Dieter Braun became Head of Audi Brand Logistics in May 2019, and from October that year took over responsibility for the newly established Supply Chain area. In this function, he manages cross-plant logistics processes, such as program planning, international logistics, pre-series logistics, and transport logistics. He is also responsible for the logistics planning and plant logistics functions of Audi globally.
After studying Industrial Engineering at the University of Karlsruhe (KIT), Dieter Braun began his career at Audi at the Neckarsulm plant in 1991. He has worked in vehicle steering and various tasks both within and outside of logistics, particularly in the area of cost optimisation and reorganisation, and later logistics planning at the Neckarsulm location. He then moved to Puebla, Mexico to work for Volkswagen de México, where he headed logistics planning and operative logistics. He returned to Neckarsulm as head of plant Logistics in 2005, and later took on implementation of the Audi Production System and industrial engineering. He moved in 2016 to Product Line Organisation, where he was responsible for all Audi vehicles with a transverse engine.

Francisco Bravo has been responsible for Audi’s logistics and supply chain management in Mexico since December 2021, where he has helped to make the carmaker’s plant in San José Chiapas a global benchmark for logistics. He has worked at Volkswagen Group for more than 27 years, including 15 years in IT, where he was chief information officer for Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee; later he was general manager for IT for the group’s global production network and helped to establish Volkswagen Group IT Services in locations including Germany, India and Portugal. Bravo joined Audi Mexico in 2017 and has worked in programme planning, production control, as well as leading inbound logistics from 2020-2021. He has further been involved in tech startups, including as cofounder of Blonic.com in Spain. He has an MBA from Ibero-American University and a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Puebla Institute of Technology, Mexico, along with other qualifications and trainings in executive leadership from the US, Mexico and Europe.

Lorenzo joined Audi México in October 2020 as head of supply chain planning, responsible for the planning of the supply chain processes, structures and equipment of the plant in San José Chiapa. As of September 1st this year, he will assume the role of director of supply chain steering with responsibilities for programme planning, production steering and outbound logistics. Prior to moving to Mexico, Lorenzo spent 7 years with Audi in Ingolstadt, Germany where he was a lean manufacturing expert before becoming head of inhouse logistics in 2016. He developed his automotive career working for Bridgestone before joining the High Potential Development Program at Bosch in 2010 and holding roles in production and value stream management. Originally from Northern Italy, Lorenzo is fluent in Italian, Spanish, English and German and has a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Trieste.

Paulo Monteiro is responsible for program planning, production control, supply chain, inhouse operations, pre-series and logistics planning for Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Prior to becoming the head of logistics in 2019 he was the supply chain manager focusing on plant supply chain management for the North America region (NAR), overseas and just-in-time suppliers, as well as service parts coordination. Monteiro has worked for Volkswagen for more than 30 years. Before relocating to Chattanooga in 2012, he had a 19-year career with Volkswagen Autoeuropa working his way from a shortage coordinator to supply chain management. Paulo Monteiro has a degree in retail and logistics management from IPS-ESCE, the Polytechnic Institute of Setebual in Portugal.

Hiram Ponce has a Ph.D. in Computer Science with emphasis in Artificial Intelligence from the Tecnológico de Monterrey. He is the Associate Dean of Research (Engineering) and the Doctoral AI Program Director at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City. In academia, he authored a novel AI method called Artificial Organic Networks. He has published more than 150 research papers in reputed journals and conference proceedings, and he has written four books in the fields of AI and robotics. From 2013 to 2017, he co-founded and directed Solarium Labs, a startup focused on developing intelligent systems solutions for companies. In 2018, he was external consultant for the logistics and optimization area in the National Oil Company (PEMEX). He received the Google Research Award in 2017, among other recognitions. Currently, he is a National Research Member rank 1 (CONHACYT) and he is the Secretary of the Executive Board of the Mexican Society for Artificial Intelligence.

Sören Stade is heading the logistics project for PowerCo’s upcoming gigafactory in St. Thomas, Ontario. Being part of Volkswagen, PowerCo Canada is preparing to manufacture battery cells for the group’s North American production of battery electric vehicles, starting operations in 2026. Sören has nearly 20 years of automotive logistics experience. Prior to joining PowerCo in 2023, he held a variety of leadership positions in logistics within Volkswagen Group. These roles include digitalization and process management at Volkswagen Group Logistics (Wolfsburg), supply chain management for CKD operations South East Asia for Volkswagen brand, and supplier management and export logistics at Volkswagen India, Pune. Sören holds a degree in Business Administration from Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, and has studied abroad at Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México.

