Maxime Allard - Co-founder, Helical

Maxime studied at TU Munich and Columbia University, specializing in AI and deep learning, before pursuing a PhD at Imperial College London in robotics and AI. His research earned him a Best Paper Award in 2022 and the Amazon PhD Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Robotics.

He gained industrial experience at IBM, first in New York, where he worked in the Data Science Elite Team, contributing to cutting-edge AI projects and authoring two patents in AI. In 2020, he rejoined IBM in London, leading data science teams and driving AI innovation in various domains. He later became Head of Data & AI at Circu Li-ion.

Now, he is the co-founder of Helical, a $3 million-funded startup developing next-generation bio foundation models to accelerate drug discovery, already surpassing leading pharma companies with its first AI model.

Nadia Calviño - President, European Investment Bank Group

President Nadia Calviño is a Spanish economist and lawyer with a prominent career as civil servant and politician in the Spanish government and the European Commission. Before becoming President of the European Investment Bank Group on January 1st 2024, Ms. Calviño served from June 2018 until December 2023 as Vice-President of Spain, Minister for Economy, Trade and Business and Minister for Economy and Digitalization. She chaired the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the IMF in 2022-2023. Before joining the Spanish government, Ms. Calviño had a 12-year tenure at the European Commission where she was Deputy Director General for Competition, Deputy Director General for Financial Services, and Director General responsible for the EU Budget since 2014. Her earlier career in Spain encompassed various managerial positions as a civil servant at the Ministry for Economy, focusing on areas such as macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, foreign trade and economic policy, before becoming Director General for Competition in 2004. In addition to her career in public service, Ms. Calviño was associated professor at the Faculty of Economics of the Universidad Complutense of Madrid and has authored numerous articles. Her expertise and leadership have been recognised with several prestigious awards, including the “US Foreign Policy Association Medal,” the “Women and Technology Award,” and the “Master of Digital” award, showcasing her contributions in the areas of technological development and international cooperation. Ms. Calviño holds a degree in economics from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and a degree in law from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia.

Gérard Cops - Industry & Services Leader, PwC Luxembourg

As the Industry & Services (I&S) Leader at PwC Luxembourg, Gerard oversees PwC’s comprehensive services to multinational corporations, listed and non-listed groups headquartered in Luxembourg, and high-growth companies. His role spans all PwC Lines of Service, including Assurance, Advisory, Technology, Deals, and Tax Services.

He works closely with the PwC Network teams globally to deliver seamless and integrated solutions. Passionate about delivering value-driven insights, he is dedicated to helping organizations evaluate, reshape and execute their global strategies, leveraging the full breadth of PwC’s expertise.

Specialized in International Tax Services, he brings over 30 years of experience advising corporations on strategic projects, corporate and business model transformations, and M&A deals. He assists clients on a pan-EMEA basis, ensuring they navigate the intricacies of cross-border taxation and achieve their business objectives effectively. He serves major multinational corporations in the Technology, Automotive, Teleco, Pharma and Industrial Products & Services industries, together with the PwC Network.

Gerard joined the PwC Global network in 1994. Prior to joining PwC Luxembourg, he was a Partner at PwC Belgium (Brussels). He also did a 2-year secondment at PwC New York, US (2006-2008).

Gerard hold a Masters in Business Engineering from the University of Louvain and a Masters in International Tax Management from Solvay Business School in Brussels.

Lex Delles - Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy and Tourism

Following secondary studies, Lex Delles began studying law at the University of Luxembourg before graduating in educational sciences at HERS (Haute Ecole Robert Schuman) in Virton (Belgium).

After his studies, Lex Delles started a career as a teacher in the primary school in Lenningen.

Following the legislative elections of 14 October 2018, Lex Delles joined the government as Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Minister for Tourism on 5 December 2018 in the coalition government formed by the Democratic Party (DP), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) and the Green Party ('déi gréng'). After the legislative elections of 8 October 2023, Lex Delles was appointed Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy and Tourism on 17 November 2023 in the coalition government between the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) and the Democratic Party (DP).

