קרדיט תמונה: יונתן הפנר

Daniella Gera Margaliot is the Deputy Director General of Innovation and Smart Mobility in Israel’s Ministry of Transport, specializing in cutting-edge policies to promote and adopt innovation as a tool to address social and environmental challenges. Formerly the Deputy Managing Director of the Smart Mobility Initiative in the Prime Minister’s Office, Daniella played a meaningful role in establishing Israel as one of the world’s leaders in smart mobility. Earlier, Daniella gained extensive experience in the Budget Department of the Finance Ministry, heading the team responsible for the government’s fiscal policy, and initiating structural reforms in the agriculture, environment and transport sectors. Daniella holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Economics and Political Science, and an M.A. in Financial Economics, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as an M.A. in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Oren Ezer is the CEO and Co-founder of Electreon, the pioneer in wireless charging for electric vehicles. The company’s innovative technology enables EVs to charge while driving or parked, eliminating range anxiety and the need for heavy batteries. With a distinguished career in leading high-stakes multidisciplinary projects, Oren specializes in bridging the gap between ambitious R&D and large-scale commercial implementation. Before co-founding Electreon, Oren held senior leadership roles serving as Chief Electronic Engineer and Head of R&D for major international tech projects, where he spearheaded the development of advanced thermal imaging and laser systems.

Mr. Alexis Vafeades has been serving as the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works for the Republic of Cyprus since 2023, drawing on over thirty years of professional experience across architecture, construction, and public policy. Prior to his ministerial appointment, he led a critical modernization of standard construction contracts as President of the Cyprus Joint Construction Contracts Tribunal (CyJCCT), introducing new texts to address the evolving needs of the industry. His extensive BoD-level experience includes roles with Demetra Holdings Plc, the Council for the Registration of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, and the Cyprus Architects Association. He began his professional career in 1988, becoming a partner and shareholder in his family’s architectural practice and has been a longstanding member of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK). Alexis Vafeades is a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) in architecture.

Esti Peshin is a globally recognized leader in cybersecurity, AI, and aviation technologies. From 2017 until 2025, she served as Vice President and General Manager of the Cyber Division at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), where she built and led one of the world’s most sophisticated national-grade cyber capabilities. Under her leadership, IAI’s cyber activity grew from a directorate into a strategic corporate division, driving innovation, global partnerships, and mission-critical defense and enterprise security programs worldwide. Previously, Esti served (pro bono) as Director General of the Israeli Hi-Tech Caucus at the Knesset, advancing national innovation policy and strengthening Israel’s technology ecosystem. She has held senior leadership roles across strategic consulting, private equity, and technology ventures, including serving as CEO of Waterfall Security Solutions, a pioneering provider of critical-infrastructure cyber protection. Earlier in her career, Esti held a senior position in Verint Systems’ Lawful Interception division and served 11 years in an elite IDF technology unit, where she became Deputy Director. A respected voice in global cyber strategy, national resilience, and responsible AI development, Esti frequently speaks at leading international forums and advises governments, multinational corporations, investors and industry leaders on securing the digital future. She is also a licensed General Aviation and ULM/LSA pilot, and flight instructor.

Kobi Ben-Aharon is a cybersecurity professional with over 24 years of experience in information security, business continuity, and physical security. After serving in the Israeli Air Force (Lt. Col. Res.), he transitioned into the public sector, where he now leads cybersecurity initiatives in the transportation sector. As Head of the Cyber Unit at the Ministry of Transport, Ben-Aharon has spent the past five years strengthening the cybersecurity resilience of Israel’s transportation systems. Ben-Aharon holds a BSc in Computer Science, an MA in Law, and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) as well as a Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE).

For the past 13 years, Mark On has served as Global COO of Gett and as CEO of its Israel operations, leading the company’s activities in Israel and the United Kingdom. Under his leadership, Gett has solidified its position as a leading transportation technology company and become a key player in the development of advanced on-demand solutions based on data, product innovation, and a breakthrough operational approach. Gett connects tens of thousands of drivers to millions of rides across the markets in which it operates, with a strong focus on advanced B2B solutions for organizations and enterprises. Mark leads a strategy that integrates operational excellence, global thinking, and accelerated growth, while creating value for customers, partners, and investors. Alongside his business activities, Mark is committed to social impact and works to empower youth from peripheral communities by providing knowledge, tools, and inspiration for integration into the business world. He serves as a board member of Access Israel and actively promotes accessibility and equal opportunity. In his professional vision, Mark emphasizes leveraging technology, data, and innovation to improve public and private transportation, reduce traffic congestion in Israel, and generate meaningful social and economic impact. Photo: Shooka Cohen

