FMR. MA STATE SENATOR MARC R. PACHECO
Former Massachusetts Senator | Transatlantic climate cooperation
Marc R. Pacheco served for 36 years in the Massachusetts Legislature and retired as Dean of the Massachusetts Senate in December 2024. He was the founding chair of its standing committee on global warming and climate change and authored and sponsored the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008. An Al Gore Climate Messenger, he has advocated for clean energy, emissions reductions and international cooperation on climate policy.
www.transatlanticclimatealliance.org
Climate policy • Clean energy • Transatlantic cooperation
DR. CHRISTOPH LEITL
Former President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber | President of EUROCHAMBRES
Dr. Christoph Leitl is an Austrian business leader with extensive experience in European economic cooperation. He served as President of the Austrian Economic Chambers and also headed Eurochambres, the association of European chambers of commerce and industry. His career bridges entrepreneurship, business advocacy, and European integration. He brings an economic policy perspective to issues such as international partnerships, market access, and the role of businesses in sustainable economic development.
European cooperation • Entrepreneurship • International trade
UNIV. PROF. HERMANN KNOFLACHER
TU Wien | Transport planning & sustainable mobility
Hermann Knoflacher, Professor Emeritus at TU Wien, has dedicated his career to researching how transport systems shape cities and human behavior. His work spans a wide range of areas, from pedestrian and bicycle planning, public transport, and traffic safety to the energy and environmental impacts of mobility. He has advised public authorities and contributed to European research on sustainable transport, bringing an interdisciplinary perspective to human-centered urban development.
Urban planning • Sustainable mobility • Transport systems
UNIV. PROF. REINHARD HAAS
TU Wien | Energy economics & energy policy
Reinhard Haas is Professor of Energy Economics at TU Wien. His teaching and research focus on energy markets, regulation, competition, and energy modeling. He investigates the deployment of renewable technologies, pathways to sustainable energy systems, and the design of effective energy policy. His international project experience includes work for Austrian institutions, the European Commission, and the International Energy Agency.
Renewable energy • Energy markets • Policy & modelling
DR. AMELA AJANOVIC
TU Wien | Energy economics & sustainable transport
Dr. Amela Ajanovic works in the field of energy economics at TU Wien; she holds a background in electrical engineering and a doctorate in energy economics. Her research focuses on sustainable energy systems, alternative fuels, and vehicle technologies. She employs modeling, scenario analysis, and economic and environmental assessments to evaluate pathways toward cleaner mobility. Her work links mobility decisions with the performance of energy systems, thereby providing an evidence-based perspective on the transition to sustainable urban mobility.
E-mobility • Alternative fuels • Energy-system assessment
UNIV. PROF. DR. ROLAND ERNEST POMS
Food science | Food safety, quality & public health
Univ. Prof. Dr. Roland Ernest Poms is a food scientist with a background in biotechnology and extensive experience in international research coordination. His work integrates the fields of food safety, analytical methods, quality assurance, nutrition, and public health. He co-founded the MoniQA Association and has held leadership and advisory roles in international food science organizations and collaborative research projects. His expertise contributes to resilient food systems and the health dimension of “Smart Security”.
Food safety • Quality assurance • Public health
STEFAN PETTERS
Technology & infrastructure | Industrial innovation
Stefan Petters has over three decades of experience in the fields of technology, high-performance materials, and industrial systems. He built and led the Electrovac Group, a company serving the electronics, microsystems, and photonics industries. His expertise spans technology development, industrial scaling, and licensing, as well as international partnerships across Europe, Asia, and the USA. At BlackSwan Capital, he focuses on technology and infrastructure, combining innovation with practical implementation.
Technology development • Industrial scaling • Infrastructure
MSC. GÖKHAN YILDIRIM
President of WSEIN & EUTRADE Business Club
Based in Vienna, MSc. Gökhan Yıldırım is a civil engineer, international business facilitator, and President of WSEIN and the EUTRADE Business Club. Through the Reviesta Consulting Group, he develops international partnerships and connects companies, investors, and markets. His work integrates sustainable urban development, global trade, and practical project cooperation. The forum reflects his holistic approach: Smart City, Smart Trade, and Smart Security as complementary foundations for sustainable prosperity.
Smart cities • Global business connections • Project cooperation