Agenda Themes 2026

Paul Gustavsson, CEO of Elcowire Group with Headquarter in Helsingborg, Sweden with a MBA from Copenhagen Business School and previously been Managing Director and Head of Business Unit within Buhler Group. Elcowire is one of the leading suppliers in Europe of products based on Sustainable copper, producing and supplying wire rod, bunches, strands, profiles and conductor materials made of copper and copper alloys for the electrical and infrastructure industry. Elcowire contributes to the energy transition and electrification of our society. Paul Gustavsson is also a board member of Norex AB, a Sweden based, steel trade and service company.

Frédéric Tréfois is the Chief Executive Officer of Sterlite Electric. He previously served as the Non-Executive Independent Director on the Company’s board. He brings over 25 years of global leadership across power transmission, renewables, grid infrastructure, mobility, and large-scale EPC led energy businesses.

Prior to Sterlite Electric, he was CEO of Zaphiro Technologies and earlier led Linxon, the ABB–SNC-Lavalin joint venture, where he scaled a global EPC platform focused on high-voltage substations and transmission infrastructure. His career includes senior leadership roles at ABB, Acciona Energia, Isolux, and Areva, with full P&L responsibility and execution experience across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

An engineer by training, Frédéric holds degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and has completed executive leadership programs at Oxford Saïd, IMD, and EPFL. He is known for people-centric leadership, growth-driven strategy, and disciplined execution in energy transition businesses.

Chenfei joined CRU in Feb 2019 as an Analyst within the Wire and Cable Team and is the current editor of CRU’s Wire and Cable Market Outlook. Prior to CRU, Chenfei spent 4 years working at Rolls-Royce in a variety of engineering leadership roles, with a focus on aeroengine technology development and process improvement. He holds an MSc in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering (Distinction) from Imperial College London, and a BEng (Hons) in Chemical and Materials Engineering (First Class and Dean’s List) from the University of Auckland.

He is the Vice General Manager & CTO of Jiangsu ShangShang cable group, Ltd, China . He has twenty years experiences on wire and cable industry. He has more 20 scientific papers published and is co-author of book Global cable industry-materials/markets/products. His research interests include HV&EHV power cable, nanocomposites polymer dielectrics, HFFR cable compounds.

Huixiong Chen is the general Manager of Yangtze (Jiangsu) Marine Technology Company Limited, which is a joint venture of YOFC and Baosheng group.

John Hsu joined Hengtong Group in 2011 and currently serves as General Manager of the HV Underground Cable and Submarine Cable System Department for International Markets. In this role, he has overall responsibility for strategy, business development, marketing, project execution, and technology innovation. John has been involved in most of the key milestones in Hengtong’s development within the submarine cable business sector. Over the past 15 years, he has witnessed Hengtong’s transformation from a market follower into a global leader contributing to global electrification through continuous capacity building and EPCI solutions. John is also one of the key figures within Hengtong who drove the establishment of the company’s sustainability target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. John particularly has global experience of projects on undersea grid, and can share his expertise in Cable Industry. John graduated with honors from the Xiamen University and holds degree in economics.

Zaid is head of aluminium products at CRU, leading a global team of analysts. Prior to joining the aluminium analysis team, Zaid spent six years with CRU’s consulting division as a principal consultant, leading the aluminium consulting practice area. Before CRU, he worked for several years at Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) in the UAE where he led the market research unit and held various positions within marketing and sales, corporate strategy, and finance. He previously worked in London for a number of commodity-focused firms as an analyst, including Thomson Reuters and Diapason Commodities Management, where he managed the precious and base metals research unit. He began his commodities research career in 2002 as an economist with AUPEC, an oil and gas consultancy firm. Zaid holds an MA in Economic Science from the University of Aberdeen and an MSc in Economics from the University of Amsterdam. Zaid is fluent in Arabic and French.

A graduate in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from Wirtschaftsakademie Hamburg (now HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration), Thomas Peter Samson began his career in 1994 at Norddeutsche Affinerie AG (now Aurubis AG). After six years in management roles at the Anders Group, where he led the furniture panels trading division, he returned to Aurubis in 2002. Over the past two decades, he has held several leadership positions, including Key Account Manager and Head of Sales for Bars+Profiles. A strong advocate for sustainability, he was instrumental in the 2021 launch of Aurubis' sustainability promise ‘Tomorrow Metals’, reflecting his commitment to environmentally responsible business practices.

