Speakers

Frédéric Aguesse is Business Development Manager at CIDETEC Energy Storage, a role he has held since 2021. He has over 15 years of experience in industrial and academic R&D focused on lithium-ion and post-lithium battery technologies. He received his PhD from Imperial College London in 2012 and later led research activities in advanced battery technologies, with expertise in solid-state batteries, solid electrolytes, and post-mortem analysis. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to more than 50 national and European R&D projects and industrial collaborations in electrochemical energy storage, and has been invited as a guest researcher at NIMS (Japan) and Argonne National Laboratory (USA)

Lee Allen is the Senior Strategic Markets Editor at Fastmarkets with ten years of experience of reporting on metal markets. He specialises in covering battery recycling and black mass pricing across the globe.

He has appeared on broadcast media including Sky News, BBC News and BBC Radio to provide insight into metal markets. He has also previously presented on scrap markets at conferences organized by the BIR, the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) and the Southeast Asian Iron and Steel Institute (SEAISI).

30+ years driving turnarounds across energy, mobility, and industrial sectors globally. Delivered $100M+ EBITDA improvement in 12 months at $1.5B company under stakeholder pressure. Built commercial operations across 70+ countries. Repositioned national fuel association to climate leadership during sector disruption.

Currently leading (contractor) commercial activities at Volklec Ltd (UK Battery Manufacturing), Chairman of Cling Systems (EV battery circularity) and Board Member of Ocean Harvesting Technologies (innovative wave power systems). Currently Stockholm-based, internationally mobile.

Dr Gyen Ming Angel is the Managing Director at Prosemino, the first lab-based venture studio focused on climate and energy startups.

Prosemino co-founds, invests in and builds climate & energy tech startups, taking them from concept through to seed investment in its labs in Canada Water, London. Its portfolio includes Sention Technologies (advanced battery diagnostics) and Redoxion (li-ion battery materials), alongside ventures in hydrogen electrolysers, supercapacitors, methane mitigation and beyond.

Balancing the roles of investor and builder, Gyen works closely with scientists and entrepreneurs to translate breakthrough research into scalable businesses. He oversees Prosemino’s venture team, supporting portfolio companies in technical development, commercial strategy, IP, and fundraising. Prior to Prosemino, he worked with startups across feasibility studies, product development, and early growth. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from University College London, where he focused on nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion applications.

Ruth Nic Aoidh is a visionary leader in automotive innovation, business transformation, and strategic leadership. As Director of Vehicle Programmes at Jaguar Land Rover, she is driving the company’s transition to electrification, leading JLR’s Energy Eco-System and shaping the brand’s electric future.

Previously, Ruth held a senior executive role at McLaren Automotive, reporting directly to the CEO and Executive Chairman. She oversaw core functions including Strategy, Purchasing, Legal, Commercial Partnerships, and Government Affairs. Her leadership extended beyond industry lines, including McLaren’s contributions to the UK’s Covid-19 Ventilator Challenge and vaccine support programme.

Ruth has addressed global audiences at the FT Future of the Car Summit and Bloomberg NEF, and appeared on Sky News, BBC, and Bloomberg. She was appointed to UK Government advisory roles including the DIT Trade Advisory Group and BEIS Automotive Council, where she influenced trade and industrial strategy.

Passionate about inclusion and grassroots sport, Ruth is Vice-Chair of Gael Londain GAA Club, a Paralympics Ireland Strategic Advisor, and a former interim CEO. She also supports SMEs through advisory directorships and served as a Non-Executive Director of the SMMT.

Ruth brings dynamic, purpose-driven leadership to every challenge, shaping the future of mobility and business.

Roger has over 30 years’ experience within the automotive arena – including Audi, Virgin, Volvo, Ricardo, Modec ZEV, Gibbs HSA, and London Taxis.

From salesman to regional manager to sales director to EV Industry consultant – for over a decade now Roger has been involved with hybrids and EV’s. Inevitably perhaps, renewable energy is now forming a ‘nexus’ with it.

Roger has been very active on LinkedIn since 2004 and enjoys engaging on a daily basis with a rich network of like-minded people all around the world.

Issam Baghdadi is a battery expert, founder and CEO of Kurybees, supporting battery startups and small businesses in developing advanced battery technologies through testing, modelling, sourcing, R&D and project setup. He previously held several battery engineering and leadership roles at Stellantis, including energy storage team leader, battery specialist and battery modelling engineer. Issam holds a Ph.D. in numerical modelling of lithium-ion battery ageing for automotive applications and has strong expertise in electrochemical, electrothermal, ageing and reliability modelling from cell to pack level. He is also an accredited Research Expert by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

Founder and CEO of Redoxion Limited. a UK-based start-up developing a 

western supply chain for LFP and LMFP. 

