMMEL GmbH, a global leader in filtration solutions for the automotive industry. After receiving his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from WWU Münster in 1994, he worked in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry before joining MANN+HUMMEL in 1998 as Manager Materials Development Filter. Further positions in the company included Manager, Advanced Development Filtration Transportation and Manager, Advanced Development Electric Mobility & Fuel Cells. He has worked on fuel cell and battery projects since 2010. Through market and technology monitoring, he identifies the need for new innovative filtration solutions for Electric Mobility, and coordinates their related activities worldwide. International networking and collaboration in industry organizations are essential parts of his work. His passion is for Clean Transport – helping to protect man and environment from transport-related emissions.

Chloe Herrera is an Analyst at Lux and leads the Energy Storage team's coverage of battery technology for electric vehicles and stationary storage. In this role, she analyzes opportunities for novel battery chemistries and follows energy storage market trends. Specifically, Chloe covers innovations in Li-ion technology, the battery supply chain, and long-duration battery storage. She has also contributed to research in battery recycling and raw material extraction. Prior to joining Lux, Chloe conducted research on superconducting materials, authoring four academic papers on the subject. She holds an M.S. in condensed matter physics.

Kevin Hobbie is a clean tech investor and entrepreneur dedicated to advancing sustainable innovation. His primary focus is on scaling domestic cathode and anode production technologies to strengthen onshore critical mineral supply chains. With a keen interest in the intersection of clean tech, AI, and cryptocurrency, Kevin works to drive impactful solutions that address global energy and resource challenges. Kevin is actively involved with Green Li-ion, a lithium-ion battery recycling technology company that produces modular hardware solutions to convert spent batteries into cathode and anode materials ready for manufacturing processes. Green Li-ion's patented Green-hydrorejuvenationâ„¢ technology accelerates the recycling process, reducing energy needs and improving cost efficiency. Their first commercial-scale plant in Atoka, Oklahoma, processes unsorted battery waste to produce battery-grade materials, closing the EV recycling loop with production done all in one plant . Through his work with Green Li-ion and other ventures, Kevin is committed to building a resilient, domestic battery supply chain and fostering a circular economy. He invites collaboration with like-minded individuals and organizations to explore opportunities for growth in the clean tech ecosystem.

Louise Horsfall is Professor of Sustainable Biotechnology and Circular Economy lead at the University of Edinburgh. Her research uses Engineering Biology to make manufacturing more resource efficient and help move us towards a more sustainable, circular economy. She has published the most advanced bio-based process for lithium-ion battery recycling to date and combined the use of biosynthesised nanoparticles with cutting edge green chemistry techniques to demonstrate routes to improved catalysis. Prof Horsfall is a Co-Investigator of the UKRI-funded Engineering Biology Mission Hub EBIC, the EPSRC-funded Circular Economy Centre RECREATE, and the Faraday Institution’s Circular Economy project for lithium ion batteries - ReLiB. She represents the Microbiology Society on the Scottish Parliamentary Cross-Party Group on Science and Technology and is a member of the Scottish Science Advisory Council – currently leading the working group on Engineering Biology. She is a member of the BBSRC’s Strategy Advisory Panel for advanced manufacturing and clean growth, EPSRC’s Strategic Advisory Team for manufacturing and circular economy, as well as the European Synthetic Biology Society and SynBioUK Advisory Boards.

Qianye Huang is serving as the technical lead for battery cell development within key electrification projects at Volvo Cars. With a PhD in Electrochemical Engineering from the University of Warwick and over 12 years of industrial experience in lithium-ion batteries, Qianye combines deep technical insight with practical implementation expertise. At Volvo Cars, Qianye leads cell validation and attribute balance for BEV programs and oversees advanced engineering projects in collaboration with universities, focusing on new cell technologies, aging mechanism and methods that support Volvo Cars' electrification strategy. Their work bridges cutting-edge research and industrial application to enable high-performance battery systems for future mobility.

Cameron joined CRU in 2023 and leads the company’s lithium market research and price forecasting. Since 2020, he has worked across the battery value chain, beginning in EV and energy storage market intelligence, and later focusing on nickel and cobalt pricing before joining CRU.

Viktor Irle has a M.Sc. in Management & Economics of Innovation from Chalmers University of Technology, where he learnt analyzing emerging markets and market disruptions from new innovations. Being passionate about automobiles and especially electric engines and clean technology, EV-volumes.com is the natural outcome of his set of skills. Viktor is convinced the future automotive history is both electric and autonomous.

In my capacities as a professor, author and President of Boston Strategies International, I help asset owners, investors and operators of strategic power and transport projects achieve lowest total supply chain cost, considering risk, risk and agility. My clients have included the US Department of Transportation, the US Department of Energy, Mercedes-Benz, BP, Saudi Aramco, BASF, Alcoa, Iberdrola, Vattenfall, FedEx, UPS, CSX, Maersk, Iron Mountain, Siemens, Raytheon, Valeo, and the City of New York, to name a few. I teach Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, and Decarbonizing Global Supply Chains at NYU’s graduate business and engineering schools and at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton business school and graduate environmental studies program, and I've written eight books on supply chain, operations management, and supply chain decarbonization. Occasionally I help to mediate operations-related contracts, claims and disputes.

Nicolas Jäckel finished his PhD in 2018 at the Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany, with the focus on structure and properties of supercapacitor and lithium-ion battery electrodes. He continued at FEV as a system engineer for battery-electric vehicles using the methods of model-based system engineering. From 2021 until April 2024, he was working as the battery expert for Knorr-Bremse in the eCubator, an incubator focussing on the electrification of commercial vehicles. Now he is the BMS Teamleader in LION Smart, focussing on high-voltages batteries for various applications.

Sam Jaffe is the VP of business development and product at Mana Battery. He has been in the battery industry for two decades as an analyst, a consultant, and an executive. He was previously the founder and managing director of Cairn ERA, a company acquired by E Source in 2021. Prior to that he worked at Navigant and before that at IDC Energy Insights. He has also worked at 1019 Technologies and Addionics. He is the author of two books, Jewish Wisdom for Business Success and The New Korea, and lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Jürgen Janek has a chair for Physical Chemistry at Justus Liebig University in Giessen (JLU), is director of the JLU Center for Materials Research and Scientific Director of the BELLA lab at KIT, Karlsruhe. He was visiting professor at Seoul National University (South Korea), Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan), and D´Aix-Marseille (France), and he was awarded with an honorary doctorate from TU Delft (Netherlands). He holds numerous patents, has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers and got numerous awards. His research interests focus on the physical chemistry of inorganic solids, solid state ionics, and reactivity, specifically on the properties of mixed ionic-electronic conductors, defect chemistry of ionic materials, kinetics of solid-state reactions, and solid-solid interfaces. In recent years, his research is focused strongly to the chemistry of battery materials, solid electrolytes, and solid-state batteries and operando studies of batteries. He is scientific coordinator of the German Cluster of Competence for Solid State Batteries FESTBATT funded by BMBF (Federal Ministry for Education and Research) and member of the DFG Cluster of Excellence POLIS at Ulm/Karlsruhe.

Brandon Kelly is the Vice President of Cell at Peak Energy, where he leads the development and scaling of advanced battery technologies. With a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a specialization in energy storage from Colorado State University, Brandon has extensive experience in battery material science, characterization, and product development. Prior to joining Peak Energy, he played a key role at Solid Power, where he spearheaded multi-million-dollar efforts to scale solid-state battery production for automotive applications. Brandon’s work is driven by a passion for building effective development teams and a deep understanding of battery technologies. His expertise includes launching new products, managing large-scale projects, and fostering collaborative, innovative work environments to accelerate the development of hard tech solutions.

