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The Smart Grid PCI Summit is a key forum that brings together leaders and experts from the energy sector, government, and international organisations dedicated to advancing smart grid technologies and infrastructure.
Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons
Pot za Brdom 4, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1000
The venue is also easily accessible by taxi – approximately 20 minutes from Ljubljana Airport and 17 minutes from the city centre. We kindly recommend booking a taxi prior to your arrival at Ljubljana Airport, as taxis waiting at the airport typically charge higher fares.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
 08.30 – 09.00 |
Registration and Welcome Coffee |
| 09.00 – 09.05 |
Welcome and Opening Remarks |
| 09.05 – 09.35 |
Keynote Speeches
|
| 09.35 – 10.20 |
Executive Roundtable Moderated by: Frédéric Simon, Carbon Pulse Speakers:
|
| 10.20 – 10.30 |
PCI Smart Grid Updates: ACON Tomáš Šipoš, ZSDIS |
| 10.30 – 11.15 |
Panel 1: Resilience and Operational Security of the Power Grid Moderated by: Mark McGranaghan, EPRI Speakers:
|
| 11.15 – 11.45 | Coffee Break |
| 11.45 – 11.55 |
PCI Smart Grid Updates: CARMEN Mihaela Cazacu, Delgaz Grid |
| 11.55 – 12.40 |
Panel 2: Leveraging Smart Grids for the Benefit of Consumers and Society Moderated by: Dušan Vlaisavljević, EKC Speakers:
|
| 12.40 – 12.50 |
PCI Smart Grid Updates: Danube InGrid Tomáš Šipoš, ZSDIS |
| 12.50 – 13.35 |
Panel 3: Powering the Future – Applicability of Smart Technologies Developed under EU-Funded Projects Moderated by: István Vokony, BME Speakers:
|
| 13.35 – 14.35 | Lunch |
| 14.35 – 14.45 |
PCI Smart Grid Updates: Gabreta Nina Sichler, Bayernwerk |
| 14.45 – 15.30 |
Panel 4: Unlocking the Future – Digitalisation and AI in the Energy System Moderated by: Stavros Stamatoukos, European Commission Speakers:
|
| 15.30 – 15.40 |
PCI Smart Grid Updates: GreenSwitch Simon Tot, ELES |
| 15.40 – 16.25 |
Panel 5: Control Systems of the Future Moderated by: Uroš Salobir, ELES/ENTSO-E Speakers:
|
| 16.25 – 16.30 | Closing Remarks |
CTO, Operato
Electricity Infrastructure Expert, Energy Community Secretariat
Head of Product Management for Network Control, Hitachi Energy
CEO, EPCG
Deputy General Director, Delgaz Grid
Advisor to the Board, Elektro Ljubljana d.d.
Fernández-Campoamor, AI Lead in Data & AI in Energy Networks, E.ON Digital Technology
Regulation Manager for Europe, i-DE/Iberdrola
Fellow at the Electric Power Institute (EPRI)
Markets & Networks Committee Chair, NODES / SmartEn
Product-Line-Lead for Future Product Development, 50Hertz
Innovation Expert, Litgrid AB
Head of the Process Systems Department, ELES
Team leader - Energy Infrastructure, ACER
Head of Sector for CEF co-funded electricity and smart grids projects, CINEA
Executive Director of the Electricity System Development Section, SEPS
Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Government of the Republic of Slovenia
Senior Programme Manager, TNO
Head of Distribution Network Technology, Bayernwerk AG
CEO, ELES
Business Developer, System Operations tralala, Tennet TSO B.V
Director of Asset Management, Západoslovenská distribučná, a.s. and Východoslovenská distribučná, a.s.
Head of Synchronisation Programme Implementation Centre, Litgrid
Department for Market Integration and Business Intelligence, HOPS
Deputy Director for the World of Practice, Florence School of Regulation
Assistant Director of the Business Integration Department, HOPS
CEO and Chairman of the BoD, EG.D / E.ON Ceská Republika
Director of the Strategic Innovation Department, ELES
Secretary General of currENT
State Secretary of Energy in the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Government of the Republic of Slovenia
Innovation Manager, Bayernwerk AG
Head of Europe, Carbon Pulse
Policy Officer, European Commission
Project Manager, ETRA
Head of Regulatory Affairs, Západoslovenská distribučná, a.s
Secretary General, EU DSO Entity
Head of the Energy Market Team, EKC Ltd.
Director for Just Transition, Energy Efficiency and Innovation, DG ENER, European Commission
Associate Professor and Head of Department of Electric Power Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics
Deputy CEO for International Affairs, MAVIR
Assistant Director of the Strategic Innovation Department, ELES d.o.o.
Head of Network Innovation Management, E.ON.
Head of Innovation, ENTSO-E
For further information, please contact us at greenswitch@eles.si.
Ádám Tóth is an electrical engineer with 15 years of experience across the energy and automotive industries. Currently Head of Network Innovation and Funding Management at E.ON, he leads strategic innovation initiatives and manages EU- and National-funded projects with his colleagues from the department, such as Danube InGrid (CEF) or Modernization Fund or Horizon Europe projects. His career spans transformer manufacturing, sensor development, and international project engineering. Ádám is passionate about integrating new technologies into grid operations and fostering cross-functional collaboration. He’s a member of E.ON’s international RD&I leadership team and actively contributes to shaping DSO’s future operation with the support of innovation or funding.
A power engineer by profession, Mihaela Cazacu has over 25 years of experience in the distribution and supply of natural gas and electricity. Early in her career, she held various management positions in customer relations and sales within the former electricity supply company E.ON Moldova. Subsequently, between 2008 and 2020, she led the energy management division within the distribution company Delgaz Grid, covering both electricity and natural gas. From 2020 until November 2024, she served as Deputy General Director of Delgaz, responsible for activities in the electricity sector, overseeing investment, operations and maintenance, strategy, and process optimization. Starting in November 2024, she took on the role of Deputy General Director of Delgaz Grid, with responsibilities for support activities. Mihaela Cazacu graduated from the University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Power Engineering. She also holds a degree in accounting and business data processing from “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, Faculty of Economic Sciences, and a PhD from the University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Power Engineering.
Frank Amand is CTO at Operato, a world leading provider of grid enhancement technology, such as Dynamic Line Rating. He received his software engineering background at Royal Philips, holds a degree in Microelectronics and an MBA. Prior responsibilities at Philips, Cosylab and Iskratel centered around Software Architecture and Product Management. At Operato he is currently in charge of the Product Portfolio and the R&D Roadmap, while coaching a fast-growing technical team. From 2022 to 2024, Frank was a work package leader at CyberSEAS, a Horizon project to improve the cybersecurity of the European Electrical Power and Energy System. Coordinating all the project’s pilots at TRL7 and above, taught him valuable lessons about the applicability of Smart Technologies developed in EU-funded Projects.
Executive Director of Electricity System Development Between 1997 and 2003, he studied Power Engineering at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, completing his engineering degree in Electricity Production, Transmission, and Distribution. He earned his PhD in the same field in 2012, with a dissertation on the impact of wind power plants on Slovakia’s electricity system. From 2002 to 2021, he worked at Slovenská elektrizačná prenosová sústava, a.s., where he served as Executive Director of the Electricity System Development Section (2013–2021), responsible for grid development and project preparation. Between 2021 and 2023, he held director roles at Transpetrol, a.s., overseeing oil pipeline operations and transportation. Since 2024, he has returned to SEPS as Executive Director of the Electricity System Development Section.
Matija Naglič received Uni. Dipl. Ing. degree in Electrical Engineering, study filed Telecommunications from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2011. In 2020 he received Ph.D. degree in Power System Engineering from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computers Science, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. He currently works at TenneT TSO in the Netherlands as Business Developer in system operations, focusing on control room of the future and digital twin developments. He leads a WAMS task force within the ENTSO-E Working Group 5 of RDIC.
Ona Kostinaitė-Grinkevičienė is Head of Sector for CEF co-funded electricity and smart grids projects at CINEA, European Commission. Previously she was an energy diplomat representing her home country in the Council. She also worked in various positions related to the EU in the national administration and as a lawyer in private sector. She held a Master’s in European studies from Vilnius University and a Master’s in law from the Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius.
Santiago Gallego joined Iberdrola in 1998 as Manager for new supplies in Alicante, Spain. Since then, he has accumulated experience as Senior Manager in different areas of the Distribution Business. Since 2019 he currently holds the position of Regulation Manager for Europe in the Department of Networks Regulation. Santiago graduated from the Polytechnic University of Valencia in 1997 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and also holds a MSc. in Environmental Sciences. In 2012 he obtained an MBA in Energy Management from the Antonio Nebrija University in Madrid. In past years, he was also an associate professor at the Miguel Hernandez University in Alicante, where he taught Power Electrical Systems and Electrical Technology.