Co-founder and CTO of Faradion Limited – a UK-based start-up developing a  

high energy density Na-ion battery technology. Company was founded in 2011 

and was acquired my Reliance Industries Limited of India in 2022. 

PhD in solid-state electrochemistry from the University of Exeter, UK. In his  

early career worked at British Petroleum (BP) and spent time at the University  

of California, Santa Barbara, (UCSB). 

More than 30+ years in advanced battery research and development. Li-ion,  

Na-ion, Li-metal anode, Mg-batteries, Li2FeS2, Li//S, Li-silicon anode, Zn-air, All  

Solid-State Batteries (ASSB), Gel Li electrolytes, Conducting Polymers, Proton  

conductors. 

Worked with over 40 battery companies worldwide (multinationals, government  

labs, start-ups). 

1992 to 2005. Chief Scientist and Research Director at Valence Technology 

Inc. – the first company globally to introduce a commercial Graphite//LFP  

battery in 2002.  

Published extensively in LIB and NIB fields. 100+ technical publications (hindex = 66, >15,000 citations). 

Named inventor on more than 120 issued and 25 pending US battery patents.  

Inventor of the Carbothermal Reduction (CTR) manufacturing method – the  

industry-standard method for the low-cost synthesis of LiFePO4/C composites. 

Widely regarded as a pioneer of Na-ion battery technology 

IBA Technology Award (2012) for contributions to Li-ion battery materials. 

ECS Europe Alessandro Volta Medal 2022. 

2019 was appointed Honorary Professor within the School of Chemistry at the  

University of St. Andrews, UK.  

Member of the Faraday Institution Expert Pane 

Frederick is a Senior Analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence researching battery materials. His main areas of focus are lithium, nickel and battery recycling markets. 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. Before joining Benchmark, Frederick received his Master’s degree in Green Chemistry at Imperial College London. 

Simon Brailsford is Professional Services Manager at Relyence UK and has spent more than 30 years working with engineering organisations involved in the design, development and support of complex products and systems.

Throughout his career, Simon has helped companies across aerospace, defence, automotive, electronics, rail and medical devices implement reliability, risk and safety methodologies including FMEA, FRACAS, Fault Tree Analysis and Reliability Prediction. His work focuses on helping engineering teams improve decision-making, maintain traceability and capture valuable engineering knowledge that can be reused across future programmes.

With the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence across engineering software and workflows, Simon has developed a particular interest in how AI can support structured engineering activities without compromising accountability, transparency or engineering judgement. His session at Vehicle Electrification Expo explores where AI can add genuine value within safety-critical design processes and where responsibility must remain firmly with the engineer.

Dr Colin Herron CBE has worked in the automotive industry or associated with the industry for 53 years including 16 years in Engineering at Nissan. During 2009/11 played a significant role in the decision of Nissan to locate its LEAF and battery production in the UK. Worked in Industry, Public Sector, Further Education and Higher Education. The culmination of this activity was an appointment as a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to business and renewable energy.

Not a traditional academic but a person who has combined industrial experience with the public sector. Research area outside of developing a battery manufacturing ecosystem is the roll out of EV charging infrastructure, and the variables associated with it.

Oral evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee on Motoring of the Future and in 2021 gave written and Oral evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee on the role of batteries and fuel cells to achieve net zero.

Awarded the Faraday Institution first ever Lifetime Achievement award (2025) and the Battery Britain Lifetime Achievement award (2025). Visiting Professor at Newcastle University.

Now retired and currently assisting companies or individuals on a voluntary basis.

Dr. Halle Cheeseman serves as a Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) with a focus on batteries and other electrochemical devices.
Before ARPA-E, Dr. Cheeseman served as CTO & head of Research, Development & Engineering for two large battery companies, Exide Technologies and Spectrum Brands. Dr. Cheeseman directed R&D groups working on cutting-edge lithium ion and zinc-air batteries and re-envisioned lead-acid batteries. Dr. Cheeseman was a thought leader for multiple product categories, including high-power battery packs and chargers. Dr. Cheeseman also served as director for lithium-ion product development at Duracell, Inc., vice president of engineering and product development at Encell Technology, Inc., and an energy storage consultant at Energy Blues LLC.

Dr. Cheeseman received a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Chemistry and Materials Science and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Dr. Cheeseman’s Ph.D. focused on the corrosion and electrochemistry of rocket oxidizers.

Gemma is a senior commercial leader with over 15 years’ experience across the global chemicals and battery materials supply chain. She previously led lithium sourcing for Johnson Matthey’s Battery Materials business, securing long-term raw material partnerships to support the localisation of supply chains. As Chief Commercial Officer at Tees Valley Lithium, she now leads feedstock strategy and offtake partnerships for the UK’s first large-scale, independent lithium refinery, focused on enabling a secure and resilient domestic critical minerals supply chain.