True to his motto "Nothing is easier than criticising, it is better to act", Lex Delles joined the youth wing of the Democratic Party of Luxembourg (Jonk Demokraten - JDL). He revived the JDL section in Mondorf-les-Bains and the democratic youth of the East District of which he was president until 2013. From November 2015 to June 2022, Lex Delles was vice-president of the DP. In June 2022, he was elected as the Democratic Party's new president at the age of 37. In 2011, Lex Delles ran for the first time in the municipal elections and is elected from the outset first alderman of Mondorf-les-Bains. In January 2014, he was sworn in as mayor of his hometown. Lex Delles was also chairman of the Syndicat intercommunal pour la création, l'aménagement, la promotion et l'exploitation d'une zone d'activités économiques à caractère régional dans le canton de Remich (SIAER - Triangle vert) from March 2014 until he joined the government. Following the legislative elections of 2013, Lex Delles was elected to Parliament and in 2014, at the age of 29, became the youngest mayor and member of Parliament of the country. During the 2017 municipal elections, he retained his mandate as mayor until he joined the government. At the Chamber of Deputies, Lex Delles chaired from 2013 to 2018 the commission for education, children and youth. He was also member of the commission of the civil service and administrative reform, of the commission of agriculture, viticulture, rural development and consumer protection, as well as the commission of culture. Lex Delles was also an alternate member of the Luxembourg delegation to the Benelux Interparliamentary Consultative Council from 2015 to 2018.

Vincent Hein - Director, IDEA

Vincent Hein holds a master's degree in economics from the University of Lorraine (2009).

He then worked as an economist at the Economic and Social Council of Lorraine and taught courses at the University of Lorraine for about ten years.

Since 2016, he has been an economist at IDEA in Luxembourg, the Think Tank established by the Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed Director of IDEA in 2023.

At IDEA, his main work has focused on analyzing economic and social trends, the country's research and innovation policies, and more recently, issues related to territorial development in Luxembourg and its cross-border area.

Gérard Hoffmann - Chief Executive Officer, Proximus Luxembourg

Since January 1, 2019, Gérard Hoffmann has been the CEO of Proximus Luxembourg, which operates under the Tango and Proximus NXT brands with 800 specialists in Luxembourg. Both divisions work hand in hand to meet the telecommunication and IT needs of Luxembourg's residential and business customers. Since 2023 he is also a managing director of Clarence, the JV between Proximus and LuxConnect which operates Europe’s first truly sovereign cloud based on Google technology.

Proximus Luxembourg is a subsidiary of Proximus Group, the leading provider of telephony, Internet, TV and ICT services in Belgium.

Gérard Hoffmann has been involved for many years in several of Luxembourg’s professional associations:

He is a board member and honorary chairperson of ICT Luxembourg, the country’s digital business community platform and contributes to the discussions with the government on the national digital strategies. He is a member of the board of directors of FEDIL-The Voice of Industry, Cloud Community Europe–Luxembourg (CCEL) and of Finance & Technology Luxembourg (FTL) as well as Vice-President of the board of directors of the Groupement Luxembourgeois de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (GLAE). Through his participation in these industry associations, he contributes to shape a favorable framework for investments into the digital economy in Luxembourg. Moreover, as an elected member of the Chamber of Commerce, Gérard Hoffmann currently chairs the Chamber’s workgroup on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He has been a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Luxembourg from its creation in 2003 until 2023.

Gérard Hoffmann holds a degree in electrical engineering from ETH Zurich, a master's degree in economics from the University of Sankt Gallen (HSG) and a PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

In 1997, he was the co-author of the book: “Europe 2012: Globalisation and social cohesion? The Luxembourg scenarios”, a study on the future of Luxembourg published by Economica, Paris.

