Dr. Octavie Okamba-Diogo is High Performance Polymer Junior Expert at RENAULT GROUP.
She joined Renault Group in 2016 for material prescription of thermal engine parts. She is now responsible for Renault knowledge in high performance materials and their prescription. This activity is mainly related to EVs. She also manages innovation for lightweight of acoustic materials. Prior to that, she obtained a degree in Chemistry (Grenoble University) followed by Material Engineering studies (ENSICAEN). She defended a Ph-D in thermal oxidative degradation of polyamides (ARKEMA/PIMM Arts et metiers ParisTech). Mrs Okamba made a post doctoral work on radiolytic degradation of thermoset neutron shieldings (CEA/Areva). 

Franz Janson, Principal Product Development Engineer at TE CONNECTIVITY.

1996/1997 → Master Degree in Plastics - Darmstadt 
1997/2002 → Engineering AUT & GIC EMEA, Resin Expert, Resin Selection, CAE-MoldFlow-Prototyping, Introduction Material Database 
2003/2006 → AUTEMEA - Engineering Platform Design to Cost, IMDS Introduction, Resin Supplier Strategy 
2007/2013 → AUT EMEA - Advanced Engineering, Global Gatekeeper 
2014/2018 → AUT Global Resin Platfom - Introduction Resin Sharepoint, Owner Global AUT. Material Selection Tool 
2019/2022 → Global Engineering Resin Sharepoint, High Voltage Resin, Sustainability - CO2 Footprint for Resin - Digitalization - E Webinars

Onno Treur is Business Development Manager at SUKANO.

He leads the company in entering new markets such as Building and Construction and Consumer Durables & Industrials. Onno studied at the Technical University of Delft at the faculty of Aerospace Engineering, where he earned his master’s of science in the Materials Department, with major in the field of Composite Materials. Today, Onno has over 10 years of experience in the plastics industry in multinational companies. With his technical background and expertise in multiple segments, Onno supports our customers with customized masterbatch or compound solutions with a practical mind and out-of-the-box thinking.  Outside of work, Onno likes to spend time with his family and actively races in triathlons for a balanced and energetic life. So, when he is not talking about plastics, he is dedicated talking about swimming, cycling or running. Since moving to Switzerland, his family now also enjoys the Swiss alps and its winter sports offerings. 

Joachim Stricker is Technical Marketing/ Technical Market Development Manager at RADICI Plastics GmbH.

Mr. Stricker began his professional career in the automotive harness business. He worked for important companies in the area of manufacturing of harness components, serving in various positions: logistics and project manager, technical assistance manager and production manager.  After joining Radici Plastics GmbH – member of the RadiciGroup Plastics - in 2004 as regional sales manager he changed in 2007 to the “Application & Technical Service”.  Starting from 2009 his role was extended to “Marketing and Technical Service” becoming the “technical responsible” mainly for global customers in RadiciGroup Performance Plastics.  Since January 2019 Mr. Stricker has taken over the role of the “Focal Team Leader” regarding the marketing activities in Electric & Electronic industry in RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers.

Saskia Wiebel, Product Manager at BARLOG PLASTICS GmbH.

Saskia Wiebel studied industrial engineering at the Technical University of Cologne and has now been working at Barlog Plastics for 10 years. She started her time in sales and was a Key Account Manager for the sanitary sector. Since the beginning of this year she is responsible as a product manager for the products from the own production and here especially for the functionalized compounds. 

Klaus Rathberger is Managing Director at GEORG H. LUH GmbH.

Mr. Rathberger has been working in the field of mineral industrial raw materials for more than 20 years. The main focus of his activities has been the international sales and marketing of graphite. After his studies of natural sciences and several positions in sales and marketing, for 14 years he is now in place as managing director of LUH GmbH. 

In addition to managing the company, he is passionate in the continuously developing of graphite and graphite products in close cooperation with customers. 

Cécile Corriol is E&E R&D Product Manager at DOMO ENGINEERED MATERIALS.

Cecile gained a PhD in theoretical and computational chemistry at the University of Liverpool, England. After a post-doctoral fellowship in the same research area in San Sebastian (Spain), she decided to join a research lab in the private sector in France. Along her over 10 years work experience, she slowly moved from a theoretical world to a much more applicative one involving polyamides and flame retardants.

