Speaker Profiles
Learn more about the speakers and experts that will contribute to the agenda
of the H2 Forum 2024
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Anja Benz
Manager Regulatory Affairs, Ørsted
-will follow soon-
Florian Birkeneder
Project Manager, TÜV Rheinland AG
Experienced inspector and project manager with expertise in power plants, pressure equipment, and failure analysis. Held roles as a ship engineer, service engineer, TÜV project manager, and responsible inspector. Coordinated inspections, repairs, and compliance checks globally, including UAE, Argentina, and USA. PED-trained, with extensive international experience.
Dr. Axel Bree
Deputy Director-General Hydrogen Ramp-up and Energy Research, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Dr. Axel Bree studied law in Cologne and Washington DC and received his doctorate in Göttingen. In 2002, he joined the Federal Ministry of Economics. From 2005 to 2010, he has been in the Chancellery, the embassy in Washington and in the World Future Council in London. In 2016, he was head of department at the BMWK, and since 2024, he has headed the hydrogen ramp-up and energy research sub-department.
Detlef Brüggemeyer
Member of the Management Board and CTO, OGE
After successfully completing his degree in mechanical engineering at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, he held various management positions at E.ON Ruhrgas AG, E.ON Gastransport and later OGE. In 2013 he took over the management of the Network Planning and Control department at OGE. In July 2024 he has been appointed as a member of OGE's Management Board as CTO.
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Tim Calver
Vice President Commercial, ITM Power
Tim joined ITM Power as VP Commercial in September 2022 and has responsibility for Business Development, Sales, Project Execution and Operational Customer Support. Prior to this he has extensive experience in the power and utilities sectors, and as an energy consulting Partner at EY.
Tim Cholibois
Vice President Strategy and Business Development, Enapter
Tim Cholibois is Vice President Strategy and Business Development at electrolyser manufacturer Enapter, the pioneer and market leader in AEM electrolysis. Previously, Tim worked as a strategy consultant in the European and North American energy sector. Tim holds a Masters degree in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford.
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Markus Exenberger
Executive Director, H2 Global Stiftung
Markus Exenberger is a member of the Executive Board of the H2Global Stiftung. He is an economist and engineer and spent 20 years managing large and complex energy portfolios in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, dealing in particular with the development of large-scale energy and infrastructure projects. Markus has initiated H2Global together with Timo Bollerhey.
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Felix Faber
Chief Executive Officer and Senior Vice President Lubricants EMEA, Shell Germany
Felix Faber began his Shell career in 1999 and held several managing director positions in the supply & commercial fuels and lubricants business in Germany and abroad. Lately, he was Head of Global Fuels Supply and Director of Shell Trading Rotterdam. He was appointed CEO for Shell in Germany in August 2022 and has been Senior Vice President Lubricants EMEA since June 2024.
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Dr. Thomas Gößmann
Chief Executive Officer, Thyssengas GmbH
After studying mechanical engineering and business administration, Dr. Gößmann received his doctorate from RWTH Aachen University in 1990. He then held various management positions at ABB, EnBW and terranets bw. Dr. Gößmann has been Chairman of the Management Board of Thyssengas GmbH since 2017 and has also been Chairman of FNB Gas since 2020.
Martin Greda
CTO, Fest GmbH
Martin Greda is Vice President Hydrogen Technology and CTO at Fest GmbH since 2020. Before his position at Fest, he has been Global Head of R&D at AEG Power Solutions, team supervisor R&D Electronics at KOSTAL Industrie Elektrik GmbH as well as team supervisor Advanced and Technology Development at Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG.
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Alfred Hoffmann
Head of Energy Strategy, Salzgitter AG
Alfred Hoffmann has been employed over 25 years at Vattenfall. There, he has been responsible for i.a. Portfpoliomanagement, Central Energy Economics, Renewables Strategy and E-Mobility Business in Germany. Since October 1st this year, he is heading the Energy Strategy at Salzgitter AG.
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Jasmin Kaboni-Voit
Director Hydrogen Regulatory & Subsidy Management, RWE Generation SE
Jasmin Kaboni-Voit is Head of Regulatory & Subsidy Management at RWE Generation SE and is responsible for positioning regulatory issues in the hydrogen context for RWE and identifying funding mechanisms for the markets. Beforehand she worked many years as Head of Continental Power Legal in the Legal Department of RWE Supply & Trading GmbH. She joined RWE in 1999.
