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International B2B forum for innovations
in automotive & mobility

APRIL 23 & 24, 2025   

   M1 CONCOURSE in PONTIAC, MI - USA

Conference Agenda - 2025 edition

  • 08:00 – 09:00

    Morning Coffee and Registration
    Chair TBC


  • 09:00 – 09:15

    Host Welcome and Conference Commencement

    Welcome: David Coulter, Oakland County Executive

    Keynote: Justine Johnson, Michigan chief mobility officer


  • 09:15 – 09:45

    Piedmont Session

    Speakers TBC 


  • 09:45 – 10:25

    Panel Discussion: Building a Robust Regional Mobility Ecosystem

    Moderator: Justine Johnson, Michigan Chief Mobility Officer


    Panelists:

    • Kellie Lindsay, Director of Strategic Partnerships,  AutoTech Ventures
    • Praveen Cherian, EVP, Capgemini 
    • Colin Seals, Government Affairs Director,  Bollinger Motors

  • 10:25 – 11:10

    Panel Discussion: Building an Ecosystem for Hydrogen Propulsion

    Moderator: Shafiq Bari, Director of Mobility Policy, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity.

    Panelist:

    • Todd Anderson, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, PHINIA
    • Andrew Murphy, Manager – Strategy and Integration - Advanced Fuels Leadership Team, BP
    • Tarek Abdel-Baset, Chief Engineer, Acting Director of Strategy & Business Development– Hydrogen
      Storage Systems, FORVIA
    • Daniel Charette, COO, Charbone Hydrogen

  • 11:10 – 11:50

    Panel Discussion: Vehicle Electrification-Current Market Opportunities and Challenges

    Moderator: Jane McCurry, Executive Director, Clean Fuels Michigan

    Panelists:

    • Amit Ranjan, Founder & Director of Engineering, Asterisk Green Inc.
    • Sena Soysal, Program Manager - eMobility & Open Innovation, EDF US Innovation Lab
    • David Brosky, Director - Sales & Business Development, Fontaine Modification Company


  • 11:50-12:30

    Panel Discussion: Intelligent Mobility: AI Applications in Next-Gen Vehicles

    Moderator: Dr Darrin Hanna, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Bioengineering Oakland University

    Panelists:

    • Erol Dogan Sumer, Head of Department - Autonomous Driving SW, Hyundai America Technical Center (HATCI)
    •  Dan Merrill, VP - North America Business Lead, Cerence AI
    • Gbenga Ladapo, Data Scientist, Ford Motor Company 

  • 12:30 – 14:00

    LUNCH BREAK


  • 14:00-14:25

    The Future of Manufacturing in Michigan: How to Launch Fast, Smart, and Strong

    • Mike Brewer, Managing Director - Global Consulting Practice
    • Paul Heasman, VP Sales and Marketing, FTE Performance

  • 14:25-15:05

    Panel Discussion: Vehicle Connectivity and the Integration of IoT

    Moderator: Andrew Donaldson, Lead Engineer in Research, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute UMTRI

    Panelists:

    • Alex Leonov, Digital Services Manager, Volvo Trucks North America
    • Brian Rhodes, Director - Connected Car & Vehicle Experience, S&P Global
    • Rob Minton,  Associate VP - Connected Car Business Development, GEOTAB

  • 15:05 – 15:45

    Roundtable Session: Innovations in Vehicle Testing and Regulation

    Presenters:

    • Jamie Weasel, Park Supervisor, HollyOaks ORV Park
    • Kevin Bopp, Principal, Revolve, and Senior Advisor, Detroit Smart Parking Lab
    • Dr. Igor Baseski, Division Chief for Test & Evaluation within Ground Vehicle Power & Mobility (GVPM), TACOM
    • Dr Daniel Aloi, Director of Research, School of Engineering and Computer Science, Oakland University

  • 15:45 – 16:30

    Panel Discussion: Securing the Road Ahead: Cybersecurity in Automotive Innovation 

    Moderator: Yuanbo Guo, Founder & CEO, Vultara

    Panelists:

    • Hemanth Tadepalli, Cybersecurity & Compliance SME, May Mobility
    • Tyson Benson, Senior Product Cybersecurity Analyst, ZF Group
    • Darren Shelcusky, Senior Consultant Vehicle and Mobility Cybersecurity (retired), Ford MotorCompany
    • Takahiro Aoyama, General Manager - Cybersecurity, Toyota Tsusho Systems

  • 16:30 – 17:10

    Panel Discussion: Navigating the Challenges of Jobs and Skills Changes in the Automotive Sector

    Moderator: Elaina Farnsworth, CEO, SkillFusion

    Panelists:

    • Sudhir Nair, Senior Manager - Cybersecurity, Toyota Tsusho Systems
    • Stephanie Beckhorn, Director - Employment & Training, Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, State of Michigan
    • Stefanie Henkel, Global Purchasing - EV Profitability and Optimization, General Motors  

  • 17:10

    Conference Close