Dror Bin is the CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, an independent public entity that operates for the benefit of the Israeli innovation ecosystem and Israeli economy as a whole. Its role is to nurture and develop Israeli innovation resources, while creating and strengthening the infrastructure and framework needed to support the entire knowledge industry. Prior to his role at the Authority, Dror served as President and CEO of RAD Data Communications, a leading global telecom network solutions company with hundreds of employees at the company’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, a manufacturing center in Jerusalem and development center in Beer Sheva as well as dozens of corporate branches around the world. Dror also served in a series of positions for close to a decade at Comverse Technology, the last one as a member of the management team and VP of Global Sales. Following this, Dror served as a venture partner at Carmel Ventures and a chairman at several of its portfolio companies. In addition, Dror served as a partner at Shaldor, a leading management consulting firm in Israel, where he led the development and implementation of business and marketing strategies for major organizations in the financial, consumer, retail, high-tech, banking and other industries. Dror holds two bachelor’s degrees from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology: one in systems information engineering and the other in industrial management, as well as an MBA from Tel Aviv University.

Erez oversees the product, business, and strategy for delivering Wayve’s embodied AI applications. A seasoned automated driving industry leader, Erez understands the challenges and the opportunities for end-to-end AI in this space. At Wayve, he is leading the introduction of Wayve’s first Embodied AI products for production vehicles, leveraging his deep expertise in machine learning technologies to deliver cutting-edge automotive products as a trusted partner to OEMs. Erez brings to Wayve a distinguished career of 20 years at Mobileye, holding senior positions, including Executive Vice President of Product and Strategy and Vice President of Intel Group. During his tenure, he led the deployment of ADAS in over 120 million vehicles, pioneered L2+ solutions with OEM partners and paved the way for its L4 mobility-as-a-service business unit. Now, at Wayve, Erez continues to lead the development of automated driving and ADAS systems harnessing the power of embodied AI. Erez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and an MBA from IDC, Herzliya.

Joshua Wilkenfeld serves as Head of Regulatory for Emerging Technology at Uber, where he helps shape the global rules that will define the future of mobility. His work sits at the intersection of innovation and public policy — designing regulatory frameworks that enable breakthrough technologies to move from pilot to scale responsibly. Joshua leads Uber’s global strategy on autonomous vehicles, hybrid mobility networks, drone delivery systems, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and sidewalk robotics. He partners with governments around the world to build modern, adaptive regulatory regimes that unlock innovation while strengthening safety, trust, and public accountability. His work centers on helping cities and nations prepare for a world where autonomy, electrification, and connected infrastructure fundamentally reshape how people and goods move. Prior to Uber, Joshua served as a senior leader at the U.S. Department of Justice, advising the U.S. Attorney General and senior officials on complex financial enforcement and constitutional issues — experience that now informs his approach to building durable, forward-looking governance structures for emerging technologies. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with his wife, Rachel, and their four children.

Kobi Eisenberg is the President of Mobility and Autofleet at Element. He leads Element’s technology roadmap and product suite to deliver best-in-class digital solutions for its clients. Kobi also oversees Autofleet, Element’s subsidiary, driving its mission to provide a leading fleet optimization platform that enhances efficiency and innovation in the mobility sector. Kobi co-founded Autofleet, the leading optimization platform for fleets and mobility operators, that today serves clients in a wide variety of mobility verticals, in over 20 countries and across 5 continents. Before co-founding Autofleet, Kobi led product tech teams in other fast-growing startups as well as established corporations. Kobi holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and an MBA from Ben-Gurion University.

Alon Abelson is the founder and CEO of High Lander. With more than twenty five years of experience as a military air traffic controller and over a decade of C-level experience in the B2B software sector, Alon created High Lander to guide the evolution of aviation and enable drones and aircraft to coexist in harmony and safety.

Martin Tietze is Vice President New Technologies within the BMW Group’s Research & Development division and has held several leadership roles over more than 20 years at BMW. He has been closely involved in shaping digital systems and software, future technologies and innovation, and next-generation mobility—driving these topics across all phases from pre-development through strategy and architecture to vehicle launches. In addition, he serves on advisory boards of several international institutes and represents BMW in EUCAR (the European Council for Automotive R&D).

Yoely is a serial entrepreneur in diverse sectors and a pioneer in integrating innovative technologies. Yoely is an Army Reserve General who served as the military attach? and the ministry of Defense attach? in LATAM and served in a series of high-ranking roles in the Israeli Army, including service in the Marines. He has rich experience in managing large and complex multidisciplinary projects. Yoely has a BA in history and economics and an MBA from the University of Tel Aviv.