Kostya is a seasoned executive with more than 15 years of experience in the global technology sector. He is the Chief Executive Officer of GBatteries, an advanced battery technology company, based in Ottawa, Canada. His focus is to deliver advanced battery technology while driving operational excellence. He has a Master of Applied Science in Aerospace Engineering from Carleton University. Prior to GBatteries, Kostya was the founder of several organizations including Wolna, a SatCom company, and Smart Rotor Systems (SRS), a company that developed vibration and noise reduction technology for helicopters.

Dylan Khoo is the editor of Argus Battery Materials Analytics, where he leads research and analysis on supply, demand, and pricing trends for battery materials. His research spans the entire material lifecycle from mining to end-use and recycling. He previously worked as an automotive technology analyst covering EVs, autonomous vehicles, and connected cars.

Dr. Edwin Knobbe is responsible for the technical coordination of electro-chemical-based simulations of battery cells in the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) of the BMW Group. He is also the technical project manager of a publicly funded project for simulation-based assessments of battery cells during a thermal event. At the BCCC, BMW has built up the complete infrastructure that is required to investigate and develop battery cells, from material level to complete battery cells in target format. Thus, BMW is pursuing the goal of understanding every aspect of battery cell development to meet battery cell suppliers on an equal footing (“Smart Buyer”).

Mr. Konecky brings over 20 years of xEV experience to his work, having worked on multiple complex designs for battery system development, charging system integration, and high-voltage powertrain integration. He is skilled in new product design and development, product testing, product safety, integration of multiple sub-systems for vehicles, new product launches and has expanded his skillset beyond batteries into power electronics. His experience in batteries includes multiple technologies (Li-ion, NiMH, UltraCapacitors, Lead-Acid). Mr. Konecky has worked for multiple OEM and Tier 1 battery suppliers (GM, Fisker, Byton, Cobasys, EnerDel, Lockheed Martin) and has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Clarkson University (Potsdam, NY) and MS from Purdue (IUPUI - Indianapolis, IN).

Bartek Kras,Vice President IMPACT Clean Power Technology.

Since 20 years, he has been associated with e-mobility industry. He is a specialist in designing and implementing Li-ion battery and fuel cell systems and has managed numerous projects in that field, carried out by the company since the beginning of its beginning. These projects have resulted in the implementation and commercialization of our products all over the world, including for such clients as Citroen, SAM Group, Smith Electric Vehicles, Solaris Bus & Coach, Ursus, Kiepe Electric, Voith, Temsa and ADL. He led research and development projects in international consortiums such as TAILORWELD, TOLPE and KORANET. He is an author and coauthor of a numbers patents, trademarks and unique technical solutions in area of electromobility, Li-ion batteries, fuel cells and system control. He graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology, where he also gained his Ph.D. title, and completed the ICAN Institute management study (Harvard Management Course).

PhD in 2005, 2 years Samsung SDI, Professor at KIT (since 2020) and before at TU Braunschweig. More than 20 years of research expertise in electrochemical technologies with a focus on modeling and dynamic analysis including reactions and degradation at electrodes.

Dr. Moritz Kroll holds the position of Team Lead for Battery Data Science at Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg, Germany. He completed his doctoral thesis in electrochemistry by investigating transport processes in lithium-ion batteries and all-solid-state batteries. At Fraunhofer ISE, Dr. Kroll leads research projects focused on data-driven battery quality assurance and explores methods for better structuring and organizing scientific data. His work centers on integrating battery research with data science to tackle emerging scientific challenges. Drawing on his chemistry background and extensive experience, he possesses deep expertise in battery processes, including safety-critical aspects.

René Krouss is Development Engineer in the Research Department at Kautex Textron, a global tier-1 supplier for plastic fuel tanks, clear vision systems (CVS) and battery enclosures (Pentatonic). The Research department develops innovative thermoplastic battery enclosures and thermal management solutions for xEV applications. René holds a Master in Mechanical Engineering from University Paderborn, Germany and focused on plastics technology and manufacturing methods.

As General Counsel of Global Legal & Strategy of the largest manufacturer of EV ad ESS batteries in the world, John is tasked with providing supply chain solutions to the manufacture and assembly of LFP and MNC cells. Previously, he oversaw global investments and acquisitions for the biggest logistics player in Asia, which culminated in the USD 2.3 Billion acquisition of Kerry Logistics in 2022 and will culminate on its IPO in 2023. Qualified to practice law in four jurisdictions, he started his career at a magic circle firm and progressed to the position of General Counsel at a Forbes 50 MNC, where he project managed the building of many iconic buildings across the globe. He has also held cross-functional and P&L leadership positions having served as CEO & Board member to a NYSE listed MNCs and start-ups.

Peter Lamp has a Ph.D. degree in Physics. He held several positions in non-profit R&D institutes as well as industry in the field of energy conversion and storage. He joined BMW in 2001 and is currently responsible for R&D Battery Cell Technology.

Claire Leveugle is a Senior Principal Engineer in Analog Devices’ Battery Management Systems group within the Automotive Business Unit. She holds a PhD from University College Cork (UCC) and has extensive experience in modeling all aspects of battery systems. Claire leads the development of advanced simulation flows that support customer-facing services, enabling predictive insights and system-level optimisation.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Weihan Li is a Junior Professor in Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization for Batteries at RWTH Aachen University, where he leads a research group within the Center for Ageing, Reliability, and Lifetime Prediction of Electrochemical and Power Electronic Systems (CARL). He completed his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology with summa cum laude at RWTH Aachen in 2021, after earning an M.Sc. in Automotive Engineering and Transport in 2017. Prof. Li’s research focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence and physics to drive digitalization in battery technology. He has conducted research at renowned institutions such as Imperial College London and MIT. With over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, numerous patents, and more than €6M in research funding from sources including the BMBF, BMWK, BMDV, EU, and industry partners, his work has garnered international recognition. Prof. Li has received prestigious honors, including the Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher 2024, the BMBF BattFutur Starting Grant (€2M+), the German Thesis Award from the Körber Foundation, the Reichart Prize, the vgbe Innovation Prize, the Battery Young Research Award, the Umbrella Award, and the RWTH Innovation Award, etc.

Zhe Li currently serves as a Senior Researcher and Battery Material Lead at General Motors. He earned his PhD from Yokohama National University in Japan under the mentorship of Professor Masayoshi Watanabe. His research focuses on advancing next-generation lithium-ion battery technologies through cell component engineering, cutting-edge cell architecture design, and manufacturing process development. To date, he has authored 20+ peer-reviewed publications while driving technological innovation through 130+ filed patent applications in battery science.

Dr. Timothy Lin is the founder/CTO of Solid Energies Inc (www.solidenergies.com), which started its business in 2017, with a focus on the research, manufacturing, and commercialization of new-generation solid-state batteries. Dr. Lin is a veteran scientist and entrepreneur in developing and commercializing new generation renewable/clean energy technologies for over 20 years, having founded 3 companies including SEI and Bioenno Tech. Since 2009, his team has received more than 20 grants from federal agencies including DoE/DoD/NASA, and has collaborated with several major EV/defense companies for the technical commercialization related to all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSB). Recently, his team received grants from (1) the California Energy Commission (CEC) to establish initial commercial manufacturing of ASSB directed toward mass production for potential applications in renewable energy and electric vehicles, and (2) ARPA-E to develop and manufacture a new-generation of solid-state Li-air battery for applications in electrified transportations.

Dr. Haodong Liu is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Tyfast. He is also Activate Fellow, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Before Tyfast, he was Project Scientist at UCSD’s Center for Memory and Recording Research. He is an expert in a variety of the electrochemical systems, from design, synthesis, processing, and characterization of advanced electrode materials for LIB and novel electrolytes for Li-metal batteries. He published more than 120 papers with more than 10,000 citations and 7 patents. He is the co-inventor of the disordered rocksalt lithium vanadium oxide anode material, the core technology of Tyfast.

