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.
Dr. István Szászi
Dr. István Szászi is the Representative of the Bosch Group in Hungary and the Adriatic region, head of the Middle and Eastern European Engineering Cluster and general manager of Robert Bosch Kft. He is responsible for more than 23,000 employees in the region, including thousands of engineers in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. He is a member of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering and of the Board of Trustees of the Rudolf Kálmán Foundation for Óbuda University. He is an honorary associate professor at the Budapest University of Technology and a research professor at Széchenyi István University.
Further Keynote Speakers TBD
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
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.
Further Keynote Speakers TBD