I began my career as a factory apprentice working across all areas of a PCB factory. Over the next 12 years, I progressed through technical, production, and general management roles before founding my own PCB company in 1989. 

I sold in 2019 after growing to become a multi-site PCB business serving all technologies with revenues over $20m.  

Today, I am CEO of Jiva Materials, a start-up backed by investments. We have developed a biodegradable PCB substrate to reduce CO2 emissions and solve end-of-life recycling challenges. 

Other roles include Chairman of the Institute of Circuit Technology, mentor at University of Bath, School Governor, various NED roles, member of the European Institute of Printed Circuits and a regular conference speaker. 

I am passionate about work and value being part of a fast-changing industry. 

Eimear O’Carroll is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and co-founder of Lios. 

Trained as a physicist at The University of Edinburgh, Eimear co-invented Lios’ innovative noise reduction technologies. 

In her role as CTO, Eimear is the bridge between Lios’ customers and the product development team. Experienced in current industry requirements and upcoming regulatory and industrial changes, Eimear identifies commonalities in requirements from different industries and then examines how SoundBounce can solve those challenges. 

Eimear has previously spoken on the topic of advanced materials and their role in creating a sustainable future. She has been invited to share her insights at global events such as the International Automotive Show (IAA) in Germany and JEC World on the Women in Composites showcase. Her passion for creating better advanced materials and her unwavering commitment to innovation makes her a valuable asset to the industry and a leader in her field. 

linkedin.com/in/eimearocarroll 

Safi Fedaie is Market Segment Manager E-Mobility / Automotive at PFLITSCH GmbH & Co. KG, a German manufacturer of high-quality cable gland and cable entry solutions. In his role, he focuses on high-voltage applications in electric vehicles, commercial vehicles, buses and mobile machinery. 

With several years of experience in the automotive and e-mobility industry, Safi works closely with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and system manufacturers to support the development of safe, reliable and EMC-compliant cable entry concepts. His focus includes high-voltage cable glands, EMC shielding, sealing performance and application-specific solutions for demanding vehicle environments. 

At PFLITSCH, he supports customers from early concept discussions through to technical validation and series application, helping engineers find robust cable entry solutions for current and future e-mobility architectures. 

Professor Martin Freer joined the Faraday Institution as CEO in September 2024. He was previously Director of the Birmingham Energy Institute (BEI) at the University of Birmingham, a pan-discipline research centre. He also served as Director of the Energy Research Accelerator delivering a £200m programme to accelerate university research into regional, national and international impact linked to 1,400 researchers. Prior to that, Martin was Director of the Birmingham Centre for Nuclear Education and Research, which he established in 2010. Martin has co-led several policy commissions with the UK Government, including one that resulted in the creation of the Energy Innovation Zone in the West Midlands.

Martin is a nuclear physicist. His main research area is the study of the structure of light nuclei using nuclear reactions. He received the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Prize, Humboldt Foundation, in 2004 and the Rutherford Medal from the Institute of Physics in 2010.

Matteo, Head of Business Development at MIXACO, has over twenty years of experience in solid mixing processes across various industrial sectors, during which time he has built a strong network of business relationships. Coating, drying, reacting, and granulation are just a few of the results that can be achieved through a mixing process. He likes to find out more, with laboratory test trials. Exploring new application opportunities and meeting solids mixing enthusiast colleagues, are his favourite aspects of his role.

Dr Valentina Gentili is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience in lithium-ion battery innovation and automotive R&D. In June 2025 she was announced as the new Battery Innovation Programme Director at Innovate UK. Prior to this she was Vice President of Global R&D at Agratas and led international teams across the UK and India, advancing next-generation energy storage solutions and aligning technology strategy with commercial goals

She previously held senior roles at Jaguar Land Rover, driving battery technology development and strategic collaborations, and at Johnson Matthey, where she led electrochemical R&D and supported global OEMs in pioneering battery innovation. Valentina actively contributes to the UK’s energy strategy through advisory roles with the Faraday Institution, Faraday Battery Challenge and Automotive Council.

She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of St Andrews and an MBA from LUISS Business School.

Keri Goodwin is currently a Chief Technologist at CPI and has 15 years of materials chemistry research experience.  She received an MChem and PhD from the University of Edinburgh before beginning her career at CPI in 2009.  During this time she worked in the printable electronics division of CPI for 8 years and lead the electronic materials development team, publishing several papers and patents relating to this work.  This was primarily focused on organic semiconducting materials and formulation development for flexible display applications.  She now leads the battery materials and formulation development area as part of the National Formulation Centre, within CPI. Her expertise lies in materials development for electronic applications as well as optimisation of coatings and interfaces using a variety of depositon techniques, both solution and vacuum based.