Ugo Stecchi, MSc (2005) in electric engineering, PhD (2011) in power systems. He started his career in 2005 as designer and consultant in electric systems and renewables power plants. Between 2008 and 2016 he served as fellow researcher at Power System Laboratory at Politecnico di Bari participating in many research projects in smart grids area. From 2017 he is mainly involved in R&D and technology transfer projects in different energy companies in Spain. He is co-author of more than 30 papers in scientific journals and conferences. He joined the New Technology department at ETRA in 2021, as Project Manager, coordinating several Horizon projects in the energy system’s area.
Director of the Strategic Innovation Department, ELES, d.o.o. . Uroš Salobir has been working at the Slovenian combined transmission and distribution system operator ELES for over 25 years. He has worked on management and coordination in power system operations, electricity markets, infrastructure projects, and technical information systems during this period. He pioneered ELES’s strategic innovation activities and was responsible for implementing some of the most challenging innovation projects in ELES’s history. In 2017, he helped establish the Strategic Innovation Department, which he is currently leading. In addition, he and his team recently launched the first cross-sector partnerships and projects with the mobility, clean gases, and heating and cooling sectors. He is the Chair of the ENTSO-E Research and Development Committee (RDIC) and holds prominent positions in EGVIAfor2Zero and CIGRE-CIRED.
Jan Kostevc has been with ACER, the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, for over 10 years as the team leader of the infrastructure team. ACER’s work on infrastructure focuses on transmission network planning from national plans (NDPs) to the pan European TYNDP and European Commission’s PCIs, including electricity and gas/hydrogen transmission networks. This also includes assessing tariffs and incentives across the EU, cross-border cost allocation (CBCA) and exemption requests. Before joining ACER in 2015, Jan worked for the Slovene TSO ELES as team leader of the operational support team, working on operational analysis, capacity calculations and smart grid systems like dynamic line rating and WAMS.
Dr. István Vokony is an Associate Professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), head of Department of Electric Power Engineering. His academic and professional work focuses on power system stability, flexibility solutions, renewable integration, and the energy transition. He earned his PhD summa cum laude in Electrical Engineering from BME and also holds an MSc in Engineering Economics. In parallel with his academic career, he held senior enterprise architecture and leadership positions at E.ON Digital Technology Hungary, supporting digitalisation and innovation in the energy sector. Dr. Vokony has authored close 200 scientific publications and actively contributes to international expert groups within IEEE, Cigré, and CIRED, covering topics such as artificial inertia, smart grids, and system stability. His work has been recognised with multiple national and international awards, including the Bolyai Research Fellowship.
Dr. Janko Kosmač is Head of the Process Systems Department at the ELES, Slovenian TSO. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ljubljana and has been active in the field of power systems since 1990. His expertise spans system operation, control, and advanced monitoring technologies. Dr. Kosmač was instrumental in the development of SCALAR, Slovenia’s national lightning localization system and SUMO (Dynamic Rating System), and has received multiple awards for his contributions to energy research. He is a recognized expert in integrating innovative solutions into operational environments and has collaborated extensively with national and international partners. His work continues to shape the future of smart grid technologies and resilient power infrastructure.
Since 2022, Layla Sawyer is the Secretary General of CurrENT, the voice of innovative grid technology companies in Europe. She was previously Head of Business Development at smartEn, where she worked on demand-side flexibility, digitalisation and the future of prosumer models. She has also worked at Urgenda, a national climate NGOs in the Netherlands, advocating for more urgency in the Dutch energy transition, and she spent a year in the Philippines working for a social investment fund specialized in climate resilient enterprises. She studied Sustainable Business and Innovation at the University of Utrecht, with a special focus on energy and material transitions and p2p energy trading.
