Program (Swiss time)
Tuesday 10 September
HG E7
- 8:00am – Doors Open
- 8:30am – Welcome & Opening Remarks
- 8:55am – Policy Keynotes
- 9:30am – Academic Insights
- 10:35am – Startup Pitch Session
- 10:55am – Industrial Insights
- 11:45am – Panel Discussion
- 12:15pm – Final Remarks
- 12:20pm – Networking Reception
Wednesday 11 September
HG E5
- 8:00am – Doors Open
- 8:30am – Opening Remarks
- 8:50am – Policy Keynotes
- 9:10am – Academic Insights
- 10:30am – Startup Pitch Session
- 10:50am – Industrial Insights
- 11:55am – Panel Discussion
- 12:25pm – Final Remarks
- 12:30pm – Farewell Reception
iCal / Outlook
Event start time
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Boston and New York
2:30AM -
Brazil
3:30AM -
China
2:30PM -
India
12:00PM -
Japan
3:30PM -
San Francisco
11:30PM -
Switzerland
8:30AM
Day 1
“Market Developments and Renewables”
Welcome
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Bio
Dr. Felix Moesner
Swiss Consul & CEO of Swissnex in JapanDr. Felix Moesner is the Science Consul of the Consulate of Switzerland & CEO of Swissnex in Japan. With a PhD in robotics, he graduated from ETH Zurich, University of Tokyo and MIT, Dr. Moesner acquired comprehensive experience in working with professionals of governmental, private and academic sectors in the economic superpowers US, Japan & China. Swissnex is the Swiss network for education, research and innovation and is committed to the exchange of knowledge, ideas and talents. From 2003-12, Dr. Moesner worked as Science Counsellor at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tokyo, continued as CEO of Swissnex in Boston & New York from 2012-2017 and CEO of Swissnex in China from 2017-2021. He worked for Credit Suisse Life Japan, Toshiba Corp., Kanagawa Academy of S&T, Synpulse & Egon Zehnder.
Opening Remarks
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Bio
Roger Dubach
Ambassador-DesignateRoger Dubach, born in 1974, studied Law at the University of Fribourg and Philosophy at the University of Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium). In 2003, he joined the diplomatic service of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and completed his training in Bern and Dakar. From 2004, he joined the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and was appointed in 2006 as a Diplomatic Advisor to the Director of the Federal Office for Energy. In this and his next function as Energy Counsellor at the Swiss Mission to the EU in Brussels from 2009, he acted as Technical Director of the electricity negotiations between Switzerland and the EU. In 2013, he was appointed as a Personal Advisor to the Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, and then as Chief Advisor and later Deputy Director of the Task Force for the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship. From 2016 to summer 2018, he served as Diplomatic Advisor on G20 issues in the Cabinet of the OECD Secretary-General in Paris, and was appointed by the Federal Council in August 2018 as an Ambassador and Deputy Director of the Directorate of International Law. -
Bio
Benoît Revaz
Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)Benoît Revaz has been Director of the SFOE since 2016. Prior to his current position, he held various management positions in Entreprises Electriques Fribourgeoises (now Group E), EOS Holding, Alpiq Holding and E-CUBE Strategy Consultants.
Policy Keynote
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Bio
Tatsuya Terazawa
Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Energy Economics, JapanTatsuya Terazawa has been Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan since July 2021. Before joining IEEJ, he supported the then Minister NISHIMURA as the Senior Advisor of the Cabinet Office to assist the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the formulation of the Growth Strategy including the Japanese Green New Deal. Earlier, he served at METI where he held leading positions including the Vice-Minister for International Affairs. In this role, he served the then PM Shinzo ABE. Through June 2011 to December 2012, he served the then PM Yoshihiko NODA as the Executive Secretary and assisted the Government to deal with the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. He is the Senior Specially Appointed Professor at the Tokyo University of Science.
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Bio
Prof. Philippe Thalmann
Associate Professor, Laboratory of Environmental and Urban Economics, EPFLBorn in Lausanne in 1963, of Lucerne origin and bilingual. He studied economics at the University of Lausanne, graduating with a degree in 1984 and a postgraduate diploma in 1986. After teaching at the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne, he was appointed Associate Professor of Economics at EPFL in 1994. His teaching and research activities cover the natural environment (environmental economics, climate economics, sustainable development economics) and the built environment (construction, real estate and housing economics). He heads the Laboratory of Urban and Environmental Economics (LEURE), which is attached to the Natural, Architectural and Built Environment Faculty (ENAC) of EPFL.
