Meet the MTI Judges

Cornelia AMIHALACHIOAE 

Innovation and Programme Management Adviser, EFFRA

Cornelia Amihalachioae is the Innovation and Programme Management Adviser in EFFRA. Cornelia is an innovation enthusiast and practitioner with more than 20 years work experience with innovation in both the private and the public sectors, having worked for many years in programmes funded by the World Bank, UNDP and SIDA in Digital Governance, Energy and Water sectors, industrial and business innovation. Her focus is on digital and social innovation, policy and services modernization, human-centric research, tech for development, and twin transition. 

Judith Ay

Policy Director, ERT

Judith Ay is Policy Director at the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), a Brussels-based platform for CEOs and Chairs of leading European industrial companies. Judith runs the ERT’s work streams on Competitiveness & Innovation and Jobs, Skills & Impact. Prior to joining ERT in 2021, Judith has worked in various EU public affairs roles at the European Banking Federation, Finnish forestry company Metsä Group, public affairs consultancy Brunswick Group and the European Savings Banks Group. Judith holds a PhD in Economics from the European University Institute in Florence, and a Msc Econ from University College London.

Christian Boelling

Managing Director, EIT Manufacturing Central gGmbH

Since January 2019, Christian Boelling has headed the Germany-based hub of EIT Manufacturing, the leading European innovation network for the manufacturing industry. Previously, he led the Machining Technology Research Department at the Institute for Production Management, Technology and Machine Tools (PTW) of Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany.

José Pérez Berdud 

President of AFM Cluster and CEO of Fagor Automation, Spain

José Pérez Berdud is the CEO of Fagor Automation and President of the AFM Cluster. He is an electronics engineer with an MBA from Mondragon University. He has spent his entire career at Fagor Automation, starting in 1993 as a technician in the R&D department. He has held various positions in the company, always related to production, logistics and purchasing.

François Duval

Managing Director of GF Machining Solutions SAS and President of CECIMO 

François Duval is the Managing Director of GF Machining Solutions France since July 2020. He boasts over 20 years in the machine tool industry, with notable leadership as president of the machine tool manufacturers and importers group within the French trade union SYMOP (now EVOLIS) for six years. Beginning his journey as Managing Director of Cinetic Machining, he later merged Metrap with Cinetic Machining to form Fives Machining. Progressing to VP Business Development of Fives’ Metal Cutting & Composites division after the acquisition of MAG’s aerospace branch, his international career spans Eastern countries, China, and Australia.

Michael Merkle 

CEO and President Agathon AG

Michael Merkle spent his entire professional life in the international machine and machine tools business. In 2014 he took over Agathon AG in Switzerland as the majority shareholder. Agathon AG is one of the world’s leading companies for tool grinding machines and guiding elements for tool and mold making. Before taking over Agathon, he was Managing Director of Bystronic Laser AG, one of the world’s leading suppliers of laser cutting systems and one of the world’s leading technology companies in the field of sheet metal processing. Before that he held various international management and leadership positions in field of mechanical engineering in Europe and Asia.

Dr. Thomas Schneider 

Managing Director of Research + Development at TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG. 

Dr. Thomas Schneider is Managing Director of Research + Development at TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG. Born in Ludwigshafen, he studied mechanical engineering at the Institute of Technology in Karlsruhe (KIT) and did his doctorate in the field of electrical engineering materials. Before joining TRUMPF, he held various positions in industry and was a product development expert at McKinsey

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