Ramon Kuczera
SVP, Engineering
GKN Automotive
October 21 2025
* JOIN US FOR THE PRE-EVENT HAPPY HOUR on October 20, 2025 FROM 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
7:00 am – 8:00 am EST
Delegate Registration and Networking Breakfast
Sponsored by:
8:00 am – 8:10 am EST
Chair's Welcome and Opening Remarks
Manufacturing & Quality
Supply Chain
Design & Engineering
Scott Bodjack
Vehicle New Product Introduction
Tesla
8:10 am – 8:40 am EST
Keynote
Jean-Christophe Marchal
SVP, Manufacturing Division, Vehicle Process Engineering
Stellantis
Rethinking Innovation: From Concept to Production at Scale
- Creating an innovation framework that aligns R&D, engineering, and manufacturing
- Scaling breakthrough technologies such as SDVs, electrification, and sustainable materials
- Integrating supplier ecosystems early to reduce time-to-market and increase design flexibility
- Cultivating a culture of experimentation and speed within a traditionally process-heavy environment
8:40 am – 9:10 am EST
Plenary
Giorgio Lasagni
Chief Procurement Officer
Aston Martin
Redefining Procurement: Driving Agility, Sustainability, and Innovation
- Enhancing supply chain resilience through strategic sourcing and risk mitigation in a volatile global market
- Leveraging digital procurement, AI, and data-driven decision-making to optimize costs and streamline operations
- Building sustainable and ethical supplier partnerships to meet ESG goals and regulatory requirements
- Balancing luxury, performance, and supply chain efficiency to drive long-term value and competitive advantage
9:10 am – 9:40 am EST
Plenary
Speaker TBA
Turntide Technologies
Accelerating Electrification at Scale: Powertrain Innovation for a Sustainable Future
- Developing modular, integrated EV powertrain systems to reduce complexity and accelerate time-to-market
- Advancing motor, inverter, thermal, and energy storage technologies to meet next-gen efficiency and performance demands
- Enabling scalable electrification through flexible architectures and OEM-aligned engineering
- Supporting sustainability goals with high-efficiency systems that reduce energy consumption and operational emissions
9:45 am – 11:25 am EST
Refreshments, Networking, and Pre-Arranged 1-2-1 Meetings
11:30 am – 12:00 pm EST
Sessions
Manufacturing & Quality
Meredith Westafer
Director, Factory Design
Tesla
Next-Generation Automation: Transforming Material Flow in Automotive Manufacturing
- Overcoming complexities in automating highly variable parts and packaging
- Deploying AI-driven robotics for smarter, more efficient trailer unloading and warehouse management
- Enhancing operational resilience through real-time tracking and predictive analytics in material handling
- Maximizing ROI with flexible automation solutions tailored for high-mix, high-volume production environments
Supply Chain
Chris Styles
VP, Supply Chain Management
Nissan North America Inc.
Optimizing Manufacturing and Supply Chain Operations for Resilience and Efficiency in a Dynamic Global Market
- Strategies to build resilience across North American manufacturing and supply chain operations
- Balancing quality and output to meet market demands and maintain operational excellence
- Leveraging advanced technology for improved efficiency and streamlined production processes
- Navigating the challenges of supply chain fluctuations in North American and South American regions
- Building a people-centered leadership approach to foster growth and innovation in manufacturing
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
Douglas Cantriel
Head Executive, North American Transportation and Modernization
Ford
Fireside Chat: The Future of Automotive Supply Chains – Innovation, Resilience, and Efficiency
- Strategic modernization initiatives to drive agility, cost reduction, and operational excellence
- Leveraging AI, predictive analytics, and automation for smarter supply chain decision-making
- Case study on achieving multimillion-dollar cost savings through digital transformation and process optimization
- Enhancing last-mile delivery, supplier collaboration, and real-time visibility for a more resilient global supply chain
- Future-proofing supply chains with emerging technologies and sustainability-driven innovations
12:05 pm – 12:40 pm EST
Workshops
Room 1
Speaker TBA
Sigmetrix
Innovation with Cloud Computing and Edge Technologies
- Integrating cloud platforms to scale connected vehicle capabilities
- Enhancing real-time data processing and analytics with edge computing
- Securing automotive cloud ecosystems against emerging cyber threats
Room 2
Speaker TBA
Neo4j
Revolutionizing Production with AI and Advanced Robotics
- Leveraging AI for predictive maintenance and manufacturing optimization
- Adopting robotics and automation to enhance productivity on the factory floor
- Improving quality control through machine learning-driven inspections
Room 3
Speaker TBA
L2L
Unlocking the Potential of Digital Twins for Smarter Automotive Development
- Using digital twins to streamline product design and prototyping
- Enhancing vehicle performance predictions and reducing development cycles
- Applying virtual testing to reduce costs and accelerate innovation
12:45 pm – 1:45 pm EST
Lunch & Learn Roundtable Discussions and Open Seating Lunch
Doug Erwin
CEO
ChainLink SRM
Breaking the Supply Chain Visibility Barrier: Achieving Supply Chain Resilience and Agility with ChainLink SRM
Speaker TBA
Sigmetrix
Advanced Manufacturing: Streamlining Production with Generative AI
Matt Besselsen
Solution Consultant
Anaplan
Supply Chain Resilience: Can You Thrive Amid Global Disruption?
Speaker TBA
Vector
Next-Gen Batteries: Accelerating Automotive Electrification
Jo-Elsa Jordan
Business Manager
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
State Incentives & Workforce Solutions for Automotive
Greg Boschetti
Director, Enterprise Sales
Squint
The Frontline Fix: How To Empower Operators to Fix Downtime
Speaker TBA
Musashi AI North America
Predict Pivot Perform a Resilient Data Driven Supply Chain
James Howard
VP, Business Development - Automotive
GXO
Digital Twin Driven Vehicle Innovation
Speaker TBA
Cloudera
Zero-Defect Fast Lane: Using AI Vision to Drive First-Pass Quality on Mixed-Model Lines
1:50 pm – 2:20 pm EST
Sessions
Manufacturing & Quality
Anna Schneider
SVP, Industry-Government Relations
Volkswagen
Developing the Next Generation of Automotive Talent
- Strategies for attracting, retaining, and upskilling talent in a rapidly evolving industry
- Aligning workforce development with electrification, automation, and digital transformation
- Building strong public-private partnerships to bridge skills gaps and drive industry growth
- Cultivating a culture of continuous learning, leadership development, and innovation to future-proof the workforce
Supply Chain
Ganesh Iyer
Chief Technology Officer, Head of MiNDCAN
Martinrea International
Unlocking Cost Efficiency and Resilience in the Automotive Supply Chain
- Driving cost efficiency and resilience amid rising costs, supply chain constraints, and labor shortages
- Leveraging AI, predictive analytics, and real-time data to enhance supply chain visibility and cost control
- Institutionalizing a scalable and sustainable cost-saving culture across global, cross-functional teams
- Implementing next-gen supplier collaboration and digital procurement strategies to drive profitability and agility
Design & Engineering
Tsutomi Wakitani
VP, Executive Chief Engineer
Honda
Harnessing AI, IoT & Autonomous Machines to solve the industrial challenges
- How demographic trends and work conditions are creating critical manpower gaps and the need for safe alternatives to manual labor
- How AI enables autonomous recognition of tasks and decision-making on job sites
- Cloud connection for task execution in different environments, and the seamless integration of the Honda Solution Systems into existing work operations
- AWM/MWM system for the L&G industry
- Next hurdles: rich-environment perception, cost and market recognition, before wider roll-out across the industries
2:25 pm – 2:55 pm EST
Workshops
Room 1
Speaker TBA
Overview
Unlocking Manufacturing with Additive & Digital Technologies
- Expanding the role of 3D printing, 3D scanning, and metal additive manufacturing in automotive production
- Enhancing manufacturing flexibility and cost efficiency through composite additive manufacturing and on-demand production
- Leveraging AI-driven predictive analytics and machine vision solutions for quality assurance and process optimization
- Case study on reducing lead times and material waste through advanced additive manufacturing solutions
Room 2
Doug Erwin
CEO
ChainLink SRM
Take Back Your Supply Chain: Leveraging True Visibility, Predictive Intelligence, and Process Automation to Manage Your Supply Chain Proactively
- See issues before they escalate with real-time, supplier-supplied data
- Anticipate risks and disruptions before they impact your bottom line
- Trigger the right actions instantly with smart, structured workflows
- Reducing manual intervention, saving time, and restoring your sanity
Room 3
Annalise Suzuki
COO
Elysium Inc
Reduce Time-to-Market by Elevating 3D Digital Workflows
- Recognize pitfalls critical to production deadlines
- Understand the impact of digital product data quality
- See industry case studies of automating quality CAD translations
- See demonstrations of technology applied
3:00 pm – 4:20 pm EST
Happy Hour, Networking and Pre-Arranged 1-2-1 Meetings
4:25 pm – 4:55 pm EST
Sessions
Manufacturing & Quality
Gabriel Alonso
SVP, Corporate Production Management
ZF Group
How Can Automotive Manufacturers Leverage Industry 4.0 to Drive Efficiency and Innovation?