Marian has been working in the positions of Chairman of the BOD and CEO of EG.D, a.s., Czech Republic, and Executive Managing Director of E.ON Ceská Republika, since 2022. Marian is a passionate leader with 30 years of international experience and with a deep knowledge of general management practices, focused on CEE energy markets. His deepest expertise is in the grid business, generation, heat business, and renewable energy. One of his greatest talents is to combine strategy with organisational change and the establishment of new business opportunities, increasing profitability and improving operational efficiencies. Marian was working in the banking sector after completing his studies at the Faculty of Economics of Giessen University in 1993. Since 1998, he has been working for E.ON Group in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. He worked as CFO and CEO at E.ON Trend in the Czech Republic from 2008 to 2013, as a Member of the BOD at Zapadoslovenská energetika, Slovakia, from 2013 to 2023, and also as a Member of the BOD of Východoslovenská energetika Holding, Slovakia, from 2020 to 2023.
Since May 2023, Nina Sichler has served as Innovation Manager at Bayernwerk AG in Regensburg, within the Department for Strategy & Corporate Development. In this role, she is leading the Gabreta Smart Grids project on the German side and is responsible for managing subsidies and driving innovation initiatives that align with funding opportunities.
Antony Zegers studied Electro-Mechanical Engineering at Ghent University and started his professional career at Eandis, Belgium´s largest Distribution System Operator. In 2013, he joined the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Austria’s leading research and development company, where he has been responsible for the customer segment System Operators and Energy Providers. Since 2025, Antony is Head of Innovation at ENTSO-E. In this role, he supports European Transmission System Operators with their research, development and innovation efforts to move the energy transition forward.
Electrical engineer with extensive expertise in electricity infrastructure, transmission systems, and energy market regulation. Over a decade of experience in research, international collaboration, and project coordination within the energy sector. Currently serving as an electricity infrastructure expert at the Energy Community Secretariat, overseeing key regional projects aligned with the TEN-E Regulation. Proven experience with international organisations, including the IAEA, in areas such as power system studies and nuclear power plant–grid interface.
Frédéric joined Carbon Pulse in 2024 as head of Europe after 20 years at Euractiv, where he headed the energy and environment section and held several senior roles, overseeing editorial teams in Brussels, Paris, and Berlin. In 2008-18, Fred was also Brussels correspondent for France 24, reporting on EU and Belgian politics in the English and French-speaking channels. A former music journalist, he once interviewed Lenny Kravitz before deciding politics was more interesting than rock and roll.
Gjalt Loots is a senior programme manager at TNO, and he is specialised in developing and leading large scale collaboration projects in the Netherlands, Europe and beyond. In the last 4 years, Gjalt was the Technical Coordinator of the EU Horizon 2020 flagship project InterConnect, which has developed and demonstrated open and interoperable solutions for connecting smart grids, buildings and homes. Gjalt is currently involved in HEDGE-IoT, an EU-funded project at the forefront of digital transformation in the energy sector under the Horizon Europe programme. In HEDGE-IoT, a groundbreaking Digital Framework that bridges the cloud/edge continuum and introduces federated applications governed by advanced computational orchestration solutions will be developed. The HEDGE-IoT framework will enhance the resilience of the grid, unlock untapped flexibility potential, and create new market opportunities.
Guro Grøtterud is the Chair of Market and Networks Committee and Member of Board of Directors at SmartEn, and Director of Regulatory Affairs and a Senior Project Manager at NODES. Guro has been working in the European energy sector since 2006, with main focus on regulation of electricity markets. Prior to joining NODES in 2023, she held positions in the National Regulatory Authorities for Energy in France and Norway, and in EDF. She also worked as a national expert in ACER in 2021-2022. Guro holds Engineering degrees (MSc) from Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole des Mines de Paris.
Marina Fernández Fernández-Campoamor is an AI Lead in Data & AI in Energy Networks at E.ON Digital Technology, driving digital innovation in grid modernization. In 2025, she joined the European Commission Young Energy Ambassadors cohort, continuing her efforts to shape the sector’s future. She has also co-founded @ysi_energy, a platform that shares rigorously documented energy content, simplifies complex concepts, and fosters critical thinking to counter misinformation. Previously, she worked at Coreso, leading key projects in Europe’s electricity coordination. Marina holds a master’s in industrial engineering from UPM and TUM, and an honors degree in technology management from CDTM. She is passionate about building smarter, more resilient energy systems through data and AI.
