Our top speakers from abroad

Jacob Bangsgaard is the CEO of ERTICO – ITS Europe, a public-private partnership of 120 companies and organisations from more than 25 countries with headquarters in Brussels. His expertise lies within strategy, management, advocacy, economics, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), mobility as a service and road safety.

On the back of a 26-year experience working in Brussels on transport and mobility issues, he has previously worked at ERTICO as from 2001 to 2006 as Director of International Affairs and communications and was Director General of FIA Region, as well as Director of International Relations at the FIA Foundation. 

Jacob Bangsgaardhas also represented mobility interests for a regional authority and he worked for two years in the European Commission Transport Directorate. Jacob Bangsgaard is also President of the MaaS Alliance, and was on the Board of Euro NCAP from 2010-2016 and Secretary General of the Belgian association eSafetyAware from 2009-2016.

Gert Blom is Strategic Advisor for Mobility at the city of Helmond. He studied Economic Geography at Nijmegen University (NL).

After working for 20 years as a logistics manager and business unit manager for private companies in the Automotive and Food sector, Gert Blom changed job 15 years ago to start working for the city of Helmond (NL). First as Traffic Department manager, now as strategic advisor mobility & coordinator of the international smart mobility projects. 

Gert Blomis chair of the National Host Committee for the ITS 2019 European Congress which will be held in the Brainport Eindhoven region June 2019 and chair of the EIP-NMS Working Group on Intelligent Speed Assistance ISA.

In 2011 Gert Blom received on behalf of city of Helmond the EC iMobility award “for excellence in policy making”.

Kris Carter, Co-Chair of the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics in Boston, is a non-practicing engineer, an optimistic urban planner, and a self-taught filmmaker. New Urban Mechanics is the City of Boston's people-centered civic R&D lab, working collaboratively with research institutions, civic entrepreneurs, and government agencies to explore and prototype what's new and next in cities.

With the Mechanics, Kris Carter oversees a wide portfolio of prototypes while also advising on the City's mobility and public realm work, including the management of the Boston’s autonomous vehicle research efforts. Prior to leading the Mechanics, Kris ran the City's bicycle program, served as an advisor to Mayor on the creation of the Innovation District, and helped operationalize One Fund Boston in response to the Marathon bombings. He has won awards from the Federal Labs Consortium, American Planning Association, and was recognized as one of Boston’s ‘50 on Fire for his work.

Kris Carter is a two-time AmeriCorps alum, amateur filmmaker, firmly believes in bagging his own groceries, and has yet to find a role more rewarding and exhausting than raising twins.

Iain Macbeth leads the Automotive & Intelligent Mobility team within Transport for London's Innovation Directorate, focussing on engagement with the automotive sector and Connected & Autonomous Vehicles. This includes TfL's relationship with car manufacturers and automotive suppliers, policy and strategy development, including emerging models such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS), and the promotion of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles.

Iain Macbethrepresents TfL on the UK Automotive Council Technology Group and the European Commission GEAR2030 Group developing the roadmap for the deployment of automated road transport.

Seleta Reynolds is General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) appointed by the Administration of Mayor Eric Garcetti. She is responsible for implementing Great Streets for Los Angeles, a plan to reduce traffic fatalities, double the number of people riding bikes, and expand access to integrated transportation choices for Angelenos and the region.

Seleta Reynolds has over 20 years of transportation experience throughout the United States. She has advised transportation technology companies like WalkScore, contributed to the state-of-the-practice as an Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals Board Member, mentored young professionals through Women’s Transportation Seminar, and nurtured research on Transportation Research Board committees.

Seleta Reynolds serves as the President of the National Association for City Transportation Officials.

Karen Vancluysen was appointed as Secretary General of the Polis network in September 2014, after having been the network's Research Director for 8 years. Since 1998, she has been involved in European urban transport networking and policy activities and many EU research and innovation projects covering a wide range of urban mobility topics.

Polis is the leading European network of cities and regions focussing on urban transport innovation. For 30 years already, members have been working together to develop sustainable and innovative urban mobility solutions for the city of today and tomorrow. Polis supports the exchange of experiences between European local and regional authorities, facilitates the dialogue with other actors of the transport sector, including industry and research, and acts as the urban mobility voice of its members towards the European institutions. The network engages in debates around topical issues such as MaaS, automated transport, electromobility, and shared mobility services.