Archives Speakers TIS26

Georg List is responsible for corporate strategy at AVL List GmbH. This includes the strategic development of the company’s three business divisions and the management of the Research & Technology function. He also launched AVL’s startup initiatives with “Creators.” Georg List was born in Graz and studied at ETH Zurich and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the University Council at Graz University of Technology and chairs the Working Group on Research and Innovation at BusinessEurope in Brussels.

Vice President – Corporate Strategy, AVL List GmbH, Austria

Elmar Pichl was born in Graz in 1973, studied law at the University of Graz, and worked as a research assistant at the university’s Institute for Public Law. Other professional positions included roles at World University Service Austria and the ÖVP federal party. In early 2007, he moved to the Ministry of Science, where he first served as chief of staff to Federal Minister Dr. Johannes Hahn and subsequently as division director in the Higher Education Section. Elmar Pichl has headed the Higher Education Section since August 1, 2013. Other positions and memberships include: Supervisory Board of OeAD-GmbH, Styrian Research Council, General Assembly of AQ Austria, Board of Trustees of GeoSphere Austria, and Board of Trustees of the Diplomatic Academy.

Elmar Pichl, M.A., Director of the Higher Education Section

Christian Rechberger has been a professor at Graz University of Technology since 2015. Prior to that, he was a professor, visiting researcher, and postdoctoral fellow at DTU in Denmark, Microsoft Research in the U.S., ENS Paris in France, and KU Leuven in Belgium. He is known for his work on the design and analysis of cryptographic algorithms. The deep-tech startup TACEO has emerged from his research group since 2022.

Andreas Diensthuber, founder and CEO of DaphOS.ai, has a background in radiology technology and health economics. Even before completing his studies, he founded his first company, Solgenium, which focused specifically on “AI in Healthcare” and was highly research-oriented. As part of these research activities—including collaboration with the University of Graz—the foundations were laid for DaphOS.ai, a decision support platform for the healthcare sector. Today, the DaphOS platform offers a wide range of services in the areas of operations and resource management through its integrated AI core.

Founder and CEO, DaphOS.ai

Agnes Heftberger is Corporate Vice President & CEO of Microsoft Germany & Austria. Before joining Microsoft, Agnes Heftberger worked at IBM for more than 20 years, where she held various leadership positions. Most recently, she led IBM’s business in Australia, Southeast Asia, Korea, and New Zealand. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Sales for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and a member of the Executive Board of IBM Germany. In her work, Agnes Heftberger consistently focuses on innovation and customer-centricity—and, as an experienced executive in the technology industry, promotes sustainable and inclusive growth. Her global perspective and experience provide important insights at a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the innovation and production processes of many industries in Germany. A native of Austria, Heftberger holds a master’s degree in International Business from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

CVP & CEO, Microsoft Germany & Austria, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH

Martin Holler is a professor of machine learning methods at the University of Graz and head of the Applied Mathematics and Machine Learning research group (amml-research.at). His research interests include generative machine learning methods for imaging, biomedical image processing, uncertainty quantification, and inverse problems. His work is characterized by a close connection between the development of fundamental methods and interdisciplinary applications, particularly in healthcare.

University Professor, University of Graz

Philipp Amann is Head of Digital Security (Cybersecurity) at the European Central Bank (ECB), where he is responsible for the cybersecurity strategy and operations aimed at protecting critical digital assets. Previously, he served as Group Chief Information Security Officer at Austrian Post and as Head of Strategy at the European Cybercrime Center (EC3) at Europol, where he focused on emerging cybercrime and cybersecurity threats. His career includes roles in cybersecurity, cyber defense, and digital security in the financial sector, as well as at international organizations such as the OPCW, the ICC, the OSCE, and the CTBTO.

Head of Division, Digital Security Services (Cybersecurity), European Central Bank

Tristan Horx has been speaking on international stages since he was 25. His talks, delivered in English (his native language) and German (also his native language), offer fresh perspectives on the processes of change and transformation in our time. His topics span a spectrum ranging from digitalization to mobility, from generational perspectives to “social change,” and from questions of crisis psychology to the “fiery optimism” that is necessary in our time. Tristan comes from the Horx “Future” family, which has been exploring the topic of the future from ever-changing perspectives for many years.

Helmut Lindner worked in industry for many years before joining the Institute for Applied Computer Science at FH JOANNEUM in Kapfenberg as a lecturer. He leads the FFG (Coin)-funded Radius project, in which FHJ collaborates with companies on projects related to AI in business.

Lecturer (University of Applied Sciences), FH JOANNEUM