Handelsblatt Circular Economy Conference 2024 | Handelsblatt Media Group | 5 February 2024 | Town Hall Handelsblatt Media Group, Toulouser Allee 27 40211 Düsseldorf

At this Conference, the central role of industry, business, politics and science in the implementation of the circular economy will be discussed under the motto “reverse thinking”. The global importance of the circular economy is increasing as it aims to reduce resource waste and waste production and reduce the consumption of natural resources.

But what challenges do companies have to face? How can business models and processes be adapted? How do Germany's leading companies manage to remain competitive? The circular economy requires a rethink along the entire value chain and affects various areas such as design, production, logistics and sales. It's about making products more durable, promoting recycling and reuse, and developing innovative business models based on sharing, repair, and material recovery.

The conference brings together top thought leaders, decision-makers and experts who already have experience in implementing circular economy solutions. Various aspects of the circular economy will be discussed together and best cases will be presented.

We Provide Ideas and Answers to The Most Important Topics of Our Time:

Circular Economy:
• Potentials, Limits & Tools

Resource Management, Recycling & Reuse:
• Sustainability strategies for efficient resource management
• Advances in recycling technology and infrastructure

Holistic Thinking Along the Value Chain:
• The importance of the value chain for the circular economy
• Cooperations to close cycles
• Innovations in product design and material selection

Breaking Down the Silos: Sharing Economy & New Business Areas:
• Opportunities and challenges of the sharing economy
• Development of new business models and services
• Circular design and integration of sharing concepts

Data Analysis, Optimization & Stakeholder Management:
• Data analysis and AI to optimize circular economy systems
• Regulatory requirements and data-driven reporting
• Involvement of investors, employees and stakeholders

2024 Speakers

MODERATORS:

Bert Fröndhoff
Head of Industry, Handelsblatt

Kevin Knitterscheidt
Head of Department Podcast, Live and Video, Handelsblatt

Catiana Krapp
Editor Companies and Markets, Handelsblatt

Isabelle Wermke
Editor “Companies & Markets”, Handelsblatt

SPEAKERS:

Sandra Achternbusch
Executive Director Corporate Sustainability, Fiege Logistics

Stefan Opitz (née Alscher)
Business unit manager CIRCO, Efficiency Agency NRW

Volker Backs
Managing Director, Speira

Maximilian Bannasch
Founder and CEO, circolution

Dr. Dina Barbian
Managing Director, eco2050 Institute for Sustainability, Institute for Sustainability GmbH

Lars Baumgürtl
CEO, Zinq Group

Sebastian Daus
Co-Founder & CEO, FixFirst

Katarzyna Dulko-Gaszyna
Sustainability Manager, IKEA Germany

Bernd Fleschenberg
Managing Director, TSR Recycling

Samuel Flückiger
Head of EU Climate Policy, thyssenkrupp Steel

Sibylle Gabler
Member of the management, DIN

Dr. Philip Gattner
CEO, rebuy recommerce

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Kathrin Greiff
Head of Institute, ANTS, Institute for Anthropogenic Material Cycles, RWTH Aachen University

Viktor Haase
State Secretary, Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport

Marie-Christine von Hahn
Vice President, Corporate Sustainability & External Affairs, Aurubis

Katharina Hartmann
Commercial Manager, Hartmann Möbelwerke

Dr. Torsten Heinemann
Head of Innovation and Sustainability, Covestro

Raimund Heinl
CEO, Saint-Gobain Germany & Austria

Dr. Markus Helftewes
Managing Director, VP Technology, The Green Dot, Dual System Germany

Florian Hildebrand
CEO & Co-Founder, Greenlyte Carbon Technologies

Dr. Bettina Hoffmann
Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV)

Dr. jur. Gerhard Holtmeier
Energy and restructuring expert, lawyer

Prof. Dr. Anna Katharina Hornidge
Director, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)

Carsten Knobel
Chairman of the Board, Henkel

Jan Kroker
CEO, Interzero

Dr. Marianne Kuhlmann
Co-Founder & Lead, Circularity

Dr. Jan Christoph von der Lancken
Managing Director, EPEA, Part of Drees & Sommer

Max Christian Lange
Deputy Head of Sustainability, Deutsche Bahn AG

Brigitte Läpper-Röhricht
Managing Director, Great Thinks GmbH

Matthias Lesch
Managing Director, Pöppelmann Lohne

Dr. Helena Melnikov
Board of Directors & General Manager, Federal Association of Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics (BME)

Andreas Mucke
Managing Director, Circular Valley

Julia Müller
Vice President‎ ‎, Head of Sustainable Futures, Capgemini Invent Germany

Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum
Chief Scientist, Circular Valley

Mona Neubaur
Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy, North Rhine-Westphalia

Dr. Claas Oehlmann
Managing Director, BDI Circular Economy Initiative

Mattia Pellegrini
EU Commission, DG Environment, Circular Economy, Head of Unit, From Waste to Resources

Mathias Pianoski
Head of Sustainability Research, Ökoworld

Reinhold Rünker
Permanent representative, Head of Economic Policy Department, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy, State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Ulrike Sapiro
Chief Sustainability Officer, Henkel

Christian Schiller
Founder + CEO, cirplus

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Schlichter
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Process Engineering, Model Workshops for Recycling and AI, Augsburg University of Technology

Dr. Thomas Schmelzer
Chief Sustainable Officer, CSO, GF Great Thinks

Falk Sonnenschmidt
CRO, everphone GmbH

Dr. Nadine Sterley
Chief Sustainability Officer, GEA

Matthias Steybe
Vice President Corporate Sustainability, Voith

Berit Inga Stranz
Associate VP Strategic Partnerships, Grover

Prof. Dr. Jens Strüker
Professor of Business Informatics and Digital Energy Management, University of Bayreuth

Herwart Wilms
Managing Director, REMONDIS Sustainable Services

2024 Sponsors and Partners

SPONSORS:
• Global Transition Award
• Okoworld
• Speira

PREMIUM PARTNER:
• Henkel

TRANSFORMATION PARTNER:
• Capgemini

CORPORATE PRESENCE:
• IKEA
• Schufa