Speakers 2026

Dr. Bernhard Riegel completed his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart in 1994. Subsequently, he undertook several research stays, including at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, followed by a research stay at the University of Texas in Austin. From 1998 to 2000, he worked at the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research in Ulm, focusing on electrochemical storage technologies such as lead-acid and NiMH. Since 2001, he has been engaged in research and development at HOPPECKE Batterien GmbH & Co. KG. In 2003, he assumed the leadership of research and development for [...]

Ivan Ollivier has been serving as Head of R&D at Blue Solutions, a subsidiary of the Bolloré Group and the leading global manufacturer and designer of Solid Batteries, since April 2026. His mission is to accelerate the transition from research to product development, bringing the company's next generation SSB (GEN4) technology to the automotive market. With more than 30 years of experience, Ivan has built his career at the intersection of strategy, technology, and industrial execution. An expert in battery technologies and electrochemistry, he has led international teams, developed R&D organizations, and guided transformation and innovation projects in the automotive and [...]

Ilka von Dalwigk has spent her career at the intersection of industry transformation and European policy. As one of the driving forces behind the European Battery Alliance, Ilka helped turn a fragmented landscape into a coordinated industrial movement - shaping sustainability frameworks, strengthening supply chain resilience, and connecting innovators across borders. Her contribution to Europe’s battery value chain earned her the BEPA Battery Star Award in 2024. Today, as Director General of RECHARGE, she leads the association representing Europe’s advanced rechargeable and lithium battery industry. Her work focuses on responsible production, circularity, and the policies that will define Europe’s competitiveness in [...]

Mehdi Soleimanzade is a Researcher at Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE S.p.A.), Italy, specializing in advanced materials for energy storage systems. His research focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries and advanced electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries. He is currently the Task Leader of RSE’s Carbon Project, where he leads activities on the valorisation of biomass and industrial residues for the production of sustainable hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries, with collaboration of Italian industries and universities. His work aims to develop scalable, environmentally responsible battery materials that support next-generation energy storage technologies and circular [...]

Hendrik Walter is a Head of Department at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production FFB, where he and his team research current and future battery technologies, focusing on technology management, lifecycle engineering and direct scrap recycling, as well as industrialization and quality in battery cell production. He is pursuing his PhD investigating technical cleanliness in cell production. Hendrik joined Fraunhofer FFB in 2020 and holds an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration from RWTH Aachen University.

Dr. Biwei Xiao is currently a Full Professor at General Research Institute for Non-ferrous Metals, China. He is a director of the Chinese Materials Research Society. Dr. Xiao received his Ph.D degree from University of Western Ontario in Canada in 2017, followed by serving as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory of the United States’ Department of Energy, and was promoted to Materials Scientist in 2018. Dr. Xiao’s primary research lies in the development of high-performance materials for Li and Na-ion batteries as well as the industrialization of them. Dr. Xiao has published over 100 papers on journals [...]

Dion Wilde holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Material Science and Engineering from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). His expertise in battery technology began during his undergraduate studies and deepened with a focus on electrochemical battery simulation throughout his Master's program. Wilde's academic journey includes valuable research experiences at renowned institutions such as Fraunhofer (ICT, ITWM), Technical University of Brunswick (INES), and KIT (IAM-ET). As an Application Engineer at Gamma Technologies, Wilde leverages his extensive knowledge in battery simulation to support the transition to electrification. He specializes in supporting customers with advanced simulation techniques for battery swelling, calibration, and validation and [...]

Philipp Voss is a Research Associate at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production FFB and a PhD candidate at the Institute of Business Chemistry, University of Münster, in the group of Prof. Simon Lux. His work focuses on the techno-economic and environmental assessment of lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery technologies, as well as their scale-up toward industrial manufacturing. He holds a BSc in Chemistry and an MSc in Business Chemistry. His previous research and industry experience includes roles at Berkeley Lab, Fraunhofer ISI, and Northvolt.

Vincent is heading the Transition Minerals, Metals and Battery industry team within BNP Paribas’ Low Carbon Transition Group (LCTG).  The team has built a unique sectorial expertise within the battery value chain covering established companies and startups and providing advisory services, debt arranging and private placements. Vincent has over 20 years of banking expertise in Paris and New York. Vincent graduated from HEC and is a CFA charterholder.