Teo Lombardo is an energy analyst at the International Energy Agency, focused on transport electrification and battery manufacturing and technologies, and has worked on several flagship IEA reports such as the Global EV Outlook (2024), the Batteries and Secure Energy Transitions report, the Energy Technology Perspectives 2024, and the EV Battery Supply Chain Sustainability report, among others. Previously, he worked as a postdoc in Prof. Jürgen Janek's research group in Germany working on solid-state and lithium-ion batteries, and he completed his Ph.D., focused on lithium-ion batteries and their manufacturing, at the Laboratoire de Réactivité et Chimie des Solides, France.

Simon Lorger is New Business Development Manager at Cabot Corporation focusing on conductive additives for the battery industry. Prior to Cabot, he worked at AMG Lithium and Mercedes Benz AG both in R&D and commercial functions. He earned his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart and Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research and has 10 years’ experience in research, development, and business strategy within the battery materials industry.

Mr. Lu graduated from Department of Business Administration in National Cheng-chi University, Taiwan, and continued to acquire an MBA degree from National Sun Yat-sen University. His first job concerned with the optical film in China for two years, then came back Taiwan to serve Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) as an analyst in Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Center (ISTI) until now. As a certified industrial analyst of the biggest think-tank in Taiwan, he is responsible for the research about Taiwan battery-related industry, including material, cell, pack and related applications. Not only handling the official government statistics about Taiwan battery industry, sometimes he also plays a role to provide consulting suggestions for Taiwan government and firms. From 2010 to June 2020, he served as the secretary-general of the Taiwan Battery Association.

Tom Maull works as the Principal Product Manager—Innovation for Elysia Battery Intelligence. Prior to his current role, he lead battery modelling activities and algorithm development for several high-profile battery programmes ranging from large Haul Trucks to top-tier motorsport, including Formula E Gen 3 and LMDh. In his current role, Tom develops the R&D strategy for Elysia Battery Intelligence, working in close collaboration with academic and technical partners. Before joining Elysia, Tom worked as a mechanical engineering consultant, serving clients in the automotive and offroad industry.

Eric Mayousse is an engineer specialised in electrochemistry and energy storage. He joined CEA in 2008 working on hydrogen topics. He has led several work packages and projects at CEA (national, European, industrial on different technologies (Ni-Zn, Na-ion, Li-air, hybrid potassium supercapacitors). He has been regularly involved in supervising PhD and postdoc students. Since 2018, he is mainly involved in projects about Li-ion developments working on electrodes and cell design. He is involved in the collaboration with Stellantis, particularly in managing the project on the subject of battery lifespan.

Rory is the Senior Technology & Market Analyst at Anaphite, a dry electrode manufacturing company that is scaling it's Dry Cathode Precursor (DCP) technology for large-scale commercial delivery by 2028. Rory works across the commercial and operations teams with his core responsibilities including the development and maintenance of internal cost modelling and exploring commercial partnership opportunities.

Horst Mettlach, Global Technical Specialist Traction Batteries, Stellantis / Opel Automobile GmbH IPC W3-01 D-65423 Rüsselsheim, Germany. Horst Mettlach studied electrical engineering at Aachen University of Technology (RWTH Aachen) and Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU Trondheim) and joined the Electric Vehicle group of Adam Opel AG in 1995. During his career, Horst Mettlach worked on the development of battery systems of different technologies (lead acid, NiMH, NaNiCl and Li-Ion) for Electric, Fuel Cell, and Extended-Range Electric Vehicles (Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera). In addition, he represents Opel Automobile GmbH/ Stellantis in national and European research projects as well as in standardization committees and national and European working groups on electrical energy storage systems. His current position is “Global Technical Specialist Traction Batteries” with focus on development of Li-ion battery systems for mHEV and HEV applications for various vehicles within Stellantis.

Ines Miller is leading the team of battery technology for P3 in the field of E-Mobility. She has been involved in numerous projects with automotive OEMs, suppliers, chemical industry and investment banks mostly covering topics of Li-ion and Next-Gen batteries. Within P3 she is an expert for E-Mobility with focus on Li-ion and all-solid-state cells including technology and cost assessments. Before working for P3, Ines has gained her Master’s degree in Business Chemistry at the University of Ulm.

Chris Mohajer is the Business Development Director at AM Batteries, the leader in dry battery electrode technology. In this role, he develops and strengthens commercial relationships with top battery manufacturers and manages customer engagements to support both technical needs and fundraising efforts. With a decade of experience spanning business development, finance, and technical sales in the battery sector, Chris has a proven track record of bringing diverse stakeholders together to drive innovation and commercialization.

Serge Montambault holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, as well as a master's degree and a PhD in robotics from Laval University, in Quebec, Canada. In 1997, he joined Hydro-Québec's Research Institute as a robotics researcher. He subsequently became head of the Robotics Unit and, in 2015, founded and led MIR Innovation, a Hydro-Québec subsidiary whose mission is to commercialize robotic technologies developed at the research centre. Author of over 70 publications and 7 patent families, he joined the Centre of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage in 2018 as a researcher, where he established an innovation program on smart batteries, which has since led to the development and implementation of several innovations related to new battery technologies.

Since 2015, Victoria has served as a Conference Producer for Cambridge Enertech, with primary responsibilities for scientific conference program development within energy market sectors, with conferences based in the United States and Europe. She has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Since joining Cambridge EnerTech as Associate Conference Producer in March 2024, Ian has spearheaded the production of new conference programs dedicated to addressing the global bottleneck in electric vehicle fast charging and infrastructure. Prior to joining Cambridge EnerTech, Ian conducted mathematical research in physical oceanography before foraying into K-12 education for gifted and talented mathematics students. Ian enjoys engaging others in their fields of expertise and staying current on latest trends and developments in the battery, electric vehicle, and charging infrastructure space.

Christoph Neef is a senior scientist and project manager at Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI in Karlsruhe Germany. His focus of work lies on the analysis of new technologies and emerging markets in the fields of energy storage, nano-materials and smart production. Christoph Neef did his PhD in the field of solid-state physics and Li-ion batteries (2012-2016). During his post-doc, he was manager of the laboratory for synthesis and crystal growth at the Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, Heidelberg (2016-2017) and worked on novel cathode materials for Li-ion batteries and respective synthesis techniques.

Dr. Jörn Neuhausen completed two courses of study at RWTH Aachen University - mechanical engineering and business administration. After graduating in 1997, he earned his doctorate at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL). Jörn Neuhausen has been part of PwC Strategy& (Germany) GmbH since 2001. His consulting focus lays on the Automotive industry with strong emphasis on electric powertrains, business and technology strategy, cost optimization and reorganization of OEMs and Tier 1. Thereby he has profound experience across the entire battery value chain, from mining towards cell and battery development and recycling technologies.

Sze-Sze Ng is a material application engineer from Dow Mobility Science. She supports OEM engineers in developing material models and specifications for battery assembly and battery fire protection applications, specializing in silicone assembly materials. She connects industry groups together to improve battery safety through active participation in the SAE Battery Standard Steering committee. She is currently the chairperson of the Micromobility Battery Standards committee, the secretary of the SAE Battery Pack Venting committee, and a member of the Battery System Adhesives, Sealants and Heat Transfer Materials committee. She also volunteers at a local elementary school coaching FIRST LEGO League Challenge, teaching coding and prototype building principles, motivating kids to work on engineering problems, and helping them understand their impact to the community.