Academic Insights
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Bio
Prof. Dr. André Bardow
Full Professor for Energy and Process Systems Engineering at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH ZurichAndré Bardow has been full professor for Energy and Process Systems Engineering at ETH Zurich since 2020. Previously, he was a professor and head of the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics at RWTH Aachen University (2010-2020) and associate professor at TU Delft (2007-2010). He was also in part-time director of the Institute for Energy and Climate Research (IEK-10) at Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany (2017-2022). He was a visiting professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (2015/16). He earned his Ph.D. degree at RWTH Aachen University.
Prof. Bardow is a fellow of the Royal Chemical Society and chairs the Technical Committee for Thermodynamics of VDI – The Association of German Engineers. He received the Recent Innovative Contribution Award of the CAPE-Working Party of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) in 2019, and the PSE Model-Based Innovation (MBI) Prize by Process Systems Enterprise in 2018. He was the first recipient of the Covestro Science Award. In 2009, he received the Arnold-Eucken-Award of the VDI-Society for Chemical Engineering (GVC). He is the recipient of RWTH’s “FAMOS für Familie” award for family-friendly leadership, and of teaching awards at RWTH and TU Delft.
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Bio
Prof. Dr. Kazunari Sasaki
Senior Vice President and Distinguished Professor, Kyushu UniversityDr. Kazunari Sasaki was born in 1965. He graduated Tokyo Institute of Technology for bachelor and master degrees. He then joined Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH-Zürich), Switzerland, and received a Ph.D degree in 1993. After spending 10 years in Europe, at ETH and Max-Planck-Institute for Solid State Research in Germany, he became an Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University in 1999. He became a Professor of Faculty of Engineering in 2005.
He has been appointed as a Distinguished Professor of Kyushu University in 2011 for his outstanding contributions as a professor. He is a Senior Vice President of Kyushu University since 2016, Director of the Next-Generation Fuel Cell Research Center since 2012, and Director of the International Research Center for Hydrogen Energy since 2006. He is currently acting as a temporary member of Council for Science and Technology, Japanese Government, an associate member of Science Council of Japan, and a Vice President of Fukuoka Strategy Conference for Hydrogen Energy. He is currently the Chair of Hydrogen and Ammonia Policy Sub-Committee and the Chair of Decarbonized Fuel Policy Sub-Committee of the Japanese Government. His research areas are materials and process research on fuel cells and related electrochemical devices and systems. He is the leading researcher in hydrogen energy in Japan.
Startup Pitches
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Bio
Moritz Pill
Co-Founder, Borobotics GmbHBorobotics is developing a new generation of geothermal drills specifically designed for drilling in tight spaces like in urban areas. The drill makes geothermal energy more accessible and reduces costs for both drilling companies and end customers. Borobotics is a team of 8 people in Switzerland working on bringing geothermal energy to the mass market and accelerating the heat transition.
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Bio
Conradin Merk
Head of Group Strategy, BerevaBereva is a Belimo Group startup dedicated to the innovation of HVAC components, designing, manufacturing, and selling actuated valves for refrigerating circuits. The Bereva’s DNA contains the know-how developed by the Belimo Group in over 40 years of being a world leader in the control valve and fluid distribution systems market. Bereva’s mission is to produce the next generation of smart valves that improve the productivity, safety, energy consumption and duration of refrigerating systems.
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Bio
Koichi Masuda
Executive Relations Manager, EX-FusionEX-Fusion is a startup focused on building the world’s first laser fusion power plant. Based on the research and development from Osaka University’s Institute of Laser Engineering, EX-Fusion is using Japan’s own Fast Ignition method to build a 10-times more efficient laser fusion reaction compared to existing methods. EX-Fusion plans to demonstrate electricity production by 2030 and build a commercial fusion plant in the early 2040’s.
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Bio
Nana Hori
Founder, Tensor EnergyTensor Energy is a technology startup on a mission to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy. We help companies make the most out of their renewable energy assets, operationally and financially.
Industrial Insights
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Bio
Norbert Ruecker
Head of Economics & Next Generation Research Bank Julius Baer, ZurichNorbert Ruecker is Head of Economics & Next Generation Research at Bank Julius Baer. His analytical focus is on commodity markets and in particular energy. This includes the structural changes triggered by the energy transition from renewables to electric mobility, as part of the Next Generation thought leadership. Norbert Ruecker is a member of Julius Baer’s Responsible Investment Committee. He joined the Research department in 2006 after graduating in economics from the University of Zurich (Switzerland). He started as an equity analyst, specializing in clean energy and oil & gas, and has developed a deep knowledge of these areas through personal interest and university studies. Besides banking, he is engaged in a Swiss energy business association, acting as Chairman of the Energie-Cluster, and a Swiss foundation for African wildlife conservation.