Dr Luc Julia - Chief Scientific Officer, Renault Group

He was CTO and Senior Vice President of Innovation for Samsung Electronics, directed Siri at Apple, was Chief Technologist at Hewlett-Packard and cofounded a number of start-ups in the Silicon Valley. While conducting research at SRI International, he was involved in the creation of Nuance Communications, now the world leader in speech recognition. Recipient of the Legion of Honor, the highest order of France, Officer of National Order of Merit and member of the French Academy of Technologies, he holds degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris and earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Paris. He is the bestselling author of the book “There is no such thing as Artificial Intelligence”, holds dozens of patents and is recognized as one of the top 100 most influential French developers in the digital world.

Ananda Kautz - Member of the management board - Innovation, Payments and Sustainability, ABBL

Ananda Kautz joined ABBL in 2020 and is a member of the Management Board overseeing Innovation, Payments, Sustainability and IT activities. She began her career at PwC in 2006 before joining ING, where she worked for nearly 12 years and took over leadership positions focusing on strategy, digital transformation, and payments. A graduate of ESSEC, Paris Dauphine University, and Concordia, she furthered her education in financial technologies at INSEAD.

Cécile Liégeois - Clients and Markets Leader, PwC Luxembourg

Cécile is the Clients & Markets Leader of the Country Leadership Team (CLT). She joined PwC Luxembourg in 1999.

She is a regulatory and audit partner in the banking industry. She also leads the banking regulatory advisory practice, focusing on regulatory, operational, and business impacts that governance, compliance, MiFID, digital regulation have on banks, PSF or payment institutions. She is also assisting entities to set up new regulated activities in Luxembourg.

An active member in a number of local associations, she is an advisor to the Board of Directors of the Luxembourg Association of Compliance Officers (ALCO), member of the Financial Markets and Intermediation Committee at Banking Association (ABBL), and chair of the Advisory & Investment Service working group.

She graduated from UCLouvain in Belgium with a Business Engineering Master’s and she is also a qualified “Réviseur d’Entreprises agréé” (registered auditor), as well as a Qualified Chartered Accountant ("Expert Comptable").

Cécile expects PwC to be known as a Trusted Advisor, meaning working collaboratively with clients as a strategic partner and delivering high-quality services to clients. She emphasizes the importance of attracting and retaining the right talents to achieve this goal, aiming for PwC to be an employer of choice, with people feeling valued and able to grow and develop.

Véronique Martin-Lang - Chief engineer AI and Advanced Analytics, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Véronique Martin-Lang is responsible for the Data Science and AI solutions for the Goodyear Tire Intelligence products in the aftermarket business. She manages also several collaborations with research entities such as the Goodyear-LIST partnership.

Véronique began her career with Goodyear 23 years ago. She held various roles in Virtual Modeling, Tire Engineering, Information Technology, Product Lifecycle Management and lately Data Science. Her goal is to digitalize processes.

Véronique holds a PhD in Computer Science with a specialization in Computer Aided Design. Prior to joining Goodyear, Veronique contributed to Research and the Industry in France, Japan, the United States and Luxembourg.

Marie-Hélène Massard - Deputy General Director, Foyer Group

Marie-Hélène Massard has been Deputy CEO of Foyer Group since May 1, 2024.

A Statistician Engineer with a Master’s degree in Information Systems and Management Control, she began her career in insurance at AXA in Paris in 1996. Rising through the ranks, she moved to Warsaw in 2008 to join the executive committee of AXA’s Polish subsidiary. There, she led the group’s marketing strategy for Central and Eastern Europe before taking charge of the Retail and SME markets. She was later appointed Director of Distribution for AXA Poland.

In September 2012, she became CEO and Executive Director of AXA Luxembourg, and in 2016, she took on an additional role as CEO of AXA Wealth Europe, a newly created entity. Returning to France in 2020, she was appointed CEO of AXA France Western Region and, in 2022, CEO of AXA Banque.