Maxim Meijers is the Manager of the Competence Center at EBS (Dutch subsidiary of Egged), where he leads the team responsible for route and timetable development, duty scheduling, and roster planning. In this role, he oversees planning and scheduling specialists and ensures an optimal balance between operational feasibility, passenger demand, and strategic objectives. He plays a key role in complex tenders, combining in depth domain expertise with a strategic vision to deliver competitive, innovative, and operationally feasible proposals. Additionally, Maxim is closely involved in organization-wide innovation initiatives focused on customer satisfaction, digitalization, process optimization, and enhancing operational efficiency. With a strong focus on collaboration, innovation, and results-oriented leadership, he brings together diverse disciplines to drive sustainable improvements across the organization.

Adam Toone is Chief Commercial Officer at Ticketer and a long-time advocate for better use of technology, data, and platforms in public transport. He has spent over a decade working with operators and transport authorities on digital transformation, customer experience, and sustainable commercial growth. Adam is especially interested in how the industry can move faster, collaborate better, and design services around real passenger needs rather than legacy constraints.

Roy Even is a senior project and innovation manager at Ayalon Highways’s Technology & Innovation Division, where he leads national-scale smart mobility and advanced air-mobility initiatives on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Transport. He manages the National Smart Transportation Testing Center, the National UAV and Advanced Air Mobility Test Center, Israel National Drone Initiative and several additional technology integration programs, overseeing the full lifecycle from concept and planning to deployment, operations, and international collaborations. With a decade of experience in large-scale project management, ecosystem building, and technology demonstration programs, Roy works at the intersection of government, industry, startups, academia, and global partners. He regularly leads high-profile pilot projects, international delegations, and live demonstration events that showcase cutting-edge solutions in autonomous vehicles, V2X, drones, and smart infrastructure. Roy is passionate about accelerating innovation in transportation and infrastructure, creating real-world testing environments, and building partnerships that turn emerging technologies into deployable, safe, and scalable solutions.

Yoav is leading Upstream’s strategic direction, culture and business execution, with over 17 years of experience in multi-national high-tech companies and start-ups. He brings rich leadership experience in management, marketing and business development of IT and security products spanning over a dozen years of experience in category leading vendors such as Check Point, Juniper Networks and Broadcom. Yoav is an avid kite boarder and surfer.

Hildegard Müller has been President of the VDA since 2020. From October 2002 to September 2008, she was a Member of the German Bundestag. In addition, from November 2005 to September 2008, she served as Minister of State to the Federal Chancellor. In October 2008, Hildegard Müller assumed the position of Chair of the Executive Board of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) in Berlin. From May 2016 onward, she was a Member of the Executive Board of innogy SE, where she was responsible for the Network & Infrastructure division as well as the coordination of digitalization projects.

Francesco Mascolo has served as Chief Executive Officer of MM SpA since September 2022, leading one of Europe’s foremost engineering companies in the design and construction of metro systems, tramways, and large-scale infrastructure. With a 30-year track record across top-tier international corporations, he brings extensive expertise in public transport operations, urban mobility systems, and the strategic transformation of multi-utility companies. From 2020 to 2022, he was General Manager of ANM – Azienda Napoletana Mobilità, and from 2014 to 2020 he served as General Manager of Asia Napoli SpA, the municipal provider of environmental services. Before joining the public-utility sector, he held senior roles in multinational groups across automotive (FIAT, CNH, Comau), household appliances (Indesit, Candy), and FMCG (Fater – P&G JV). He holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Naples Federico II, an MBA from Bocconi University, and a Master’s in Circular Economy Management from Luiss Business School. A recognized voice in public water management, he is Vice-President of Aqua Publica Europea, the European association of public water operators, and a member of the Executive Board of Utilitalia, the Italian utilities federation.

Omer Keilaf has spent the majority of his career driving cutting edge technologies from inception to commercialization. As the founder and CEO of Innoviz Technologies, a global leader in high-performance LiDAR technology for automotive and smart applications, Mr. Keilaf is helping enable the mass commercialization of autonomous vehicles, in addition to delivering the same performance to additional smart applications, by providing high-performance, automotive-grade LiDAR at mass market prices. Mr. Keilaf spearheaded the company’s rapid growth as it raised $371 million and expanded to over 400 employees to date. With his leadership, the company signed agreements with leading car manufacturers such as BMW, VW, Mobileye and Daimler Truck. The first BMW featuring L3 autonomous driving was launched in 2024, while the ID Buzz AD L4 autonomous driving is expected to launch in early 2027. Prior to founding Innoviz, Omer served as an officer in an elite technological unit of the Intelligence Corps of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Thereafter, he held senior leadership roles at companies including Consumer Physics, STMicroelectronics and IDF, where he served as the System and Product Team Manager, R&D manager, and Project Manager and System Architecture Manager, respectively. He holds a BSc and MSc in Electrical Engineering and an MBA, all from Tel Aviv University, where he has also served as a lecturer.

