Maximilian Buchleitner is Head of the International Recruiting Initiative (IFO) and Policy Adviser in the Department of Social Policy and Health Policy at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ). He studied Law at the University of Vienna and International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna and the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), in Bologna. Maximilian Buchleitner is an expert in the field of labour market policies and is responsible for implementing the strategic framework to improve the recruitment of skilled labour in shortage occupations from non-EU countries. ©Fotostudio Interfoto

Markus Puff has been with the TDK Electronics GmbH & Co OG since 2000. After starting with process development in the ceramic multilayer technology, followed by a short look into semiconductor packaging technologies, he worked on different product development topics. He is now responsible for corporate research & development in the Piezo and Protection Devices Business Group, where his focus is on innovative themes, emerging technologies as well as applications and their appropriate product development. In 1999 Markus Puff graduated from Technical University Graz in Austria with a Master of Science in Physics. ©TDK Electronics GmbH

Active for more than 30 years in various management positions in the innovative electronics environment. Through different industry-structures, extensive experience with companies ranging from Austrian SMEs to major international corporations. Since April 2021 Director Public Affairs Global. 2010 - 2021: CSO of the business unit Automotive, Industrial, Medical of AT&S AG. 2007 - 2018: Director of AT&S Americas LLC with offices in San Jose (CA) and Chicago (IL). 2006 - 2021: Managing Director of AT&S Deutschland GmbH Before: Director Sales & Marketing BU Automotive & Industrial, Managing Director AT&S Asia Pacific in Hong Kong, Regional Manager AT&S Asia Pacific China in Shanghai  

After obtaining degrees in civil engineering and business administration, Frank worked in the field of EU funded R&D project management at TU Dresden. After founding a company, his way led him to Silicon Saxony in 2014, where he coordinated "Silicon Europe". Since 2018, he is Managing Director of the entire cluster organisation, which brings together more than 400 members,including big players such as Infineon, Globalfoundries, Bosch, SAP or T-Systems. He is also supporting the EU Commission as member of the European Expert Group on Clusters as well as the European Committee of Regions as individual expert with regard to the planned EU Chips Act.

Josef Affenzeller is Director of Research Coordination at AVL List GmbH in Graz, Austria. He holds a Dipl.-Ing. and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Graz. He is also honorary Prof. of Montan University Leoben. He is currently General Secretary of ERTRAC SIG (Supporting Institutions Group) as well as of EGVIA2Zero (European Green Vehicles Initiative Association) in Brussels. Currently, he is also one of the Austrian delegates to the European Battery Alliance of the European Commission. He was also the chairperson of ECSEL Austria and is member of the board of AC Styria, Silicon Alps and of the research organization Virtual Vehicle (VIF).  

Andy Kondo has over 20 years of experiences in electronics industry both in Europe and Japan. He started his career at Japanese soldering materials manufacturer. He runs the technology consulting company Amplify Japan to introduce European technologies to Japanese manufacturing companies as the technology scouting partner. He also has been quite active in the field of startup innovation and plays a role as Japan program mentor for German Accelerators and COO of CROSSBIE JAPAN, Japan office of Berlin based Startup accelerator, which supports cross border startup ecosystem building of Japanese local governments such as Tokyo, Kobe and Yokohama. ©Amplify Japan - Founder & CEO

Karin Ronijak is Senior Director Global Public R&D Funding at ams OSRAM Group. She received her PhD in Economics from KF University of Graz and UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, US. Besides this, Karin holds a degree (MSc) in European Project and Public Management from the FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences in Graz. Before joining AMS, she was Senior Marketing Manager at AVL List. As Head of the R&D Funding Department, she leads a global team of engineers who are creating and managing innovation projects for the next generation of emerging product ideas. ©Torsten Urschler

Born in Singapore and raised in Germany and South Africa, Stephan Puxkandl graduated as a mining engineer from the University of Leoben. His first engagement on a global basis was in the planning and establishment of environmental technology with a focus on exhaust air purification plants. Thereafter, the company's involvement moved into business development in the automotive supply industry. The focus was on quality and safety relevant components for drivers. Currently, Stephan Puxkandl is Senior Vice President in the EBNER Group and responsible for the development of the sapphire and semiconductor substrate industry. ©Erwin Wimmer