Academy Agenda

Synopsis: An exploration of how mobility will change with the massive shift to alternate energy vehicles – especially EVs which is a global priority and significant area of investment within the UAE.

Abdullah Abou Ali, Associate Programme Officer for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

Synopsis: How the UAE is enabling mobility pilot projects through innovation-friendly policies, infrastructure, and industry partnerships, positioning itself as a launchpad for next-gen mobility solutions.

Moderator: Kaushik Madhavan, Vice President Mobility, MarketsandMarkets

Panelists:

• Faisal Rashid, Senior Director - Demand Side Management, Supreme Council of Energy
• Rashid Al-Manai, Chief Executive Officer, LODD Autonomous

Synopsis: How automotive OEMs and suppliers are integrating circular design principles to enable reuse, remanufacturing, and resource efficiency across the vehicle lifecycle.

Moderator: Raj Kumar Prasad, Head of Sustainability – Middle East & Africa, BSI

Panelists:

Sandeep Arora, Director- Strategy and Business Excellence, AWRostamani

Synopsis: Exploring how AI is shaping mobility, this session covers autonomous vehicles, predictive maintenance, smart traffic management, and connected transport, highlighting trends and opportunities for safer, efficient, and sustainable systems.

Helmut Scholze, Partner, Regional Lead Mobility, Infrastructure, Travel and Tourism, Kearney

Synopsis: How mobility infrastructure — from EV charging networks to smart transit hubs — is evolving into a high-value, investable asset class, and what this means for public-private collaboration and aftermarket growth.

Gaurish Wagle, Manager, Sustainable Design & Master Planning, Masdar City

Synopsis: Exploring the UAE’s shift from pilot projects to nationwide EV and hydrogen infrastructure, addressing grid, adoption, and scalability while spotlighting business models and partnerships driving clean mobility.

Vijeet Raj Singh, Vice President, EVCI & H2, ADNOC Distribution

Synopsis: This session explores how shifting consumer preferences and innovative business models are redefining aftersales economics, creating new opportunities for service providers in the evolving mobility landscape.

• Dr. Daniel Christof, Partner, McKinsey & Co.
• Felix Paul Schäfer, Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Co.

Synopsis: Sweden’s EV journey under the EU Green Deal offers lessons on incentives, infrastructure, and partnerships, with insights on grid, cost, and supply chain challenges for Middle East mobility strategies.

Rashid Farivar, Committee on Transport and Communications, The Swedish Parliament

Synopsis: Debunk common EV misconceptions and share key lessons, adoption trends, and policy insights from early adopter markets to guide smarter mobility strategies in the region.

Moderator: Sushovan Bej, Global eMobility Manager, PwC Middle East

Panelists:

• Roberto Colucci, Director of EVs, AW Rostamani Group
• Lucas Bellieud, Managing Director, Al Futtaim Electric Mobility

Synopsis: How data ownership, access, and monetization are redefining mobility ecosystems, and what this means for OEMs, tech platforms, regulators, and consumers in the connected vehicle era.

Fabian Seithel, Associate Vice President - Sales & Bus Dev EMEA, Geotab GmbH

Synopsis: How Edge AI and V2X technologies enable real-time decision-making, communication, and safety enhancements across connected mobility ecosystems.

Dr. Stephane Dreher, Head of CCAM I Innovation & Deployment, Ertico

Synopsis: Exploring how AI and video telematics enhance fleet safety, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making for smarter mobility operations.

James Tyrrell, Brigade Telematics Global Lead, Brigade Electronics Group PLC

Synopsis: This session explores the shift from pilot projects to large-scale autonomous mobility, focusing on the frameworks driving commercialization and adoption.

Michael Sonderby, Acting CEO, SteerAI

Synopsis: Exploring how cities can adapt infrastructure, policy, and technology to support safe, scalable, and future-ready autonomous mobility.

Ghanim Mohammad Al Falasi, Senior Vice President Director General Office, Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)

Synopsis: How the Gulf region can build a self-reliant battery ecosystem through local manufacturing, partnerships, and innovation in energy storage technologies.

Saba Azizi, Head of After-Sales Service Network and Business Development-EMEA, CATL

Synopsis: Discover how digital platforms, workflow automation, and integrated ecosystems are transforming workshops into intelligent, customer-centric hubs

• Vijay Gummadi, Founder, Autorox
• Oleksandr Danylenko, Managing Director & Founder, boodmo.com

Synopsis: Uncovering the hidden risks in mobility ecosystems, from grey market parts to cybersecurity threats, and offer strategies to safeguard data, systems, and consumer trust.

Moderator: Kursad Yuce, EMEA Head of Associate and META ETS Delivery, BSI

Synopsis: Forward-looking insights on how OEMs are evolving beyond traditional platform models—adapting to software-defined vehicles, new revenue streams, and shifting industry dynamics

Guru Pranav Viswanathan, Lead Engineer Automotive Homologation, SGS