Energize Competitiveness

Main Conference Programme GCEF 2026 | 4:00–8:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

Registration

4:30 p.m.

Openings

Bernard Bauer, Executive board member of the German-Czech Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Milan Šlachta, President of the German-Czech Chamber of Industry and Commerce

4:45 p.m.

Keynote Addresses

Jan Sechter, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic

Dr. Thomas Steffen, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)

5:20 p.m.

Panel Discussion I „Business Leaders“

"How can companies stay competitive in a high-energy-cost environment?"

Czech and German industry leaders explain the impact of high energy prices and a volatile energy market on their business and their competitiveness and discuss future strategies in a complex environment. 

• Marek Fiala, Sales Director Akkodis CZ

• Milan Šlachta, Representative of Bosch Group CZ & SK

• Michael Kerschensteiner, Chief Procurement Officer Škoda Auto

• Pavel Hadrbolec, CFO T-Business

• Dr. Niklas Niemann, Principal, Horváth

• Pavel Boháč, CEO Aimtec

5:50 p.m.

Coffee break

6:10 p.m.

Keynote + Q&A

"From Energy Transition to Competitive Advantage"

Claudia Viohl, CEO and Chair of the Board of E.ON Czech Republic

6:30 p.m.

Panel Discussion II „Grid“

"How can Czechia and Germany cooperate more closely in building a resilient cross-border grid that fully leverages the advantages of each country’s power system?"

The discussion will be structured around the different perspectives of the two countries and finally potential areas for cooperation. 

• Prof. Mario Ragwitz, Director of Fraunhofer IEG and Scientific Director of the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence “Integrated Energy Systems” (CINES)

• Marian Rusko, CEO of EG.D, part of E.ON Group

• René Neděla, Director General of the Energy Section, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic

• Svatopluk Vnouček, Ph.D., Vice-Chair of the Board, ČEPS (Czech Transmission System Operator)

• Brigita Jeroncic, Head of Communication & Policy, 50Hertz Transmission GmbH

• Yvonne Grösch, Head of Subdivision, Department 6 – Energy Regulation, Federal Network Agency (BNetzA)

• Dr. David Klebs, Deputy Head of the Division for Policy and Planning of Electricity Grids, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)

7:15 p.m.

Panel Discussion III „SMRs & Fusion“

"How can Czechia and Germany join forces in technologies such as SMRs and fusion?"

• Prof. Radomír Pánek, President of the Czech Academy of Sciences

• Jaroslav Lahoda, Managing Director, Siemens Energy, s.r.o.

• Prof. Hartmut Zohm, Head of the Tokamak Scenario Development Division, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP)

• Tomáš Ehler, Ph.D., Director General of the Nuclear Energy and New Technologies Section, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic

7:50 p.m

Wrap-up & End of GCEF 2026

8:00 p.m.

Dinner buffet & Networking