​Zaid is a principal analyst covering primary and secondary aluminium, value-added products, aluminium raw materials, and carbon products in North America and worldwide. Prior to joining the aluminium analysis team, Zaid spent six years with CRU’s consulting division as head of aluminium consulting. Before CRU, he worked for several years at Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) in the UAE where he led the market research unit and held various positions within marketing and sales, corporate strategy, and finance. He previously worked in London for a number of commodity-focused firms as an analyst, including Thomson Reuters and Diapason Commodities Management, where he managed the precious and base metals research unit. He began his commodities research career in 2002 as an economist with AUPEC, an oil and gas consultancy firm. Zaid holds an MA with honours in Economic Science from the University of Aberdeen and an MSc in Economics from the University of Amsterdam. Zaid is fluent in Arabic and French.

A graduate in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from Wirtschaftsakademie Hamburg (now HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration), Thomas Peter Samson began his career in 1994 at Norddeutsche Affinerie AG (now Aurubis AG). After six years in management roles at the Anders Group, where he led the furniture panels trading division, he returned to Aurubis in 2002. Over the past two decades, he has held several leadership positions, including Key Account Manager and Head of Sales for Bars+Profiles. A strong advocate for sustainability, he was instrumental in the 2021 launch of Aurubis' sustainability promise ‘Tomorrow Metals’, reflecting his commitment to environmentally responsible business practices.

David Leah leads the outlook for automotive demand, production and electrification at CRU. He is a narrator of the unprecedented change in the automotive industry and its significance for commodity markets. David has 10+ years' experience working at leading automotive forecasting and analysis firms. He holds a MSc in International Business Economics from Oxford Brookes University.

David Leah leads the outlook for automotive demand, production and electrification at CRU. He is a narrator of the unprecedented change in the automotive industry and its significance for commodity markets. David has a wealth of experience working at leading automotive forecasting and analysis firms. He holds a MSc in International Business Economics from Oxford Brookes University.

Ralf Hässig has spent 20 years with Global OEM in the Car Industry in various positions (Purchasing, Engineering, Program Management) and 4 years with Outotec as Vice President Supply before joining ZF Global Commodity Director / Global Director House of Competence Casting. In 2022 he became a Senior Expert within MM Sustainability for ZF Friedrichshafen AG.

After obtaining a materials engineering degree, she started her career as a researcher, after which she joined ZF Wind Power in the laboratory and quality department. She supported the heat treatment department with knowledge of materials. From 2025, she joined Lamifil as innovation manager, keeping overview of the developments for the 3 business units. She is an active member of Women4Metals, as she believes that empowerment of women in the metals sector is very important.

Simon Price is CEO of Exawatt, which provides strategic consulting, detailed cost forecasting and supply-chain analysis in sectors that are united by common theme: decarbonisation through electrification. These include energy storage, electric vehicles (EV), power electronics and solar PV. Exawatt’s customers span the entire supply chain, from mining companies to major solar/storage developers and EV manufacturers. The company was acquired by CRU Group in early 2023. Prior to founding Exawatt in 2015, Simon was the co-founder of a PV module factory design and integration company. In 2008, he was part of the founding team of a startup technology company dedicated to improving the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. An electrical engineer by first degree, Simon began his career in the UK steel industry and spent time in the US as a business and technology journalist, management consultant and CEO of a publicly traded US software company, before making the move into renewable energy in 2008. Simon holds a master’s degree in Science Communication from Imperial College London, and an undergraduate degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Richard leads AFRY’s global energy and commodity trading practice across Energy, Metals and Agriculture. He has over twenty-five years experience comprising senior executive positions in the industry with Rio Tinto, Cargill and Rosneft and in consulting where he led Accenture’s commodities trading consulting practice. Richard has worked globally and lived in China, Singapore and Houston as well as London and Geneva and has a track record of building businesses and helping clients grow by applying his experience gained in origination and marketing and internal operations. Richard has been a regular conference speaker and interviewee for the Financial Times, the Economist, Reuters and Bloomberg.

Markus has a technical education from the University of Stuttgart, Germany. He has a long-standing experience in the technical areas of the cable industry across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Running his own company for over 25 years, Markus has helped customers find new markets, introduce new standards and materials into their production, and address various technical details. He has gained hands-on experience in different cable manufacturing processes, which he shares with customers in the aforementioned areas.

Frederic P. Wagner is a renewable energy executive with extensive experience in sales and marketing, project development, and strategic business transformation. He has played a key role in advancing VSB's energy solutions for commercial and industrial clients.

Alberto is Senior Director Public Affairs at Europacable, the European cable systems manufacturers association in Brussels which includes the largest cable makers in the world providing global technology leadership, as well as highly specialized small- and medium sized businesses from across Europe. Alberto joined Europacable in 2018 as Public Affairs Manager, after previously working for public affairs consultancies where he advised clients on energy and environmental policies, the Italian Government delegation managing the Italian EU Council Presidency in 2014 and the European Commission. Alberto holds a Master’s Degree in EU International Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium.

