Excellence in Manufacturing & Innovative Technologies

(2nd – 3rd December 2026, Berlin, Germany)

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Hugo David Herrmann

Automotive Advanced Manufacturing Strategy, Industry 4.0 & Operational Excellence

IAC Group GmbH

Hugo is a young leader in the field of Operational Excellence & Smart Factory with experience in the sectors of beverages, infrastructure & construction and automotive. He graduated in Computing Systems (Tec de Monterrey, Mexico) and obtained his master’s titles in Innovation and Technology Management (University of Cambridge and Sussex, United Kingdom), as Business Transformation Manager (University of Applied Sciences Northwestern, Switzerland and SAP) and in Operational Excellence in Bavaria, Germany. He has collaborated with ABInbev - Grupo Modelo as Senior Advisor in the Strategic Transformation Programme, and his participation in numerous projects allowed him to broaden his skills and experience in Strategic Planning, M&A, Operations, Marketing, Processes and Technology. He later worked as Director in the area of Corporate Strategic Planning in ICA, the leading infrastructure construction and operation company in Mexico, and currently he is in charge of Operational Excellence, Advanced Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 in the Tier 1 Global Automotive Company IAC Group, while he is based in Munich, Germany.

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Jesper Toubøl

Vice President Operations

Lego Group

Jesper is the head of one of LEGO moulding sites and qualification factories which include both advanced mass manufacturing and maturing of new emerging technologies. Jesper has furthermore delivered organizational footprint and technology strategies within Product Design and Equipment ( Manufacturing - establishing Engineering centers in LEGO manufacturing sites in Singapore, Mexico and Denmark.. During his work Jesper has profound focus on how IoT can support his visions and enable the future – a true IOT-technology evangelist. Jesper has worked for LEGO in several roles.
1) Responsibility for R&D in Packaging and Processing (Decorations and Assembly) product line.
2) Responsibilities for product development execution for LEGO DUPLO , LEGO Games , LEGO Technic , LEGO Hero Factory - leading development teams through design, sourcing and marketing process from concept to finished product.
3) establishing logistics strategy, delivered turn around results in increasing differentiated services and reducing costs by e.g. outsourcing, consolidating sites and redefining logistic service offering.

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Christopher Tonk

Digital Solution Advisor

Stora Enso

Abstract

The pulp and paper industry is under growing pressure to boost efficiency, cut waste, and meet ambitious sustainability targets. Digital transformation provides a critical opportunity to achieve these goals—when approached holistically. This presentation outlines a human centric and end to end strategy for digitalization, where predictive analytics, advanced process control, and integrated platforms help reduce variability, optimize resources, and improve product quality. Beyond technology, the focus is on empowering people and breaking down silos across the value chain. Real industry use cases will demonstrate measurable gains in energy efficiency, product consistency, and customer satisfaction, showing how digital transformation can position the sector as a leader in sustainable manufacturing.

 

 

Biplab Sah

Global Director – Enterprise Architecture, Smart Factory

Mars

Biplab Sah is Director of Enterprise Architecture at Mars, where he leads digital transformation across global smart factories and supply chains. With over a decade of experience in IoT, cloud, and enterprise architecture, he has designed platforms that drive efficiency, resilience, and measurable business value. His career spans smart cities at Hitachi and smart homes atHoneywell, where he built connected solutions at scale. Known for bridging strategy and execution, Biplab focuses on turning complex challenges into secure, data-driven systems that make operations smarter and the world more connected.

Abstract

Manufacturing is at a turning point where ideas must quickly evolve from prototype to scaled system to deliver measurable business impact. Artificial Intelligence is no longer experimental—it is enabling predictive maintenance, adaptive supply chains, and real-time decision support on the factory floor. Yet the promise of AI and digital transformation can only be realized if solutions are built with robust security and compliance baked into the architecture. This session explores how enterprises can bridge the gap between innovation and scale, leverage AI responsibly, and ensure cyber-resilient manufacturing environments.

Take-Home Message

Successful digital transformation in manufacturing demands more than innovation; it requires the discipline to scale prototypes into enterprise systems, the intelligence of AI to unlock efficiency and resilience, and the assurance of security and compliance to protect both operations and trust.

Torsten Gruenzig

VP Sales

Sparrow Parts

Torsten Gruenzig has more than 35 years of international sales experience, introducing innovative IT solutions to companies with the need to optimize processes and integrate new systems into the existing environment.