Isidoro is an industrial engineer, with a specialization in the automotive industry, and is a graduate of Universidad Iberoamericana de México. He is a senior automotive leader with more than 12 years of experience in the sector. He currently holds two important positions: Corporate Director of Giant Motors Latin America and General Manager of the JAC brand in Mexico. Prior to joining the automotive sector, Isidoro founded and successfully managed Onecom Communications, a company specialising in visual content generation and web development. In addition, Isidoro also founded Beluga Logistics Mexico, a company dedicated to the rental of logistics and shipping services. Isidoro is recognized for his ability to manage teams, his strategic vision and his capacity to face challenges and achieve successful results in the automotive industry. His passion for innovation and his commitment to the growth and development of the brands under his management make him an outstanding leader in the automotive sector in Mexico.

Kaizad Dalal has 18 years of experience in the Mexican logistics market, starting his career by specializing in the Aerospace vertical. With an International Business and Commerce degree and a Master's in Business Administration, Kaizad is now responsible for the Automotive vertical at Maersk Mexico, where he is developing new mobility solutions for cars in containers and battery logistics. His previous role as General Manager for a Mexican-American ground transport company gives him unique insights into cross-border operations, enabling him in his current role to assist automotive customers in overcoming challenges. Understanding that predictability is a key ingredient for a successful supply chain, Kaizad takes a strategic approach when guiding customers to ensure a simplified end-to-end journey can be achieved.

Over the last 30 years, Hector has held leading positions in the port and logistics industries, being responsible for directing optimal organizational changes to respond to the ever-changing market conditions in Latin America. A native of Chile, he received his education in Transportation Engineering at the PUCV and earned a MS degree in Logistics Management at the PUC with continued education in the USA, mostly in ports operations, shipping, supply chain management and integrated logistics. After many years working in global organizations, in October 2019 he joined Mediterranean Shipping Company based in Mexico City as Director of Operations for Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua as responsible for Ports and Vessels Operations, Intermodal Transportation Services, Container Logistics, Landside Procurement, Cold Chain Logistics and Cargo Claims for the entire region.

Antonio, who graduated in international business and has a master’s degree in sales and marketing, has been part of the growth story at the Port of Veracruz over more than 15 years with the CSI Group. He has been responsible at the company for a wide range of areas including port and VDC operations, yard processing operations, logistics and finished vehicle transport operations.

Daryl Knight is a highly accomplished professional with over 20 years of experience in the logistics and transportation industry. He currently serves as the Chief Commercial Officer of ProTrans, a leading third-party logistics company providing solutions to manufacturers for 30 years to, from and within North America. Throughout his career, Daryl has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a strategic mindset with a customer centric focus. As the CCO of ProTrans, he is responsible for driving revenue growth, developing and managing customer relationships, solution design & pricing and overseeing the company's marketing, sales, strategy and sustainability efforts.”

With 10 years’ experience in the Freight forwarding business, I have been working in Hellmann in 2 different rolls, first one overseeing Sea freight product nationally with branches in Guadalajara, Monterrey, Queretaro, Puebla, and Mexico City for 5 years. Then I decided to take a regional role, specializing on the Asia to Latin America trade as Senior manager with 5 main destination countries with own offices in Chile, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, developing global, regional, and local relationships with main carriers such as MSC, HLAG, MAERSK, CMA CGM creating a market expertise knowledge for a better service to our customers. Prior to Hellmann I worked at CSAV and HLAG developing top customers for these carriers reaching a career focus and experience based on sea freight product.

Giovani Bravo Vanegas has more than 20 years' experience in international trade, customs and supply chain, working with national government, international organizations and multiple industries including IT, pharma and automotive. He currently leads the customs and foreign trade team in General Motors de Mexico, facing the multiple challenges coming from the covid-19 and the nearshoring in Mexico. He has represented the Mexican government as a member of the Free Trade Agreement’s negotiating teams across bilateral and multilateral agreements: WTO, WCO, APEC and the administration of FTAs: NAFTA (now USMCA) and bilateral agreements with Latin America. He represented Mexico before the European Union institution from 2007-2015 as part of the Mission of Mexico in Brussels, Belgium. Giovani worked in the private sector between 2015 – 2022, heading international trade, customs and supply chain departments, focused on trade and customs compliance and efficiencies of supply chain.

Mr. César Pedrero has more than 30 years of experience in the automotive industry in the heavy commercial vehicle sector. He has worked in different areas such as engineering, manufacturing, continuous improvement, production and of course logistics, an area where he currently holds the Logistics Directorate of the Daimler Santiago Assembly Plant. César is a mechanical engineer by profession and has a master's degree in business administration from UDLAP, as well as a doctorate in industrial engineering from the Universidad Anáhuac Norte, among other studies. In addition, César is a sponsor of one of the pillars of the DE&I program called Wisdom Exchange and is an active mentor of young talents in different programs inside and outside of Daimler.