International Conference
on Circular Economy
for Lithium-ion Batteries

Dr Adrian Spillmann is Director of the Market Segment Battery Electrode Compounds, Grinding & Dispersing at Bühler Group. Following his Masters, he secured his PhD in Process Engineering at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in 2008. He has been working at Bühler in different positions in Corporate Technology and New Technologies Advanced Materials departments. Since 2014, he is responsible for the battery activities in the business area Grinding & Dispersing. In 2023, he joined the Board of Directors of the Upcell Alliance.

Junior research group leader "Direct Recycling" Junior research group leader "Direct Recycling" at Fraunhofer ISC
Jan. 2024–Heute Würzburg, Bayern, Deutschland
BMBF BattFutur project REWIND - Direct recycling of lithium-ion batteries: aqueous processes, ID markers, recycling-relevant new electrode and cell

Head of Fraunhofer R&D Center Electromobilty at Fraunhofer ISC
Aug. 2023–Heute: Würzburg

Head of Process Development and Recycling for LIB at Fraunhofer ISC
Jan. 2016–Heute:·Würzburg, Bayern, Deutschland
Head of process development group. Main focus lithium-ion battery electrode production, cell manufacturing, processes for solid state batteries and recycling.

PHD Student University Würzburg and Fraunhofer ISC
Mai 2012–Dez. 2015, Bayern, Deutschland
Cathodes for metal-air batteries

Study at Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Diplom-Ingenieur, Chemieingenieurwesen 2006–Jan. 2012

• Head of Swiss Battery Technology Center since 2018 at the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne
• Partner and Executive Board Member at the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne since 2022
• Managing Co-Director at the BFH Energy Storage Research Centre at the Bern University of Applied Sciences since 2019
• Co-founder and Executive Committee member of the iBAT Association since 2020
• Working group member Electrical Energy Storage at AEE Suisse 2021
• Co-Founder of the SolarXplorers SA since 2013
• Member of the PlanetSolar Foundation since 2016
• Successfully completed the first circumnavigation of the world in a solar boat from 2010 to 2012
• 14 years in the field of electric mobility and battery research and development at start-ups such as Designwerk in Winterthur

Christoph Ammann ist seit dem 1. Juli 2016 Regierungsrat. Er führt die Wirtschafts-, Energie- und Umweltdirektion, die politisch für ein breites Themenfeld verantwortlich ist. Dazu gehören die Bereiche Wirtschaft und Arbeit, Energie, Umwelt, Land- und Waldwirtschaft, Jagd und Fischerei, das Veterinärwesen und die Lebensmittelsicherheit.

Christoph Ammann ist Mitglied des leitenden Ausschusses der Konferenz der Kantone (KdK) und seit Mai 2019 vom Bundesrat gewähltes Mitglied des Bankrats der Schweizerischen Nationalbank (SNB).

Claudia Meyer verantwortet seit 1. Juli 2021 als Managing Director der Renault Group Schweiz (Renault Suisse SA) das operative Geschäft der Renault Group und den Import und Vertrieb der Marken Renault, Dacia und Alpine in der Schweiz. Dabei steht die Umsetzung des „Renaulution Strategieplans“ in der Schweiz, sowie die Positionierung der Marken im Hinblick auf die individuelle Mobilität von morgen, im Vordergrund. Seit 1. Mai 2023 nimmt Claudia Meyer Einsitz im Vorstand von auto-schweiz, der Vereinigung Schweizer Automobil-Importeure. Claudia Meyer startete ihre Karriere 1998 in der Marketing-Abteilung von Jaguar Switzerland in der Emil Frey AG. Danach folgten Positionen in Marketing-Kommunikation, Produkt-Marketing und Brand Management bei DaimlerChrysler Switzerland und Fiat Automobiles Suisse SA. 2014 erfolgte der Wechsel als Marketing-Direktorin zur Nissan Switzerland GmbH, wo sie 2017 die Leitung der Länderorganisation, als Country Director, übernahm.

Corsin Battaglia is directing the laboratory Materials for Energy Conversion at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories of Materials Science and Technology, and is Adjunct Professor of Electrical Engineering at ETH Zurich, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering and Adjunct Professor of Materials Science at EPFL, School of Engineering, Institute of Materials. His current research focuses on sustainable next-generation lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, post-lithium-ion batteries, and the electrochemical conversion of CO2 to synthetic fuels. 

After receiving his PhD in Physics from the Université de Neuchâtel, he was a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL, the University of California Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, before joining Empa in 2014. He is co-author of ~200 peer-reviewed scientific publications and 8 patent applications. He is currently the president of the Swiss Battery Association iBAT, member of the Alistore European Research Institute, Swiss representative in the long-term large-scale European battery initiative Battery2030 , scientific committee member of the Upcell Alliance , and founding member of the Battery European Partnership Association. 

I specialise in working at the intersection of electrochemical systems and advanced manufacturing science, our research combines deep materials expertise with process engineering to advance energy storage and conversion technologies. Research programmes have spaned fundamental interface engineering, electrode microstructure optimisation, and innovative fabrication techniques, with particular focus on structure-property relationships in battery materials and solid-state ionic systems. My laboratory has pioneered novel characterisation methodologies that bridge ex-situ analytics with operando performance measurement, creating feedback loops between material design and device functionality.

Our research methodology integrates multi-scale phenomena: from particle-scale transport mechanisms and interfacial kinetics to system-level performance metrics and manufacturing process parameters. This cross-disciplinary perspective enables development of predictive models that connect material composition and electrode architecture to energy density, power capability, and cycle life. The team synthesises knowledge across electrochemistry, materials science, and process engineering domains to develop solutions that overcome traditional barriers between scientific discovery and practical implementation in energy technologies.

Professor Emma Kendrick, CChem FRSC FIMMM - Professor of Energy Materials, School of Metallurgy and Materials, University of Birmingham and co-lead of the Energy Materials Group (EMG). Her research focuses on the design and development of sustainable battery technologies and chemistries. Materials, manufacturing and recycling. Prior to academia, she worked in the battery industry, as Chief Technologist in Energy Storage at SHARP Laboratories of Europe Ltd (SLE) and as Lead Scientist of two lithium-ion battery SMEs, Fife Batteries Ltd and Surion Energy Ltd. Her work on battery parameterisation was spun out into a company, About:Energy, in 2021, and is currently chair of their scientific advisory board. Prof Kendrick holds a PhD from Keele University, obtained as part of a postgraduate transfer partnership (PTP) scheme with CERAM Research, an MSc in new materials from the University of Aberdeen and a BSc in chemistry from the University of Manchester. She has been recognised for her research in sustainable batteries, including, as part of RELIB, the 2024 RSC Horizon Prize for work in battery recycling. 2021 Faraday Institution (FI) Researcher Development Champion, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) 2021 Environment, Sustainability and Energy Division Mid-Career Award, and the 2019 Hothersall Memorial Award for outstanding services to Metal Finishing.

International affairs and sustainability professional with over fifteen years’ experience in the public and private sector, including not-for-profit leadership, Board governance, and organizational change management. Wide-ranging expertise in natural resource management, responsible sourcing and sustainable value chains, focused on high-level, multi-stakeholder consultation, engagement and public-private cooperation.

We build a highly integrated recycling system for lithium-ion batteries from e-mobility. Including collection, upcycling, discharging, dismantling and production of a very pure black-mass. We achieve highest recovery rates at lowest energy demand. Best material- and cost-performance.
We start in Switzerland and are soon to go to Europe!

I am leading international organizations for 10 years as a CEO and I am eager to learn, grow and drive towards a sustainable future. Led by sound values, I am strong in building teams, up-to-date processes and an open culture.