Dr. Nowak studied Chemistry at the University of Münster and got his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry. After his doctorate, he joined the working group of Professor Winter at the MEET Battery Research Center at the University of Münster in 2009 as a postdoctoral researcher, where he established the Analytical department. From 2010-12, he was the Head of the Analytics and Recycling competence areas, and since 2012, he has held a position at the MEET Battery Research Center as Head of the Analytics and Environment division, which mainly focuses on electrolyte aging, transition metal migration and surface investigations, recycling, and second life, as well as toxicological investigations.

Andy Oury is a Battery Engineer and the Business Planning Manager for Kurt Kelty, VP Batteries, Propulsion, and Sustainability at General Motors. He has 25 years of experience in automotive product development and battery engineering. Andy works with cross-functional teams to design, source, and manufacture battery and propulsion systems that underpin a full lineup of EVs from the Chevrolet Equinox EV to the Cadillac Escalade IQ. Andy earned a Bachelor’s degree from MIT in mechanical engineering and a Master’s from Purdue in multidisciplinary engineering.

Anne is the co-founder of Brazilian Nickel a company with sustainability and ethical principles at the forefront of its Agenda. It’s flagship Piauí Nickel Project is a nickel heap leach which produced its first intermediate products in 2022. Heap leaching is a low cost and inherently low carbon footprint process and BRN is looking at innovative ways to reduce the project carbon footprint even further with the vision of being carbon negative. The Piauí site was awarded the Nickel Mark in May 2024. In 2022 Anne was named one of the 25 inaugural ESG champions by the Natural Resources Forum particularly for her work on gender diversity and inclusivity in the mining sector. BRN is a member of the Nickel Institute (the global association of leading primary nickel producers) and in 2025 Anne became Chair of its Board of Directors. Anne is a Chartered Metallurgical Engineer from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London. She has over 30 years’ experience in the natural resource sector and has been working in nickel and cobalt since 2003. She is also a scientific associate of the Natural History Museum in London where she continues to contribute to fundamental nickel and cobalt research.

Dr. Jonghyun Park is a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Before joining to Missouri S&T, he was an Assistant Research Scientist in the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Prior to this, he spent two years as a post-doctoral research fellow after finishing his PhD in the same department at Michigan in 2009. He spent 5 years with Hyundai Heavy Industry after finishing his BS and MS from Seoul National University in South Korea. His expertise includes advanced manufacturing for energy systems, energy materials, and multiscale/multiphysics modeling for energy and manufacturing. Currently, he is an Associate Editor in Frontiers in Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage and an Academic Editor in PLOS ONE.

Dr Allan Paterson is Head of Battery Development for Fortescue Zero, leading cell technology and applications analysis for high performance battery systems development across breadth of technology areas including motorsport, road car and heavy-duty markets. Prior to joining Fortescue, Allan was the CTO for Britishvolt, leading the technology programme for development of a UK Gigafactory. Previously, Allan has held positions as the Faraday Institution’s Head of Programme Management, and as Chief Electrochemist at both Cummins and Johnson Matthey Battery Systems where he investigated new battery technologies and their application in next generation low carbon EV, PHEV and HEV applications. Allan has 25 years’ experience in the field of lithium-ion batteries and holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of St Andrews on advanced cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Dr.-Ing. Sandra Pavón is the Manager of the Research Group on Hydrometallurgical Recycling and Raw Materials Chemistry at Fraunhofer IKTS in Germany. She has over ten years of professional experience in the development of technologies and integrated processes for the recovery of metals from both primary and secondary resources. Sandra began her academic career at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, where she obtained a degree in Chemical Engineering and later completed her PhD in Chemical Process Development. During her studies, she gained valuable industrial experience working at Roca Sanitario S.A. as well as at a start-up affiliated with Telefónica S.A. She continued her research career at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, focusing on process scale-up and industrial implementation. Since joining Fraunhofer IKTS in 2022, she has played a key role in advancing research on sustainable recycling technologies. Dr. Pavón has authored more than 40 publications in renowned scientific journals and is a frequent speaker at international conferences, where she contributes to discussions on circular economy, sustainability, and innovative materials recovery solutions.

Payandeh is a materials and battery cell specialist at FEV, with a strong background in chemistry and materials development. His work spans cell development, advanced electrode and electrolyte materials, and solid-state battery research. In parallel, he is actively involved in technology scouting and commercial evaluation of emerging battery technologies, bridging laboratory innovation with industrialization and market readiness.

After graduating with a diploma in Chemistry and Management and a PhD in electrochemistry, Dr. Perner joined Varta and was finally General Manager R&D for Innovation Management and Battery Cell Development. Switching to BMW Group in Munich, he was responsible for different management positions in development of HV-Battery concepts, innovation management for EV/PHEV and Powertrain of i3/i8 series. With the broad background of HV insights, Dr. Perner joined in 2016 as Vice President of the Business Segment Battery Systems at Continental Group. In 2020, Dr. Perner started as Head of Battery Cell Product Definition at Volkswagen and is now in charge of the Development of Battery System Components and Technology.

PhD Sofia Perticarari is graduated from the faculty of industrial Chemistry in Bologna, Italy with a Bachelor in Biochemistry (2013) and a Master in Atropisomeric Compounds (2015). She then moved to France to work on low-cost aqueous batteries with organic electrode materials for renewable energy storage and carried out a PhD in Organic aqueous battery at the Institut des Matériaux (IMN) Jean Rouxel and CEISAM in Nantes. In 2019, after completing here PhD, Sophia joined Blue Solutions in Quimper. Within the advanced innovations department, Sophia is today leading electrochemistry research teams in Quimper, Grenoble and Montreal, Canada laying the foundations of the next generation of lithium metal batteries.

Dr. Kristina Pfeifer is a development engineer in the Advanced Engineering Department at Daimler Truck AG Mercedes-Benz Trucks Europe. She studied Chemistry and completed her PhD in sodium-ion cells at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Since 2021, she holds the responsibility for the entire battery system of the GEN H2 fuel cell truck and manages sodium-ion battery activities, along with the development of sustainable future battery concepts for zero-emission trucks.

Wilhelm Pfleging is head of the group Laser Materials Processing at the Institute of Applied Materials (IAM-AWP) which is part of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). He received his Master and Ph.D. at the Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (RWTH Aachen, Germany) in the field of pulsed laser deposition, laser micromachining, and electron spectroscopy. He has more than 30 years of experience in laser technology and material science. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals, books and conference reports (h-index 32). He is member of scientific and programme committees in several international conferences (e.g., LAMP, CLEO, ICALEO, MRS, SPIE Photonics West, SPIE Photonics Europe) with focus on laser processing and energy storage materials. He has six patents granted. At KIT, he initiates and manages several industrial and academic collaborative research and development projects with emphasis on functional surfaces and energy storage systems. His research is focused on the development of laser-assisted processes, analytics (electrochemical analytics, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) and manufacturing of advanced lithium-ion batteries and related energy storage materials (3D Battery). Furthermore, he is Professor at university (KIT) for “Laser Technology” and “Laser-assisted methods and their application for energy storage materials."

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, Andreas Pfrang received his Doctorate in Physics at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany in 2004. After providing microscopy services as Team Leader at Freudenberg Forschungsdienste in Weinheim, Germany, he joined the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Petten, Netherlands in 2007. There he performed fuel cell-related research and was responsible for the microscopy services of the site until the end of 2012. Since 2013, he has worked on battery testing. At present, he is Leader of JRC’s EUBattery project, which addresses several dimensions of battery-related European policy and includes the operation of JRC’s battery laboratory in Petten.

Francisco Pinto has a Masters' Degree in Business Administration from the Nova School of Business and Economics, Lisbon, where he also worked as a Teaching Assistant for several Statistics and Marketing subjects. In 2017, he joined the International Nickel Study Group as Manager of Statistical Analysis, contributing to data collection and analysis covering the world nickel market.

