Speakers

Initially an electrical engineer in the steel industry, Simon spent several years in the US as a business and technology analyst, consultant and CEO of a publicly traded software company. He began his renewable energy career in 2008, co-founding a solar cell technology startup. Two years later he co-founded a solar manufacturing facility design and integration business.

In 2015, Simon established Exawatt to provide cost, performance and market forecasting in sectors including solar energy, battery storage, electric vehicles and power transmission. Simon joined CRU in early 2023 when the company acquired Exawatt.

Prior to joining CRU in 2013, she served for seven years as a steel consultant at Hatch Beddows, providing specialized advisory services to industry clients. she also spent two years at Ping An Bank, where she offered expert guidance on steel asset portfolio management. At CRU, Li dedicates to silicon metal market analysis and conducts comprehensive cost research across the steel value chain. She holds a Master’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Science and Technology Beijing.

Jim is a proven results getter with many diverse accomplishments leading to substantial bottom line impacts for his companies or employers. He has over 15 U.S patents to his credit. His companies have developed and implemented various solar energy projects in the USA including supplying process technology, commissioning and startup services.

His educational credentials include completing the MBA program for Senior Executives in MIT’s (Sloan Business School) in 1989, an MS in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1972 and a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from the General Motors Institute in 1971.

He has been noted for his ability to correctly evaluate developing companies and to react quickly and effectively to crises and short-lived opportunities for profit. A strong team builder, he has formed lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with customers and suppliers.

He is a sought-after speaker. He has presented at over 100 international conferences on the global silicon and solar industries over the last 30 years.

Well traveled, he has been to over 100 countries including working on silicon projects in China, Brazil, Germany, Norway, Australia, Japan, U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Bolivia, France, Italy, Austria, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Switzerland, Bahrain, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Chile, and Argentina. He has conversational fluency in Mandarin Chinese and several other languages in the countries he has worked.

Arnoud advises clients on all aspects of trade law, including trade remedies, customs, trade compliance, and trade agreements. With over 30 years of experience, he is a trusted adviser to entrepreneurs, executives, and diplomats with an unparalleled network. Arnoud deeply understands how trade rules shape global flows of capital, investment, goods, technology, and services, especially with respect to competitiveness, and the application of trade rules to various sectors. He helps clients navigate complex rules, manage their risks, and become more successful in their long-term strategy.

Arnoud has assisted complainants, respondents, associations, governments, importers, and users in more than 200 high-profile anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, safeguard, and anti-circumvention investigations. Along with representing clients in such cases before the European Commission, national and EU courts, he has worked on several third-country cases (Russia, China, Türkiye, Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil). Arnoud’s cases often involve pan-European strategies with simultaneous litigation in several countries.

Regarding customs matters, Arnoud has broad experience in advising clients on EU customs issues, including entry, classification, valuation, origin, tariff suspensions, authorizations, audits, refunds/remissions and fraud allegations, notably OLAF and EPPO. A key aspect of his practice concerns working with EU and national authorities to help clients unlock customs issues or assist with resolving differences in approach between various EU member states.

Regarding trade agreements, Arnoud advises clients on leveraging market access and enforcement tools provided by trade rules in the WTO, free trade, investment, and other agreements. With these tools, Arnoud has helped companies address key trade and regulatory barriers affecting their ability to move, sell and protect goods, services, and intellectual property across borders. To conclude, Arnoud has assisted governments and companies in negotiating trade agreements, especially in making them concrete, and by creating so-called gold standards by leveraging best practices.

She joined CRU in 2025 as the editor of Silicon Metal Market Outlook and Silicon Cost Service, where she leads analysis on global silicon metal market supply-demand dynamics, price trends, and cost structures.

Prior to CRU, Sabrina worked as an Equity Research Associate at Jefferies, focusing on European Chemicals and Polysilicon market and company analysis. Sabrina holds an MSc degree in Risk Management and Financial Engineering from Imperial College London and a BSc degree in Quantitative Finance from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

He has worked extensively with silicon and ferrosilicon processes in industrial and pilot-scale environments. He is currently leading the development of the silicon reactor step in the Elkem Sicalo® project.

He has spent his entire career in the raw materials purchasing department and since 2014 has led the scrap and silicon metal purchasing team.

He joined Elkem in 2005 and has held several senior leadership roles, including EBS, Finance, Plant Manager, and SVP of two divisions. In 2003, he published the book “Lean Production in Continuous Process”, sharing practical lessons from implementing lean manufacturing in process industries.

He has 19 years of industrial experience, including 14 years at Elkem across different divisions and international environments. He is currently a Silicon Specialist at Elkem, based in Trondheim (NO). He is supporting polysilicon customers using Direct Chlorination (DC) and Hydrochlorination (HC) processes, focusing on product development, product qualification, and sustainable silicon solutions.

His work has largely focused on customer processes within the polysilicon and silicones segments, using lab-scale studies to build understanding and support product development. He is also responsible for the development, construction, and maintenance of laboratory equipment and specialized test setups.

She joined Elkem in 1997 and has held several senior leadership roles, including R&D, Laboratory management and product development.

He has lead a wide range of activities related to Silicon and its metallurgical, chemical and solar applications, including product development and laboratory activities, technical marketing and investment projects. In recent years focus has been more on process safety including fundamentals in dust explosion hazards.

