Director General, Ministry of Economy

Amit Lang was appointed Director General at the Israeli Ministry of Economy (previously known as the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor) in June 2013. Before joining the Ministry, Mr. Lang held numerous senior positions in both the public and private sectors. He previously held a number of senior positions in the Israeli Ministry of Finance’s budget division, including serving as Deputy Director of the budget division. Mr. Lang was Deputy Director General at Partner Telecommunications Company Ltd., one of Israel’s leading mobile services suppliers, heading the Economic and Regulations Division. Since 2006, Mr. Lang has served on Boards of Directors of several major companies and authorities, including; Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), Israeli Airports Authority (IAA), the Israel Water Authority and The Israel Sports Betting Board (head of the financial committee). Mr. Lang holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics, an MBA and a Master’s degree in Public Policy.Mr. Lang holds the rank of Third Dan black belt in Judo and was a member of Israel’s Olympic team at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Mr. Lang has won the title of Israel’s Judo Champion on seven different occasions and in 1994 placed 5th overall in the European Judo championship. Born in 1970, Mr. Lang lives in Shoham, Israel, together with his wife and three children. 

Acting Chieg Scientist, Ministry of National Infrastructure Water and Energy

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Chief Innovation Officer, Innogy

Dr. Inken Braunschmidt is the Chief Innovation Officer of RWE and is heading the RWE Innovation Hub, 

the platform and team to develop RWEs innovative business models of the future.  The focus is on 

pioneering lighthouse projects in areas in which we are striving to go to market faster. We leverage 

successful methods and principles for innovation, establishing cross-business partnerships and an 

external innovation network to accelerate change. As our customers’ needs and demands shift, we 

all have the opportunity to transform our company and shape the energy sector for future 

generations.

Chairman ISEA, Former CEO Israeli Electric Corporation

the co-founder and serves as the Chairmanof the Board of the Israeli Smart Energy Association (ISEA).

Mr. Lasker, the former President & CEO of the Israel Electric Corporation Ltd., is a seasoned business leader in the Hi-Tech and Energy space



Lasker's previous positions include CEO, Gilat Satcom; private promoter of telecom projects; Founder & CEO of the med Group; Founder & Managing Director of Globescom investments ltd.; Founder, President & CEO of Gvanim cable TV ltd. Managing Director of Keren electronics Ltd.; VP Marketing & Sales at Telrad Industries ltd. , and Finance division controller & Product Planning manager for Israel aircraft industries ltd.

Deputy CEO & Senior Vice President, Customer Group

Education: B.Sc, Electrical Engineering & Computers, Ben Gurion University (1990); ME, Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (1998).

Previous Positions: SVP Generation & Energy (2013-2014); Acting SVP Engineering Projects (2012); VP Engineering Planning (2007-2013); Head of Alon Tavor Gas Turbine & Combined-Cycle Power Station (2003-2007); Shift engineer at the Orot Rabin Power Station (1994-2003).

Working for IEC since 1990.

President - India Smart Grid Forum & Chairman – Global Smart Grid Federation, India

Reji is the President of India Smart Grid Forum since its inception in 2011 and also the Chairman of Global Smart Grid Federation. He is presently advocating for a “Right to Electricity Act” that will ensure lifeline supply of electricity to all citizens in the country. His current areas of research include: WiFi as Last Mile Connectivity Solution for Smart Metering, Smart Grids as Anchor Infrastructure for Smart Cities, Development of Smart City Maturity Model, Grid Interactive Buildings and Campuses (Smart Microgrids that can participate in evolving transactive energy market), Future of Transportation; and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Standards and Policies for India.

In November 2016 Reji was unanimously elected as Chairman of Global Smart Grid Federation (GSGF), a global umbrella organization of smart grid associations from 16 countries and the European Union.

As an entrepreneur, Reji has built successful enterprises in India and overseas and exited them. Reji has studied Engineering, Finance, Management and Law; worked with NTPC and IBM and has been senior consultant with ADB, World Bank and USAID.

CEO Israeli Smart Energy Association

Elad Shaviv is the co-founder and serves as the CEO of the Israeli Smart Energy Association (ISEA).

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Mr. Shaviv is a seasoned business leader, currently engaged with both the Hi-Tech and Cleantech space and volunteers in several initiatives looking at possible initiatives to encourage investment at the Israeli cleantech industry.



Mr. Shaviv has over 20 years of executive experience in the IT, telecoms and communications industries. Among his roles, Shaviv served as business executive at Cisco Europe, General Manager at Riverhead Networks, CEO of Forbase, and other executive roles including roles at the RAD Group, VCON and ECI Telecom.

Director, ENGIE New Ventures

As Director Corporate Venture Capital Hendrik Van Asbroeck is responsible at GDF Suez’s group level to manage the corporate fund for participations in innovative companies and funds.

He started working at Electrabel, GDF Suez as Account manager and soon moved to Key Account Manager, focusing on the automotive and chemical industry. In 2007 he took over the responsibility of the Renewables department. In this position he created multiple joint ventures to stimulate Electrabel’s green energy development. 
In 2011 he was promoted to Head of Sales Electrabel, where he had to turn around the organisation to make it more efficient. When he left the job in 2014 the efficiency had improved by 30% and the sales results were again positive.
Before joining Electrabel Hendrik was Account Manager and Financial Analyst at Air Products Belgium.

