Main Stage
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 to
Thursday, March 13, 2025
The Main Stage program
The Main Stage is a highlight of the Circular Valley Convention – a place where leading minds from business, science, politics and society present their visions and pioneering projects. Here you can find out first-hand how the future of the circular economy is being shaped. With inspiring keynotes and trend-setting impulses, renowned experts offer valuable insights into innovative strategies, transformative technologies and global trends. Be inspired by the perspectives of top speakers and experience how ideas are taking shape that will change our world for good.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
09:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Opening, welcome & keynote speech
09:30 - 09:40 a.m.
Opening
Format: Opening
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
Chérine de Bruijn
Moderator
Dr. Carsten Gerhardt
Chairman
Circular Valley Foundation
09:40 - 09:45 a.m.
Greeting from the Lord Mayor of Düsseldorf
Format: Opening
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Stephan Keller
Lord Mayor
City of Düsseldorf
09:45 - 10:00 a.m.
Greeting from the Environment Minister of NRW
Format: Keynote
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
Oliver Krischer
Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport
Land NRW
Lecture information
TBA
10:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Speech: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
Lecture information
TBA
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Perspective on Circular Economy in the Context of Federal Policy
Format: Speech
Session: Opening & Welcome
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Armgard Wippler
Deputy Director General
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection
Lecture information
TBA
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Session 4 - Electronic Products in a Circular Economy
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Speech Dr. Thomas Stoffmehl: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Electronic Products in a Circular Economy
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Thomas Stoffmehl
Spokesman of the Executive Board
Vorwerk SE & Co. KG
Lecture information
TBA
10:45 - 11:00 a.m.
Speech: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Electronic Products in a Circular Economy
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
Lecture information
TBA
11:00 - 11:15 a.m.
Circular Economy in The Automotive Industry - The BMW Perspective
Format: Speech
Session: Electronic Products in a Circular Economy
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Markus Seidel
Senior Expert, Head of Research Circular Economy BMW Group
Lecture information
The vision of creating a Circular Economy is an integral part of the European Green Deal. Several regulatory initiatives are underway that will have a significant impact on the automotive industry. The presentation will provide an overview of how the BMW Group positions itself and which areas of innovation should be addressed to improve circularity. Furthermore, the presentation will highlight how the company is proactively engaged at the EU level through automotive associations and technology platforms in Brussels to drive change through complex collaborations.
11:15 - 11:30 a.m.
Lenovo & the Circular Economy
Format: Speech
Session: Electronic Products in a Circular Economy
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Christian Eigen
Deputy CEO
Medion AG (Lenovo)
Lecture information
With a vision for a net-zero future, Lenovo knows the transition to a circular economy is critical. During this presentation, Medion AG CFO Christian Eigen will share how Lenovo's vision to deliver smarter technology for all extends to its circular economy practices that include Smarter Circular Design, Smarter Circular Use, and Smarter Circular Return activities.
11:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Speech Schaeffler: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Electronic Products in a Circular Economy
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Schaeffler
Lecture information
TBA
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Fraunhofer Research Battery Cell Production FFB
Format: Speech
Session: Electronic Products in a Circular Economy
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Simon Lux
Director
Battery Factory Münster Fraunhofer Research Institution Battery Cell Production FFB
Lecture information
TBA
12:00 - 01:30 p.m.
Session 5 - Circular Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
12:00 - 12:15 p.m.
Sustainable AI / AI for sustainability
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
Language: English
Speaker
Sean Jones
Head of Sustainability
Microsoft
Lecture information
How does Microsoft tackle sustainability?
12:15 - 12:30 p.m.
Enhance Circularity with SAP
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
Language: English
Speaker
Stephen Jamieson
Global Sustainability Principal
SAP
Lecture information
TBA
12:30 - 12:45 p.m.
Speech: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
Lecture information
TBA
12:45 - 01:00 p.m.
Augmented Engineering: Supercharge Circularity by Artificial Intelligence
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
Language: English
Speaker
Jochen Bechtold
CEO
Capgemini Engineering
Dr. Dorothea Pohlmann
CTO Sustainability
Capgemini Engineering
Lecture information
Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing from a specialised application into a general-purpose technology. In the course of this, all engineering activities and products will be augmented. Whether people, processes, products or services: they will all reach new levels of intelligence and effectiveness, which offers great potential for sustainability.
01:00 - 01:15 p.m.
Speech: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
Lecture information
TBA
01:15 - 01:30 p.m.
Data Ecosystems and the Circular Economy
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Boris Otto
Director
Fraunhofer ISST
Lecture information
To seize the business and environmental opportunities of the circular economy, various stakeholders in the ecosystem needs to team up to share their data. Data spaces have emerged as the architecture approach to stimulate data sharing while contributing to the trust and sovereignty needs of data providers and users. The presentation presents industry examples, discusses the state of the art and gives an outlook to future developments.
01:30 - 03:30 p.m.
Session 6 - Circular Business Models Strategies
01:30 - 01:45 p.m.
Building your Zero Waste Framework
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
Dietmar Böhm
Board
Prezero
Lecture information
TBA
01:45 - 02:00 p.m.
Circular business model to accelerate the hydrogen economy
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
Liam Condon
CEO
Johnson Matthey plc
Lecture information
This presentation will explain how the principles behind the well-established circular business model for automotive catalysts can be combined with digital innovation to accelerate the energy transition.
02:00 - 02:15 p.m.
Metal recycling solution
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
Henning Reuter
Managing Director
Siegfried Jacob Metallwerke
Lecture information
TBA
02:15 -02:30 p.m.
Circular Economy solutions by Ernst & Young
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Ernst & Young
Lecture information
TBA
02:30 - 02:45 p.m.