Generally interested in anything that moves. More recently come tounderstand the importance of realising positive change in our energysystem - for families, communities and the planet. Currently workinghard to improve all our lives by democratising cleaner, cheaperenergy and being an Allye in the energy transition. Love the space where technical and commercial requirementscollide, to develop a feasible product and business model. Also enjoybig ideas and how to make things better. Lifer in the auto industry, excited about the future and the changetaking place as a catalyst for learning. I've learnt a huge amountalong the way, mostly about myself, how I can get better and enjoythe things I do and those that matter most in my life. My mum always told me I have two ears and one mouth and shouldstrive everyday to use them in that ratio….

Jürg Grossen ist Co-Geschäftsführer und Verwaltungsrat der Firmen elektroplan Buchs & Grossen AG, ElektroLink AG und Smart Energy Link AG in Frutigen. Seit 2011 ist Jürg Grossen Nationalrat und seit 2017 Präsident der grünliberalen Partei Schweiz (glp). Er ist zudem Präsident des Fachverbandes Sonnenenergie (Swissolar), des Elektromobilitätsverbandes (Swiss eMobility) und des Vereins SmartGridready.

Kathrin Hönegger, geboren 1983, erhielt nach der Matura ihre ersten Engagements beim Radio, später auch beim Fernsehen. Sie ist ausgebildete Schauspielerin und absolvierte die Journalismus-Module des MAZ. Heute ist bei Radio SRF3 zu hören, wo sie unter anderem auch diverse Spezialformate übernahm, so zum Beispiel die Moderation und Redaktion der Gesprächssendung «Focus». Seit 2013 steht sie vor der Kamera für die Wissenssendung «Einstein» auf SRF. Zudem ist sie als Autorin tätig und moderiert Lesungen, Podien und Kongresse zwischen Kunst, Kultur und Wissenschaft. Kathrin Hönegger lebt mit ihrer Familie in Zürich.

Lukas Federer (36) ist Ökonom (Uni Basel, Nachdiplomstudium ETHZ) und stellvertretendes Geschäftsleitungsmitglied des Wirtschaftsdachverbands economiesuisse. Er beschäftigt sich seit rund 10 Jahren mit der Schweizer Wirtschaft und Wirtschaftspolitik, insb. aktuellen Fragen zu Energie-, Klima- und Technologiethemen.

Dr.-Ing. Marcel Weil is the head of the scientific unit “Research for Sustainable Energy Technologies” (RESET), at the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Since 2011 he is leading a second working group at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm for electrochemical energy storage (HIU), also belonging as a branch to KIT, in the topic field “Resources, Environment and Sustainability”. Marcel Weil is since 2019 a leading scientist and executive board member of the new cluster of excellence for “Post Lithium Storage” (POLiS) and responsible for the topic sustainability. Weil’s recognized interdisciplinary research group works in the field of sustainability and energy storage, energy technology for more than 15 years and received several prices. He and his group is active in EERA (Energy storage – Subtopic: Techno-economics and Sustainability), Batteries 2030+, BEPA, Batteries Europe and VDI.

At present he is the Chairman Taskforce Sustainability, joint activity of BEPA and Batteries Europe (2022 - today). In addidition he represents the appointed Batteries Europe representative at the Cross-Cutting Task Force of EU's Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan (since 11/2024)

Prof. Dr. Sebastian Wörwag ist Rektor der Berner Fachhochschule sowie Präsident des Hochschulrats der Pädagogischen Hochschule Thurgau. Seit 2020 vertritt er die Schweiz in der Research Policy Working Group der European University Association. Zuvor leitete er die Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften St.Gallen und war Vorsitzender eines internationalen Hochschulnetzwerks. Der promovierte Betriebsökonom war zudem Mitbegründer der Privaten Hochschule Wirtschaft und Mitinhaber der KS Group, einem privatwirtschaftlichen Bildungsträger mit Sitzen in St.Gallen, Zürich, Basel und Bern. Seine eigene Forschungstätigkeit widmet er seit Jahren den Veränderungen der Arbeitswelt und publizierte hierzu mehrere Bücher. Mit einer eigenen Forschungs- und Beratungsinstitution (humanlogix) ist er bis heute unternehmerisch tätig.