- Utilizing real-time analytics to enhance production agility and operational excellence
- Adopting advanced manufacturing techniques to maximize output and minimize costs
- Aligning global industrial strategies with lean principles for sustainable competitive advantage
- Developing agile teams capable of responding rapidly to evolving market demands
Supply Chain
Steven Warrick
VP, Product Line Management
Volkswagen Group of America
Fireside Chat: Smart Bets in a Shifting Auto Game – How VW Prioritizes Tech, Capital, and Competitive Moves
- Simple signals Volkswagen uses to spot real trends (battery breakthroughs, AI copilots, supply-chain shocks) versus short-lived hype
- Scoring every new feature or model against risk, return, and brand fit before committing R&D dollars
- Fast pivots without waste: modular platforms, shared electronic backbones, and flexible supplier contracts that let teams switch course mid-cycle
- Clear kill-criteria, upfront exit costs, and one page of metrics that keep finance, engineering, and exec leadership in lock-step
Design & Engineering
Arnd Herwig
VP, Engineering
Brose
Driving Sustainability Forward: Rethinking Polymers and Materials for Next-Gen Automotive Performance
- Innovating sustainable polymers to reduce environmental impact across vehicle platforms
- Integrating lifecycle assessments to balance performance, sustainability, and cost efficiency
- Leveraging digital engineering to optimize material selection for ICE and electric vehicle applications
- Strategies for achieving ambitious carbon-neutrality goals through material innovation and lean manufacturing
- Building industry partnerships to accelerate sustainable practices and continuous innovation
5:00 pm – 5:30 pm EST
Sessions
Room 1
Mandar Hazare
F1 Performance Engineering Lead, GM Motorsports
Cadillac Formula 1 Team, GM
High-Performance People: Building Team Cultures That Win on Track and in the Plant
- Balance grind + recovery by giving line and track teams clear goals, quick feedback loops, and scheduled downtime
- Onboard new talent—power-unit, aero, body-shop, or battery tech—and have them contributing inside 90 days
- Borrow the race-day routine: 10-minute stand-ups and rapid “red-tag” checks that halve trouble-shooting time on the factory floor
- Measure what really matters: first-pass quality, fix-cycle speed, and team energy—not just lap times or units built
5:30 pm – 6:15 pm EST
Panel Discussion
Peipei Zhao
President, North American
RoboSense
Abhijit Supekar
Senior Director, Global Supply Chain
AevaTammer Jarjoura
VP, Portfolio, ADAS Camera
ZF Group
Harsha Badarinarayan
VP, Advanced Engineering
Astemo
Dushyant Wadivkar
VP, Global Head, AD/ADAS
Woven by Toyota
Travis Hester
VP, Advanced Vehicle Development
General Motors
Navigating the Shift from Semi-Autonomous to Fully Autonomous Vehicles
- Driving innovation across teams to support the shift toward autonomous vehicle capabilities
- Exploring how companies are prioritizing investments in autonomy across product and operations
- Navigating safety, ethics, and regulatory considerations impacting the rollout of new technology
- Aligning cross-functional strategies between engineering, supply chain, and executive leadership
- Overcoming sourcing and production challenges slowing autonomous vehicle development
- Shaping the future of mobility through collaboration, partnerships, and long-term planning
6:15 pm – 6:25 pm EST
Chair's closing remarks
Manufacturing & Quality
Ramon Kuczera
SVP, Engineering
GKN Automotive
Supply Chain
Design & Engineering
Scott Bodjack
Vehicle New Product Introduction
Tesla
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm EST
Networking drinks reception
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