Enzo Granzella – Education background, King’s College London, in geopolitics, geostrategy, security, and war studies. His role at the Critical Minerals Association as Senior Analyst involves working across a range of critical mineral commodities at various stages of the supply chain. He has experience in the development of various projects, inclusive of mining and midstream refining as well as downstream recycling and manufacturing within the rare earth element supply chain.

Adam Hardy is the founder of a specialist recruitment agency supporting engineering-led businesses across precision engineering, EV/battery, logistics, and defence, with 10 years’ experience helping companies build high-performing teams. 

Gert-Jan van der Have is a compliance and business development professional at DEKRA, specializing in battery testing, certification, and global market access for energy storage and e-mobility products. Based in the Netherlands, he serves as European account manager, supporting manufacturers in navigating international safety, performance, and regulatory requirements for batteries, battery energy storage systems (BESS), electric vehicles, and related technologies.

With more than 15 years of experience in the battery and recycling sectors, Gert-Jan has held leadership, consulting, and commercial roles across the battery value chain.

His expertise includes battery safety and performance testing, certification strategies, regulatory compliance, battery recycling, e-mobility, energy storage systems, and global product approvals. He is recognized for helping organizations bring innovative battery technologies to international markets while meeting stringent safety and quality standards.

Alasdair Heath is Director of Sales and Marketing at YOK Energy and Elite Battery Systems, where he leads global commercial strategy for advanced lithium battery solutions. With nearly a decade of experience at YOK Energy, he has progressed through roles including Global Account Manager and Sales Manager, developing a strong track record in delivering tailored power solutions across consumer, industrial, and medical sectors.

Alasdair specialises in helping organisations integrate reliable, high-performance battery technologies into their products, with a strong focus on customisation. He works closely with customers to demonstrate how a tailored battery design can often be a more efficient and cost-effective solution than off-the-shelf alternatives. His expertise spans international account management, market development, and the evolving landscape of lithium battery innovation.

As a speaker, he brings practical insight into the cost structure of the battery design process, including NRE and certification costs. He also provides a clear walkthrough of how Elite Battery Systems supports customers throughout the journey, with integrated expertise across sales, finance, logistics, marketing, and supply chain to ensure a streamlined and efficient development process.

Julian joined the APC in 2019 Automotive Transformation Director after over 31 years in the automotive industry, initially at Ford then over twenty years at Jaguar Land Rover, most recently as Globalisation Programmes Director where he was responsible for overseas industrialisation programmes.

Experiences in production operations management, industrial automation and controls development and senior roles in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering and Portfolio Programme Management, Corporate Business Office, Real Estate & Environmental Compliance were followed by international assignments in China and Brazil to establish joint ventures and overseas factories. He has been a passionate advocate for the UK automotive industry when dealing with overseas governments and agencies to promote bilateral investment and trade.

Deep business experience of managing change, business transformation and building new processes, operations, and programmes from the ground up, support his role as Automotive Transformation Director at the APC. Supporting the industrial transformation towards net zero, he is responsible for our Technology Trends and Business Development areas in addition to leading  delivery of the Automotive Transformation Fund and was a member of the Department of Business and Trade’s Critical Minerals Task & Finish Group until it completed.

Stephen Hughes is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Batri Ltd, leading technology development and strategic partnerships. He has been instrumental in the company’s growth, securing and delivering multiple UK government-funded programmes in advanced energy technologies. He currently leads international collaborations with Korean partners and an Automotive Propulsion Centre (APC) programme to scale Batri’s hard carbon anode material to tonne-per-day production. Focused on translating innovation into industrial reality, Stephen specialises in sodium-ion battery technology and the development of localised, low-impact supply chains. He is passionate about building and retaining technical skills to support long-term industry resilience.

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.

Nivedidha Kumaravelu is a Data Scientist at UKBIC, specialising in the application of machine learning and embedded systems within manufacturing environments. Her work applies data-driven and physics-informed models to link process conditions with product performance, enabling more consistent and reliable outcomes. She has experience across key production stages including mixing, coating, calendaring, and winding, working with manufacturing and sensor data to improve process performance and product quality, and contributes to the development of intelligent, data-enabled systems that support real-time insight and decision-making. With 5 years of experience across manufacturing, automotive, and motorsport industries, Nive has developed Physical AI driven solutions that connect data science with engineering applications to enhance product performance and system efficiency.

John is an electrochemist with 8 years’ experience in both academia (post-doctorate research) and in industry, with QinetiQ. His interests include intercalation (Li-ion) and conversion (Li-S, Al-S) materials and cell chemistries R&D, together with analytical techniques to probe fundamental cell mechanisms. More recently, he has focussed on the application of cell technologies into new markets through consultancy and market analysis, together with interest in developing UK capabilities.

