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Agenda | VDMA European Summit 2026 in Rome

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08:30

Day 2 - Registration

09:00

Welcome

Bertram Kawlath Bertram Kawlath President
VDMA e.V.
Europe Jacki Davis - Host at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Jacki Davis Host
09:15

Plenary Session:
Beyond the Storm: What Lies Ahead for Europe’s Machinery Industry

09:15

Keynote: How the Geopolitical Turmoil Affects International Trade

Headshot of Prof. Dr. Gabriel Felbermayr, Director of Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) Prof. Dr. Gabriel Felbermayr Director
Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO)
Austria
09:45

Turning Pressure into Power: Thriving in Intense Competition

Andreas Evertz - Sprecher auf dem Deutschen Maschinenbau-Gipfel 2025 Andreas Evertz CEO
Flender International GmbH
Germany
10:00

Breaking Dependencies - Navigating Volatile Markets and Supply Chain Shifts

Picture of Dr. Andreas Lackner, Executive Board Member of PLANSEE SE Dr. Andreas Lackner Executive Board Member
PLANSEE SE
Austria
10:15

Panel Discussion:
Geopolitics and Growth: The Future of an Export-Oriented Industry

Andreas Evertz - Sprecher auf dem Deutschen Maschinenbau-Gipfel 2025 Andreas Evertz CEO
Flender International GmbH
Germany Headshot of Prof. Dr. Gabriel Felbermayr, Director of Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) Prof. Dr. Gabriel Felbermayr Director
Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO)
Austria Picture of Dr. Andreas Lackner, Executive Board Member of PLANSEE SE Dr. Andreas Lackner Executive Board Member
PLANSEE SE
Austria Jacki Davis - Host at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Jacki Davis Host
10:45

Coffee Break / Networking

11:30

Parallel Session on Cybersecurity:

11:30

Parallel Session on Artificial Intelligence:

13:00

Lunch Break

14:30

Afternoon Session:
Turning the Tide – Emerging Fields and Growth Markets

14:30 - 15:30 - Gearing Up for Security: Machinery’s Role in the Defence Market
15:30 - 15:55 - Hype vs. Reality: Humanoid Robots Game Changer for the Machinery Industry?

14:30

Keynote: Defence Industry in Transition – Causes, Trends, Opportunities

Colonel Matthias Puschnig, Federal Ministry of Defence Berlin - Speaker at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Colonel Matthias Puschnig Federal Ministry of Defence
Berlin, Gemany
14:45

Impulse: Partnering with Innovation - How to Work with Defence Scale-Ups

Britta Jacob Britta Jacob Government Relations Lead
ARX Robotics GmbH
Germany
14:55

Impulse: Needs of the Defence Industry – Role of the Machinery Industry

Serigo Rizzi, Renk Italia - Speaker at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Sergio Rizzi CEO
RENK ITALIA Srl
Italy
15:05

Panel Discussion: How Machinery Companies Can Thrive in the Defence Sector

Colonel Matthias Puschnig, Federal Ministry of Defence Berlin - Speaker at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Colonel Matthias Puschnig Federal Ministry of Defence
Berlin, Gemany Serigo Rizzi, Renk Italia - Speaker at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Sergio Rizzi CEO
RENK ITALIA Srl
Italy Britta Jacob Britta Jacob Government Relations Lead
ARX Robotics GmbH
Germany Thomas Schiemann, VDMA - Speaker of the VDMA European Summit 2026 Thomas Schiemann Managing Director of
VDMA Security Systems
Germany Jacki Davis - Host at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Jacki Davis Host
15:30

Hype vs. Reality: Why Humanoid Robots could become a Game Changer for the Machinery Industry

Fabio Puglia, Founder & President of Oversonic Robotics - Speaker at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Fabio Puglia Founder & President
Oversonic Robotics
Italy
15:55

Wrap Up of the Day, Feedback, Closing Speech

Bertram Kawlath Bertram Kawlath President
VDMA e.V.
Europe Jacki Davis - Host at the VDMA European Summit 2026 Jacki Davis Host
16:15
1 h 45 min

Get Together

1 h 45 min