From March 2016 to March 2018, she also served as President of the ACA, the Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies in Luxembourg.

Dr Grégory Nain - Co-founder & Head of Operations, DataThings

Grégory Nain is co-founder and head of operations at DataThings. Following his master thesis in the domain of software engineering, with a specialization in building automation and networks, he received a PhD degree in Software Engineering from the University of Rennes, where he proposed a novel combination of software architecture approaches to tackle the need for reliable dynamic software systems. He continued his academic journey at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) of the University of Luxembourg as a Research Associate, where he was appointed head of the IoT Lab infrastructure for 5 years. In 2017, he founded DataThings with 3 fellow researchers from SnT, to industrialize and promote the GreyCat technology. He participated to various projects addressing data-related challenges in banks, manufacturing industries, and electricity distribution to only cite the main ones, where the usage of GreyCat brought a performance increase by 40% to 90%. As head of operations, he supervises the general company administration, business development activities, project definition and execution monitoring.

Stefano Perego - VP International Operations & Global Ops Services, AMAZON

Stefano Perego is Amazon’s Vice President of International Operations & Global Operations Services.

In his role, he manages all operations, transportation and fulfilment outside of the US, and leads real estate, supply chain, procurement, engineering, and security for the company’s operations globally.

With over 13 years of experience at Amazon, Stefano’s journey with the company has been marked by several key milestones. He played a pivotal role in the launch of Amazon Operations in Italy, headed fulfillment for France, Italy, and Spain, led the network's transition to robotics in the UK, and managed fulfillment and supply chain networks across Amazon’s North American and European business before taking on his current role leading all operations in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

Stefano has an MSc MEng from Politecnico di Milano in Italy and lives in Luxembourg with his wife and two sons.

Amanda Roberts - Founder LUX WMN & Professor (Miami University)

Amanda Roberts is a dynamic and results-driven executive with 20 years of experience spanning education, law, and media. Known for her business acumen and strategic mindset, she has successfully led initiatives across diverse industries, bringing a unique blend of analytical thinking, creativity, and leadership to every role she takes on.

Amanda holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Women’s Studies, a Master’s Degree in Education (Curriculum & Design), and a Doctorate in Law (J.D.). Her career began in education, teaching at an inner-city school in Chicago, before transitioning into law. She later expanded her expertise to global business development, leveraging her ability to drive change and implement impactful strategies in international markets.

As the Global Business Development Manager at an international law firm, Amanda spearheaded numerous worldwide initiatives, collaborating with major brands and Fortune 500 companies. Her ability to navigate complex global markets and foster strategic partnerships set her apart as a leader in business development.

In 2019, Amanda founded LUX WMN Magazine and Business Club, a platform dedicated to empowering women in business. At the end of 2024, she expanded her impact by launching the LUX WMN Business Studio, providing business strategy, market research, marketing audits, and more to both large and small businesses internationally. Over the past eight years, she has worked closely with businesses and entrepreneurs in Luxembourg, offering expert guidance in business strategy, marketing, and growth.

In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Amanda is a professor at Miami University’s Luxembourg campus, where she teaches International Marketing, Business Communications, and Digital Innovation. Passionate about education and mentorship, she continues to shape the next generation of business leaders through her teaching and advisory roles.

With a deep commitment to fostering innovation and leadership, Amanda is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals achieve sustainable success in an ever-evolving global landscape.

