Keynote Speakers
2 October, 2025
Prof. Dr. László Palkovics
AI-Powered Mobility: Transforming the Landscape of Automotive Innovation
Prof. Dr. László Palkovics serves as the Hungarian Government Commissioner for Artificial Intelligence. Previously, he held the positions of Minister of Innovation and Technology (2018–2022) and Minister of Technology and Industry (2022). With a background in mechanical engineering, he has held prominent roles in both academia and industry, including at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, MTA SZTAKI, and Knorr-Bremse. His expertise encompasses innovation policy, higher education, and industrial R&D. He has played a pivotal role in shaping Hungary’s AI strategy and advancing technological modernization. In recognition of his contributions to engineering and innovation, he has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the Széchenyi Prize and the Gábor Dénes Prize.
Zoltán Karaffy
AI transformation in the world of mobility and engineering
Zoltan Karaffy, Digital Transformation Director at Bosch, Budapest, is spearheading the integration of state-of-the-art artificial intelligence into engineering and product development. He has over two decades of experience in product development, engineering, and innovation.
With a background in physics and economics, Zoltan continuously seeks transformative advancements using the latest technologies. His current work focuses on applying Natural Language Processing (NLP), Generative AI, and cutting-edge neural network architectures to revolutionize product engineering and pioneer virtual testing at Robert Bosch.
He brings a unique, holistic perspective on integrating AI into real-world applications, thanks to his solid foundation in product development, industrial engineering, and quality management.
Dr. Wojciech Tutak
Ammonia as a prospective fuel for internal combustion engines
Dr. Wojciech Tutak, the Deputy Head of the Department of Thermal Machinery at the Czestochowa University of Technology (Poland). Since 2017, he has been an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. He has over 20 years of experience in the research and development of internal combustion engines, with a primary focus on industrial applications and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. His scientific and research interests focus on the application of alternative fuels. His current work concentrates on hydrogen-based energy carriers, and in particular on the utilization of ammonia as a fuel for internal combustion engines. He has participated in several research and R&D projects and he is the author of over 130 scientific publications.
Prof. Dr. İlhami Çolak
Electric Vehicles in the Era of Cognitive Mobility: Data, Energy and Smart Integration
Prof. Dr. İlhami Çolak is a full professor at Istinye University, Turkey, and a leading expert in electrical engineering, renewable energy and smart grids. He has authored more than 265 journal papers, 187 conference papers and 9 books, with over 8,900 citations and an h-index of 45 in Scopus. He is the founder and editor of international journals such as International Journal of Renewable Energy Research and International Journal of Smart Grid, and the organizer of major IEEE-sponsored conferences including ICRERA and SmartGrid. Prof. Colak is a senior member of IEEE and active in IES, IAS, PELS and PES societies. He has supervised numerous MSc and PhD students, served as head of department, dean, vice rector and rector at leading Turkish universities, and spent several years at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in the Netherlands. Recognized among the “World’s Most Influential Scientists” list compiled by Stanford University, Prof. Colak continues to shape the future of renewable energy integration and smart grid technologies worldwide.
3 October, 2025
Prof. Dr. Milan Banić
Recent Advancements in EO Based Monitoring of Railway Infrastructure
Prof. Dr. Milan Banić serves as the Head of the Center for Technology Transfer at the University of Niš and has been an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering since 2016. With nearly two decades of experience in innovation project implementation and product development, he has participated in over 30 projects and authored more than 100 publications. His expertise encompasses industrial product development, innovation management, railway vehicles, tribology, vibration control, and robotics. His recent contributions to the Shift2Rail projects SMART and SMART2, as well as the Horizon Europe projects IIMEO and SPATRA, have led to the development of innovative products and services enhancing cognitive mobility in railway transport.
László Reich
AI on Track: Trends, Strategy, and Innovation
László Reich is the Deputy CEO for Strategy of MÁV Hungarian State Railways Co. (Budapest). In this role, he coordinates the compilation of the MÁV Group’s joint public transport public service strategy, systemize the planning, preparation, technical specification and prioritisation of infrastructure development projects and investments, and also reconciles technical and track needs with passenger service and passenger needs. As civil engineer and certified economist he has worked as project manager on several transport developments over the last 15 years.
Dr. Hana Dellemann
Future-Proof Tracks: Building Railway Resilience through Digital Innovation
Dr. Hana Dellemann is CEO of Hitachi Rail in Austria, overseeing the Austrian market and the Vienna development site, as well as Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the Western Balkans. With a background in business administration, she brings deep railway expertise and international leadership experience from roles at ÖBB, McKinsey, GySEV, Raaberbahn, and Austrian Post. Her responsibilities have spanned infrastructure development, fleet procurement, and strategic operations across the transport and logistics sectors.
Balázs Varró
Innovating Toll Systems: Hungarian Expertise in Indonesia’s Mobility Transformation
Balázs Varró is CEO of i-Cell, a key player of the Hungarian telematics branch specializing in the development of vehicle tracking (telematics), on-street mobile parking systems and distance-based electronic toll payment. In this role, he is in charge of making the organisation future proof to be able to cope with the ever increasing demand and challenges on the market. Having a background in business administration and economics, previously he worked for more than a decade in the automotive sales field for leading brands including Audi, Jaguar Land Rover and BMW.