Impressive line-up of speakers for Erasmus Energy Forum

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

An impressive line-up of speakers is taking shape for this summer’s conference that explores how ports, cities and industry are planning and implementing the transition to decentralised sustainable energy. The Port of Rotterdam Authority and the City of Rotterdam will join industry leaders at the Erasmus Energy Forum in Rotterdam on 18 and 19 June – and early bird registrations are available until 1 May. The Erasmus Energy Forum is hosted by Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM).

The Forum is for managers working in the energy industry, start-ups and investors in sustainable energy, managers responsible for procurement of energy, and delegates from high-tech, ICT and consultancy businesses.

Speakers for this year’s event include leaders from industry, academia and politics. They will focus on strategy and policy, plus technology enablers and breakthroughs in renewable decentralised energy from the perspectives of industries, cities and ports. What they reveal will be of interest to managers and executives from a huge breadth of industries; supply chain and logistics, finance and investors, manufacturing, high-tech and ICT, steel, chemicals and agriculture.

The Erasmus Energy Forum is unique for its exceptional networking opportunities. A key feature of the event is the opportunity to put questions to the speakers during the open question-and-answer sessions, as well as during the networking breaks.

Thursday 18 June is Business Day at the Beurs-World Trade Center in Rotterdam, followed by a dinner in the city’s historic town hall. Friday 19 June is Science Day for academic researchers to present their examinations of the future of energy business, especially in the context of how energy informatics can foster energy efficiency in city and port environments. It focuses on in-depth scientific work and the results of research from research institutes worldwide. Science day is hosted at RSM’s Woudestein campus.

The Erasmus Energy Forum is organised by RSM’s specialist research centre, the Erasmus Centre for Future Energy Business (ECFEB).

Speakers

Conference Chairman is Professor Wolf Ketter, Director of the ECFEB. He says: “The beauty of the Forum is the breadth of speakers. We will get presentations, speakers and debate from every perspective; from ICT, from consumer behaviour, from energy producers, and from politics.” Confirmed speakers and panellists for Business Day on 18 June 2015 include:

  • Yukhiro Sonoda, Vice President Energy, Research, Advanced Technology & Technical Affairs Planning, Toyota Motor Europe
  • Colette Maloney, head of the Smart Cities and Sustainability Unit in the European Commission
  • Ewald Breunesse, Manager Energy Transitions, Shell Netherlands B.V.
  • Alfons Wispels, CEO of renewable energy company Raedthuys
  • Allard Castelein, CEO, Port of Rotterdam Authority
  • Chris Faulkner, CEO of oil and gas exploration company Breitling Energy
  • Vincent Everts, high-tech evangelist
  • Prof. Dr. Han Gerrits, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Partner KPMG
  • Ruud Melieste, corporate strategist for the Port of Rotterdam
  • Marc Borrett, CEO of energy transition company Reactive Technologies
  • Maria Molenaar, CEO of one of the largest Dutch social housing corporations Woonstad Rotterdam
  • Prof. Paulien Herder of Delft University of Technology and active in several roles in energy and industrial organisations
  • Peter Molengraaf, Chairman Netbeheer Nederland, CEO Alliander, a network company in the energy sector
  • Pex Langenberg, Alderman for the Port, Sustainability, Mobility and Organisation for the City of Rotterdam
  • Pieter Trienekens, CEO Stedin, an operator for the transportation of gas and electricity
  • Stephan Reimelt, CEO of GE Europe
  • Volker Beckers, Chairman ECFEB, former Group CEO RWE Npower and expert in the integrated energy business

 

More information

The Erasmus Energy Forum

Since its inception in 2012, the annual Erasmus Energy Forum event organised and hosted by the Erasmus Centre for Future Energy Business at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) has grown in size and influence. The first three annual events, in 2012 , 2013, and 2014 brought together representatives from a wide range of industries, academia and politics, in front of large and increasingly influential audiences. The Forum features world-class thinkers, academics and leaders from a wide range of business and industry sectors – including transport, power producers, equities and unions – as well as leading academics addressing major themes from the perspectives of all stakeholders in front of an international audience.

Previous Erasmus Energy Forum events have been recognised for successfully bridging business, science and policy, and offering a unique environment for exchanging information, as well as valuable networking opportunities.

 

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is one of Europe’s top-ranked business schools. RSM provides ground-breaking research and education furthering excellence in all aspects of management and is based in the international port city of Rotterdam – a vital nexus of business, logistics and trade. RSM’s primary focus is on developing business leaders with international careers who can become a force for positive change by carrying their innovative mindset into a sustainable future. Our first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes encourage them to become critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinkers and doers. www.rsm.nl

For more information about RSM or this release, please contact Erika Harriford-McLaren, communications manager for RSM, on +31 10 408 2877 or by email at harriford@rsm.nl.