He joined Elkem in 1991 and except for a short stay as Research Manager at SINTEF in 1996-1997 ha have had several positions in the Elkem organization. He 40 years experience with silicon related topics and he has worked with application of silicon, conversion of ferrosilicon furnaces, production in silicon furnaces, refining of silicon, leaching and purification of silicon, LCA calculations for silicon production, etc. He is founder (together with Professor H. A. Øye) of the conference series Silicon for the Chemical and Solar Industry.

Caroline Sindland is an Industrial PhD candidate and Research Engineer at Elkem ASA, working on silicon carbide behaviour in industrial silicon furnaces in collaboration with NTNU. She holds an MSc from NTNU and has experience from Elkem as both a laboratory apprentice and a Process Engineer.

Harald Bier is Secretary-General of Biochar Europe, coordinating the association’s full portfolio from soil applications to materials and industrial use cases. He leads policy and standards work to scale Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) and has been closely involved in shaping the EU’s Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF)—work that helped secure BCR’s prominent status in Europe’s forthcoming certification methodologies. He also represents the sector in consultations and stakeholder coalitions to integrate high-quality biochar use-cases and BCR into EU policy.

Founder and CTO of Floatech. PhD from the University of Cambridge and Senior Researcher at the IMDEA Materials Institute where he leads the Multifunctional Nanocomposites Group.

Richard Rast is President and CEO of Highland Materials, a US based polysilicon manufacturer. Richard leads the Highland team and partners who are focused on product validation, engineering/construction, plant operations, supply and offtake, and financing/funding. Highland is developing an innovative polysilicon production facility in Northeast Tennessee that provides significant reductions in capital and operating cost vs. incumbent processes. Importantly, the Highland process also offers the opportunity to recycle silicon saw kerf generated during the wafering process, using the purified polysilicon that is wasted in this process. Prior to Highland, Richard started, developed, and subsequently sold three successful businesses in the industrial facilities development space. His technical expertise includes planning, design, construction, and operation of large-scale manufacturing, industrial and commercial facilities; facility decarbonization, renewable energy development; environmental compliance and remediation. Financial expertise includes debt, tax equity, incentives, venture and private equity. He is a graduate of Georgia Tech.

7+ years experience as technical manager ◦ 12+ years experience in electrical systems for renewables and satellites ◦ Space and Electrical Engineering background ◦ At Maana Electric: focus on Terrestrial R&D and Technology Management

Dr. Wolfgang Herbst is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Viridis.iQ, an international engineering and consulting firm focused on the photovoltaic and silicon industries. He has more than 25 years of experience in photovoltaics, with a strong business and technical background across the entire PV value chain—from silicon metal and polysilicon production through to solar module manufacturing. His expertise spans international business development, technology assessment, and strategy, with extensive experience in due diligence, financial modeling, and large-scale industrial project development. In addition, his earlier work in market research and technology evaluation has provided him with a solid analytical foundation that continues to inform his strategic and investment decisions in the industry.

Over 15 years of experience in the ferroalloys industry, with expertise in investment project execution, ore beneficiation, sensor-based sorting technologies, by-product valorization, and REACH compliance. Actively involved in innovation projects for manganese and silicon alloys under Horizon Europe Programme

His career spans the complete silicon value chain—from quartz beneficiation and metallurgical silicon production to polysilicon, crystal growth, photovoltaics, semiconductors, advanced materials such as silicon anodes for battery application and circular silicon technologies.

With more than 30 years of experience in the global metals and chemicals sector, he has developed extensive expertise in international sourcing, market development, and supply chain management. In the silicon metal market, BIT Metals works closely with producers, primarily in Asia and Africa, through long-term supply and off-take agreements, and supplies customers globally. Through these partnerships, Doron has gained broad insight into global market dynamics, trade flows, and the supply and demand fundamentals shaping the silicon metal industry.

He graduated in 1973 as a Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metallurgical Engineer from Armando Alvares Penteado Foundation in Sao Paulo – Brazil.

Today, RIMA is the 2nd largest independent Silicon Metal producer in the world and the only primary magnesium producer in the Western world and Southern Hemisphere.

Mr. Vicintin has devoted a lot of time and attention to bring economic development to underprivileged areas in Brazil through the Vicintin Foundation.

In conclusion, Mr. Vicintin’s extensive experience and entrepreneurial spirit grew a company from 4 employees to 5,600 in a 55-year period.

With a background in economics and space engineering and over 15 years as a serial entrepreneur, he thrives in building businesses that match market demand with technical solutions. Kore Metals has secured €14 million of funding in 2026 and is on track to build an industrial pilot plant by 2028.preqin+6 Joost is also Founder & CEO of Maana Electric, an Space industry contracting company specialised in In Situ Resource Utilisation, which developed the original molten salt electrolysis platform used as the basis for Kore Metals’ silicon technology. Having lived and worked in more than a dozen countries, he now leads Kore Metals and Maana Electric from Luxembourg, working to bring their technologies to the global market.

He has been working in Elkem since 2001 where the main responsibilities has been related to raw materials, external environment, sustainability, supplier development and research projects. Viktor is also part of the board in the Norwegian Ferroalloy Producers Research Organisation (FFF)