Why digitalisation is becoming a game changer in the circular economy
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
Claudia Wegener
CIO
Interzero Circular Solutions Germany GmbH
Lecture information
Digitalisation plays a key role in the transformation towards a genuine circular economy. In her presentation, Claudia Wegener will show how digital technologies are making the circular economy more efficient, sustainable and future-proof. She will highlight how digitalisation is helping to increase transparency in material flows, raise recycling efficiency and optimise processes in the circular economy.
02:45 - 03:00 p.m.
Resource Efficiency solutions by Canon
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Canon Germany
Lecture information
TBA
03:00 - 03:15 p.m.
Speech: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
Lecture information
TBA
03:15 - 03:30 p.m.
Speech: TBA
Duration: 00:15 h
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Business Models Strategies
Language: English
Speaker
TBA
Position
Company
Lecture information
TBA
03:30 - 04:15 p.m.
Panel discussion
03:30 - 04:15 p.m.
How to make plastic packaging circular? Opportunities and Challenges in Medium-Sized Businesses
Format: Panel Discussion
Session: Circular Packaging & Printing
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum
Chief Scientist
Circular Valley
Matthias Lesch
Managing Director
Pöppelmann Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Jens Stadter
CEO
Jokey SE
Andreas Vogt
Managing Director
Vogt Plastics
Georg Pescher
Managing Director DBNL
Alpla
Gunda Rachut
Executive Board
Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR)
Lecture information
Plastic packagings play a key role in sustainable consumption, reducing food waste and conserving resources. At the same time, these same packaging solutions are also under intense social and political scrutiny - primarily due to waste discharges into the environment and fossil-based raw materials. And so the predominantly medium-sized companies are facing up to three transformative processes: Optimized design with consistent recyclability, a changed raw material base away from fossil-based virgin material towards recyclates and correspondingly adapted efficient production processes - all within the framework of comprehensive packaging regulation. The panel discussion will focus on the challenges, responsibilities and milestones of this transformation.
04:15 - 06:00 p.m.
Session 7 - Circular Logistics
04:15 - 04:30 p.m.
Port of Duisburg: Hub of the circular economy - How the world's largest inland port is contributing to the transformation
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Logistics
Language: English
Speaker
Markus Bangen
CEO
Port of Duisburg
Lecture information
The circular economy needs more than innovative ideas - it needs efficient logistics and central hubs that enable the sustainable flow of resources.
As the world's largest inland port, the Port of Duisburg plays a key role in this transformation.
The presentation will shed light on how the Port of Duisburg, as a logistical centerpiece, is driving forward the circular economy.
Optimized infrastructure and targeted company relocations are setting the course for a sustainable future.
The crucial importance of central logistics hubs for the success of the circular economy will be emphasized.
04:30 - 04:45 p.m.
The role of logistics in the journey from linear to circular
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Logistics
Language: English
Speaker
Katja Busch
COO
DHL
Lecture information
Logistics serve as a critical enabler towards achieving circularity. Driving supply chains from linear to circular requires finetuned logistics to support brands and manufacturers in this transition - learn more about the role of logistics, the meaning of "the 5Rs" and a few real-life examples.
04:45 - 05:00 p.m.
Sustainable IT solutions for twin transformation
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Logistics
Language: English
Speaker
Dietmar Focke
CEO
Lufthansa Innovation
Lecture information
TBA
05:00 - 05:15 p.m.
Exemplary sustainability - the airport's path to a sustainable future
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Logistics
Language: English
Speaker
Pradeep Pinakatt
Commercial Director of the airport and Labor Director
Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH
Lecture information
Düsseldorf Airport is pursuing an ambitious sustainability strategy. Pradeep Pinakatt, Commercial Director of the airport and Labor Director, gives an exclusive insight into the comprehensive corporate sustainability approach of NRW's largest airport. "Excellent airport", 'Exemplary sustainability' and 'For employees and the region' - the airport's three strategic goals are the focus of his presentation. Pradeep Pinakatt outlines the airport's path to a sustainable future in harmony with the people in our region and the environment. The airport relies on technological innovations and innovative business models to minimize its emissions and the use of raw materials and energy. It promotes the avoidance, recycling or environmentally friendly disposal of waste and the sustainable use of renewable resources. At the same time, it supports its catering partners in the terminal in the selection and implementation of reusable offers for travelers. As a cooperation partner for universities and companies, the airport offers a platform for testing and promoting innovative, environmentally friendly technologies.
05:15 - 05:30 p.m.
From Fossil Fuels to Clean Mobility: The Role of Circular Economy in Financing the Transition of Commercial Transport
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Logistics
Language: English
Speaker
Dr. Albrecht Haase
Spokesman of the Management Board
GEFA Bank GmbH
André Rolfes
Head of Sustainability
GEFA Bank
Lecture information
Leasing models are highly dependent on the value retention of the leased asset. Battery electric vehicles currently suffer from rapid and steep depreciation over the lifetime of the vehicle. This reduces the attractiveness of transitional financing with these assets, as they carry significant risks for the bank or leasing institution.
Circular economy approaches that aim to close the loop on the value of BEVs support transition financing by increasing longevity and predictability.
05:30 - 05:45 p.m.
Logistic network design and digitization - how we get to a sustainable circular economy
Format: Speech
Session: Circular Logistics
Language: English
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Uwe Clausen
Institute Director
Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML)
Lecture information
Efficient logistical structures and processes play a key role for a successful circular economy.
The talk provides insights from applied research on circular logistics, including digitization concepts.
05:45 - 06:00 p.m.
Wrap up / Closing Words
Format: Wrap Up
Session: Wrap Up
Language: English
Speaker
Chérine de Bruijn
Moderator