David Leah is a Senior Automotive Analyst at CRU, an independent and leading market analysis and strategic advisory firm. He is responsible for CRU’s forecasts on automotive demand, supply, and electrification, with a focus on their impact on commodity markets.

David has around ten years of experience in the industry, working at several leading analysis firms. His work has focused on automotive forecasting, industry and material intensity trends, OEM and powertrain strategies, and electrification.

Darren Haines is a Master’s Via research student within the SESS research group at the University of South Wales, working at the forefront of medical battery innovation. With undergraduate degrees in Biology and Electrical Engineering and as a published author in Future Batteries, he brings a strong interdisciplinary perspective to healthcare energy challenges. Darren’s current research focuses on advancing next-generation power solutions for wearable and implantable biomedical devices, exploring improvements in miniaturization, flexibility, and biocompatibility. His work aims to develop innovative battery technologies that enhance patient outcomes and help shape the future of modern healthcare. 

Dr. Cyril Marino obtained a PhD on material science about the understanding of electrochemical phenomena for the conversion materials used as negative electrode for Li-ion batteries at Université Montpellier 2 (France) in 2012. He was pursuing in the field of research with one assistant professor position at Technische Universität München (Germany) and one scientist position at Paul Scherrer Institut to work on the understanding of high voltage cathode materials for Li-ion batteries and the development of Na-ion batteries. He joined SERMA TECHNOLOGIES in March 2019 and since 2024 he is managing the failure analysis division of batteries and energy system.

Dr Christian Marston is COO and co-founder of UK-based clean technology group Altilium.

Christian previously spent 13 years at global trading and investment company Sumitomo Corporation, where he managed several businesses units, including energy products trading. He has been based in Singapore and was responsible for energy trading in APAC for several commodity traders.

Christian has a Ph.D. in Materials Science and completed his post-doctoral research at the University of Southern California. He has an MBA from Edinburgh Business School.

In 2018-2019 he was part-time researcher in the Battery Group at the University of Exeter’s Renewable Energy Centre, focused on processes for battery recycling.

Altilium’s business is focused on building a sustainable domestic supply chain of low carbon battery raw materials from recycling existing waste streams, including old EV batteries and production scrap.

The company’s proprietary EcoCathode™ process has been independently validated and proven in a scaled-up pilot operation, recovering over 95% of cathode metals, and resulting in up to 74% lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to the use of virgin materials in battery cathode production, and 20% lower costs.

Robert Mitchell is responsible for leading translational research programmes with commercial focus and manages a portfolio of customer engagements delivering existing and next generation battery chemistries. Rob has secured significant funding >£5.4 million to support research initiatives and played a leading role in securing £12 million for a battery material scale up facility (AMBIC). Rob is currently a Principal Scientist at CPI, with 16 years professional experience, and develops people and capabilities to support technology scale-up.

John Moffat is the Founder and CEO of The Structural Battery Company, a UK deep-tech business developing structural energy systems for aerospace, defence, space and autonomous platforms. The company’s technology turns batteries from passive payload into load-bearing structure, helping platforms save mass, save volume and simplify integration. 

John previously served for 17 years as an officer in the Royal Marines before studying Advanced Motorsport Engineering at Cranfield University, where he developed the original concept behind The Structural Battery Company. The company has demonstrated structural battery technology in a heavy-lift UAV programme, is working on space applications through an ESA-funded project, and is commercialising its Drone Spine product for UAV, aerospace and defence markets. 

Jamie North is a senior manufacturing leader with expertise in building and scaling advanced manufacturing systems from the ground up. As Head of Global Manufacturing Engineering at Agratas, Jamie leads the end‑to‑end industrialisation of next‑generation cell technologies; spanning factory design, equipment strategy, automation and high‑volume process development. 

Since graduating form the University of Aberdeen with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering Jamie has held roles at Jaguar Land Rover and Agratas, working his way up from a Graduate Industrial Engineer to Global Head of Manufacturing Systems.  

Jamie is passionate about developing engineering talent, embedding a culture of continuous improvement, and accelerating the industrial transition to electrification. 

• 22 year veteran of the Lithium Ion battery industry
• Awarded an OBE (2020) from HM the Queen for long service to EV batteries and their development
• Multiple world firsts:
• Worlds first commercially available PHEV (2004)
• Highest power density battery in automotive on two occasion’s (Infiniti e-merge and McLaren P1)
• Worlds first 12 meter EV bus battery

Career History
• Multiple Senior Director positions in battery development:
• Consultant and expert on battery technology and supply chain
• Chief Strategy Officer at Britishvolt
• Engineering and Technology Director, Johnson Matthey Battery systems
• Engineering and Technology Director, Cummins Electrified Power
• Development Director UK Battery Industrialisation Centre
• Global battery specialist Ricardo Plc Hybrid and Electric Division
• 10 years running own start up business, battery system development
• Extensive experience in China and Japan working with CATARC, JAC, GAC,
Nissan and Subaru
• NED Offshore Wind Growth Partnership
• Board of trustees, The Faraday Institution
• Chair of funding Faraday Institution review panels for UK academic research (battery
research)
• UK Automotive Council working group member that established the need for battery
eco-systems in 2016
• Led Britishvolt negotiations with UK Gov for £100mn grant, part of cap raise team
raising £200mn in equity