Hendrik Van Asbroeck holds a Master degree in Commercial Engineering from the K.U. Leuven University. He holds additional diplomas from the Vlerick Management School, the European Energy Institute and Insead-Cedep.

New Technologies and Innovation, ENEL, Spain

Narcis Vidal has developed its professional carrier in the electrical sector along the whole value chain, from electronic equipment manufacturers to engineering consulting firms. With a background mixing telecommunications, electrical engineering and project management and after more than 10 years in Endesa in charge of international R&D&I projects related with smart grid, smart cities, energy storage, electric vehicles and V2G, he is now in the New Technologies and Innovation department on the Global Infrastructure and Network business line in Enel SpA.

Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center NREL

Over 20 years of international business success in general management, sales, consulting and organizational development across a broad range of industries. Experienced advisor to start ups and early stage growth companies.

Specialties:Broad experience and skills underwritten by a passion for improving businesses through leadership of strategy, execution, revenue generation, employee development and operational improvement.

Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors , CEZ ESCO, Czech Republic

Petr Štulc works in CEZ group since 2004 in multiple positions – chief analyst,

director of strategy, asset management and corporate developement. Last year he move to

ESCO – newly established CEZ subsidiary for decentralized energy solutions for B2B and

B2G customers. Petr served in several other functions – e.g. in supervisory boards (Veolie

ČR, ČEZ Distribuce, ČEZ Solární, Akenerji in Turkey, JESS in Slovakia), as vice-chair of

OECD BIAC Energy Committee or member of Energy Policy & Generation Committee in

Eurelectric

Prior to joining CEZ, he worked as a consultant in McKinsey & Company for five

years (1999-2004). While focusing on European power sector, he was involved also in

telecommunications, consumer goods, banking and insurance projects in Europe and America.

In 1992-1998 Petr did research in geophysics (climate change and plate tectonics) in Czech

Academy of Sciences and University of Utah.

Petr completed PhD in 1995 and MSc in1992, both in geophysics at Charles

University in Prague.

Project Innovation leader, ELIA, Belgium

Manoël Rekinger is Innovation Project Manager at Elia, the Belgian Transmission System Operator which he joined in November 2015. He manages a portfolio of R&D projects developing the future practices to operate a Renewable based and partially decentralized power system.  Beyond his R&D activities, he is also in charge of ensuring that Elia stays in contact with cutting edge innovation by supporting the development of startups involved in the energy sector. He had previously worked 4 years for Solar Power Europe, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association where he was in charge of the activities related to Solar Integration in power grids and markets.  Interested by the development of new business models related to the energy transition, he studied electromechanical engineering applied to Solar power at the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium.

Technologies & Renewable Energy Section Manager , Ministry of National Infrastructure Water and Energy

Stanford Physics Ph.D. graduate with over 10 years of industry experience in program management, system engineering management and business development, with strong emphasis on computer vision and image processing. Worked in the medical instrumentation, semiconductor metrology and biotechnology industries. Experience in running a small startup, with focus on business development. Experience in setting up from scratch a new development project, as well as running it. Excellent system view and understanding of complex multi-disciplinary systems involving leading edge optics, mechanics, electronics, image processing and software. Hands-on, practically oriented with emphasis on taking the initiative and using innovation to achieve results on time and within budget.

CIO, Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality

As CIO of the Tel Aviv - Jafo Municipality in the past 5 years, Liora led a new approach - DIGI-TEL (digital + Tel Aviv) - a holistic and integrated approach that aims to engage, involve and to connect the city residents to the municipality. The platform offers personalized & location based information, services & benefits. Digi-Tel won the Smart City Award in the Barcelona smart cities summit in November 2014.

In the last year Liora led the agenda of cooperation between the statups and the city of Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv has became the startup city in the startup nation. The city aims to create a ecosystem of innovation solutions for the citizens, and to reach that goal has set a collection of services for the startups: beta site for solutions, reduction in taxes, exposing municipal DB, hosting and so on.
The new approach is part of the City Vision to create a city for all residents, to implement resident-oriented government.

CEO Energy Economy, Kibbutz Economies Group (Mishkei Hakibbutzim)

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Principal, Next47

René represents next47 in Israel, the new innovation unit of Siemens that is dedicated to start-up investments, partnerships and creation. In his last position at Siemens in Munich he was active in building start-up partnerships. 
Prior to joining Siemens René was a researcher at the Max Planck Institute where he conducted research resulting in innovations mainly in healthcare. He also co-founded two start-ups in data analytics and healthcare.
René holds a PhD degree in Computer Science and spent part of his studies at Oregon State University.

Deputy Dean, School of Sustainability, IDC

Dr. Yael Parag is the Deputy Dean at the IDC’s School of Sustainability. She holds a BSc degree in biology, and MA and PhD degrees in social sciences.

Between 2005 and 2011 she was a researcher in the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), at the University of Oxford, UK and a senior researcher at the Lower Carbon Future (energy group) in the ECI.

Her research focuses on consumer behaviour, consumer integration into the smart energy grid, prosumer markets as platforms for enhancing energy security, local and community governance of energy, and microgrids.

Dr. Parag publishes her work in leading academic energy journal and various international conferences.

Director of sustainable design & building, Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality

Under his role, Uriel is responsible for the development of municipal policies and guidelines on urban design, coordinating the institutinalization of green bulding principles in planning processes.
Development of Strategic papers on sustainability issues : e.g. Sustainable neighbourhoods, sustainable buisnesses and promoting pilots projects.