Since 2013 she oversees the technical development of new products to answer business’ needs. She is also in charge of partnerships with customers, suppliers, and external labs from a technical point of view. She watches over customer and plant support and finally is accountable of innovative technical developments on the long-term. 

Xavier Couillens is E&E Application Development Manager at DOMO ENGINEERED MATERIALS.

Xavier Couillens gained in 2000 a Ph. D in Inorganic Chemistry at the University Paul Sabatier of Toulouse, France. 

He then obtained a two-year post-doctorate Marie Curie fellowship from the European Community. He spent these two years in the Research & Development center of Rhodia Polyamide, developing innovative polyamide materials for the automotive market. 

He has spent almost 14 years in Research & Development in Italy & France, all on the development of sustainable flame retardant materials.

In 2018, he moved to a Marketing & Business Development position with the scope to capture new markets for halogen free flame retardant solutions. 

Adrian Kaminski is Product Line Manager at NEXEO Plastics.

Experienced manager with more than 20 years pf experience in the engineering polymers industry, mainly nylons. 

Zack Abu is Sales Manager at KINGFA Science & Technology (Europe) GmbH

Working in Kingfa in the last 7 years, and mainly focus on Europe market for E&E

Dr. Rob Janssen is Principal Scientist at DSM Engineering Materials.

Rob Janssen was trained as a physical chemist at the University of Wageningen and holds a Ph.D. from the Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e) in the area of Polymer Physics. After post-doctoral assignments at the University of Patras (molecular simulation with Doros Theodorou) and ETH Zürich (with Paul Smith), he transferred to the Corporate Research Center of DSM in Geleen (the Netherlands). Currently, he is a Principal Scientist for Functional Materials Properties within the business unit of DSM Engineering Materials. His work is mainly focused on building application insights (e.g. in fuel cell and battery operation ..) and the translation into to material properties programs (e.g. (di)electrics, stability...)

Andrea Meleddu is Technical & Commercial Manager at ASTARTE Strategies Srl.

Andrea Meleddu is co-founder and Technical/Commercial Manager for Astarte. The company offers R&D and consultancy services for technological innovation of industrial products and processes. Andrea is responsible for project management, business development and strategic networking. His technical background is on structural integrity, materials, fluid dynamics, experimental testing.

Dr. Amirhossein Abbasi is DC Domain Leader, Group R&D at NKT HV Cables AB.

Amirhossein Abbasi is a DC Domain leader in the NKT high voltage cables and holds a Ph.D. degree in high voltage engineering. He joined ABB High Voltage Cables in Karlskrona, Sweden in 2013 and became a part of NKT high voltage cables in 2017 after the acquisition of the ABB High Voltage Cables by NKT. He has been a specialist in the HVDC cable system, and he was involved in the development of world’s most powerful XLPE cable systems, the 525 kV and 640 kV systems. Currently, he is acting as a leader in the DC Domain, in the R&D group of NKT high voltage cables. Amirhossein is also a member of different international technical committees. 

Frank Gyppaz is Head of Fire Safety Engineering Service, Head of Fire Safety Systems Technoplatform at NEXANS.

Frank is working in the cable industry since more than 20 years being hired at the Nexans Research located at Lyon in 2002. For more than 17 years he has been managing a team developing innovative technologies, cable designs and a fire test lab accredited by the COFRAC and UL certified. He is also active in standardization committees being Co-Convenor of the CLC TC20 WG10. 
He is since few months the head of the Fire Safety Systems Technoplatform at Nexans, a role aimed at proposing fire solutions.

Dr Robert Sekula is Senior Principal Scientist at HITACHI Energy Research.

Robert Sekula is a graduate of AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow (1990), where in 1996 he obtained Ph.D. in Heat Engineering and Environmental Protection. In 2014 he earned habilitation (D.Sc. Eng.) in Chemical Technology at the Cracow University of Technology.  He has been working for ABB Corporate Research Centre in Krakow since 1997, where he held the position of Senior Principal Scientist and for many years worked as manager of the Group of Manufacturing, Mechanics and Material Science. Before joining ABB he was an assistant professor at the AGH Department of Heat Engineering and Environmental Protection. 
Currently he is Senior Principal Scientist at Hitachi Energy Research Center in Krakow.  Robert is author and co-author of over 30 granted patents and more than 100 scientific journal and conference publications devoted to heat engineering and combustion, environmental protection, thermal utilization of wastes, and processing of polymeric materials focusing on high voltage electrical insulation. Recently he is active in the area of additive manufacturing focusing on applications of polymeric and ceramic materials for application in various electrical products. 