He holds an MBA of the University of New York and Diploma of Old Languages and History.
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His passion is to push innovation into organisations and ensure the most beneficial use for all involved teams.
 

 

 

Benedicte Verley Hudry

Head of Site

IPSEN

At Ipsen, Bénédicte has been Head of Manufacturing 4.0 since 2021. She moved to Ipsen - Wrexham in 2022 and took on the additional role of Operational Excellence in 2023, also serving as interim Manufacturing Director for over six months.She joined Ipsen in 2017 as Support Production Manager in Dreux, later becoming Business Process Owner for Manufacturing in Boulogne. Previously, she was Projects Manager at IMT Consulting Group, supporting companies like GSK Biologicals and Sanofi with operational challenges.With over 20 years of experience, Bénédicte has held leadership roles in production, engineering, and supply chain at companies such as Arko Pharma and Ethypharm. She has managed large teams and has international experience, including a three-year expatriation in Russia.Bénédicte holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Université Paris 5 and a Master of Biotechnology from Universities Paris 6 and 11. She is passionate about scuba diving and exploring sea biodiversity.

 

 

Dr. Paul Grzesik

Director Operational Excellence

Aristo Pharma GmbH

Paul is an Operational Excellence Leader with relevant experiences in the pharmaceutical sector and in e-commerce/retail industries. After his academic career as trained chemist, he started his journey in operational excellence as Six Sigma Expert with CellGenix - part of Sartorius. He was working in the integrated operational excellence setup with Pfizer Manufacturing GmbH, later as Lead for Process Excellence with Lounge by Zalando. Currently he is with Aristo Pharma GmbH, guiding the organizational transformation as Director of Operational Excellence.

Carolyn Lum

SVP, Retired VP Operational Excellence for PMI

Lean Focus

Vice President of Operational Excellence at Philip Morris International in Lausanne. She has experience in Manufacturing Operations, Lean, Continuous Improvement, Business Transformation, Product Engineering and New Product Introduction.

At her last position as Senior Vice President, Business Transformation and Head of Continuous Improvement at Philips, Carolyn made a breakthrough in 2015 by bringing daily management, structured problem solving (PRIDE) and Kaizens into all parts of the company. Carolyn was one of six winners of the Philips CEO Awards in 2018, recognized for her and her team’s contributions to Operational Excellence company wide.

Prior to that, Carolyn worked at PerkinElmer Optoelectronics as the NPI Program Manager and as a Site Leader for their Lighting Production Facility in Fremont, California. She started her career at General Motors as a Product and Manufacturing Engineer, Operations Manager and Lean Implementation Change Agent.

Abstract

Defining what winning looks like is key to any transformation. The key question is: what game are you playing and how will you win? It is often difficult to select the RIGHT Lagging and Leading indicators to steer the transformation in the winning direction. The challenges in this journey will be discussed. How to determine what to measure and how to measure the lagging and leading indicators to ensure that you will succeed will be explored. 

Dr. Wolfgang Schlögl

VP Digital Manufacturing Strategic Projects & Programs

Siemens AG

Amitte is currently with a dual role as global head of excellence, digital and automation with a scope of more than 50 sites in more than 30 countries and as a Chief of Staff for the ExCo during a carve out of Animal Nutrition and Health from DSM-Firmenich.Global executive with 20 years of experience driving operational, digital, and strategic transformations in the chemical, biochemical, and life sciences industries. Lead restructurings, mergers, integrations, and carve-outs. Skilled in developing sustainable strategies that enhance profitability and streamline operations across 30+ countries. Recognized for leading diverse teams and fostering a culture of innovation, sustainability, and data-driven decision-making.

 

 

Veronique Kodjo

EVP Global Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Quality

Ceva Santé Animale - France

Dr. Veronique Kodjo serves as the EVP of Global Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality at Ceva, a leader in the Animal Health industry. Her expertise and leadership extend to her role as a non executive Board Member at Nemera, specialized in medical devices. With a career spanning over 30 years, she has demonstrated her ability to lead strategic transformation in manufacturing, quality,and supply chain within the complex animal health industry. Prior to her current position at Ceva, she held the positions of SVP and Head of Global Operations at Boehringer Ingelheim for two years, and SVP and Head of Global Industrial Operations at Merial, where she contributed her talents for over 20 years. Dr. Kodjo's academic qualifications include a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and an MSc in Business and Administration, as well as a degree in Board membership. Veronique received the "Feather in her Cap" award in 2023 for her significant contributions to the animal health industry as a female leader.