Miha Podbreznik is a Technology Manager at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production FFB, where he focuses on the evaluation and development of technologies for industrial battery cell manufacturing. His work centers on production innovation, scalability, and emerging technology trends. He holds degrees in Mechanical and Production Engineering from RWTH Aachen University.

Bryant Polzin has worked at Argonne National Laboratory for the past 10 years in research and development of lithium ion batteries for transportation applications. His focus has been on materials evaluation and the scale up of batteries from coin cell level to xx3450/xx6395 pouch cells and 18650 can cell level. He has established the Electrode Library which consists of industrial quality capacity matched anodes and cathodes that are distributed to Universities, Industry and National Laboratories all over the world for research purposes. He has number of publications covering different aspects of lithium ion battery development and performance. For the past 2 years, Bryant has been the Deputy Director of the ReCell Center for Advanced Battery Recycling. The ReCell Center is a DOE funded program that is aimed at making the recycling of lithium ion batteries profitable. It is a collaboration between National Laboratories, Universities, and Industry. The center is currently working in four areas: Direct Cathode Recycling, Other Materials Recovery, Design for Sustainability, Modeling and Analysis. As Deputy Director along with 2 other executive committee members, we are responsible for overseeing the research, setting up the physical location of the Center and work with Industry to move technologies from the lab to them. Prior to coming to Argonne National Laboratory, Bryant has spent 10 years work in industry. He has spent 5 years working at a start-up company that manufactured sapphire for LED production. He also worked at a machine tool manufacture as a process engineer developing manufacturing processes for a number of different industries and on different materials. He holds a M.S. from Illinois Institute of Technology in Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering and a B.S. from Iowa State University in Ceramic Engineering.

As a Global Key Account Manager at EV Volumes, I leverage my background in automotive data and sales to drive strategic partnerships and deliver value to key clients. With a deep understanding of the evolving automotive landscape, particularly in the electric vehicle sector, I am dedicated to providing insights and solutions that empower my clients to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.

From 2002 - 2008, Wenzel Prochazka studied Mechanical Engineering for Mechatronics at the University of Graz in Austria and the Institute of Applied Sciences in Rouen, France. During his Ph.D. thesis at the University of Graz (Prof Sommitsch, TuGraz; Prof Winter, Meet Münster) from 2009 - 2013, he investigated aging mechanisms of lithium-ion cells for electrochemical aging modelling. Since 2007 he worked for vehicle thermal management at AVL. In 2010, he joined AVL’s Global Battery Competence Team. In 2013, he switched to his current position of Senior Product Manager for Battery Systems, responsible for global Business Development and Battery Strategy.

Max joined CRU in 2025 and is Head of Battery Technology and Costs. He started his career as a battery scientist working on novel materials and scaling production techniques. He previously led research and analysis at a leading market intelligence firm, covering full value chain analysts across battery and electric vehicle markets.

With more than 25 years of experience in business consultancy and management of chemical and advanced materials business in Belgium, Morocco, and China, Fabrice gained strong experience on strategy, M&A, manufacturing, marketing, finance, and innovation on high-growth new technology business. Prior joining AVICENNE in 2019, Fabrice was Chief Innovation Officer of the Prayon group. Over 10 years, he was in charge of the global R&D and innovation strategy based on sustainable major trends and declined on nutrition, water, precision farming, rare elements recovery, and energy. One of his core focus was the development of cathode materials. In this field, he earned a strong expertise on the battery value chain and served as COO of Belife, a joint venture with Umicore and as a director of Prayon Pulead Technology, a Chinese-based LFP manufacturer. He holds a master's in chemical engineering, a postgraduate diploma in business administration, an executive degree in tax law, and an executive master's in management.

Dr. Haijun Ruan is an Assistant Professor at Coventry University, and Visiting Researcher at Imperial College London. His research focuses on lithium-ion batteries, machine learning, and fuel cells, including modelling, thermal management, fast charging, diagnostics/prognostics, and lifetime extension, with >30 papers published. He sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Power and Energy, and acted as the guest editor for several journals, such as Frontiers in Energy Research and Energies.

Christian Ruediger is Managing Director & Founder of Chem4Batteries GmbH, a company which is transferring and applying Asian advanced battery technology into Europe. Before starting his own business, Christian worked for almost 15 years in the battery value chain as M&A and Commercial Director for Johnson Matthey Battery Materials and Head of Business Development Battery Solutions for SGL Carbon. During his studies of economics at University of Essen and chemistry at University of Münster, he worked for BASF and Evonik for several years. His daily motivation is driven by building new battery businesses towards a greener and safer world.

Piritta Salonen is Principal Scientist at Kemira, specializing in battery chemicals research. With nearly 10 years in battery investment projects and over 25 years in hydrometallurgy and electrochemistry, she has held various roles related to technology management, business development, and project management. Currently in Kemira’s Research and Innovation Center, she drives innovation for sustainable solutions throughout the battery value chain, connecting research with industry to address global challenges in battery materials and critical raw material recovery.

Christian Scheidler, a Graduate Computer Scientist (Diplom-Informatiker), now offers freelance services in the fields of continuing education, training, and consulting, following many years of work in various R&D areas at Mercedes-Benz. Since April 2022, he has been working as a freelance editor and designer, responsible for the design and implementation of the expert portal www.ev-portal.net in Berlin. The focus of this portal is on electromobility and a broad spectrum of future-oriented mobility concepts, encompassing both road and air. This includes key technologies such as lithium-ion cells and HV batteries for vehicles, as well as the topics of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). He also gives lectures on selected topics related to this mobility transformation. Prior to this, he significantly shaped the research and development landscape at Mercedes-Benz AG for many years. From 2008 to December 2019, he served for twelve years as a member of the MB Pre-Development Committee "E-Mobility & HV Battery" in Sindelfingen. In this critical role, he was instrumental in the planning and budget control of pre-development projects for e-mobility. A central component of this role was the preparation of decision-making documents for the Executive Board. During the period when Airbus Germany was integrated into Daimler-Benz (DASA/DaimlerChrysler Aerospace), he led a collaborative research project with the direct participation of Airbus. The project results were subsequently integrated into the Cabin Pressure Control System of the Airbus A380. He also held other key R&D positions. From 2010 to March 2022, he was responsible for the global planning and execution of Testing Quality Audits (TQA) at 1st-Tier control unit suppliers. Simultaneously, from 2007 to 2020, he coordinated the Mercedes-Benz Affiliated Institute at TU Berlin (DCAITI). In this role, he fostered the transfer of IT innovations into industrial application by supervising doctoral students in software engineering for automotive embedded systems and conducting research on the application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for model-based software development and testing. His career at Mercedes-Benz began in 1989 with Project Management for internal and publicly funded research projects.

Since 2017: Product Manager Electrification at AVL List GmbH – Global responsibility for product management and business development for traction battery module and pack development, as well as battery benchmarking. Background in mechanical engineering and business economics – studied at the University of Technology Graz, Austria and at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.

Michael Schoenleber studied electrical engineering at the KIT, Germany, where he focused on electrochemistry and system theory. At the end of his studies, he developed state and parameter estimation algorithms for Battery Management Systems at the Research & Technology Center of Robert Bosch LLC in Palo Alto, USA. Afterwards he returned to KIT and obtained his PhD, focusing on low-frequency impedance characterization of Lithium-Ion cells. In 2017 he co-founded the Batemo GmbH, which is specialized on creating physical, customer and cell specific, validated battery models. Dr. Schoenleber was awarded with the Siemens Energy Award for being the best student of electrical engineering at KIT of his year and with the Freudenberg Award for the best PhD thesis at KIT in 2017. He is co-inventor of two patents in the field of battery state estimation.

Simon Schwunk leads the battery modelling activities at Porsche.

Responsible for battery cells at Ferrari since 2019, oversees cell technical related topics in all projects. Holds a PhD in material sciences and engineering, has been working in the automotive industry for 7 years.

Dr. Tal Sholklapper has an extensive record of success as a cleantech engineer and entrepreneur. Prior to founding Voltaiq, he worked as the lead engineer on a DOE ARPA-E funded project at the CUNY Energy Institute, developing an ultra low-cost grid-scale battery. Before joining CUNY, Dr. Sholklapper co-founded Point Source Power, a low cost fuel-cell startup based on technology he developed while at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley, where he also did his graduate work in Materials Science and Engineering. As a Materials Postdoctoral Fellow at LBNL, he successfully led the transfer of lab-scale technology to industry partners.

Dr. Hauke Simon is an Director from the EYP Berlin office and the Lead of the EYP Battery Hub. He has more than 12 years of experience in consulting. He is the trusted advisor for enterprises along the entire battery value chain. Hauke is Chemist by education. He holds a PhD (Dr. rer. nat. from University of Münster), a Master of Science (focus on technical electrochemisty at TU Munich) and a Bachelor of Science (University of Göttingen) all in Chemistry. Prior to consulting, he focused on research on cathode material for lithium ion batteries at internationally renowned institutes among others in Munich, Singapore and Beijing.

Brian Sisk is CTO of Sepion Technologies, developer of innovative materials including size-selective coated separators and electrolyte systems for automotive and other applications where excellent fast charge and cycle life are paramount. Before joining Sepion, Brian was Senior Director of Energy Storage Systems for Rivian, where he developed the battery systems for the company's award-winning R1T truck, R1S SUV, and Electric Delivery Van. Brian also served as Vice President of Cell Product Development at A123 Systems where he launched NMC and LFP batteries with extreme charge rates for EV, mild-hybrid, and 12V applications. Brian has a PhD in Chemistry from California Institute of Technology.

Steve Sloop has pioneered comprehensive methods to improve safety and efficiency in recycling lithium-ion batteries and materials. These include deactivation of lithium-ion batteries to eliminate hazards in transportation and storage; electrolyte extraction; electrode harvesting and separation; and cathode-healingâ„¢, which is a direct method to reintroduce lithium, structure, and performance to scrap electrodes.

Dr Isaac Squires is CEO and Co-Founder of Polaron, an Imperial College London spin-out building AI systems for materials science. His work bridges AI and the physical sciences, focusing on accelerating the design of advanced materials for industries including energy storage. Isaac completed his PhD with Dr Sam Cooper in the TLDR group at Imperial College London, exploring the interface between AI and battery science, with publications spanning material characterisation, electrochemical modelling, and AI-driven design. He now leads Polaron’s mission to bring these technologies into industrial deployment.

Maximilian Stephan works as a research associate at the business unit Industrial Technologies at Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI in Karlsruhe. His work focuses on battery markets and value chain analysis as well as techno-economic assessment and battery innovation research. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the Institute of Business Chemistry in Münster. He finished his Master of Science in Karlsruhe after studying economics as well as business administration and engineering. During his studies, he worked as an intern at the Texas State Capitol in Austin and at Daimler AG and Daimler Truck AG.

Dr. Philip Stephenson is General Manager, PACCAR Technical Center. He has held this position since 2012. Dr. Stephenson leads teams responsible for advanced engineering, and is globally responsible for validation for PACCAR and its truck brands, Peterbilt, Kenworth and DAF. Before joining PACCAR, he worked as Director of Product Development and Engineering at A123 Systems where he led engineering teams in the US and Germany. Dr. Stephenson was also Chief Engineer for product development and validation at automotive supplier Behr in Michigan. His experience also includes 7 years with computational fluid dynamics software developers Fluent and CD-adapco Group, and diesel engine research experience at Daimler-Benz Research Institute in Stuttgart, Germany. Dr. Stephenson earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin (Engine Research Center) and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University.

Since joining Cambridge EnerTech in Feb 2024, Sarah has worked within the recycling, mining and mineral processing areas of the battery value chain. She has industry experience in power supply and conversion for clean energy applications, Li-ion battery cathode research, oil and gas and mineral processing. Sarah holds a PhD in Materials Science & Metallurgy from the University of Cambridge and a BEng in Mineral Engineering from the University of Leeds.

Dr. Dee Strand is Chief Scientific Officer at Wildcat Discovery Technologies. Dr. Strand has over twenty years of experience in materials research, development, and commercialization, primarily in the areas of energy storage and electronic applications. Prior to joining Wildcat in 2013, Dr. Strand served as a Research Fellow at Dow Chemical, where she was the technical lead in Dow Energy Materials, as well as the Principal Investigator on external research programs with universities and national labs on battery materials. Dr. Strand also has extensive experience in patent analysis and technical due diligence of new technologies. Dr. Strand completed her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, under the supervision of Professor John Schrag. Her Ph.D. research focused on rheology and birefringence of polymeric solutions.

Charles Stuyck obtained his Master of Science degree (MSc), in Energy at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) in 2009 and a Master in General Management one year later. In 2010 he joined Umicore. He completed several operations assignments within Electro-Optic Materials business unit, in Belgium and US. In 2014 he became Sales and Business Developments Manager within the Battery Recycling unit. In 2020 he moved to a Senior R&D Program Manager role for Rechargeable Battery Material Business Unit, leading large scale innovation programs across the cathode material value chain. Since June 2022, he is appointed Business Director for the Battery Recycling Business Unit, in charge of global supply, sales and business development, strategic roadmapping & partnerships.

Luke joined Fastmarkets in 2024, after working for five years developing direct recycling techniques for end-of-life commercial EV batteries. With a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of East Anglia and a PhD in Lithium-ion battery recycling from the University of Birmingham, Luke has a deep understanding of battery technology and chemistries. During that 5 years Luke also took secondments; working as a recycling consultant for Benchmark Minerals and as a research fellow working on the solvent free selective metal extraction from end-of-life cathodes.

Dr. Venkataraman Thangadurai is a full professor and Chair in Energy at the School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom. He is the inaugural Faraday Adjunct Professorial Fellow at the University of St Andrews. He is elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), Royal Society of Canada, and the Electrochemical Society (USA). He has published more than 260 peer-reviewed papers in journals (H-index of 69). He has received the Keith Laidler Award from the Canadian Chemical Society (CSC) in 2016 and Research Excellence Award in Materials Chemistry from CSC in 2021. Dr. Thangadurai is founder of two start-ups based on his lithium-ion electrolytes research. His current research activities include the discovery of novel solid-state electrolytes and electrodes for advanced batteries and fuel cells.

Shan is the BESS and Energy Research Lead at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, where he focuses on forecasting BESS battery demand and developing new models to better understand market trends and system pricing. He also leads the company’s energy outlook, which includes forecasting solar and wind capacity to help shape future energy planning. Shan has also worked extensively on developing Rho’s EV charging infrastructure coverage.

Jan Tytgat earned his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Leuven (Belgium). He has held several managerial positions at Umicore, including roles in laboratories, purchasing, and batter recycling. In 2012, he transitioned to Umicore’s Government Affairs department. Currently, as Senior Director of Government Affairs EU, he manages relations with public authorities on topics such as battery materials, raw materials, sustainable mobility, energy, trade, and recycling. Jan is the Vice-President of the Board of Recharge (the European Association for Advanced Rechargeable and Lithium Batteries), a member of the Board of EBRA (the European Battery Recycling Association), and a past chairman of the Trade Committee of European Metals (the decisive EU voice of non-ferrous metals producers and recyclers).

