Registration
Digitalization and AI: Driving Sustainable Competitiveness in the EU | 19 July 2024 | 10:30 - 11:30 CEST
About the webinar
Europe Jacques Delors and Brunswick Group welcome you to the seventh edition of our webinar series on how businesses can navigate the European Green Deal. Join us virtually for a discussion with Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Deputy Director General of DG ENER (European Commission), and Gwenaelle Avice Huet, Executive Vice President, Europe Operations (Schneider Electric) on how digitalization and AI can drive sustainable competitiveness in the EU.
Following the EU elections, there has been a shift in focus from advancing climate ambitions to prioritizing the bloc’s competitiveness and economic security. However, hundreds of cross-sector organizations have recently urged EU leaders to reaffirm the Green Deal as a strategic priority in the upcoming mandate. Digitalization and AI will be crucial in balancing these priorities. With AI's unparalleled data-harnessing capabilities, businesses can achieve economic growth while also pursuing decarbonization, proving that sustainability and competitiveness can go hand in hand. New digital solutions can promote more efficient energy use and better integration of renewable energy into the grid, enabling businesses to become both greener and more competitive. What kind of policy frameworks would help businesses maximize the potential of digitalisation and AI? What course of action could and should the new European Commission take in this regard? And what are the challenges of an increased reliance on AI?
The discussion will be again hosted and moderated by Geneviève Pons, Director General of Europe Jacques Delors, and Pascal Lamy, Vice President of Europe Jacques Delors and Chair of Europe at Brunswick Group.
Webinar Details
Date: 19 July 2024
Time: 10:30 - 11:30 CEST
Location: Virtual Zoom Webinar
Speakers:
- Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Deputy Director General, DG ENER (European Commission)
- Gwenaelle Avice Huet, Executive Vice President, Europe Operations, Schneider Electric
Moderators:
- Geneviève Pons, Director General, Europe Jacques Delors
- Pascal Lamy, Vice President of Europe Jacques Delors; Chair of Europe, Brunswick Group
Speakers
Mechthild has been appointed Deputy Director General of DG ENER in October 2021. Previously, she was Director for Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks at the International Energy Agency for three years. Before her time at the IEA, she held various positions at DG ENER (2010 – 2018) and DG GROWTH (2005 – 2010). From 1999 – 2004, she served in the Cabinet of Erkki Liikanen, European Commissioner for Enterprise Policy and Information Society.
Before joining the European Commission, she was Deputy Head of the Brussels office of the German Industry Association (BDI).
Mechthild studied Economics at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Montpellier, and holds a master’s degree in European Economics from the Free University of Brussels.
Gwenaelle has been Schneider Electric’s EVP of Europe Operations since September 2023. She joined Schneider Electric in 2021 as Senior-Vice President of Corporate Strategy, before entering the Executive Committee as Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer.
Before joining Schneider Electric, Gwenaelle worked at ENGIE in various positions. In her last role, she was on the Executive Committee of ENGIE, serving as the CEO of ENGIE North America.
She holds a degree in Physics and Chemistry from the Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, a post-graduate diploma in Molecular Chemistry from France’s Ecole Polytechnique and an engineering degree from the Corps des Ponts et Chaussées. She has also been nominated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