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Bio
Andy Sommer
Head of Fundamental Energy Markets Analysis & Meteorology at Axpo Solutions AGSince more than 30 years in the energy business with experience as trader and analyst in all energy commodities
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Bio
Tadashi Yamamoto
Deputy Senior General Manager, Osaka GasMr. Tadashi Yamamoto currently serves as the Deputy Senior General Manager of the Energy Resources and Carbon Neutral Business Department. He began his career with Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. in 1992. From 2003 to 2006, he was the Deputy General Manager of the London Representative Office. He then served as Senior Vice President of Osaka Gas USA Corp. in Houston from 2014 to 2017. Since 2023, he has been in his current role, focusing on energy resources and carbon neutrality initiatives in Osaka.
Panel Discussion
Final Remarks
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Bio
Dr. Christian Schaffner
Executive Director of the Energy Science Center (ESC) of ETH ZurichSince September 2013, Christian Schaffner is the Executive Director of the Energy Science Center (ESC) of ETH Zurich in Switzerland. The ESC is an inter-disciplinary competence centre to promote energy research and teaching at ETH. It aims to facilitate the deployment of an environmentally friendly, reliable, low risk, economically viable and socially compatible sustainable energy system. Linking over fifty professors from eleven ETH Zurich departments, the ESC enhances cooperation between ETH Zurich, industry, government and society on energy related issues.
Before that, Christian Schaffner was with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy as head of the grid section, responsible for the development of a grid expansion strategy and a smart grid road-map. He was also involved in the bilateral negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union regarding a contract on energy supply. He received his M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering and his PhD degree in Electric Power Systems from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich in 1998 and 2004, respectively. In addition, he received a diploma in higher education teaching from the same institution in 1999.
Day 2
“Storage and Renewables”
Opening Remarks
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Bio
Dr. Joël Mesot
President of ETH ZurichJoël Mesot has been President of ETH Zurich since 2019. In this function, he chairs the Executive Board and bears legal and political responsibility for the university. Mesot studied originally physics at ETH Zurich, where he also obtained his doctorate with a thesis on high-temperature superconductors. He spent several years researching quantum materials, including at the Institut Laue-Langevin in France and at Argonne National Laboratory in the USA. In 2004, he became head of the shared Laboratory for Neutron Scattering of ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). In 2008, he was elected director of PSI and promoted to full professor. For his scientific achievements he received the IBM Prize of the Swiss Physical Society and the Latsis Prize from ETH Zurich. He is member of several advisory boards, among them the Swiss Innovation Park’s Foundation Board and the Governing Board CREATE (Singapore).
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Bio
Dr. Nagahiro Minato
President, Kyoto UniversityNagahiro Minato is the president of Kyoto University. Born in 1951, Minato holds the degree of doctor of medicine. His field of specialization is immunology. After completing his undergraduate education at Kyoto University’s faculty of Medicine in 1975, Minato served as a medical intern at the Kyoto University Hospital, an associate researcher at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (US), and an associate professor in the department of internal medicine of Jichi Medical University (Japan), before assuming a professorship in Kyoto University’s Faculty of Medicine in 1992. He was subsequently appointed as the dean of the Faculty and Graduate School of Medicine in 2010. In 2014, he was appointed as Kyoto University’s executive vice-president for strategy coordination, research, planning, and hospital administration, and additionally, in October 2017, as the university’s provost. His current appointment as president began in October 2020. He contributed to the development of checkpoint blockade cancer immunotherapy in collaboration with Dr. Tasuku Honjo, and he is the recipient of several prestigious accolades, including the Japanese Cancer Association CHAAO Award (2014) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Award for Drug Research and Development (2016).
Policy Keynote
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Bio
Kazushige Nobutani
Director-General, Kansai Bureau of METIAfter joining the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) in 1990, he has worked extensively on SME policy, trade policy, and environmental policy. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as Deputy Director-General for Environmental Affairs, Minister’s Secretariat, and President of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). He holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tokyo and Master of Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA.
Academic Insights
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Bio
Nathalie Casas
Head of Department of Energy, Mobility & Environment at EmpaNathalie Casas leads the Department of Energy, Mobility & Environment at Empa, where she focuses on strategic planning and collaboration. Her efforts enhance the department’s alignment with broader environmental goals through partnerships with government, industry, and academic institutions. Prior to her current role, Nathalie was the Head of Technology at Climeworks AG, where she played a crucial role in defining the technology and development strategies for next-generation direct air capture plants. Her work at Climeworks included leading the design and implementation of new testing facilities, ensuring the technological advancement and intellectual property protection of the company’s products, and coordinating various publicly funded projects. In addition to her responsibilities at Empa, Nathalie is a part-time member of the Federal Energy Research Commission (CORE), advising on national energy policies. She also serves on the Innovation Council of Innosuisse, where she helps steer public funding towards transformative environmental technologies.