He has dedicated his entire professional career to the power industry. For more than 16 years, he has been part of the ZSE Group in various roles, currently serving as Director of Asset Management at Západoslovenská distribučná, a.s. and Východoslovenská distribučná, a.s. After completing his studies, he spent six years gaining hands-on experience in the field, working on the construction of energy facilities both in Slovakia and abroad. Between 1997 and 2003, he studied Power Engineering at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, earning his Master’s degree in Electricity Production, Transmission, and Distribution.
Mindaugas Ivanavičius is the Head of the Synchronisation Program Implementation Center at Litgrid AB, Lithuania’s electricity transmission system operator. With more than 20 years of experience in engineering and project management, he has led major energy infrastructure projects, including LitPol Link, NordBalt, and the LNG terminal connection pipeline. Since 2021, he has been overseeing Lithuania’s synchronisation with Continental Europe and national grid resilience initiatives. His international experience in Sweden, Germany, and Finland adds to his expertise in strengthening and modernizing critical energy systems, ensuring secure and reliable electricity networks for the future.
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (University of Zagreb, 2022) with over 18 years of experience in power systems, transmission development, and high-voltage engineering. Began career as Research Assistant at FER (2005–2007), then joined HOPS, holding roles in strategic planning, R&D, and currently in IT/Data Science. From 2014 to 2022 contributed to the Annual Transmission Development Plan, represented HOPS in ENTSO-E committees, and researched transmission grid modelling, overhead line optimization, and loss reduction. Since 2022 focused on data science and AI applications in business processes, predictive modelling, and process automation. Author of numerous national and international conference papers. Skilled in system development planning, research, and applied AI in energy systems. Current focus: integrating AI to optimize energy sector operations.
Mr. TIHANYI, Zoltan is deputy CEO for international affairs at MAVIR, the Hungarian electricity TSO. He has 37 years of experience in system operation, including operational planning, system development, system operation and international cooperation. He is representative of MAVIR in several international bodies, like ENTSO-E Assembly (earlier in System Operation Committee, Regional Group Continental Europe, Market Committee), chairman of TSCNET Services GmbH Shareholders Meeting and Management Board, Central SOR Joint Management Board, Core/CE CCR HLM, etc.
Jennifer Mertens, a passionate leader with a PhD in physics, specialized in sensor technology and systems development through various stages in her career, reaching from research projects in Geneva, Switzerland, to several industry sectors in Germany. Her focus on systems technology and passion for continuous improvement have led her to her current position as the Head of Distribution Network Technology at Bayernwerk AG, where she strives to contribute to the energy transition with curiosity, innovation and dedication.
Mečislovas Kaulakis is an Innovation Expert at Litgrid AB, Lithuania’s electricity transmission system operator. He focuses on digitalization and data-driven solutions to enhance grid flexibility and reliability. His work includes advancing virtual grid concepts, substation digitalization, and monitoring technologies such as dynamic line rating and distributed acoustic sensing. With strong interest in new market products and consumer-side flexibility, Mečislovas explores how digital tools and data sharing can unlock smarter decision-making and support the transition to a more adaptive and resilient power system.
Simon Tot has more than 37 years of experience in the energy sector. He previously worked in the production of electricity in the field of thermal and hydropower plants. His main activities were the provision of ancillary services and the optimization of hydro and thermal generation. He has been working at ELES for the last seven years. Its main tasks include developing smart grids with an emphasis on the flexibility of active and reactive power, as well as implementing power flow control devices in the Slovenian transmission network. Additionally, it focuses on preparing the transmission network for the inclusion of increased amounts of renewable energy sources and new loads.
Tina Seršen serves as the State Secretary for Energy and Sustainable Mobility at Slovenia’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, where she is responsible for steering the nation’s energy policy and advancing the transition to a sustainable energy future. She has led the development of Slovenia’s National Energy and Climate Plan and overseen the revision of domestic energy legislation. With more than 15 years of experience at both the national and EU levels, she has served twice as Energy Attaché in Brussels and coordinated energy policy during Slovenia’s EU Council Presidencies in 2008 and 2021. Her career demonstrates a deep commitment to fostering energy security, competitiveness, and sustainability.
Mr. Vermaat holds a MSc in Civil Engineering and Business Economics from the Technical University of Delft and an MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management. He joined VolkerWessels in 1991 and became Manager Business Development and Strategic Planning in 1995. After having taken up different positions, he was appointed Director of PPP and Concession projects. In 2008, he became Managing Director of Evides Watercompany in Rotterdam and moved to Enexis in 2014 to become CEO of the Dutch DSO. Throughout his international career, he has taken a particular interest in organisational development, public-private partnerships, and sustainability, most recently in energy transition.