Simon Nigsch has been working at the Institute for Energy Systems at OST - Ostschweizer Fachhochschule for over ten years. He is head of the Electrical Energy Systems department and lecturer in power electronics. His research focuses on power electronics for grid and mobility applications as well as the integration of storage solutions for grids and the energy industry. One focus area is the research and development of power electronics for battery technologies and conductive and inductive charging technologies for electric cars.

For over 35 years, I have been shaping the world of rollers – setting benchmarks in one of the most demanding industries.

My career began as a cutting machine operator and continued with advanced training as a REFA technician in work studies and business organization. This unique combination of hands-on experience and technical knowledge has laid the foundation of my expertise – which I have continuously expanded over decades.

Since 2010, I have been actively shaping the future of the roller industry as a Senior Sales Manager at Matthews Engineering.

Today, we are setting new standards in the refurbishment of high-precision calender rolls. With cutting-edge technologies and a deep understanding of our customers' needs, we deliver high-end solutions that meet the most demanding requirements – and redefine what’s possible.

Our mission: Innovation, precision, and reliability – perfected. Every day.

Tanja Zimmermann ist seit Juni 2022 Direktorin der Empa und Professorin für Materialwissenschaften an der ETH Zürich und der EPF Lausanne. Sie promovierte 2007 an der Universität Hamburg mit einer materialwissenschaftlichen Arbeit, die die Grundlagen für technische Anwendungen von Nanocellulose lieferte. Tanja Zimmermann baute an der Empa und in der Schweiz das Forschungsgebiet Zellulose-Nanokomposite auf und entwickelte in enger Zusammenarbeit mit der Industrie neue Materialien. Sie war Leiterin der Empa-Forschungsabteilung «Angewandte Holzforschung» und agierte seit Herbst 2017 als Direktionsmitglied und Leiterin des Departements «Functional Materials» mit sechs Forschungseinheiten. Die Erforschung von Materialien, die Ressourceneffizienz, Kreislaufwirtschaft und CO₂-Neutralität unterstützen, sind ihr eine Herzensangelegenheit. Sehr wichtig für sie ist die Förderung von Talenten und Jungunternehmen, was sie nicht nur im ETH-Bereich, sondern auch als Stiftungsratspräsidentin des Technoparks Zürich verfolgt. Tanja Zimmermann ist Mitglied in verschiedenen nationalen und internationalen Gremien, wissenschaftlichen Beiräten und Forschungskommissionen. Als Direktorin der Empa ist sie verantwortlich für rund 1100 Mitarbeitende an drei Standorten. In dieser Funktion hat sie inter- und transdisziplinäre Forschungsinitiativen in Bereichen wie nachhaltige gebaute Umwelt, Energie, Ressourcen, Emissionen und Gesundheit lanciert, um Lösungen für grosse gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen zu entwickeln. Zudem möchte sie sich gerne mit starken Partnern in neuen zukunftsträchtigen Themen wie Materialien für Raum- und Luftfahrt engagieren.

Working as Business Development Manager at KUKA for AutoT1 E-Mobility (Battery, FuelCell, Automotive Electronics) I push differenttopics regarding production and automation in the field of E-Mobility.The transformation of our mobility towards a sustainable future isonly possible with new-generation-vehicles who are equiped withmordern technology. These things need to be produced efficientlyand (of course) sustainable. Robotics are an important enabler forthis.I'm already well connected in the E-Mobility production sector andconstantly exchange with experts. I'm looking forward for furtherconnections and discussions to push the mobility change.

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