Carlo Thelen - Director General, Chamber of Commerce

After obtaining a Master of Science in Economics at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, Carlo Thelen joined the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in 1996 as an Economic Adviser. In August 2003, he joined the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and in January 2004, he became Director of International Affairs. In January 2014 he was nominated Director General. Until 2019, he was also the Chief Economist of the Chamber of Commerce, each year preparing and presenting the most important official opinion of the Chamber of Commerce: the opinion on the state budget. Carlo Thelen is also the author of a notable expert blog that highlights current important socio-economic questions, as well as articles and strategic papers published by the Chamber of Commerce. He also represents the Chamber of Commerce in different working groups and councils in Luxembourg institutions and organisations, is in charge of strategic papers, studies, surveys and statistics, research and innovation, documentation and literature on economics, and regularly gives advice and consultations on these subjects. In addition to his economic expertise, Carlo Thelen has extensive experience in commercial and economic advocacy as he regularly participates in economic missions abroad where he promotes the Luxembourg economy and businesses.

Jacques Thill - Digital Economy and Data Policy Coordinator, Luxembourg Ministry of the Economy

Mr Jacques Thill currently serves as Advisor to the Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy and Tourism. In this role, he is a member of the Cabinet of the Minister, where he plays a crucial role in shaping and implementing policies related to the digital economy.

In 2019, Mr Thill joined the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy (SMC). As the Head of the Audiovisual Unit, he coordinated European affairs and provided expert advice on digital policy. His responsibilities included overseeing audiovisual projects and ensuring that Luxembourg’s interests were represented in European digital policy discussions.

Prior to these roles, he was Attaché at the Ministry of the Economy, specifically within the Internal Market Directorate, where he had the opportunity to serve at the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the EU. He started his career as chargé de mission for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Mr Thill holds a Master in European political and administrative studies from the College of Europe in Bruges.

Gaston Trauffler - Head of Industrial Policy, FEDIL

Gaston Trauffler is currently head of Industrial Policy at FEDIL and he is also a member of FEDIL’s management committee. In this capacity, Gaston is in charge of energy and environmental issues and he is in charge of implementing initiatives designed to make local industry more competitive.

Before joining FEDIL, Gaston was the Director of Communication, Marketing, and Strategy and a member of the Management Committee at Luxinnovation, Luxembourg’s National Innovation Agency. Previously, Gaston held several positions with the Agency, among others, as Head of Strategy, Department Head of Innovation Management, Design & Strategic Intelligence, and as Head of Start-up Support and SME Performance, where he developed the programs Fit for Innovation and initiated Fit for Start.

Before re-joining Luxinnovation as the Head of Strategy, Gaston worked as a senior manager at Ernst & Young, EY Luxembourg’s business advisory practice in strategy, management, and innovation. He also spent several years working in Tokyo, Japan as an industrial analyst in foreign direct investment and as a consultant in Zurich, advising technology-based companies in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany in innovation management.

Gaston holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, a master's degree in business engineering and industrial management with a major in Biocompatible Material Sciences, and a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich. He authored articles on innovation and technology management and published a book on strategic innovation management. He was appointed a member of the expert panel for evaluating the European Commission’s H2020 ERC PoC Grant Program in 2013, 2014 and 2017. Gaston was appointed Associate Professor at the Welch College of Business & Technology (Sacred Heart University) MBA program between 2018 and 2022. Since 2023, he contributes in the same role to HEC Liège Luxembourg’s MBA program.

Laurence Zenner - Chief Executive Officer, CREOS

Laurence Zenner holds a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Liège, Belgium. She began her professional career in 1995 as a research engineer with a manufacturer of metal halls and joined the CFL Group in 1999, where she held various positions within the infrastructure management department of CFL before taking up the position of Secretary General from 2014 to 2017 and Quality Manager from 2016 to 2017 for the CFL Group. Since 2018 she had been CEO of CFL Cargo. From 2008 to 2017, she also assumed the position of Associate Teacher at the Faculty of Sciences, Technology and Communication at the University of Luxembourg. Laurence Zenner joined the electricity and gas network operator Creos Luxembourg S.A. on 1 July 2023 and was appointed CEO and member of the Board of Directors. She has also been a member of the Executive Board of Encevo S.A. since that date. With effect from 1 January 2025, Laurence Zenner has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST).