Dr. Ali Emadi is a Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is also the holder of the Canada Research Chair in Transportation Electrification and Smart Mobility. He is the Founder, President, and CEO of Enedym Inc.—a McMaster University spin-off company. Before joining McMaster University, Dr. Emadi was the Harris Perlstein Endowed Chair Professor of Engineering and Director of the Electric Power and Power Electronics Center and Grainger Laboratories at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois. He is a fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and has successfully transferred technology from his university research to industry. For the past 20 years, he has been leading many industry-university initiatives and has contributed significantly to numerous products commercialized by the industry. He is the principal author/coauthor of over 750 journal and conference papers as well as eight books.

Chief Investment Officer, Venture Ontario

Brenda M. Hogan is the Chief Investment Officer at Venture Ontario and has over 15 years’ experience in strategy and execution in venture capital at the co-investment, fund of funds, and fund level investing. She oversees the private equity portfolio, with a focus on origination, execution and portfolio management. Brenda has managed assets across a variety of sectors including IT software and services, life sciences, and cleantech. Brenda has held senior roles in corporate development, finance, and strategic investing with Bell Canada, EY, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and a software start- up.

She sits on the Board of the Canadian Venture Capital Association, and Chairs the Membership Committee; and serves with the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) as a member of the Content Committee. Brenda served three terms on the Board of Women in Capital Markets, serving as Chair of the Governance Committee; was Co-Chair of Canadian Women in Private Equity (CWPE); is a past Chair of the Board and President of the Junior League of Toronto; and served on the Board of Governors at Dalhousie University and Chaired the Finance, Audit, Investment, and Risk Committee. Brenda holds an MBA in finance; is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors SME Board Effectiveness Program; has completed the Private Capital Governance Program (Venture Capital Cohort); and has received leadership training from the Ivey School of Business.

Director of Innovation, North America Linamar Corporation

Brett is the Director of Innovation at Linamar’s Innovation Hub (iHub) where he is leading Linamar’s Vision 2100 pursuits.

The iHub is discovering solutions to global problems by partnering with aspiring entrepreneurial start-ups to create a new future with products that are world leaders in technology, innovation & manufacturing. As part of the Innovation Team, he is identifying new products and technologies to position Linamar to serve key markets such as mobility, infrastructure, agriculture, MedTech, power & water.

Brett has held various roles at Linamar in Program Management & Engineering. He received his Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University.

Dan Ruby re-joined OCI in 2023 as the Director of Sector and Regional Development for the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) at OCI.  In his current role, Dan works with the Sector Managers and the OVIN ecosystem (the RDTS sites and demonstration zone) to help develop and manage projects on behalf of the OVIN R&D funding streams and drive the future of automotive and mobility in Ontario.   

In 2016, Dan started at OCI (then OCE) as a Business Development Manager.  In 2019, Dan joined the OVIN team as a Sector Manager for Automotive and Mobility Innovation.  

Dan’s prior roles in Economic Development include Manager of Business Development and Investment for the Regional Municipality of Durham, Economic Development Manager for the City of Vaughan, and Managing Business Consultant for the York Small Business Enterprise Centre.

Dan has also started a not-for-profit organization and founded four for-profit companies in his career and he holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto.

President of APMA

Flavio Volpe, a Member of the Order of Canada, is an internationally recognized leader of Canada’s automotive industry. As president of the APMA since 2014, he led the effort to increase regional content in the USMCA negotiations and mobilized the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic to produce lifesaving medical goods. He spearheaded Project Arrow, an all-Canadian, zero-emissions autonomous demonstration concept car, and is a sought-after voice in global media and global halls of power. Recognized as industry leader of the year by Automotive News, Flavio has been included in the Maclean’s “Power List”, the Hill Times Most Influential People in Government and Politics, Foreign Policy and many others.

Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Westhill Innovation

Gina Succi is a co-Founder of Westhill Innovation which was founded in 2008 as an innovative  industrial panel manufacturer.  In 2018, Gina was instrumental in the rebranding of Westhill as  a mobile solar integration technology company. She led the technical team in leveraging the company’s composites expertise with integration of state-of-the-art solar, battery and power  distribution systems to offer a differentiated solution in mobile energy systems. 

Prior to Westhill Innovation, for the past twenty years, Gina Succi’s focus has been on product  development and commercialization in the steel manufacturing, logistics, mining, construction,  and energy industries. She is the former Director of Major Projects (Soundwall Division) at  Armtec LP, a global infrastructure and construction materials company, which was acquired by  Brookfield Asset Management in 2015. Gina also served as Senior Global Product Manager  (Barges) for Weir Minerals, a division of The Weir Group plc, providing mining logistics services.  Additionally, she was Director of Sales (Steel & Rail) at Carego Holdings, Inc., a full-service  provider for the movement, storage, and re-organization of heavy industrial products.  

Earlier in her career, Gina was a Manager in the Laminate Construction Products Division of  Dofasco, a Hamilton-based steel company, now a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal S.A., the world’s  largest integrated steel producer. Gina holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil & Structural Engineering from McMaster  University and is a member of Professional Engineers Ontario. She serves on the McMaster  Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board and the Advanced Manufacturing Consortium Board of  Directors. Gina is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Research & Insight Analyst at Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network 

Homeira is the Research and Insight Analyst at Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), the Government of Ontario’s flagship initiative on the future of automotive and mobility. With ten years of experience in the mining sector, she has conducted research on decarbonization initiatives and policies in Canadian steel industry and reaching net-zero goals in the mining and Electric Vehicle sectors. With a background in Mechanical Engineering, she received her Master of Global Affairs from the Munk School of Public Policy & Global Affairs. Her current focus is on the new initiatives in the Electric and Autonomous vehicles, in Ontario, Canada and globally.

Mike Branch joined Geotab in 2016 where he brings nearly two decades of experience and accomplishments as a data scientist, software developer, engineer and entrepreneur. He sits on the Geotab board and in his role as Vice President, Data & Analytics, Mike leads the development of data and AI products and strategy from over 4 million connected vehicles and over 70 billion data points per day. His responsibilities include developing new business uses for data and AI, the internal enterprise data strategy, the acceleration of the data strategy, data team development, as well as managing the data education and data privacy programs. In 2021, Mike played a key role in the development of Geotab Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), which provides insights to develop more efficient, safer and sustainable transportation systems. Most recently he launched Geotab’s new Generative AI beta Project G which allows you to converse with your fleet.

Mike holds a BASc in Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master of Management in AI from Queens University. He is a licensed P.Eng.

Niko Hammond is the Vice President, Business Development. In this role, Niko is focused on QNX’s, vehicle-to-cloud automotive solutions, as well as spearheading strategic co-development partnerships with leading companies from across the technology and automotive sectors. Niko has been with BlackBerry for more than a decade and has held several roles covering Corporate Strategy and Strategic Partnerships, among others. Niko graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Business & Operations Management and has a strong background spanning strategic partnerships, strategy execution, M&A integration, program management, and business development.

Automotive Journalist, The Globe and Mail

Petrina Gentile is an award-winning automotive journalist — one of the few women who cover cars in Canada. Petrina has been writing for The Globe and Mail’s Drive section since 2004, reporting on new vehicle debuts, the transition to electric vehicles, smart mobility solutions, and the latest automotive technology. She appears regularly covering the automotive beat on CTV NewsChannel, CHCH TV, BNN Bloomberg, and CP24. Before that, she produced 18 seasons of the national TV show Car/Business with Jeremy Cato and Michael Vaughan, which was broadcast weekly on CTV and BNN Bloomberg. She has written several non-fiction books for kids including “Big Trucks, Big Wheels,” “Dirt Movers,” and “The Ballet School.” Before focusing on cars, she was a news writer at CTV and a producer at BNN Bloomberg. She has a Master of Journalism (MJ) from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours English – Rhetoric and Professional Writing and Applied Studies – Co-operative Program) from the University of Waterloo.