Uwe Kerkmann
Chief Executive Officer, H2UB GmbH
Uwe Kerkmann has been working as a business developer in an international context for more than 20 years. His focus is on innovation topics from the fields of environment and energy, digitalization, creative industries and knowledge transfer. Since November 2021, he is managing director of H2UB GmbH.
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Gilles Le Van
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, AIR LIQUIDE Deutschland GmbH
Gilles Le Van joined Air Liquide in 1995 and belonged to the Management of AIR LIQUIDE Deutschland GmbH (ALD). From 2012-2017, he served as VP Global Strategic Account Management Large Industries. Until 2021, he was Managing Director of ALD before being appointed VP Large Industries and Energy Transition Central Europe as well as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ALD.
Matthias Lisson
Country Director Germany, Hy2gen Deutschland GmbH
Matthias Lisson is responsible for the activities of Hy2gen AG in D-A-CH as managing director. The process engineer is responsible for business development and operations at the production sites. As managing director of ATLANTIS GmbH, he manages Hy2gen's hydrogen production plant in Werlte, Lower Saxony.
Miquel Lope
Vice President and General Manager, Air Products
Miquel Lope is vice president‒Northern Continent at Air Products. He is responsible for driving the strategy and profitability of the company’s Industrial Gases business in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Mr. Lope joined Air Products in 1997 as the financial analyst for Packaged Gases and Liquid Bulk in Southern Europe. He then transitioned to roles as financial analyst and controller for the European Electronics Division. In 2004 Mr. Lope became European financial analysis manager for the European Healthcare Division, and in 2009 he was appointed European Bulk Argon, Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen business manager. Starting in 2012, Mr. Lope held various senior management positions in Southern Europe, including Supply Chain and Operations manager for the subregion and Tonnage and Merchant business manager. He was appointed vice president, Southern Europe and Maghreb, leading the subregion from 2020-2024.
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Christian Maaß
Head of Department II, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Christian Maaß studied law in Hamburg and Geneva. From 2001 to 2008, he was a member of the Hamburg parliament and deputy parliamentary group leader (B'90/Grüne) before being appointed State Councilor of the Authority for Urban Development and the Environment. Since January 10, 2022, Christian Maaß is heading Department II at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
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Robert Nave
CEO, Green Hydrogen Technology GmbH
Before Robert Nave took over the management of GHT, he worked as a junior partner at the management and strategy consultancy McKinsey & Company. There, the business economist and former J.P. Morgan investment banker helped companies with green transformation processes and decarbonization programs.
Dr. Christoph Noeres
Executive Director gH2, thyssenkrupp nucera AG & Co. KGaA
Dr. Christoph Noeres heads the Green Hydrogen division at thyssenkrupp nucera and is responsible for research & development, product development, business development, sales, project implementation (including manufacturing, procurement and project management and service). He has more than 20 years of experience in chemical engineering, particularly in the fields of research & development, sales and implementation of EPC projects and electrochemical process technologies at thyssenkrupp. Before his current position, he was Chief Operating Officer at thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers (Japan) Ltd. and Managing Director and Representative Director of thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engine.
Robert Meitz
Co-Founder & COO, Eternal Power GmbH
Robert holds a Chemistry degree and has three years of experience in green hydrogen. He co-founded Eternal Power and, as a partner in a boutique management consulting firm, gained extensive expertise in corporate strategy and transformation.
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Elena Scaltritti
Chief Commercial Officer, Topsoe AS
Elena Scaltritti is Chief Commercial Officer of Topsoe. In her role, Elena works closely with customers and partners to help them achieve their decarbonization and emission reduction goals. As a member of Topsoe’s Senior Leadership Team, Elena brings unique insights on new market demands, industry trends and innovative technologies. She is responsible for the company’s commercial offerings across existing and emerging markets around the world. Elena is a member of the World Refining Association’s Conference advisory board and a leading industry voice on decarbonization of energy-intensive industries and long-distance transportation, with a special focus on sustainable aviation fuels to decarbonize aviation. Before joining Topsoe in 2022, Elena served as Executive Vice President at SONGWON Industrial Group, where she was responsible for global commercial activities. She also held leadership roles with BASF, Cipa Specialty Chemicals and Nalco Holding Company.