Devina Pasta is the CEO of Siemens Mobility Software, where she leads an extensive portfolio of digital and AI‑driven solutions including MaaS platforms that make multimodal travel seamless and software that optimizes core processes for rail/public transport, from network planning to reservation, booking and inventory management, helping operators maximize occupancy, revenue and passenger experience. Prior to this role, Devina held senior leadership positions at Siemens in product development, strategy, sales and digital transformation. Nominated as a Young Global Leader (YGL) by WEF, ‘Thought leader’ by Handelsblatt, ‘Change Maker’ at the London Tech Week, Devina is passionate about fostering global leadership in tech and mentoring emerging technologists through initiatives such as African Girls Can Code and EmpowerHER. She has won numerous awards for her work such as Industrial IoT Award, Digital Female Leader Award and is invited by governments to share her work on digital transformation

Amos Haggiag is the CEO and co-founder of Optibus, a cutting-edge software platform that powers complex public transportation operations in more than 7,000 cities worldwide. Before co-founding Optibus in 2014, Amos led the development of large-scale personalization engines as a senior software development engineer at Microsoft and designed machine learning algorithms at Siemens. He is the recipient of several prestigious math and technology awards, including the Intel Prize (for software engineering), the Elkin Prize (for information technology) and the Wolf Prize (for mathematics).

Nir Bezalel is the CEO of Moovit, a leading Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) provider, and the world’s #1 urban mobility app. Nir joined Moovit 13 years ago and has previously served as the company’s VP of R&D and CTO. Prior to Moovit, Nir held several key roles in additional technology companies, including VP of R&D at OptimalTest and Director of R&D at NOVA.

Andrés Barentin Calvo – is founding partner and CEO of Dhemax since 2005. He has over 18 years of experience in energy management and over 12 years of experience in electromobility. With his team, he has been involved in emblematic electromobility projects in Chile, contributed to various aspects of Chilean electromobility regulation and, most recently, has worked in Latin American regulatory and technical aspects of electromobility. He has led and participated in the installation and rollout of 1000 DC high power chargers, the introduction of more than 3.000 electric buses in public transportation, new charging technologies, V2G tests and definition of public policies and regulations to guarantee an organic and interoperable development of electromobility. He was advisor of senator Antonio Horvath and is also head of technical, president of the Chilean Electromobility Association (AVEC) and president of the Latinamerican Sustainable Mobility Association (ALAMOS) and right now he’s ambassador of CharIn for Chile. Andres is electronic engineer of Santa Maria University, one of the most prestigious institutions in Latin America.

Laura Dottori-Attanasio is a highly accomplished figure in the business community, currently serving as the CEO of Element Fleet Management, the largest publicly traded pure-play automotive fleet manager in the world. Before joining Element, Laura led the Personal and Business Banking division at one of Canada’s largest financial institutions. Prior to this role, her strong leadership skills were showcased when she oversaw the institution’s Risk Management activities as the Chief Risk Officer and the Global Corporate Banking and Trading Room Credit in the Capital Markets division. Beyond her professional achievements, Laura is deeply committed to making a positive impact on communities and creating brighter possibilities for everyone. She actively contributes to various organizations, currently serving as a board member for Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons “A Seat at the Table,” co-chairing the Fundraising Committee for the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, and the Surgical Tower Campaign for the UHN Foundation. Laura’s efforts and dedication have been recognized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, where she was honored with the Outstanding Volunteer Award. Additionally, she received the prestigious King Clancy Award from the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons. Laura’s achievements have earned her a place in the WXN Top 100 ‘Most Powerful Women in Canada’ Hall of Fame, and she was most recently recognized as The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business New CEO of the Year, solidifying her status as an influential leader. In 2022, Laura was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Ontario Tech University in recognition of her outstanding leadership in Canada’s financial industry and legacy of professional accomplishments and community involvement. Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Western University and is fully bilingual in English and French. She currently resides in Toronto with her husband, Mark, and together they are proud parents to four wonderful children.

Dr. Nikolai Ardey is the Executive Director of Group Innovation at Volkswagen Group, leading the Group’s global Research and Innovation activities across sustainability, mobility, digital platforms, and AI technologies. Group Innovation has been active in the Israeli market since 2018 through its subsidiary Konnect, the Volkswagen Group Innovation hub in Tel Aviv. Previously, Dr. Ardey served as Vice President of Powertrain Development at Audi AG and spent 18 years at BMW AG in senior management roles. He holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich and is also an accomplished opera singer (baritone).