Plenary Speakers 2025

The plenary speakers of this year's Aachen Colloquium will be published here bit by bit. Follow us also on LinkedIn so you don't miss anything.

Opening Plenary Session

Velusamy Ramasamy

President of Automotive Technology & Product Development at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

With over 28 years of experience, Velusamy has played a pivotal role in shaping Mahindra’s vehicle development strategy. His contributions include the development of the revolutionary M-Hawk engines, as well as leading the creation of Mahindra’s most iconic vehicles, such as the All-New Thar, XUV700, and Scorpio-N. As Joint Managing Director of Mahindra Electric Automobile Limited (MEAL), he is also at the forefront of Mahindra’s transition to electric mobility, having spearheaded the launch of their electric-origin SUV portfolio in 2024. Beyond Mahindra, Velusamy serves as Chairman of Mahindra Racing UK, a Board Member of PF Holdings B.V., and holds leadership roles in key automotive research and regulatory organizations. His strategic vision and deep technical expertise continue to set new benchmarks in the global automotive industry.

Emilio Scervo

CTO and Member of the Board, Bugatti Rimac

Emilio Scervo is a British-Italian engineer, holding a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Pisa University and an Executive MBA from SDA Bocconi in Milan. With a wealth of expertise spanning the aerospace and automotive luxury hypercar industries, Emilio has contributed to the development of iconic products, including the Ferrari 458, McLaren 720S, and McLaren Speedtail. In 2021, Emilio assumed the role of Board Member and Chief Technology Officer at Bugatti Rimac, where he leads the development of groundbreaking hypercars for both Bugatti and Rimac.Under his strategic guidance, Emilio oversees the evolution of product portfolio of both esteemed brands. His visionary leadership and instrumental role in shaping the long-term strategy position Bugatti Rimac as the preminent hypercar company, poised to set new standards in the global automotive landscape.

Start-Up Plenary Session

Sarah Fleischer

CEO & Co-Founder of tozero

Sarah Fleischer is CEO and Co-Founder of tozero GmbH – Europe’s first start-up dedicated to lithium-ion battery recycling. She focus on circular value chains and low-emission processes to return critical raw materials back into the supply chain.

Marcus Behrendt

Managing Partner at BMW i Ventures

Marcus Behrendt is the Managing Partner and CEO of BMW i Ventures, bringing over 25 years of expertise in the automotive industry to this leadership role. Before joining BMW i Ventures in 2018, he held various management positions in research and development at the BMW Group, served as Managing Director Europe for the U.S.-based market research company J.D. Power, and worked in several roles at another German automotive OEM, DaimlerChrysler.
Marcus holds a degree in Management and Engineering from the Technical University of Berlin and an Executive Degree in Venture Capital from the University of California, Berkeley – Haas School of Business.

 

Klaus Entenmann

CCO & Co-Founder of ExpectedIT

Klaus Entenmann is Co-Founder & CCO of ExpectedIT and former CEO of Daimler Financial Services, with extensive expertise in mobility finance and venture building.
He advises early-stage companies on scaling and strategy, combining corporate leadership experience with a start-up-driven mindset.

Peter Mertens

Executive Director of Mertens VC

Peter Mertens is Investor, advisor, and former CTO of Audi AG with decades of leadership experience in the global automotive industry. He supports mobility start-ups as a board member and strategic advisor, bridging the gap between corporate scale and start-up agility.

Closing Plenary Session

Gerrit Marx

CEO of CNH Industrial

As CEO of CNH, Gerrit Marx leads 40,000+ employees and oversees the Agriculture segment, driving global farming and construction solutions. He brings 25+ years of leadership across McKinsey, Daimler, Volkswagen China, Bain Capital, and Iveco Group, where he advanced connectivity and alternative propulsion. Gerrit Marx holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA from RWTH Aachen, and a PhD from Cologne. His focus: transformation, value creation, and tech-driven change.

Christian Oberwinkler

CTO of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeuge AG

Dr. Christian Oberwinkler has been CTO and board member at Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG since March 2023, overseeing technology and production for vehicles in extreme environments. Previously in leadership at Komptech, he focuses on sustainability, digitalization (including AI), and demographic change to ensure user-friendly, advanced, and future-ready products. He holds a doctorate in engineering and promotes openness to technology, alternative drives, and AI, aligning innovation with efficiency, resource conservation, and climate goals.

Martin von Hoyningen-Huene

Member of CLAAS Group Executive Board

Plenary Speakers 2024

Opening Plenary Session 2024

Dr. Sabine Klauke, CTO, Airbus
Dr. Holger Klein, CEO, ZF Group
Shunichi Inamijima, Corporate Vice President, Nissan
Ruiping Wang, CEO, Aurobay

Participants of the closing plenary discussion on the topic
"The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Automotive Applications"

Stephan Durach, Senior Vice President in the Connected Company Development, BMW
Prof. Dr. Ralf G. Herrtwich, Senior Director Automotive Software, NVIDIA
Nikolai Ardey, Exceutive Director, VW Group Innovation

Plenary Speakers 2023

Opening Plenary Session 2023

Arnd Franz, CEO, MAHLE GmbH
Gürcan Karakas, CEO, TOGG
Atsushi Ogawa, COO, Honda Motor R&D
Dr. Frederik Zohm, CTO, MAN Truck & Bus SE

Participants of the closing plenary discussion on the topic
"Sustainable Transport under ESG Perspective" 2023

Matthias Jurytko, CEO, Cellcentric
Dr. Peter Laier, Member of the Board, ZF Group
Dr. Gerrit Marx, CEO, IVECO Group

Plenary Speakers 2022