Dr. Jens Schmidt
Chief Executive Officer, Tree Energy Solutions
For the past 20 years, Jens Schmidt has worked with Fortune 500 companies as Corporate Technology Consultant/Fellow and Global Technology/Production Director to develop, start up, run, and improve world-scale production assets and advise mega projects on technical innovation and Operational Excellence across multiple businesses and geographies. He also led multiple cross functional global teams and task forces on technology strategies and roadmaps, digitalization and innovation management and specifically advised on decarbonization strategies and technologies for businesses in various industries around the world as expert e.g. on the decarbonization of energy and chemical production assets via green hydrogen and CCU, as well as other sustainable production routes for key raw materials.
Kathrin Schulz
Director Business Development, Member of the Management Team, Hynamics Germany GmbH
Renewable energy professional with more than 20 years of leadership experience, clear entrepreneurial mindset and in-depth skills in developing new business fields (hydrogen, power-to-X, energy storage, green gas, CCS/CCU, geothermal) as well as M&A and post-merger integration, very strong team and stakeholder manager.
Dr. Philipp Steinberg
Director General Economic Stabilization, Energy Security, Gas, Hydrogen Infrastructure, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
After having received his International Baccalaureate from the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales, UK, he studied law (License/Staatsexamen/PhD), economic policy and taxation/business administration (EMBA) at the Universities of Berlin (Humboldt-University), Paris (Panthéon-Assas) and Münster (Westfälische Wilhelms Universität).
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Willemien Terpstra
CEO, Gasunie
Willemien Terpstra is the Chief Executive Office (CEO) and Chair of the Executive Board of N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, a European energy infrastructure company at the forefront of the energy transition. With over 25 years of experience in the chemical industry, Willemien has been instrumental in driving sustainability and decarbonization efforts.
Dr. Geert Tjarks
Chief Executive Officer, EWE Hydrogen GmbH
Dr.-Ing Geert Tjarks has joined EWE GASSPEICHER GmbH in October 2020 as Head of Business Development Hydrogen within the business unit Hydrogen. Since 2024 he is Managing Director of EWE HYDROGEN for the production of hydrogen within the EWE Group.
Özlem Tosun
Green Hydrogen Manager, Iberdrola Germany
She works as a green hydrogen manager at Iberdrola Germany, where she focuses on business development and the green hydrogen strategy for the German market. She holds a master’s degree in electrochemical energy conversion and has a background in engineering. Previously, Özlem worked as a project manager, building the world’s first hydrogen refilling stations for railway.
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Tatiana Vilarinho
R&D Hydrogen Technology lead - Europe, Fortescue
R&D Hydrogen Technology Manager leading green hydrogen-related technology development programs in an international & collaborative approach, with 15 years professional experience in R&D and technology development, productionalisation & commercialisation strategy, including pilot projects for technology demonstration and scale-up.
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Maximilian Wack
CEO, HTM Hydro Technology Motors GmbH
Maximilian is one of the founders and CEO of the start-up HTM. HTM is a spin-off of the Technical University of Darmstadt and develops hydrogen hybrid systems for use in light commercial vehicles. In doing so, they are focusing on an new innovative system design that can be individually adapted to different use cases.
Franziska Weiss
Vice President Market & Business Development Europe, Siemens Energy
Franziska is a Vice President at Siemens Energy (SE), leading on market and business development in Europe. Her team’s territory stretches across 40 countries and is focused on eight sub regions, including Germany and the UK. SE is one of the world’s leading energy technology companies. Around one sixth of global electricity generation is based on technologies from SE.
Tilman Wilhelm
Head of Policy, Press and PA, DVGW e.V.
From 2006-2008, Tilman has been policy officer for environmental policy and transport policy with the EU office. Then, from 2008-2022, he has been working at Germanys National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW), first as Head of communications, then Head of communications and regional political networks. Since 2022, he is Head of public affairs and communications with German Gas and Water Association (DVGW).