Dr Gisela Linge is currently leading the transformation to a more digital and resilient supply chain at Autoliv, a world leading tier-1 supplier in automotive safety systems. She is responsible for driving digitalisation, aligning standards and logistics processes globally. Prior to joining Autoliv in 2023, she gained extensive experience during 15 years in top international companies such as McKinsey, Deloitte, Webasto and BMW. Dr Linge has led large cross-functional projects and has a passion for strategies and transformations, and as an experienced automotive SCM leader, she continues to combine strategic expertise with operational excellence to drive digital transformations.

Chris Payne is responsible for GKN Automotive’s global logistics operations. He has worked in the logistics industry for more than 25 years across a range of industries, starting in local distribution for wine and beverages, and building his career sectors including radioactive, film and television, fast moving consumer goods and automotive, both on the service provider and customer side. He is particularly interested in the multi-faceted aspects of logistics, and in continued development and experience in building control towers, developing global transport networks to reduce cost. He is also a strong advocate of mentoring other colleagues throughout their careers in logistics and supply chain. “We work in a fast-moving industry and we need to constantly adapt and gain new experiences to ensure we achieve our goals,” says Payne.

Aleksej Krükov joined CATL in June 2021 as Senior Manager for Service and Aftersales. With almost 15 years of experience in automotive industry he is leading a fast growing aftermarket department of CATL covering Europe, Middle East and Africa. With more than 60 service stations already in operation in the EMEA region, Aleksej and his team has built a strong service eco-system to ensure professional and efficient service for the 3 main segments: passenger cars, commercial vehicles and battery energy storage systems. Before joining CATL Aleksej was working at BMW AG for more than 10 years as a lead buyer for the high voltage lithium-ion cells and cell modules. Responsible for the global sourcing and supplier network worldwide, covering the whole supply chain, starting from the raw materials and up to the fully assembled battery system with a clear focus on sustainable solutions. Aleksej has a degree in Transport Systems Engineering from the Technical University of Riga, Latvia and M.Sc. in Micro- and Nanotechnology from the University of Applied Science in Munich, Germany.

Joost Dirkse is responsible for the global logistics operations at HARMAN Automotive, a leading electronics supplier focusing on the in-cabin user experience. Joost has 20+ years' experience in supply chain and logistics management both in FMCG and Automotive. He joined HARMAN in 2015 and has been leading the global logistics function since 2022. In this role he provides leadership in the global strategy development, business process design and operational execution of logistics at HARMAN Automotive.

Originally from Ghana, Harry is a senior procurement, logistics and supply chain professional with over 10 year’s experience providing upscale support to internal and stakeholders. He started his career supporting Oil & Gas service companies in West Africa with personnel and cargo logistics before moving to General Electric’s Oil & Gas Business (now Baker Hughes) as a Base Logistics Leader. His enthusiasm on developing his French speaking skills led him to Dakar-Senegal where he was hired by A.P Moeller Maersk leading Customs Brokerage and Warehouse & Distribution for Northern West Africa. An opportunity to join Uber in the Netherlands, taking up the role of program manager for logistics and distribution of Uber’s electronic bikes and scooters across the EMEA region brought him into the EV industry. Here he also renewed his path looking at diversity, equity and inclusion where he supported building and developing Employee Resource Groups- an opportunity to give minorities a voice within the workforce, the workplace as well as the community. More recently he has taken the role of senior global supply manager, leading the strategic sourcing of trucking and transportation for finished Tesla vehicles across EMEA. He is passionate about DEI within the automotive supply chain sector and is happiest when building an inclusive workspace where all employees can be their authentic selves without discrimination, condemnation, and bias.

Eric Lambert is the Managing Director of GALIA, the French automotive supply chain standardization organization, a role he has held since 2022. In early 2025, he also became Chairman of Odette International, the European platform for automotive logistics and supply chain collaboration. These roles are supported by his secondment from Stellantis, where he has accumulated over 30 years of experience in manufacturing, quality, and supply chain management. Before his current role at GALIA, Eric held several senior leadership positions at Stellantis and its predecessor companies. He served as Director of Vehicle Projects for PSA Europe's supply chain, Director of Strategy for the three manufacturing plants in Northern France, and most recently as Director of Global Packaging at the inception of Stellantis. In this last role, he led a comprehensive reengineering of packaging operations, driving convergence and operational alignment across Stellantis' founding companies: PSA, Opel, Fiat, and Chrysler.

Sophie is a seasoned professional with over 18 years of experience in the automotive industry at CHEP. As Global Portfolio Manager - Automotive, she oversees CHEP’s Automotive product portfolio, leveraging her deep industry knowledge and leadership skills to drive innovation and deliver results. Previously, she led CHEP's Automotive business in South Africa as Senior Manager, successfully implementing strategies to enhance performance and grow the business. Sophie holds a Master of Commerce in Marketing with Distinction from the University of the Witwatersrand and completed the Senior Management Development Programme at Stellenbosch Business School. Known for her dedication and expertise, Sophie continues to contribute significantly to CHEP’s success in the automotive sector.

Roman Noack is Co-Founder & CEO of Helrom GmbH, a rail freight and technology company based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has over 20 years of experience in the transport and mobility industry. As Senior Vice President Production Development he led the work at DB Cargo to become a fully scheduled rail operation including the necessary IT systems. Prior to this role, he was Managing Director of Cobra, a rail operations company jointly owned by DB Cargo and Lineas. Since founding Helrom in 2018, Noack and his team are building a new form of intermodal transport for the 21st century. With globally patented freight car technology and an extremely reliable operating model, Helrom today enables logistics to switch between road and rail in a truly barrier-free way for the first time - without major investments in loading terminals and close to the customer or production plant.

Markus Ramirez is Managing Director for Global Automotive Sales at FedEx since 2015. He and his team support European-headquartered automotive OEMs and large suppliers with customised logistics solutions for prototyping, inbound to production, and aftermarket. Managing one of the largest global logistics portfolios within FedEx, Markus focuses heavily on digital solutions and sustainability. Prior to joining FedEx, Markus served as Vice President Sales and Marketing at Portica, Sales Director at Rhenus Logistics, Sales Director at Cendris, Vice President at Arvato, and Localization Engineer at Microsoft. He holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cologne University of Applied Sciences and an MBA from Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences.

Thilo Konig has over 30 years of international experience in packaging, sales, and corporate management. Since 2016, he has served as Group Packaging Director at Antalis, driving the global packaging strategy across 29 countries. Under his leadership, Antalis has strengthened its market position in Europe and North America, through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, restructured its packaging organization, and optimized its product and supplier portfolio. He has also reinforced Antalis’ role as a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions. Previously, Thilo was CEO of an automated packaging machinery company and held CEO and Country Manager positions at international corporations such as Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Sonepar, and IVECO. He began his career in sales and marketing at ABB, Coesia, and KSB. With extensive expertise in restructuring, process optimization, and business development, he has held leadership roles in Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland.