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Agenda

*** The Forum will be recorded and livestreamed. 

****This is a preliminary agenda. 

It ensures a comprehensive and inclusive discussion on investment opportunities, challenges, and strategic approaches, catering to the diverse spectrum of companies within the photonics industry.

06 October 2025

********* Malaga TechPark organizes a guided Tour at 11 am. If you are interested, please contact Lourdes Cruz at lcruz@pta.es

7:30 pm, Optica Welcome Reception at Candado BeachMálaga. A networking evening ahead of the forum, offering a relaxed environment for attendees to connect.

Day 1: 07 October 2025

Venue: FYCMA, Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions. Bus transportation from hotels recommend by Optica to the venue provided.

Time CET Sessions Participants Session Details
8:00 - 9:00 Registration/welcome coffee   FYCMA, Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions

9:00 - 9:45

 

Welcome & Opening Remarks 

 

Jim Kafka,  President, Optica & Emeritus Fellow, MKS

Jose Pozo, CTO, Optica & Elizabeth Nolan, CEO, Optica

Reinhard Voelkel, Co-Chairman of the Global Photonics Economic Forum

Antonio Hernando Vera, Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure, Spanish Government

Carolina España ReinaMinister of Economy, Finance, and European Funds, Junta de Andalucia  

TBA, Representative Ayuntamiento de Málaga

Opening and Welcome

Introduction and objectives of the forum, highlighting the collaborative opportunities within the photonics industry.

9:45 - 10:10 Keynote 1 Jo De Boeck, EVP & CSO, imec  
10:10 - 10:35 Keynote 2

Marisa Edmund, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Edmund Optics

 

10:35 - 11:15 Coffee Break & Exhibition Visit   Networking & visiting exhibitions.
11:15 - 11:40 Keynote 3 Scott Keeney, Co-Founder & CEO, nLIGHT  
11:40 - 12:30

Panel Discussion 1

Defense & Security: Key Photonics Trends at the Front Line

Moderator: Gregory Quarles, CEO Emeritus, Applied Energetics

Panelists:

 
12:30 - 13:00

Panel Discussion 2

Spain, a success story of bridging Photonics and Semiconductors

Moderator: Ewit Roos, General Partner, PhotonVentures

Panelists:

 
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch Break & Exhibition Visit   Networking & Lunch
14:00 - 14:15 Update Geopolitical Industry Challenges Michael Hochberg, President, Periplous LLC & Visiting Scholar, Cambridge Centre for Geopolitics  
14:15 - 15:05

Panel Discussion 3

New strategies of Photonics profit from Semicon

Moderator: Jose Pozo, CTO, Optica

Panelists: 

 
15:05 - 15:30 Keynote 4   Mark Gitin, CEO, IPG Photonics  
15:30 - 16:10 Coffee Break & Exhibition Visit   Networking & visiting exhibitions.
16:10 - 16:35  Keynote 5 Michael Klug , Director, AR Optical Engineering, Google  
16:35 - 17:25

CEO Panel

Moderator: Michael Lebby, Optica Board Member

Panelists:

Discussion among top CEOs about leadership and strategic direction in the photonics industry.
17:25 - 17:45 Optica Prize Ceremony Presented by: Ulrike Fuchs, Chair, Optica Awards Council.
Awards offered by Representative Ayuntamiento Malaga, and Jim Kafka, President, Optica
 
17:45

Departure for Evening Reception. 

Formal dinner & networking 

  Bus transportation to El Balneario Nuestra Señora del Carmen

 

Day 2: 08 October 2025

Venue: FYCMA, Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions. Bus transportation from hotels recommend by Optica to the venue provided.

Time CET Sessions Participants Session Details
8:30 - 9:30

Registration/welcome coffee

  FYCMA, Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions
9:30 - 9:40 Welcome Day 2 Jose Pozo, CTO, Optica & Co-Chairman, GPEF  
9:40 - 10:05 Keynote 6 Jennifer Cable, President, Thorlabs
 
 
10:05 - 10:55

Panel Discussion 4

Scaling Photonics Innovations in a Changing Global Economy

Moderator: Mike Powell, Managing Partner, Renevo Capital

 

Panelists: 

Focused discussion on aligning research initiatives with industry needs.
10:55 - 11:40 Coffee Break & Exhibition Visit  

 Networking & visiting exhibitions.

11:40 - 11:55

Update Global Supply Chain challenges

 

11:55 - 12:45

Panel Discussion 5

Geopolitical Trade & Supply Chain Resilience: US, Canada, Europe, Japan, Singapore


Moderator: Anthony Yu, former Vice President, Global Foundries

Panelists:

 
12:45 - 14:00 Lunch Break & Exhibition Visit  

Networking & Lunch

14:00 - 14:25 Keynote 7 Stefan Traeger, CEO, JENOPTIK

 

14:25 - 15:15

Panel Discussion 6

Entrepreneurship & Investment in Photonics


Moderator: Marek Kotelnicki, Investor, VIGO Ventures

 

Panelists:

 

15:15 - 16:00 Coffee Break & Exhibition Visit   Networking & visiting exhibitions.
16:00 - 16:25 Keynote 8 Christina Hirschl, CEO, Silicon Austria Labs  
16:25 - 17:15

Panel Discussion 7

Photonics for Future Technologies: Quantum, AI & Data


Moderator: Joseph Spilman, CEO, Optimax Systems

Panelists:

How different could the world look 25 years from now?

17:15 - 17:30

Closing Remarks & Outlook for GPEF 2026

Felipe Romera, Director, Malaga TechPark (PTA)

Jose Pozo, CTO, Optica

 
17:30 Departure for Farewell Reception at Historic Center of Málaga hosted by University of Málaga Networking reception from 18:00 to 20:30 Full capacity reached
Image for keeping the session alive