Santiago Carreras, Technical Support and Development Engineer at ARKEMA.

Santiago graduated from Chimie Paris Tech and has more than 13 years experience in Oil and Chemical industries, in Research and Development and in Technical Support. 

He joined ARKEMA in 2019 and is in charge of market development and technical support for Rilsan® Fine Powders for Metal coating applications.

Dr. Azahara Albendiz, Senior Scientist at TDK Electronics Components.

Azahara was a very observant and curious child. Studying Chemical Engineering she learnt how to focus her passion. After her Ms. Sc. in 2009, she joined to TDK, where she managed 5 multidisciplinary projects (resins, plastics, surface treatments, corrosion and design) as part of her Industrial PhD that resulted in a published international patent. Today, she is a proactive scientist leading innovative projects to develop new technologies for film capacitors, and mother of two children and a cat.

Prof. Antti Keränen, CTO, Co-Founder of TACTOTEK.

Antti is the technology mastermind behind TactoTek structural electronics. His main responsibilities are developing and maintaining the IP portfolio, directing R&D innovation activities, and communicating the company technology vision and practical applications to the community. Antti has been a major contributor to the technology of in-mold electronics since 2005, when he joined the VTT printed electronics team. He is an Adjunct Professor of theoretical physics at the University of Oulu where he earned his PhD in 2002. Subsequently, he worked as a nuclear scientist at INFN, Italy, and as a Software Specialist for e.g. Nokia. 

Daniel Domke, Product Manager E-mobility at TE CONNECTIVITY.

As a HEMS Product Manager, I focus on alternative propulsion in industrial and commercial transportation (ICT). I had an early apprenticeship at a global OEM in the 1990s where I got deeply involved in the development and prototyping of hybrid or fuel cell vehicles. During this time I became acquainted with TE products and finally accepted a role at the company that was providing connectivity solutions for alternative propulsion architectures. I bring a strong technical understanding and innovative mindset to customer interactions, helping them choose the right connectivity solutions for their needs.

Eyal Eden, Plastics Application Lab Manager , ICL

Eyal Eden is the Plastics Lab Manager at ICL R&D Center for more than 10 years, focusing mainly on Flame Retardants and he has around 30 patents in this topic.  Prior to that, he worked in the Plastic Packaging Industry as Technical Engineer and Quality Control Manager for 15 years. 

Dr. Reiner Sauerwein is Head of Division R&D/Technical Service at NABALTEC AG.

He is a polymer chemist by education and started his industrial career in Technical Service. 
Since 2003 he has been holding several management positions within Nabaltec focusing on development, application technology, technical service and marketing & sales. Reiner’s main fields of technical expertise are in polymer compounding, formulation and stabilization with a focus on functionality by mineral fillers, especially flame retardancy.
 
In his current position he is also responsible for innovation & IP management and R&D co-operations.

Caolan Bushell is Vice President of Business Development at MERGON Group.

Caolan has over 18 years’ industry experience partnering with high profile automotive, industrial and medical device customers across Europe, North America and Asia.  In addition to key account management activities Caolan is responsible for identifying new profitable markets for Mergon Group to continue its growth as well as forging research collaborations with a number of third level institutions in Ireland including AMBER, DCU, UCD and TUS.  Caolan is a graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology and is a Director of the Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI), a member of the Industry Advisory Board for AMBER (Trinity College) and a former chair of the Sales & Marketing Working Group of the Irish Medtech Association

Elyes Guetif is Global Technical Lead at CONTINENTAL.

Global Technical Lead @CONTINENTAL - Jul 2018 - Present: Product Development of Turbo Charger CAC Systems, Project Management

Senior Application Engineer @CONTINENTAL - Oct 2012 - Jun 2018: Design of CAC Turbo Charger ducts

Product Development Manager @CONTINENTAL - Feb 2010 - Oct 2012: Product development at ContiTech China Rubber & Plastics Technology Ltd

• Build up R&D department with CAD/CFD and tests capabilities 
• Design of ducts for Turbo Charger systems to comply with requirements for very diverse passenger car and commercial vehicles applications, such as, for example, between the engine and the intercooler as well as between the intercooler and the throttle body.
• Business Development for Turbo charger ducts and Heating Cooling hoses 
• Project management and implementation of development process.