Speakers

Laurence leads Radioplayer’s global partnerships with the automotive industry and technology companies, with a focus on how radio is implemented in connected vehicles at scale.
He works closely with leading car manufacturers and system suppliers on integration, user interface design and metadata, helping ensure radio is delivered as a core, fully integrated part of the in-car experience. Radioplayer today powers radio across millions of vehicles and multiple major car brands.
Alongside his role at Radioplayer, Laurence has played a central role in shaping industry standards for in-car radio. As a Board member of RadioDNS and WorldDAB, and as Chairman of the WorldDAB Automotive Group, he has led the development of widely adopted guidelines for radio user experience in connected cars.
Earlier in his career, he led automotive partnerships at Digital Radio UK, contributing to the successful rollout of DAB digital radio as standard in new vehicles. He has also held roles at techUK and Digital UK, working across technology, policy and large-scale digital transition programmes.

Anya Ernest is a connectivity and user experience leader at Polestar, working at the intersection of connected car services, software-driven value creation and customer-centred product development. She has played a key role in building Polestar’s capabilities around the in-car Google Playstore, digital customer journeys and service design. Alongside her work in automotive technology, Anya is President of the Board for Women in Tech Gothenburg, where she advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion as a strategic driver of innovation and better technology.

Raluca Balan combines a strong background in the automotive industry with deep experience in connectivity and electrification, alongside a genuine passion for how technology and AI can simplify and enrich everyday life. She currently leads the Connectivity and Services team at Renault, with the ambition of making increasingly complex, software-defined vehicles as seamless and intuitive to use as a smartphone.
Her work focuses on delivering clear value to drivers through intuitive in-vehicle experiences, including end-to-end EV journey optimization across navigation, routing, and connected service.

Brigitte Both is Head of Strategy and Customer Solutions at smart Europe, where she drives the strategic development and transformation of customer services. She leads strategy and data analytics, as well as product and service development—including warranty—across the customer service landscape, turning customer insights into scalable, high-impact solutions across more than 15 markets.

With over 10 years of experience in digital transformation in the automotive industry, and a background in strategy consulting, Brigitte Both has a strong track record of building customer-centric organizations. As part of a greenfield setup at smart Europe, she played a key role in establishing the Customer Service organization from the ground up, embedding data-driven decision-making at its core.

Driven by the belief that truly knowing the customer is the foundation for meaningful innovation, Brigitte Both leverages data and digital capabilities to design products and services that enhance customer loyalty and long-term satisfaction in a rapidly evolving mobility landscape.

Laurenz is Co-Founder and CEO of Aximote. He focuses on product and business strategy, building a user-centric platform that makes vehicle data understandable and actionable. With a background in IT consulting and experience in digital solutions within the automotive space, he combines technical expertise with a strong focus on scalable product development and connected mobility.

Olha Kotsar is currently the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Lead at Automobili Pininfarina. Her expertise spans roles in infotainment coordination and the delivery of harmonious, minimalistic, and intuitive user experiences, making her a key player in shaping innovative solutions for connected vehicles. She leads HMI development, focusing on seamlessly integrating user-centric interfaces with cutting-edge technology to enhance user interaction and digital ecosystems within the automotive industry.

Sven is the Global Partnerships Lead for the Volkswagen Group at Cariad. He is an executive leader with a track record in building partnerships, digital ecosystems and advancing mobility innovation. Brings 15+ years of experience shaping digital strategy across automotive, software and media industries.

Dr. Katja Kurdyukova is a Senior UX Engineer at BMW Group. She is responsible for the passenger entertainment and the rear-seat displays. Spanning a multicultural team of UX specialists, she brings innovative products to the European and Asian markets. Placing the customers in the absolute center, Ekaterina’s team conducts user research and interdisciplinary collaboration on the international level.
Before joining BMW, Ekaterina obtained her doctoral degree researching multimodal interaction in multi-display environments. The strong academic background gives Ekaterina a great base in her current role in industrial R&D. Working on the in-car interaction with passenger displays, she co-creates the future of the multi-display vehicles in the premium automotive sector.

Thomas Groenendijk is Manager Connected Car Services at Mitsubishi Motors Europe, where he leads product management for connected car services across 20 European markets. He has 15 years of experience in connected and mobility services, with prior roles at TomTom and General Motors’ OnStar Mexico. His work sits at the intersection of strategy, marketing, and digital technology within the
automotive industry. In his role, he successfully launched four fully connected vehicle models, managed Mitsubishi Motors’ first FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air) campaigns, and introduced the brand’s first global Google Automotive Services integration.

Vincent Marchi is Lead Product Manager for TF1+, he drives partnerships, the ad experience, and the player experience of the streaming platform.
With expertise in B2B2C partnerships and product leadership, Vincent has driven collaborations with major tech players like Samsung, Google, and Apple. He ensures that TF1+ is deployed and deeply integrated in all the partners environment from Smart TVs to Connected Cars.