Andy started his career as a 16-year-old Apprentice and then Project Engineer, before joining Austin Rover in 1986, culminating in his appointment to Chief Engineer for Transmission Engineering & Manufacturing. In 1991, Andy joined Nissan and held a succession of positions, including Program Director for Light Commercial Vehicles, Senior Vice-President, and Executive Vice-President before being appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2013.

​At Nissan, Andy is best remembered for transforming the product line-up, but was also responsible for Business Strategy and Product Planning, Global Sales & Marketing, IT and the company’s Electric Vehicle and Battery business. He was also Chairman of Infiniti. During this time in Japan, Andy was credited with pioneering ground-breaking technologies, including leading the development of the Nissan LEAF electric car.

​In October 2014, Andy was appointed CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda. At Aston Martin, Andy oversaw the launch of four core car models with nine derivatives, including the development and launch of the DBX, the company’s first foray into the growing Luxury SUV market.  This led to the company opening a new manufacturing facility in South Wales, UK. Andy’s time at Aston Martin coincided with unique business conditions, including navigating Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union and the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless he was also instrumental in moving the company towards a mid-engined car bloodline, with the creation of the Valkyrie to be launched late 2020.

In 2012, AutoExpress voted Andy into their Hall of Fame as the “Most Influential British Person in the Global Automotive Business” and in 2018, AutoExpress named him”Person of the Past 30 Years”.

​In 2021, Andy was appointed CEO and Executive Vice Chairman of electric bus maker. Switch Mobility (formerly Optare). Andy oversaw an investment in Switch that saw it valued at $1.8 billion, making it a unicorn. Andy made the decision to depart Switch in late 2022 to dedicate more time to a plurality of projects in the green automotive space.

Marc is an automotive industry expert of over 20 years’ experience with the UK’s largest automotive marketplace as well as four car manufacturers, specialising in the progress of electrification in the UK.

Using his research and insights background, Marc explores consumer attitudes – motivations and consideration, reasons for rejection and perception – with a particular focus on the electric transition. His work looks into different demographic groups and their propensity to consider, the differences between gender, affluence and age cohorts, and uses research to consider how progress can be accelerated.

Stephen Parker is the Vice President of Global Sales at Arbin Instruments, a manufacturer of high-precision battery testing systems. With over 15 years at the company, he has helped expand Arbin’s international presence, particularly in North America, Europe, and India. 

In 2016, Stephen relocated from Arbin’s U.S. headquarters to Munich, Germany, where he established the European sales and support office to improve customer engagement and responsiveness across the region. 

His work focuses on developing partnerships with battery developers, OEMs, and research institutions—helping align their testing needs with Arbin’s advanced solutions for next-generation battery technologies. 

Anselmo is a PhD researcher in robotics at the University of Birmingham specialising in robotic manipulation, automation, and intelligent control systems. His research focuses on enabling robots to perform complex physical tasks in unstructured environments through the integration of perception, planning, and advanced manipulation capabilities. He has experience developing robotic solutions for challenging industrial applications and is passionate about translating cutting-edge research into real-world technologies. His current work explores how robotic systems can address critical challenges in industrial sustainability and resource recovery.

Appointed in May 2004, Graeme is the founding CEO of Ilika. He has led the company through two rounds of venture funding, floated it on AIM in 2010 and supported its development through growth placings with high quality institutional investors.

Prior to joining Ilika, Graeme was Chief Operating Officer of a high-technology company in the Netherlands and before that worked internationally in a variety of technical and commercial roles for Shell. Graeme holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD business school in France. Graeme is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and a Sainsbury Management Fellow.

He has also held non-executive positions at Southampton Asset Management and at lithium miner Bacanora plc.

As Head of Energy Storage at CRU, Ed leads a team of analysts and researchers who provide techno-economic insights and forecasts on the global energy storage market, including bottom-up cost drivers, demand and technology trends.

A materials scientist by training, Ed has previously researched the synthesis and characterization of electro ceramic materials and systems, including solid oxide fuel cells, innovative solid-state battery current collectors, and high-voltage spinel cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Prior to his work at CRU, Ed completed a PhD in Chemical Engineering and obtained an MEng degree in Materials Science and Engineering both at the University of Sheffield.

Dr Temoc Rodriguez obtained his PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Cambridge. He is a chartered engineer and a fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology. He has worked in the field of power conversion for over 25 years, and he is currently global technical expert of electrified systems and leads R&D, innovation and strategy for electric propulsion at Ricardo. He is currently leading electrification developments in automotive, aerospace, and defence programs, including advanced battery systems, wide bandgap semiconductor propulsion inverters and highly integrated on-board chargers.

Co-founder and CEO of High Temperature Material Systems, Danilo leads our pursuit of innovative Ceramic Matrix Composite solutions designed for a variety of high-temperature environments. 

Danilo’s career includes a role as a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. Senior Consultant at Ricardo Strategic Consulting and worked on numerous projects over three years, including electrification in the automotive industry and strategic insights for engineering companies entering the aerospace sector.  

Danilo spent almost a decade at Rolls-Royce. He was a Project Manager in Strategy and Future Programmes overseeing full-scale development programmes for advanced composite fan systems, lean burn combustors, and high-temperature turbine materials. 

Danilo holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and a PhD in Aerospace Materials that focused on developing Ceramic Matrix Composites for Rolls-Royce plc.

Clayton Sampson has been working in the manufacturing industries for over 40 years and founded Cyan Tec in 2009. Cyan Tec fast is becoming go-to systems supplier for EV battery manufacture. The company supplies complex, precision automation and robotic solutions for advanced, high-value industrial sectors including automotive, aerospace, nuclear and defence. Expertise in the state-of-the-art technologies of component handling, precision laser welding and ablation, plasma processing, adhesive application and vision inspection, has enabled Cyan Tec to support battery developers from lab to pilot manufacture and on to full scale-up. Many electric vehicles are driving or flying today powered by battery packs constructed with Cyan Tec machines.

Ruth is a seasoned leader and innovator in the energy materials sector, with more than 14 years’ experience advancing innovative battery technologies from research to commercial impact.  

She leads AmpliSi, developing and scaling porous silicon anodes that significantly boost energy density and performance in lithium ion batteries – a transformative advancement for electric mobility and clean energy storage. Prior to this, Ruth was Director of Technology at Faradion, leading the technology development of advanced sodium-ion battery chemistries. She began her career with a PhD in solid state materials for energy applications from Imperial College London, where she developed technical expertise in the science underpinning next generation energy technologies. 

Martin Schmiedlin started his career as a project manager, establishing a solid foundation in direct sales, control systems and mechanical engineering. He then spent over 16 years as a senior project manager and salesperson at a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology. In this role, Martin gained deep expertise in areas such as GMP, metrology, automation, process automation, and solution selling, while managing key accounts and customer relations. For the past three years, he has served as Area Sales Manager at WAB-GROUP®, specialising in Process Technology Solutions for Mixing, Milling, and Flow Chemistry. In this role, Martin oversees sales across a diverse international portfolio of markets, including the UK, Ireland, India, Japan and Taiwan. 

Akhil leads Climate Tech for HSBC Commercial Banking in the UK, overseeing the division’s activities with companies that are aiming to deliver decarbonisation, climate management and circular economy solutions. He has extensive experience in financing from prior roles in large corporate relationship management and corporate finance advisory, and is focused on supporting the growth of Climate Tech companies in the UK. 

Dr Geetha Srinivasan is a Principal Scientist in R&D Chemistry at PETRONAS with over 23 years of international experience across industry and academia; currently also heading PETRONAS Research and Technology UK. She is a recognised leader in applied chemistry and energy‑transition technologies, providing strategic scientific leadership across chemistry, electrochemistry and chemical engineering to support decarbonisation, sustainable materials and energy transformation. Her work spans advanced batteries and solid‑state electrolytes, green hydrogen, specialty chemicals, contaminants removal and carbon‑reduction solutions, delivered through global academic and industrial partnerships. Dr Srinivasan has led more than 20 deployable technologies from molecular design to TRL6, authored over 77 peer‑reviewed publications, holds a substantial international patent portfolio, and has received multiple prestigious awards. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a strong advocate for talent development, diversity and inclusion, she is committed to translating fundamental science into real‑world technologies with meaningful industrial and societal impact. 

Richard is a visionary leader and entrepreneur at the forefront of the energy transition. As the CEO of Battery Britain, Founder of Green Lithium and Chairman of the Institute of Directors Natural Resource Group, he is driving positive change. Battery Britain is a unified deal-making platform uniting the UK Battery Supply Chain, and Green Lithium is pioneering the construction of the UK’s first lithium refinery. 

Tom Wadsworth serves as Director of Business Development at Ecobat Solutions, where he drives the company’s commercial strategy in the UK with a strong focus on securing lithium-ion battery feedstock for Ecobat’s recycling facilities. He also plays a key role in shaping and executing Ecobat’s UK strategy, developing new customer relationships, and supporting the marketing of the diverse products produced across Ecobat’s operations.

