Dr Fabian Lehretz

Dr.-Ing. Fabian Lehretz studied industrial engineering and materials science at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg. He started his professional career in 2010 at Lapp Insulators (Pfisterer Group) and became R&D manager for HV composite insulators. In 2019, he moved to TenneT TSO, where he worked as an asset specialist for high-voltage insulators and corrosion protection. In 2025 Fabian Lehretz was promoted to Head of Asset Management AC. Mr Lehretz leads several CIGRE working groups on dielectric HV materials and testing and is project manager of the IEC working group PT63264 to create a new standard for insulators with integrated optical components.

Zdeněk Hruška

Zdeněk Hruška graduated from Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague. He has been working at ČEPS since 2007. He used to work in the field of ancillary services; currently he is engaged in the development of the Czech electricity transmission system and technical strategy, including cooperation with other European operators. Zdeněk Hruška started working in the ENTSO-E organization in 2009. At the beginning, he was responsible for the preparation and setting up the creation of 10year network development plan. In recent years, he has been working for System development committee and as convenor of the team responsible for processing data and tools for the development of European transmission systems.

Yann Duclot

Yann Duclot is the Nexans Acceleration Units Director at Nexans, where he oversees 4 Business lines, including Nexans Solar Technologies and Nexans MCS (Machines, Cryogenics, Superconductivity). With over 25 years of experience in Business Unit Management, Transformation of organisation, Management of the Innovation, Yann has been instrumental in scaling up business activities and driving company’s growth and profitability and. He hold an MSC from Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM). Yann is also a Board Member of CurrENT and animated by “Making a dent in the Universe”. Prior to joining Nexans, he has spent 11 years at Cavotec and was an Executive Member of the company as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer.

Simon Price

Simon is Director of Energy Transition at CRU, which provides business intelligence on the metals and materials driving the global economy, including steel, aluminium and copper. He focuses on the technologies and materials that will drive decarbonisation, including solar power and lithium-ion batteries. An electrical engineer, Simon began his career in the steel industry before spending several years in the US as a journalist, analyst, and latterly CEO of a software developer. In 2008 he made the switch into renewable energy as a co-founder of a solar cell technology startup, and two years later he co-founded a solar module factory design business. In 2015, Simon founded Exawatt to forecast the cost and performance of technologies that deliver decarbonisation through electrification. These include solar power, batteries, electric vehicles, and power conversion and transmission. Exawatt was acquired by CRU in early 2023.

Arezoo Ghanbari

Arezoo Ghanbari holds a degree in Materials Engineering and has specialized experience inmetallurgy, with a strong focus on corrosion science. Her work centres on the identification ofcorrosion mechanisms and the evaluation of material performance in corrosive environments. Sheholds the position of R&I Expert in Metallic Coating and Corrosion at Bekaert, where she isresponsible for corrosion assessment of metallic wire systems used across key sectors such asautomotive, construction, energy, agriculture, and other industrial domains. Her activities supportthe development of durable, high-performance material systems through the application ofadvanced corrosion knowledge and engineering insight.

Markus Kemmler

Markus studied Mechanical Engineering in Germany. He was Business Unit Manager Special Cables with a German cable manufacturer. Since the year 2000 he runs his own company "Kemmler Consulting GmbH". He offers technical advice about materials, manufacturing processes as well as cable products for many different applications. Markus works for cable manufacturers and cable users across Europe, Middle East and North America. He is a Director of the Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum(www.lWCS.org).THIS DOCUMENT

Alberto Lampasona

Alberto is Senior Director Public Affairs at Europacable, the European cable systems manufacturers association in Brussels which includes the largest cable makers in the world providing global technology leadership, as well as highly specialized small- and medium sized businesses from across Europe. Alberto joined Europacable in 2018 as Public Affairs Manager, after previously working for public affairs consultancies where he advised clients on energy and environmental policies, the Italian Government delegation managing the Italian EU Council Presidency in 2014 and the European Commission. Alberto holds a Master’s Degree in EU International Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium.

Charles Mellagui

Charles Mellagui specialized in Energy at Nexans (one of the top cable manufacturers). He has lead businesses under challenging circumstances and delivered good returns to shareholders. He drives strategic planning process, growth, performance, operations and profitability and promotes Health & Safety culture. 

Joshua Dorfman

Joshua Dorfman is President at American Wire Group (AWG), where he works directly with clients, and helps to manage the company's strategic efforts in the renewable energy and transmission industries.    As a third-generation owner of AWG, Josh has worked in several roles over the past 18 years, including COO, Director of Renewable Energy and VP, Sales & Marketing. Through these roles he has become a subject matter expert in power system wire and cable design, manufacturing and applications spanning T&D Cables, Underground Distribution Cables for Collection Systems, Substation Cables, Fiber Optic Cables, and Cables for Special Applications.   Since 2008, Josh has supported over 500 MW, annually, in utility-scale solar power PV and wind power generation projects. By focusing on our AWG’s customers’ needs in cable engineering, schedule control, project management, and financial engineering, the company has created innovative solutions for its customers that reduce costs, lower risk, and drive schedules during the construction phase of renewable generation facilities and transmission projects. Josh has built many relationships with EPCs, contractors, developers and utilities based on his years of service in the industry.   Josh holds a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University, Quinlan School of Business, specializing in Entrepreneurship & Operations Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and International Marketing from the George Washington University.

Christian Kjaer

Christian Kjaer works as Chief Public Affairs Officer at SuperNode Ltd, in Dublin, Ireland. SuperNode Ltd. is a cutting-edge global technology company that develops superconducting power transmission systems to facilitate bulk power transfer and grid interconnection. SuperNode was founded by Irish renewable energy entrepreneur Dr. Eddie O’Connor and is co-owned by Irish investors and Norwegian offshore industrial group Aker Horizons. Since January 2023, Christian Kjaer has served as chairperson of Brussels-based CurrENT, the association of innovative grid technology companies. He is Chair of Wind Energy Ireland's Working Group on EU Energy Policy. Christian Kjaer, has more than 20 years of experience in renewable energy. He served as CEO of the European wind energy sector’s industry association WindEurope in Brussels for seven years (2006-2013) and was the organisation’s policy director for four years prior to that. Christian Kjaer has been Head of Unit at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi and served as senior adviser at the Nordic Council of Ministers’ energy unit, Nordic Energy Research in Oslo. He holds a Masters’ Degree in International Economics and Business Administration (cand.merc. in International Business) from Copenhagen Business School and the Graduate School of International Economics and Finance at Brandeis University, Boston, USA (1997). He is a journalist and a member of the Danish Federation of Journalists.

Joe Cole

A Mechanical Engineer by training with extensive Electrical Engineering experience. Currently the Technology Manager, Power Cables, leading the Power Cable R&D team within the Technology Department at JDR Cable Systems. Extensive, in-depth experience in submarine power cable R&D, focusing on 33kV, 66kV, and future high voltage submarine cable and their associated accessories for the offshore wind market. With a solid understanding of both static and dynamic applications in their challenging marine environments, including their detailed design and qualification requirements, Joe is passionate about advancing cable system technology helping to maintain JDR's position as a key player in the industry's evolution.

Chenfei Wang

Chenfei is Head of CRU's Wire and Cable team, and works across the full portfolio of products analysing key trends and developments in both the metallic wire and cable, and optical fibre industries. He is a Principal Analyst and also the current editors of CRU's Telecom Cables Market Outlook and Optical Fibre and Cable Monitor. Chenfei joined CRU in early 2019 as an Analyst within the Wire and Cable team. At CRU, Chenfei held various editorship roles including Wire and Cable Market Outlook and HV and EHV Cables Market Outlook. Prior to CRU, Chenfei was working at Rolls-Royce in a variety of engineering leadership roles, with a focus on aeroengine technology development and manufacturing process improvement. He holds an MSc in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering from Imperial College London, and a BEng (Hons) in Chemical and Materials Engineering from the University of Auckland. Chenfei spent 3.5 years in CRU London office and he is now based in CRU Shanghai office.

Quentin de Hults

Quentin de Hults is the Director General of the International Copper Association Europe (ICA Europe) since April 1st, 2024. Trained as a mechanical engineer he spent his entire career working on topics related to the energy transition. He joined ICA Europe in 2021 as Director Green & Healthy Buildings, leading the work on energy efficiency, sustainability and electrical safety in buildings. Before joining ICA, he worked for 13 years at BASF, established and led the Modern Building Alliance, and accumulated over 10 years of experience in EU government relations.

Mark Froggatt

Mark is now Head of Training, Learning and Development for Eland Cables, having previously been Technical Director at BASEC for 4 and a half years, and prior to that having had 22 years in cable manufacturing businesses Draka Prysmian, Nexans and British Cables Company.  Mark has progressed through the lab, fire testing, technical sales and marketing along with product category management and accreditation and approval schemes, giving him an all-around perspective of cable approvals, manufacturing and the International cables market.

John Booth

John is the MD of Carbon3IT Ltd, a sustainable ICT consultancy, he is also the chair of the UK BSI TCT7/3 committee that deals with the ISO/IEC 22237/EN 50600 Data Centre design, build and operate and ISO/IEC 30134 series of data centre KPI standards. He is the chair of the Data Centre Alliance, energy efficiency and standards committee, the vice chair of the BCS Green IT committee and sits on the TechUK Data Centre Council. Carbon3IT Ltd, provides support to organisations that are preparing to adopt various data centre standards including the more general standards such as Quality, Environment, Business Continuity, Information Security, and Energy Management. They also provide specialist niche consultancy in the field of Green IT including Data Centre Energy Efficiency & Sustainability. He is also the Technical Director of the National Data Centre Academy, (www.nationaldatacentre.academy) which provides practical technical training to the data centre community.

Erik Plieth

Erik Plieth holds the position of Deputy Head of Sales and Execution at Südkabel, Mannheim, Germany. He is responsible for overseeing the Project Management operations. His primary duties involve coordinating and directing all global business operations related to Extra-High-Voltage (EHV) and High-Voltage (HV) Cable Systems. As Südkabel specializes in the design, engineering, production and construction of large-scale projects for both AC and DC land cables.

Deborah Graham Wilson

Deborah leads Eland Cables’ Sustainability & ESG work in addition to the wider communications efforts, ensuring the actions taken, and the communications shared with stakeholders internally and externally, are clear, relevant and of value. Over the last 10 years she has helped Eland Cables take an industry lead in work with customers across large-scale electrification, digitalisation, industrial automation and green energy projects, highlighting and educating on environmental benefits and social value without compromise to quality, compliance, or scope of works.  

David Leah

David Leah leads the outlook for automotive demand, production and electrification at CRU. He is a narrator of the unprecedented change in the automotive industry and its significance for commodity markets.David has a wealth of experience working at leading automotive forecasting and analysis firms. He holds a MSc in International Business Economics from Oxford Brookes University.

Layla Sawyer

Since 2022, Layla Sawyer is the Secretary General of CurrENT, the voice of innovative grid technology companies in Europe. She was previously Head of Business Development at smartEn, where she worked on demand-side flexibility, digitalisation and the future of prosumer models. She has also worked at Urgenda, a national climate NGOs in the Netherlands, advocating for more urgency in the Dutch energy transition, and she spent a year in the Philippines working for a social investment fund specialized in climate resilient enterprises. She studied Sustainable Business and Innovation at the University of Utrecht, with a special focus on energy and material transitions and p2p energy trading.

Miles Prosser

Miles Prosser is the Secretary General of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), the only body that represents the aluminium industry at the global level. With more than twenty years’ experience working on various industry policy issues, Miles brings in-depth knowledge on resource allocation, sustainability and climate change. Miles joined the IAI from the Australian Aluminium Council, where he served as Executive Director for more than ten years. He leads the IAI to promote the unique and valuable properties of aluminium in sustainable development. He holds an honours degree from the Australian National University. He is a member of the Institute of Directors in London.

Paul Gustavsson

Paul Gustavsson, CEO of Elcowire Group with Headquarter in Helsingborg, Sweden with a MBA from Copenhagen Business School and previously been Managing Director and Head of Business Unit within Buhler Group. Elcowire is one of the leading suppliers in Europe of products based on copper and aluminum wire rod, copper ropes, profiles and conductor materials made of copper, copper alloys for the electrical and infrastructure industry and contributes to the global transition to renewable energy. The solutions enable efficient energy transmission and can be found in everything from electric vehicles to power transmission within and between countries - above and below ground. In short, the Elcowire Group contributes to everything related to electrification.

Glen Kurokawa

Glen leads a team of analysts covering power. He is the editor of the CRU Power Transition Service, which includes analysis and forecasts of power generation and capacity mixes, power prices and costs, and other power-related topics. He also provides thermal coal and some natural gas market coverage.  He previously worked at CRU as a fertilizer and agriculture market analyst and worked as a lawyer and UN consultant before joining CRU.

Carlo Scarlata

Born in Italy, Carlo graduated in aerospace engineering from Politecnico di Milano and elaborated his thesis at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland. He also holds a Master in Business Administration from Instituto de Empresa of Madrid, Spain.His professional experience in the cable industry spans leadership roles in industrial operations, quality and business at Prysmian.He currently leads the Wire & Cable Division at Hanwha, targeting to expand their business on a worldwide scale with special focus on high-end technologies, like subsea, EHV and HVDC.

Cornel Abratis