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Bio
Prof. Dr. Benjamin McLellan
Professor, Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto UniversityProfessor Benjamin McLellan received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Queensland in 2007, worked as a post-doc and research fellow at the Sustainable Minerals Institute (UQ) until 2010, and then moved to Kyoto University`s Graduate School of Energy Science.
Ben`s research focuses on sustainability within the energy and resources sectors, with a particular interest in emerging resources and technologies. Recently, he has been involved in research on the topic of just transitions and stakeholder engagement for globally preferable solutions to energy and resources challenges. He has specifically been involved in research into the technical, environmental, economic and social implications of deep sea mining since 2014. This research has focused on identifying the relative impacts of DSM as compared to terrestrial mining. This research links to broader examination of the use of critical minerals (which can be sourced from the deep ocean) for clean energy technologies. He also examines other aspects of the energy-X-nexus (X being any other sector, e.g. water, minerals, land).
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Bio
Prof. Dr. Thomas J. Schmidt
Professor and Chair for Electrochemistry at ETH Zurich and Head of the Research Division Energy & Environment at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)Thomas J. Schmidt has been Professor and Chair for Electrochemistry at ETH Zurich since 2011 and Head of the Research Division Energy & Environment at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen (Switzerland) since 2018. Since 2023, he acts as Director of the Swiss Center of Excellence on NetZero Emissions. Between 2011 and 2017, he was Head of the Electrochemistry Laboratory at PSI. Prof. Schmidt was Director of the Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research (SCCER) Heat & Electricity Storage between 2014 and 2021.
He received his University Diploma in Chemistry from the University of Ulm/Germany in 1996 and his PhD in Chemistry from the same University in 2000. That same year he joined Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a Chemist Postdoctoral Fellow. During this period, he intensively studied the fundamentals of electrocatalysis of fuel cell reactions. He continued to work at Paul Scherrer Institut in Villigen/Switzerland on the development of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) using radiation-grafted membranes and on oxygen electrocatalysis with oxide containing catalysts. Since fall 2002, he was working in the industrial development of high temperature membrane electrode assemblies and its components (membranes, catalysts, electrodes) using polybenzimidazole based membranes at BASF Fuel Cell GmbH (formerly Pemeas GmbH). During these eight years in industries, Dr. Schmidt led the high-temperature MEA R&D activities as Director R&D.
In parallel since 2009, he has been working as lecturer for Physical Chemistry at Provadis School of International Management and Technology, University of Applied Sciences in Frankfurt/Germany.
He also holds an executive MBA degree from EPFL.Currently, Prof. Schmidt acts as Associate Editor of the Journal of the Electrochemcial Society.
In fall 2010, he received the Charles W. Tobias Young Investigator Award from the Electrochemical Society. He was awarded the Otto-Monsted Visiting Professorship at the Technical University of Denmark (Lyngby) in 2013. In 2019, he received the C.W. Schönbein Gold Medal from the European Fuel Cell Forum. He is an elected Fellow of the Electrochemcial Society (2019) and elected member of the Swiss Academy of Technical Science (2022).
Prof. Schmidt is member of the Swiss Energy Research Commission of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy and member of the Energy Commission of the Swiss Academies of Sciences.
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Bio
Prof. Dr. Vanessa Wood
Full Professor and the Vice President for Knowledge Transfer and Corporate Relations at ETH ZürichIn 2011 she was appointed professor in the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at ETH Zürich. Her research group is the Materials and Device Engineering Group. Since 2018 she has been the chair of the Institute for Electronics. From 2018 to 2020 she was also head of the department. In 2021 she was appointed Vice President for Knowledge Transfer and Corporate Relations.
She won the 2014 Science Prize in Electrochemistry endowed by BASF and Volkswagen Group, and the Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the Materials Research Society in 2018.
Vanessa Wood holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics from Yale University (2005), a master’s in electrical engineering and computer science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (2007), and a PhD in Electrical Engineering, MIT (2009).
Startup Pitches
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Bio
Moritz Futscher
Co-Founder & CEO, BTRYThe ETH Zürich and Empa spin-off BTRY aims to redefine energy storage with its solid-state batteries, offering high energy density and the capability to charge in just one minute. By leveraging thin-film technology and innovatively stacking these thin cells, BTRY ensures fast charging, high-energy storage, and customizable battery properties to meet diverse customer needs. Our solvent-free vacuum manufacturing process not only enhances performance but also prioritizes environmental sustainability by eliminating harmful substances and significantly reducing energy consumption.
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Bio
Aris Maroonian
Founder & CEO of NeologyNeology is an innovative startup based in Lausanne, Switzerland, focused on revolutionizing the hydrogen supply chain for hard-to-abate sectors. By leveraging ammonia as a hydrogen carrier, Neology addresses the complexities of hydrogen storage and distribution, providing a more efficient and scalable solution through its proprietary ammonia-to-hydrogen generation system. This technology aims to significantly reduce emissions and costs, positioning Neology as a key player in the transition to sustainable energy.
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Bio
Tadashi Kubo
Co-Founder & CEO, AC BiodeAC Biode is a cleantech startup with expertise in chemistry and material science. We are developing patented catalysts to decompose plastic waste into monomers or organic waste into hydrogen and other gases only at 200 degrees C. Within a few years, we aim to commercialize the technologies.
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Bio
Dr. Kenjiro Kimura
CSO & Representative Director, Integral Geometry Science IGSIGS is a Deep Tech company dedicated to solving human challenges by making the invisible visible through innovative technology. Our products include a nondestructive battery inspection system, microwave mammography and walk-through security system.
Industrial Insights
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Bio
Kenichi Fujino
Senior Executive Vice President, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.Kenichi Fujino has been Senior Executive Vice President of the Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., since June 2024.
After joining the Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., in April 1989, he took on increasingly significant roles within the company, particularly in the area of community energy and corporate sales. In June 2020, he was appointed Executive Officer of the Sales and Marketing Division.
Prior to assuming his current position, he served as President of the Kanden Realty & Development Co.,Ltd. for the past three years, the owner of the Umeda Shinmichi Bldg, where the Consulate of Switzerland in Osaka is located.
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Bio
Patrik Meli
Managing Director, MAN Energy Solutions Schweiz AGPatrik Meli, graduated with a BSc Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master Degree in Business Engineering, is Managing Director of MAN Energy Solutions Schweiz AG – one of the largest private industrial companies in the city of Zurich. With a focus on innovation, the traditional industrial company has developed into a high-tech enterprise. Patrik Meli previously held various management positions in engineering and, as Project Director, is responsible for pioneering technologies such as the world’s first underwater compressor “Åsgard” and the new MAN ETES energy management system. In addition to his functions at MAN, he is president of various associations in the field of industry and new energy systems.
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Bio
Tatsuo Ogawa
Executive Officer, Panasonic Holdings Corporation; Group Chief Technology Officer (Group CTO)Tatsuo Ogawa graduated from Osaka University’s School of Science with a degree in Chemistry in 1989. Starting his career at Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (now Panasonic Corporation), Ogawa has held numerous leadership roles. By 2017, he became the Director of Manufacturing Technology and Engineering, and in 2018, he was appointed Executive Officer in charge of Manufacturing Innovation, Quality Administration, and Environmental Affairs. Ogawa advanced to Vice President of the Automotive Company in 2019, overseeing Manufacturing and Logistics. He became the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in April 2021, responsible for Pharmaceutical Affairs. His role expanded in October 2021 to include Corporate Innovation & Venture Strategy. In December 2022, Tatsuo Ogawa was appointed Executive Officer and Group Chief Technology Officer (Group CTO) of Panasonic Holdings Corporation, handling technology, manufacturing, quality, environment, intellectual property, and customer service.
Panel Discussion
Final Remarks
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Bio
Prof. Adrian Altenburger
Head of Institute of Building Technology and Energy, School of Architecture and Engineering, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU)Prof. Adrian Altenburger has been Head of the Institute of Building Technology and Energy Lucerne University – School of Engineering and Architecture since 2015. Before he joined Electrowatt Engineering Ltd in Zurich/Switzerland and Bangkok/Thailand and he was Partner and Member of the Board of Directors at Amstein+Walthert Ltd in Zurich/Switzerland. Since joining the Academy in 2015, he has been strategically involved in various boards of directors such as Belimo AG, Willers Engineering AG, vyzn AG and Energie Wasser Bern. He was Vice President of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (SIA) and he is President of the Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV) and Member oft the Board at energie-cluster. In 2022 he joined Kyoto Institute of Technology and Swissnex Japan for a Sabbatical. During this time he helped to develop the idea for the Swiss Japan Energy Days.