Loïc Quéval obtained his PhD from the University of Tokyo, Japan, in 2013. He is currently a full professor at the GeePs-CNRS laboratory, CentraleSupélec, Paris-Saclay University, Gif-sur-Yvette, France. His research focuses on direct current electrical grids and applications of superconductivity.

Simon Price is CEO of Exawatt, which provides strategic consulting, detailed cost forecasting and supply-chain analysis in sectors that are united by common theme: decarbonisation through electrification. These include energy storage, electric vehicles (EV), power electronics and solar PV. Exawatt’s customers span the entire supply chain, from mining companies to major solar/storage developers and EV manufacturers. The company was acquired by CRU Group in early 2023. Prior to founding Exawatt in 2015, Simon was the co-founder of a PV module factory design and integration company. In 2008, he was part of the founding team of a startup technology company dedicated to improving the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. An electrical engineer by first degree, Simon began his career in the UK steel industry and spent time in the US as a business and technology journalist, management consultant and CEO of a publicly traded US software company, before making the move into renewable energy in 2008. Simon holds a master’s degree in Science Communication from Imperial College London, and an undergraduate degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Director of the Industry & Energy Strategic Business Unit at ASG Superconductors. He has extensive international experience in the management of strategic programs, complex industrial projects and technology-driven business initiatives. Holding an MBA and PMP certification, he has developed his career in the energy and industrial sectors, with particular expertise in superconducting power cables, advanced energy systems, project portfolio management and business strategy.

Jay Vitha is the Vice President of Business Development at MetOx where he leads sales, marketing and customer relations. Jay joined MetOx in 2022 as Vice President of Strategy working on fundraising, business development and project management for the Houston plant. In 2024, Jay took over the Business Development group. At MetOx, he applies his experience to assist in fund raising initiatives, market research, financial modelling, and other strategic initiatives.

Jay has 10 years of experience in the energy industry working for banks, renewable project developers, infrastructure debt funds and large electricity retailers. Jay has worked in physical commodity operations, energy project finance, electricity product innovation and business development. Jay has a BA, Master’s in Environmental Management, and an MBA from Duke University.

Masiar Ighani is the founder and CEO of skillbyte GmbH, a Cologne-based technology company specializing in AI consulting and implementation for mid-sized industrial companies. He holds a MSc in Computer Science and leads a team of 38 — including a dedicated AI department with mostly PhDs — delivering end-to-end AI solutions for sectors such as mechanical engineering, rubber and plastics processing, and manufacturing. skillbyte has delivered AI projects in predictive quality control for rubber compounding, AI-driven production planning, automated ESG reporting, and real-time material optimization using computer vision — all deployed on-premise or in sovereign cloud environments to meet industrial data security requirements.

Jonathan is Secretary General of the International Aluminium Institute whose purpose is to promote the sustainable development of the aluminium industry and to promote the use of aluminium products in society. Prior to joining the IAI, he worked at Rio Tinto in the strategy and climate teams, in PwC's sustainability team and as technical advisor on climate change at Chevron. Jonathan has worked with a range of industry associations including WBCSD and ICMM and was Chair of the Board of the International Emissions Trading Association from 2019-2021.

Larissa Köster, M. Eng., studied Environmental and Energy Engineering in Germany, Bolivia and Ireland. After graduating from university, she spent three years working in research in the field of decentralized energy supply and alternative fuels. In 2022, she was appointed to her first position as Sustainability Manager in an international manufacturing company. Since 2024, she holds the position of the Sustainability Coordinator at the NIEHOFF Group. Larissa Köster brings together new projects with existing initiatives to drive sustainability for NIEHOFF and its international subsidiaries.

Jonathan is Secretary General of the International Aluminium Institute whose purpose is to promote the sustainable development of the aluminium industry and to promote the use of aluminium products in society. Prior to joining the IAI, he worked at Rio Tinto in the strategy and climate teams, in PwC's sustainability team and as technical advisor on climate change at Chevron. Jonathan has worked with a range of industry associations including WBCSD and ICMM and was Chair of the Board of the International Emissions Trading Association from 2019-2021.

Larissa Köster, M. Eng., studied Environmental and Energy Engineering in Germany, Bolivia and Ireland. After graduating from university, she spent three years working in research in the field of decentralized energy supply and alternative fuels. In 2022, she was appointed to her first position as Sustainability Manager in an international manufacturing company. Since 2024, she holds the position of the Sustainability Coordinator at the NIEHOFF Group. Larissa Köster brings together new projects with existing initiatives to drive sustainability for NIEHOFF and its international subsidiaries.