Head of AI Strategy of General Motors Canada

Ramzi Abdelmoula is an experienced leader in AI strategy and product management, currently serving as the Head of AI Strategy at General Motors Canada. With a robust background in AI and machine learning, Ramzi specializes in driving product innovation and aligning AI strategies with business goals to enhance efficiency and profitability. His expertise spans engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing, and customer care & aftersales, where he has led transformative AI-driven initiatives that have significantly improved operational outcomes and achieved strategic objectives.

Robert Weggaesser is currently the Head of Strategy and Industrialization of  PowerCo Gigafactory St. Thomas. Volkswagen Group is investing $7B which  represents the single largest automotive-related investment in Canadian history, and the Group’s first-ever battery cell factory in North America. He is responsible for overseeing the gigafactory’s ramp-up during its initial phase. 

Robert is a German citizen who is fluent in English and moved with his family to  Canada in August 2023. He holds a Diploma of Business Informatics degree with  a specialization in Strategic Company Controlling from University of Technology Chemnitz. He has international experience as Chief Financial Officer of Shanghai  Volkswagen Powertrain Ltd. (China) where he led together with the CEO the  company through its most severe crisis during the COVID pandemic securing  viability and future investments. 

Prior to that he worked as Head of Finance of the engine plant of Volkswagen Saxony (Germany) and stabilized the company as one of the most profitable  plants for the division Volkswagen Group Components. Most recently he led as Head of Controlling and Accounting in PowerCo SE (Germany) to create the Finance organization from scratch and ramp-up operations directly supporting the Group Chief Financial Officer. 

Robert is married and has four children.

Ph.D, Co-Founder and CEO of Auper Motorcycles 

Silvio is the Co-Founder and CEO of Auper Motorcycles, a company shaping the future of urban mobility with electric motorcycles engineered for safety, security, and exceptional performance. With over 15 years of experience in the tech and automotive industries and a PhD in electric vehicles, Silvio is committed to advancing sustainable transportation solutions and creating lasting, positive change. His passion for innovation and purpose-driven leadership drives Auper’s mission to not only redefine the two-wheel industry but also to inspire, empower, and improve the quality of life for riders in developing countries by making transportation safer and more accessible.

R&D Manager – Innovation Outreach with Magna International

Victoria Shkreli Pacilli is R&D Innovation Outreach Manager with Magna International. She leads startup technology outreach and supports university engagement at Magna to help develop the technology pipeline and advance external partnerships. She is guide and mentor to startups within Magna by identifying and onboarding high impact, relevant startups through project development & execution phases by understanding gaps, needs and technology roadmaps of the R&D team and product groups.

Vicky is a Mechanical Engineer and an active supporter of Girls in STEM programs. She loves travel & outdoor activities and is mom to two daughters.

CEO of Cyberworks Robotics

Vivek is one of the founding pioneers of the field of autonomous mobility. He is credited with writing the world’s first academic thesis paper on indoor autonomous navigation for dynamic unknown environments while at the University of Toronto in 1984. He also published some of the earliest scientific research papers on the topic in peer reviewed SME and IEEE journals and international conferences. The Financial Post, Globe and Mail and the New York Times (Mar 7 1990 issue) credited him in feature-articles with founding the world’s first industrial autonomous mobile robotics company with global sales across Asia Pacific and EU. He also served as a Managing Director of CRS Robotics, a TSX traded tech company with over 300 engineers in Toronto and Stuttgart. He was responsible for expanding CRS into the Asia and the Asia Pacific region. Vivek currently serves as founder and CEO of Cyberworks Robotics, a globally leading provider of breakthrough autonomous self-driving technology for third party industrial products ranging from People Movers to Floor Scrubbers in partnerships with global corporations including Linamar, Sumitomo, Bosch and others.