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

Nicolai Ardey

Executive Director Volkswagen Group Innovation

After finishing his Diploma in mechanical engineering and his PHD in thermodynamicsat Technical University of Munich, Nikolai Ardey joined BMW powertrain developmentin 1998, where he gained several leading positions in combustion engine development,software development, powertrain integration and innovation and EV-powertrain.Furthermore, he expanded his scope to vehicle project management and whole vehicledevelopment. In 2017, Nikolai Ardey changed to AUDI as head of powertrain engineering.Since 2020 he leads Volkswagen Group Innovation, an international research teamsupporting all passenger car brands of the group in regard to sustainability, mobilityand digital platform innovations. As head of the IAV supervisory board, Nikolai Ardeycontributes to the development of the engineering supplier business since 2020.

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

Start-Ups in Mobility: Chances and Challenges

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.

 

Daniel Garnitz

CEO & Co-Founder of FAAREN

Daniel Garnitz is an experienced entrepreneur and specialist in innovative mobility and technology solutions. As CEO and co-founder of FAAREN Group, he built and successfully established the FAAREN marketplace, the largest car subscription marketplace in the DACH region in company with a leading SaaS platform for car subscriptions and flexible vehicle usage. With extensive expertise in founding, management, and venture capital, he actively supports the development of new business models and mentors startups as an investor and Limited Partner at Leap435. His career is shaped by deep knowledge in the digitalization of the automotive industry, building scalable software products, and the strategic expansion and scaling of companies within the mobility sector.

Lorenz Kopp

Chief of Staff, tozero

Lorenz Kopp is the Chief of Staff at tozero GmbH – Europe’s first start-up dedicated to lithium-ion battery recycling. Focused on circular value chains and low-emission processes to return critical raw materials back into the supply chain.

 

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

Sustainable Future in Industrial Applications

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.

Michael Kuhn

Vice President Development Vehicles at Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeuge AG

Michael Kuhn has been Vice President Development Vehicle and a member of the Executive Board at Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG since 2007. He serves as Chairman of the Working Group for Snow Grooming Vehicles within the DIN Standards Committee, shaping industry norms and technical standards. Within Kässbohrer, his previous positions include Head of Advanced Development, Head of Powertrain Engineering, and Head of Testing. He began his professional career at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) in Stuttgart. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) from the University of Stuttgart.

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