Amir Baruch is the Director of Product Management for Maps and Agentic Assistant at Stellantis, focusing on the intersection of agentic AI and Navigation. He specializes in applying modern, consumer-grade product development practices to create intuitive, user-centric navigation and location experiences. With extensive industry experience at companies like the mobility super app Bolt, Telenav, TomTom, SAP, and Kodak, Amir brings a unique perspective on building data-intensive products that scale to millions of users and shaping impactful technology for context-aware vehicle interiors.

Jean-François Labal is leading initiatives at the intersection of automotive innovation, premium media, and digital lifestyle. Currently serving as the Strategic Partnerships and business development Head for Digital Customer Experience at Renault Group, he orchestrates global content and application strategies for the Renault, Alpine, and Dacia brands. He is defining the modern in-car brand experience, having successfully established high-value partnerships with global and premium content providers to drive new monetization schemes.
With over 15 years of experience in business development and marketing across the high-tech sector, Jean-François has held senior leadership roles at Alcatel-Lucent, NEC, and L&T. His ability to navigate complex global ecosystems is highlighted by his tenure as Vice Chairman of the GSMA Rich Communication Initiative, leading an international consortium to establish worldwide industry standards. By bridging the gap between automotive leaders, global media giants, and agile startups, Jean-François creates high-value digital hubs that unlock customer relationships and revenues over the customer life cycle.

Tobias Nielsen is a senior European media leader with 30 years’ experience, shaping growth across radio, audio, and digital.
At Bauer Media Audio, he helps lead digital transformation across the business—from product strategy to audience growth. As SVP, Digital Audio, he leads Bauer’s B2C digital agenda across nine markets, reaching 63 million weekly listeners, spanning digital products, marketing, and content. He also drives distribution strategy to protect radio in connected cars and cofounded Radio Ready, a 40+ member coalition of broadcasters and associations across Europe, Australia, and Africa. He serves on the boards of Radioplayer Worldwide and Bauer Media Denmark.
A regular international keynote speaker, he shares practical perspectives on audio’s digital future at events including IBC Amsterdam, Radio Days Europe, Radio Active Toronto, IAB conferences, WorldDAB, ASI Radio & Audio Conference, and Audiodays Denmark.

Janine Bubner is a technology and platform professional with extensive experience in Android Automotive, in-car software platforms, and digital ecosystem collaboration.
She has worked on complex, cross-functional initiatives at the intersection of automotive, software, and AI, collaborating with international teams and technology partners.
Her background as a former professional athlete shapes her approach to moderation and collaboration, with a strong focus on clarity, discipline, and performance-driven execution.

Tomas Granryd has over 20 years of experience at Swedish Radio, encompassing roles in
hosting, producing, channel management, and radio commissioning. For the past years, he
has served as Head of Digital Partnerships, leading efforts to bring Swedish Radio and radio
content to digital platforms, with a particular focus on connected car platforms. In addition,Tomas serves as Vice Chair of the EBU Digital Committee and Co-Coordinator of Radio
Ready.

Petr Kredba is an automotive connectivity expert with 15+ years of experience, specializing in vehicle communication systems and connected services. For the past eight years, he has been hands-on in building connected applications and digital ecosystems around the vehicle, spanning both companion apps and in-car applications.
At Škoda Auto, he built and led the MyŠkoda app, the central digital interface for customers to access connected vehicle services and interact with their car. He has driven its evolution from concept into a global platform integrating multiple digital services. The app supports five generations of vehicle connectivity, continues to expand globally, and is one of the highest-rated apps within the Volkswagen Group, performing strongly compared to other automotive OEMs.

Kai Scheffs is Product Manager for the Bluelink Store and Features on Demand at Hyundai Connected Mobility, where he has been driving the evolution of the Connected Car experience since early 2025. Focused on delivering best‑in‑class vehicle features with flexible, customer‑centric offerings, he works on shaping Hyundai’s next generation of digital mobility services. Kai brings extensive automotive expertise from Volkswagen AG, ŠKODA AUTO, BMW Group, and Berlin’s startup ecosystem.

David O’Neill is part of the automotive team at the German public-service broadcaster ARD, where he focuses on building partnerships across the connected car ecosystem, from vehicle manufacturers to infotainment and app platform providers. He represents public service media interests and explores new ways of integrating ARD content into in-car environments. He is also actively involved in Radio Ready for Connected Cars, a joint initiative of EBU members and commercial broadcasters aimed at strengthening radio’s presence in connected vehicles.

Since April 2017, Wolfgang has served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Media Authority Baden-Württemberg. From 2020 to 2023, he chaired the Conference of Directors of the 14 German Media Authorities (DLM) as well as the Commission on Licensing and Supervision (ZAK). Between 2018 and 2019, he was Chairman of the German Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM).
Prior to his regulatory leadership roles, he headed the Division for Media Law, Media Policy and Broadcasting at the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg (2010–2017), having previously served as a consultant in the same division (2007–2010).
He began his professional career in the judicial system as a State Prosecutor at the District Court of Stuttgart in the Department of Commercial Criminal Law (2005–2006), and later served as a judge in the Civil Chamber of the District Court of Stuttgart with a focus on banking law (2006–2007). Earlier, he worked as a lawyer at Gleiss Lutz specialising in intellectual property law (2004–2005).
He holds a Doctorate in Law (Dr. jur.) from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and a law degree from Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg.