Main Stage
Donnerstag, 12. März 2026
Das Programm der Main Stage
Die Main Stage ist ein Highlight der Circular Valley Convention – ein Ort, an dem führende Köpfe aus Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft, Politik und Gesellschaft ihre Visionen und bahnbrechenden Projekte präsentieren. Hier erfahren Sie aus erster Hand, wie die Zukunft der Circular Economy gestaltet wird. Mit inspirierenden Keynotes und richtungsweisenden Impulsen bieten renommierte Experten wertvolle Einblicke in innovative Strategien, transformative Technologien und globale Trends. Lassen Sie sich von den Perspektiven der Top-Speaker begeistern und erleben Sie, wie Ideen Gestalt annehmen, die unsere Welt nachhaltig verändern werden.
Donnerstag, der 12. März 2026
10:00 - 11:30 Uhr
Opening & Keynotes
10:00 - 10:15 Uhr
Opening
–
Format: Opening
Session: Opening & Keynotes
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Carsten Gerhardt
Chairman
Circular Valley Foundation
10:15 - 10:30 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Opening & Keynotes
Language: English
Speaker
Carsten Schneider
Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Climate Protection and Nuclear Safety
Germany
10:30 - 10:45 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Opening & Keynotes
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Stephan Kothrade
Member of the Executive Board and Chief Technology Officer
BASF
10:45 - 11:00 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Opening & Keynotes
Language: English
Speaker
Oliver Krischer
Minister for the Environment, Nature Protection, and Transport
NRW
11:00 - 11:30 Uhr
Panel organised by Plastics Europe
Format: Panel
Session: Opening & Keynotes
Language: English
Speaker
Bettina Dempewolf
Head of Communications
Plastics Europe
10:15 - 10:25 a.m.
Greeting
Duration: 00:10 h
Format: Opening
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
10:25 - 10:40 a.m.
From concepts to practice: How to start the industrial "R"-Evolution - BDI Circular Economy
Format: Fireside Chat
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Claas Oehlmann
CEO
BDI-Initiative Circular Economy Federation of German Industries e. V.
Lecture information
The transition to a circular economic model requires a holistic and ambitious perspective that creates a secure framework for closing loops and new Business opportunities. The fact that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, continued to classify the circular economy as of straegic importance to industrial policy in her political guidelines for the years 2024 to 2029 is therefore correct. However, for the circular economy to become a real success factor for Europe, the circular "R"-Evulation has to be driven by companies and innovation networks embedded within an excelent scientifc environment.
10:40 - 10:45 a.m.
Greeting and video message from the Federal Minister for the Environment
Format: Opening
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
Steffi Lemke
Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection BMUV
Federal Government
11:30 - 12:30 Uhr
Session 1 – Product Lifespan: Reuse, Repair, Refurbish
11:30 - 11:45 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Product Lifespan: Reuse, Repair, Refurbish
Language: English
Speaker
Michael Scharpf
Head Sustainable Construction
Holcim
11:45 - 12:00 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Product Lifespan: Reuse, Repair, Refurbish
Language: English
Speaker
Thomas Krämer
Director Asia | Pacific
WIPOTEC
Lecture information
BASF's ambition is clear: to be the preferred chemical company enabling our customers' green transformation. We are committed to advancing a Circular Economy by increasing our use of recycled and renewable feedstocks, shaping new material cycles, and creating innovative business models. This presentation will illustrate how we contribute to closing and extending these loops by developing and implementing circular solutions for sourced materials. Additionally, we will discuss our efforts to optimize operations and provide resource-efficient products and services that support our customers on their circularity journeys.
12:00 - 12:15 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Product Lifespan: Reuse, Repair, Refurbish
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
12:15 - 12:30 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Product Lifespan: Reuse, Repair, Refurbish
Language: English
Speaker
Ansgar Thole
President & MD
Komatsu Germany GmbH
12:30 - 12:45 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Product Lifespan: Reuse, Repair, Refurbish
Language: English
Speakers
TBA
12:30 - 12:45 p.m.
TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Language: Keynotes – Enabling Circular Economy
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
Lecture information
TBA
12:30 - 13:30 Uhr
Networking Lunch
13:30 - 15:00 Uhr
Session 2 – Recycling of resources
13:30 - 13:45 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Recycling of resources
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Regina Palkovits
Chair of Heterogeneous Catalysis and Technical Chemistry
RWTH Aachen University / Catalaix
13:45 - 14:00 Uhr
14:00 - 14:15 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Recycling of resources
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Christoph Donner
CEO
ruhr Verband
14:15 - 14:45 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Recycling of resources
Language: English
Speaker
Dr.-Ing. Torsten Müller
Coordination and communication Carbon2Chem® sub-project
Carbon2Chem - u.a. thyssenkrupp
14:45 - 15:00 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Recycling of resources
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Franke
Head of the Sulzbach-Rosenberg
Fraunhofer Umischt / CCPE
15:15 - 15:30 Uhr
Session 3 - Energy, Digitalization & AI
15:00 - 15:15 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Energy, Digitalization & AI
Language: English
Speaker
Patrick Wendeler
Chairman of the Executive Board
BP Europa SE
15:15 - 15:30 Uhr
Keynote
Format: Keynote
Session: Energy, Digitalization & AI
Language: English
Speaker
Alexander Garbar
Managing Director startport
duisport
15:30 - 15:45 Uhr
15:30 - 16:00 Uhr
Closing
15:45 - 16:00 Uhr
Final Keynote
Format: Panel Discussion
Session: Design for Circularity
Language: English