Dr. Kotub Uddin is a global leader in battery energy storage systems (BESS) and grid innovation, serving as Chief Engineer at Envision Energy and CTO of Velocita, Envision’s EPC focused European subsidiary. With over 15 years of experience across R&D, system integration, and strategic energy planning, Kotub plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of clean energy infrastructure. A published thought leader with 30+ technical papers, Kotub’s work has spanned from developing advanced VPP capabilities at OVO Energy to leading electric vehicle innovation at Jaguar Land Rover. His expertise lies at the intersection of technology and energy strategy—designing grid scale storage systems, defining technical standards, and enabling global renewable integration. His leadership spans end-to-end system design—from cell level engineering to grid integration—enabling BESS to not just store energy, but actively enhance grid reliability, flexibility, and market value through advanced controls, intelligent O&M, and strategic regulatory alignment.

Dr. Ulderico Ulissi is a manager in technology assessment and system analysis at 21C Lab, part of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL). Before, he worked in consulting and market research. He held technical roles as Battery Research Engineer at Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (technical lead for energy storage technologies, AMIEO region) and as Senior Scientist at OXIS Energy ltd. (technical manager and team lead, cell design of pre-A-Sample Li-S batteries). He was awarded his doctorate (chemistry) in 2017 from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany), and holds both BSc and MSc (industrial chemistry) from Sapienza, University of Rome (Italy). He authored several scientific publications, five patents and one book on energy storage technologies.

Tom Van Bellinghen founded Lithink in mid 2024 with a clear mission to provide strategic go-to-market advice in the battery field. Tapping into 15 years of experience in the battery field, Lithink’s focus is on supply chains, ESG matters, closed-loop flows, pCAM, CAM & battery quality, cross-border administrative processes involving metal hedging and complex negotiations. Tom Van Bellinghen joined Umicore in 2009 as the Marketing & Sales Director responsible for Umicore’s Rechargeable Battery Materials business. Under his leadership, the business expanded significantly, becoming a multi-billion dollar enterprise. As the industry shifted its focus from portable electronics to automotive applications, Tom pioneered a direct touch model between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and cathode manufacturers. This approach enhanced transparency, cost-efficiency, and sustainability within the battery ecosystem. Starting in 2019, Tom shifted his attention to managing relationships with automotive OEMs, effectively positioning Umicore as the leading cathode supplier. One of his notable achievements was the successful closure of a joint venture contract between Umicore and Volkswagen (Ionway, 3B$ investment).

Jard van Ingen is the CEO and co-founder of GetFocus. GetFocus built the world’s first technology forecasting platform, allowing R&D and innovation leaders to invest in winning technologies without the guesswork. GetFocus works with organizations like the US DoD, BASF, JLR, and NASA to forecast the technological future.

Electrical Engineer (University of Karlsruhe, today KIT); PhD in the field of modeling and development of control strategies for fuel cell systems (Fraunhofer ISE and University of Karlsruhe, today KIT); Since 03/2024 Energy Storage Chief Expert at Huawei Nuremberg Research Center; From 2017 to 02/2024 Head of Department “Electrical Energy Storage” and Coordinator of Business Unit “Electrical Energy Storage” at Fraunhofer ISE; From 2011 to 2016 Head of Department “PV Off-Grid Solutions and Battery System Technology” at Fraunhofer ISE; From 2005 to 2010 Head of Group “Off-Grid Power Supply”; Until 02/2024 Contact Person for Battery Systems at Fraunhofer Battery Alliance; From 2021 to 02/2024 Spokesman of R&D Advisory Board of German Energy Storage Systems Association (BVES); From 2022 to 02/2024 Member of Steering Committee and Technical Advisor of Working Group “Stationary Applications and Integration” of Batteries Europe / Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA)

Steven Visco is the Chief Executive Officer, CTO, and founder of PolyPlus Battery Company in Berkeley, California, as well as a Guest Scientist in the Materials Science Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Steven J. Visco currently holds 127 U.S. patents, more than 200 international patents and has authored over 80 journal articles, as well as books, monographs and other publications. Dr. Visco graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts in 1977 and received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Brown University in 1982. Dr. Visco then joined the staff at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a Principal Investigator in the Materials Sciences Division in 1984 where his research interests have included advanced batteries and fuel cells. Steven Visco co-founded PolyPlus Battery Company in 1991. In 2013 Dr. Visco was selected by the City of Berkeley for a “Visionary Award” for his work in next generation batteries. Steve also serves on the Technical Advisory the CIC Energigune Institute in Miñano, Spain and was awarded the 2011 International Battery Association Award for “Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Lithium-Air and Lithium-Water Batteries.” PolyPlus Battery Company was selected by TIME magazine for its 50 Best Inventions of 2011 Issue, and was selected for a Gold Edison Award in 2012. In May 2015 Dr. Visco was elected a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society.

Dr. Thomas Voland is a partner in Germany and has been advising national and international clients on several aspects of German, European and international regulatory law and compliance for approx. 20 years—with a particular focus on the automotive and infrastructure, technology, healthcare and industrial sectors. He has broad expertise in legal questions concerning batteries and raw materials. Moreover, he covers human rights and ESG issues, assists companies especially with disputes before the European and German courts, with transactions as well as with establishing appropriate compliance (governance) mechanisms and fulfilling disclosure obligations. Thomas is co-leading the Global ESG Board of Clifford Chance and the European ESG group. Moreover, he is a member of the Firm's automotive group. In addition to his work as a lawyer, Thomas is the author of numerous publications, especially on EU law, vehicle regulation, ESG topics, compliance and trade. He used to be a university lecturer for public international law and EU law.

Simon Voß is a battery expert and entrepreneur in electromobility. Until founding the engineering consultancy BETTERE he served as the managing director of the Electromobility Laboratory Electromobility Office at RWTH Aachen. With BETTERE he is now, together with his partners of the BETTERE Expert Network, supporting companies in battery production and development. His latest project, the BETTERE EXPEDITION, brings together key players in the European battery and electromobility industry to form a strong cooperation network.

Dragoljub did his chemistry studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina followed by a Master of Science in advanced materials in Grenoble and Darmstadt as part of the ERASMUS Mundus program. At TU Darmstadt Dragoljub finished his Ph.D. in 2018 on silicon-based anode materials and continued his career as a postdoc in the battery field. In 2019 he joined Mercedes-Benz Car Group as an expert in silicon-based anodes and helped establish lab activities for cell development and testing. In 2020 he took responsibility as a project and technical lead for the development of a high energy cell. Dragoljub currently leads the anode expert group responsible for anode development @ Mercedes. Dragoljub successfully established technology partnerships on the subject of new silicon material with two world-leading material suppliers to support his anode development work. Apart from work, Dragoljub enjoys spending his free time with family (two sons and wife) and friends. He enjoys mountains, hiking, and biking. Furthermore, he likes farming (driving a tractor) on his parent’s farm in Bosnia. At Daimler Truck Dragoljub is responsible for the in-house development of Lithium-ion cells.

Dr.-Ing. Marcel Weil finished his Ph.D. in 2004 at the Technical University of Darmstadt (IWAR-Institute). Since 2007, he has been a scientific Group Leader in Systems Analysis and Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA) for Emerging Technologies at the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and is a Principal Investigator for the German Helmholtz Technology, Innovation and Society program. Since 2011, he has headed a second working group at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm for Electrochemical Energy Storage (HIU), and also belongs to the Resources, Environment and Sustainability branch of KIT. Since 2019, Dr.-Ing. Weil has been a leading scientist of the new cluster of excellence for Post Lithium Storage (POLiS) and responsible for the topic sustainability. He has worked as a Research Topic Leader (2015-2020) for the Energy Storage and Grid program of the German Helmholtz Initiative, Energy System 2050, within the research topic of Life-Cycle-Oriented Sustainability Assessment. Since 2020, Dr.-Ing. Weil is heading up the new scientific unit at ITAS, Research for Sustainable Energy Technologies (RESET).