Dušan Vlaisavljević is Head of the Energy Market Team at EKC Ltd., an energy consulting and software company. He has extensive experience in the energy sector consulting in the fields of energy market operation and development, energy policy and regulation, energy system planning and renewable energy integration. He has provided advisory services on numerous international projects for Power Utilities, Transmission System Operators, Ministries and Regulators, as well as International Financial Institution across regions of South East Europe, Central West Europe, South Caucasus, Central and South East Asia and North Africa.
Renata Rubeša holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb. She is currently Assistant director at the Business integration department of the Croatian transmission system operator (HOPS), where she fosters and advances initiatives related to digital transformation in power system applications and operational innovation. Previously, she headed the department supporting real-time power system control, managing SCADA/EMS/AGC development, WAM integration and implementation of optimization techniques and the implementation of advanced applications for power system monitoring, automation and decision support. Her experience includes leading and supporting EU co-funded projects (CEF, Horizon), research and early-career roles in power system protection engineering and system modeling. She is an active contributor to international expert groups within ENTSO-E and CIGRE. Her professional interests lie in the intersection of energy systems, digital innovation and organizational change in critical infrastructure environments.
Ivan Bulatović graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Podgorica. As a relay protection engineer, his professional career began at the Montenegrin Electric Power Company (EPCG) (2004-2009). After establishing the Montenegrin Transmission System (CGES) as a separate joint- stock company, he served as the Chief Engineer for Relay Protection and Testing (2009?2013). From 2014 to 2018, he was the CEO of CGES, followed by roles as Deputy CEO for Development, Deputy Director of Transmission, and Deputy CEO for International and Institutional Cooperation (2018?2019). He subsequently became CEO of the Coordinated Auction Office in Southeast Europe (SEE CAO). Simultaneously, he held various other positions, including President of the Assembly and member of the Supervisory Board of the Security Coordination Center (2015-2018), Chairman of the Energy and Mining Committee of the Montenegrin Chamber of Commerce (since 2023), and member of the Board of Directors of Terna Montenegro (since 2022). Since January 2024, he has been serving as the CEO of the Montenegrin Electric Power Company (EPCG).
Alberto Pototschnig is an economist with extensive experience in energy policy, regulation and market design issues, with a focus on European markets. Between 2010 and 2019 Alberto served as the first Director of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). After seven years in the consultancy business with London Economics, Alberto joined the Italian Energy Regulatory Authority in 1997. As Director of Electricity Regulation, he was responsible for the design and implementation of technical and economic regulation for the electricity sector. In 2000 Alberto was appointed CEO of the Italian Electricity Market Operator, and later joined the Italian Transmission System Operator (TSO). From 2006 to 2010 he was a Partner in Mercados EMI, an international consultancy specialised in energy markets design and regulation. Alberto regularly teaches in FSR training courses on regulatory and market design issues and directs the ‘Regulatory Policy Workshop Series’, the longest-running FSR workshop series, investigating the most topical issues in the energy sector.
Dr. Jurij Curk has more than 30 years of professional experience in the electric energy industry, spanning university research, design, engineering, equipment development, consulting, energy system policy, and project development. His specialization is in power system networks, including transmission and distribution. Early in his career, he worked on substation remote control systems at IBE Elektroprojekt and as a system engineer at Korona Power Engineering, while also serving as Assistant and later Assistant Professor at the University of Ljubljana. He contributed to strategic transmission and distribution network studies and helped develop the first Slovenian Distribution Grid Code. He later held leadership roles at Iskra Sysen and Metronik, managing R&D, protection and control divisions, and power system projects including international automation and energy storage initiatives. Since 2018, he has been advisor to the board at Elektro Ljubljana d.d., overseeing technological development, smart grids, and EV charging infrastructure.
Stavros Stamatoukos is a senior energy engineer with 25 years of experience in energy systems. He currently serves as a Policy Officer at the European Commission, where he focuses on the digitalisation of energy systems and the use of Artificial Intelligence. Before joining the Commission, he spent 15 years in the private sector, working in the design and construction of energy infrastructure projects. Stavros holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and a Master’s degree in Energy Management from the University of Amsterdam Business School.