Tom brings more than 15 years of leadership experience in the global battery industry. His career spans North America, where he spent seven years, and the APAC region, where he spent over five. Before joining Ecobat, Tom held the role of Global Product Director at Li-Cycle, a leading critical materials recovery company. Earlier, he spent 12 years with Fujitsu in its battery manufacturing division, building deep expertise across product, operations, and international markets.

Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in Management from Leeds Beckett University.

Ben is the Deputy Director of the Battery Innovation Programme, a £452m programme to accelerate battery research and innovation. The programme focuses on developing a UK battery technology industry that is high tech, high value and high skill. It aims to make the UK a science superpower for batteries by supporting the UK’s world-class battery facilities. It is also growing innovative businesses that are developing the battery supply chains.  

The programme comprises three core elements:  

•  Business-led innovation delivered through Innovate UK 
  • Academic focused research and capability development at the Faraday Institution,  
  • Manufacturing scale-up and skills development at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.  

His responsibilities include supporting the Faraday Institution, programme delivery and development of the next phase of the programme.  

He originally trained as a chemist and has 20 years’ experience in sustainability, innovation and policy making.   

is currently the Deputy Challenge Director at Innovate UK for Transforming Foundation Industries. This £149m government funded programme aims to transform the UK’s foundation industries (composed of the glass, metals, cement, ceramics, chemicals and paper industries) to make them internationally competitive, secure more jobs throughout the UK, and grow the sector. He was responsible and accountable for inception, advocacy and development of the programme. He is now working closely with the Challenge Director to deliver the approved business case and delivery plan. This involves leading a team to deliver multi-million pound research and development competitions, setting up large academic institutions and partnering with private investment houses to crowd-in additional funding.   

In a previous role within Innovate UK, he was responsible for developing and implementing the advanced materials technology strategy for UK wealth creation. As a principal contact point within Innovate UK, and for UK government, provided advice and strategic position on advanced materials innovation.    

Before working at Innovate, he has nine years’ experience as a consultant focused on resource efficiency, policy, sustainable technology and innovation.  

He has a PhD in sustainable chemistry and hands on experience of innovation and commercialisation of university generated Intellectual Property.  

He has a busy home life with three young children and is active in the local community, coaching an under 11 football team and volunteering with the village Scout Group. 

Jason has over 30 years of commercial experience. Prior to joining us he was Commercial Director for Prodrive Advanced Technology where he had responsibility for business development, sales & marketing, and programme management, growing revenues through transitioning from smaller R&D projects to larger volume production programs that also included initial R&D.  

Prior to that he was Global President for Test Services at Ricardo Plc responsible for all Engineering, Commercial, Business Development, and Facilities including full P&L responsibility for the Global Test Business. Before joining Ricardo, Jason was Head of Motorsport Business at McLaren Applied Technologies, leading a team that more than doubled revenues within 3 years. Earlier in his career Jason spent 11 years in senior commercial roles at Cosworth Group specialising in combustion engine technology and electronic vehicle control architectures across both mechanical and electronic engineering domains, preceded by 9 years in medical technical instrumentation sales. Jason originally trained as an Electronics Engineer specialising in radio, and microwave technologies before transitioning into his commercial career.  

Dr Nick Welton is Technical Manager at Powdertech Surface Science, and has led the development of dielectric coating systems on major EV projects in the UK. He has a PhD in polymer chemistry and a recently awarded Fellowship from the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IoM3). For over 35 years Nick has been pushing the boundaries of surface treatments, within UK manufacturing sectors. His innovative work led to the creation of adhesive-free PowderBondPP, and he’s the inventor on six patents.

He has provided the surface finishing expertise on several research projects within the EV field – including the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s ALIVE project. In recent years he has led several dielectric coating development projects for major automotive OEMs and tier one suppliers. He has an unrivalled grasp on all the elements that contribute to a successful dielectric powder coating system. Simply put, he is the authority on aluminium surface finishing and dielectric coating in the UK.

Bill is the Global Director of Business Development for EV and BESS battery, working on sustainable gigafactory cooling worldwide. For over 25 years Bill has held executive positions, specifically in the electric vehicle & battery industry. Prior to joining BAC, he was at SEA Electric as VP of Sales, coordinating sales and training a dealer network for Volvo Mack and Hino Electric Trucks. As the Director Commercial Sales at Proterra, Inc. He focused on Zero Emissions Transportation solutions at all Airports, Universities and Corporations. Before joining Proterra, he spent 6 years, working on EV battery development, infrastructure for airports, workplace, and universities as well as smart city and DOE projects. Bill convinced Elon & the SpaceX team to install 30 level 1 chargers in their parking structure for employees. He has presented at multiple GigaFactory and Battery conferences, the Pentagon, Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Bill continues to be a passionate and knowledgeable, (“EVangelist”), spokesperson for the EV Industry.