Uwe began his career at Daimler AG/Mercedes Benz, where he worked in research and development from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2007 to 2009. During that time, he contributed to NiMH battery technology and to the energy and battery management of Li-Ion systems, including Battery Management Systems. In 2006, Uwe joined Robert Bosch GmbH and participated in battery projects at the Hybrid Project House. From 2009 to 2016, he worked as the Senior Product Manager for Battery Technology at AVL List GmbH. Since 2017, Uwe has served as Managing Director of Sales & Business Development at Munich Electrification GmbH, where he applies his expertise to further developments in electrification technologies. His career reflects a commitment to innovation and excellence in the ever-evolving landscape of battery technology. MUNICH

Spent my formative years in regional Victoria, Australia, moving to study at Monash University in Melbourne and then continuing a tortuous journey working based in Melbourne and internationally. I've spent 5 years in the graphite sector starting in geology, research & development to product management and IP, then shifted into marketing. Co-authored over 10 patents and engaged with a very broad cross-section of markets. Currently Marketing Manager of Graphite concentrate, precursor and active materials across Americas & East Asia.

Martin Winter holds a professorship for “Materials Science, Energy and Electrochemistry” at Muenster University, Germany. He is a Director of the MEET Battery Research Center at Muenster University and of the Helmholtz-Institute Muenster (HI MS) “Ionics in Energy Storage”, a branch of Forschungszentrum Jülich. Martin Winter is the spokesperson of German Battery Research. He holds several president and chairmen positions in scientific societies and is the recipient of more than 50 awards and recognitions.

Nina Winterholler is Head of Battery Mechanics at Porsche AG, leading the development of mechanical architectures for high-voltage batteries across Porsche vehicle platforms. Her focus includes component design and the industrialization of production processes. Before joining Porsche, Nina held leadership positions at Mercedes-Benz AG and Deutsche Accumotive GmbH, where she managed the design of high-voltage battery systems and E/E integration.

Martin M. Winterkorn is the Director of Cobra Hardware at QuantumScape. In his past 7 years at the company, his main area of work has been the ceramic separator process and materials, in particular improving manufacturability and process speed. Martin holds PhD and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and a BSc in Physics from the University of Göttingen.

Craig currently serves as the General Manager of Cambridge EnerTech with primary responsibilities for scientific conference organization and program development within energy market sectors with conferences based in the United States, Asia, Australia and Europe. Prior to that and since 2014, Craig served as Executive Director of Conferences for Cambridge Enertech. Previously to joining CII and forming Cambridge EnerTech, Craig was the Founder and President of the Knowledge Foundation, a scientific conference and publishing company until it was acquired by CII in 2014. Additionally, Craig was a Director at IBC USA (now Informa), and has previous experience in conference development, publishing and technical marketing.

Dr. Jun Xu currently is an Associate Professor (tenured) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware (UD), and Director of Vehicle and Energy Safety Laboratory (VESL). Prior to his join at UD, Dr. Xu worked at UNC Charlotte as Assistant Professor and Associate Professor (tenured) from 2018-2023. Dr. Xu was appointed as the founding Director of the NC Battery Complexity, Autonomous Vehicle and Electrification (BATT CAVE) Research Center at UNC Charlotte. He obtained his PhD at Columbia University in 2014 (major in Environmental Engineering and Engineering mechanics). His research expertise sits in the electrochemo-mechanics-thermal coupled modeling and characterization of battery safety and advanced design and understanding of structures upon dynamic loading. So far, Dr. Xu and his students/postdocs have published more than 130 peer-reviewed journal papers, with citation of 5,900+, H-index=44.

Zi is a Principal Battery Engineer at Sora Aviation, leading the propulsion battery R&D and design integration for the Sora S-1 eVTOL aircraft. Zi has over 13 years of engineering experience having started at Dyson R&D, with the recent 5 years specialising in aerospace electrification and state-of-the-art battery development, including at Vertical Aerospace and Evolito. Zi has a bachelor first class degree in mechanical engineering and a master degree in sustainable energy engineering from University of Nottingham. Zi is also a chartered engineer with IMechE.

Dr. Jochen Zausch studied Physics at the University of Mainz (Germany) and earned his phd degree in the field of computational soft matter physics working with molecular dynamics methods. Afterwards, in 2009, he moved to the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics in Kaiserslautern to the department for Flow and Material Simulation where he started working on lithium ion battery modeling and the development of ITWM’s “Battery and Electrochemistry Simulation Tool BEST”. The Battery Modeling Group he is now heading is developing BEST even further to make it available in commercial software tools and to apply it in projects together with industrial and research partners. Besides his work on electrochemical modelling he has been active in recent years to adapt the department's competencies in complex rheology and structural mechanics simulation for cell production topics.

John is the CTO/CSO of Polypore International (Celgard)/Asahi Kasei. He received IBA (International Battery Association) Technology Award 2024 for his invention of Ceramic Coated Separator and Outstanding Contribution in Understanding of Internal Shorts Events of Li-ion Cells that lead the broad application of Ceramic Coated Separator (CCS). This technology has made a significant contribution to the evolution of humanity (SVP/CTO Panasonic). He is recognized as the leading authority on lithium-ion battery safety and separators. Through IEEE, he leads in establishing lithium-ion battery industry standards (P1625, P1725). John pioneered the Sulfide SSE with ~ 40 papers (1984-1991). He has chaired and/or organized more than 60 international conferences and delivered more than 120 invited keynote or plenary speeches at various international conferences. John has published more than 300 patents, papers, and books. John received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also attended Sloan School of MIT.

Jared joined SMM in 2020, with ~4 years experience in strategic consulting & market intelligence, and he especially focuses on the global new energy market. He has solid experience in new energy value chain, from upstream raw material to downstream EV/ESS & battery recycling. His expertise lays in the high-frequency market dynamics tracking, market sizing, transparency, & attractiveness assessment, leading companies benchmarking and operational excellence, market entry/growth strategy.

Dr. Ziebert earned his Diploma degree and his PhD in Physics from the Saarland University Saarbrücken, Germany. In 2002 he joined the Research Center Karlsruhe (now Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)). He has more than 18 years of international R&D experience in thin film technology, modelling and thermal characterisation of materials for energy systems and more than 60 peer-reviewed articles. Since 2011 his research is focused on electrochemical, thermal and safety characterization of Li-ion cells. He has been project leader in 5 projects related to electrochemical energy storage and from 2011-2013 he was the manager of the EERA Joint Programme on Energy Storage. Currently Dr. Ziebert is the leader of the group Batteries – Calorimetry and Safety and the head of the Calorimeter Center.

Changfu Zou is a Professor and PI of the Energy Systems and Optimal Control (eSOC) group at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. His research focuses on advanced modeling and automatic control of energy storage systems, particularly lithium-ion batteries. Much of his work is conducted in close collaboration with industry partners, such as Volvo, Scania, and ABB. As PI or Co-PI, he has received funding from the Swedish Research Council (including Starting Grant and Project Grant), European Commission, Swedish Energy Agency, Swedish Innovation Agency, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and others. Prof. Zou has been a recipient of recognitions, such as the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society (VTS) Best Vehicular Electronics Paper Award, IEEE TTE Prize Paper Award, IEEE VTS Climate Challenge Award, Nordic Energy Challenge Award, and selection to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA)’s 100 List. He has reviewed research grants for major funding agencies worldwide and serves on the editorial boards of several leading journals.

CTO and co-founder of BATTBELT. Dr. Ind. Eng. + 10 years of experience as researcher in Engineering & Material science. Energy, Renewables, and Automotive sectors.