Ralf has worked at 50Hertz for five years, where he is part of the development of the Modular Control Center System (MCCS). He leads the Vendor Agnostic Solution task force within ENTSO-E Working Group 5 of RDIC, leveraging over 30 years of energy sector experience from Vattenfall and Siemens Energy and Automation. With a Dipl. Ing. (FH) in Communication Technology from FHTW Berlin (2004) , Ralf specializes in grid digitalization and modular, scalable control center solutions. His passion continually leads him to explore new technologies, emerging topics, and pioneering activities.
Aleksander Mervar is one of the leading energy experts in Slovenia and beyond, with more than 40 years of experience in the energy sector, most of them in senior management positions. With an in-depth knowledge of electric power systems, he is among the most frequently quoted and respected voices in both national and international media, as well as within expert, research, and academic circles. He started his career in various senior positions in the regional energy industry of his native Zasavje region and was appointed to lead ELES, Slovenia’s combined transmission and distribution system operator, in 2013. Today, the company is the backbone of the Slovenian electricity industry, a superpower in smart network innovations, and one of the most advanced high-tech companies in Slovenia as well as one of the leading energy-analytical centres in the region. As such, ELES strives to bring its knowledge and information closer to the public, working for the common good.
Tomáš Šipoš has been active in the energy sector since 2007, with a focus on regulation and the legislative framework of electricity markets. He has extensive experience in managing regulatory processes, drafting legislation, and shaping sectoral policies, while also addressing sustainability, climate goals integration, resilience, and efficient governance of energy infrastructure. He coordinates several major EU projects aimed at modernising distribution networks and linking environmental and energy policy. In addition to his professional activities, he serves as an Assistant Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Comenius University in Bratislava, where he teaches and researches in the fields of energy and environmental law.
As Slovenia’s Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Bojan Kumer is spearheading the country’s transition towards a sustainable and climate-resilient future. With over two decades of experience in the energy sector, he brings extensive leadership expertise spanning both business and government. Having twice served as State Secretary for Energy, he played a pivotal role in shaping strategic energy documents and modernizing legislative frameworks. Under his leadership, the ministry addresses pressing societal challenges in the fields of environment, energy, and climate, working to ensure a secure energy supply and to advance modern energy policies. A key priority of his tenure is accelerating the deployment of renewable energy sources, while also promoting public transport, sustainable mobility, and progressive transport policies as essential pillars of Slovenia’s clean transition.
Lazar Bizumic is currently the Head of Product Management for Network Control at Hitachi Energy. He is responsible for a wide portfolio of network control products including SCADA, EMS, WAMS, GMS, ADMS, DERMS and MMS. Prior to joining Hitachi Energy, he spent 10 years working at Neplan AG, one of the leading providers of network planning tools where he was responsible for product and business development. He started his carrier at DMS Group (currently a part of Schneider Electric). Lazar holds a PhD in Power Systems from Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne (EPFL).
Mark McGranaghan is a Fellow at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), where he provides technical and strategic input and guidance across the organization and for the electric utility industry worldwide, working from his EPRI office in Dublin. He coordinates with research sectors as well as the Technology Innovation function. Prior to joining EPRI, McGranaghan was Vice President at Electrotek Concepts (1988–2003) and a Manager at McGraw-Edison/Cooper Power in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania (1978–1988). He has authored more than 70 technical papers and articles on topics ranging from power quality to insulation coordination of extra high-voltage (EHV) systems, and co-authored Electrical Power Systems Quality, the premier textbook on power quality and compatibility since its initial release in 1996. A leader in smart grid development for more than 20 years, Mark is an IEEE Fellow and received the Charles Proteus Steinmetz Award in 2014 for his expertise and dedication to power engineering standards development. He holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toledo and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
Ms. Rosalinde van der Vlies is Director of DG ENER, responsible for Just Transition, Consumers, Energy Efficiency, and Innovation. Before this appointment, Ms. van der Vlies served as the Director of the Clean Planet Directorate in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. She has also held roles as Head of the Coordination & Interinstitutional Relations Unit and Acting Head of the Communication & Citizens Unit. Previously, she worked in the Directorate-General for Environment, Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs, and in the private office of Janez Potočnik, the European Commissioner for the Environment. Before joining the European Commission, Ms. van der Vlies worked as a competition lawyer at an international law firm in Brussels and was a part-time lecturer at the Catholic University of Brussels.