EV Supply Chains: The Global Race for Materials, Technology, Parts & Partners

Ajay Chawan

Guidehouse

United States

Ajay Chawan has a long-standing relationship with EDTA, going back a decade. Currently, he serves as a director with the Mobility Solutions team at Guidehouse. In this role, Ajay works with stakeholders across the EV ecosystem to increase the BEV population on our streets. In previous lives, he has launched plug-in vehicles at Nissan and Audi, and several ICE vehicles at Ford. Ajay is moderating a panel at EVS36 and discussing with industry colleagues the opportunities and challenges throughout the EV supply chain.

John Graham

Indiana University

Virgin Islands (U.S.)

John D. Graham is Professor of Risk and Policy Analysis at the Paul H O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University. From 2001-2006 he served as the Senate-confirmed Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, US Office of Management and Budget for President George W. Bush. He is the author of The Global Rise of the Modern Plug-In Electric Vehicle: Public Policy, Innovation, and Strategy. Elgar House Publishing. UK. 2021.

Birgit Matthiesen

ArentFox Schiff LLP

United States

Birgit is the Director of North America Manufacturing and founding member of ArentFox Schiff's Electric Mobility Practice with headquarters in Washington, D.C. Known for her always fresh insights on the nexus of U.S. trade rules and corporate supply chains, Birgit has built a remarkable career. Her experience ranges from serving with the Embassy of Canada in Washington during the intense NAFTA negotiations to representing the Canadian Manufacturing & Exporters Association as their US market access policy lead. Since joining the D.C. Electric Mobility team at ArentFox Schiff, Birgit has brought her unique skill set to the table, offering an “over the horizon” view of U.S. trade policy and its implications for individual corporate clients. Her popular podcast Five Questions & Five Answers has earned her a loyal following of listeners eager to gain expert perspectives from thought leaders in the electric mobility sector. In 2023, Birgit was named among the top authors by the 2023 JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards. Born in Europe, Birgit is a dual Canadian and U.S. citizen. When she's not in D.C., you can find her at home exploring the stunning Green Mountains of Vermont. Get ready to be inspired by this trailblazing professional and her passion for the exciting years ahead in the electric mobility world.

Nicole Cicala

Eaton

United States

Nicole Cicala is the Director, Global Procurement Eaton eMobility. Based in Southfield, Michigan, Nicole is responsible for driving eMobility procurement from new business quotation to production supporting the rapid growth of eMobility. Nicole has 10+ years of experience in electrical engineering & purchasing within the automotive industry. She has spent the majority of her career leading organizations through design to cost transformations with the ability to balance design functionality & product cost. Nicole holds a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She was also the recipient of Detroit Business Magazine’s “30 in their 30s” Award in 2017.

Manoj Karwa

BorgWarner/Rhombus Energy Solutions

United States

Before joining BorgWarner and Rhombus, Manoj was the Head of Automotive – North America for EVBox, a Netherlands headquartered provider of electric vehicle charging for home, workplace and retail locations. Prior to EVBox, he was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Clean Wave Technologies, a developer of advanced electric drive systems. Manoj also held senior management, marketing and engineering positions at Leviton Manufacturing, A.T. Kearney, Ricardo Consulting Engineers and General Motors. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.