Our speakers
Our moderator
Michael W. Tschugg
Graduate economist/MBA
Michael Tschugg, economics graduate and MBA, has many years of experience in business journalism and corporate communications. He has written for renowned newspapers and magazines and worked internationally as press spokesman for Degussa AG. As Managing Director of international agencies, he advised investment banks, index providers such as FTSE, mining investors and precious metal traders from the DACH region, among others. He is also active as a consultant, keynote speaker and moderator and has received national and international awards for his work.
Our keynote speakers
Dr. Holger Schmieding, Chief Economist Berenberg Bank, Hamburg/London
Challenges for the economy, financial markets and investors against the backdrop of a new world order
Dr. Holger Schmieding is Chief Economist at Berenberg in Hamburg and London. He was previously Chief Economist Europe at Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. He studied economics in Munich, London and Kiel, obtained his doctorate in Kiel and worked at the International Monetary Fund, among others. In 1998, he coined the term "sick man of Europe", predicted a "golden decade" for Germany in 2010 and published the book "Unser gutes Geld" in 2012. He was named Europe's best macro analyst in the 2013-2015 Extel survey.
Ralf Schuster, Geopolitical Expert, Helaba, Frankfurt
50 days of Trump, 30 days of Merz: Europe between Trump, Putin and XI - Challenges for politics in the 2nd half of the 2020s
Ralf Schuster is a geopolitical expert at Helaba and advisor to the GHA-German Health Alliance. He worked in the medical technology export sector for almost 20 years, most recently as Head of Government Relations in Berlin. With around 40 years of experience in German foreign trade, he is familiar with the economic and political challenges of over 100 emerging and developing countries. As a sought-after speaker, he reaches audiences far beyond Europe. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of Ghorfa and a member of the International Club at the Federal Foreign Office.
Ronald-Peter Stöferle, Managing Partner Incrementum AG, Vaduz
So what does the new world order mean for the precious metals markets?
Ronald-Peter Stöferle is Managing Partner of Incrementum AG, an asset management company in Liechtenstein with a focus on innovative fund strategies. He has published the renowned "In Gold We Trust" report since 2007 and manages several funds. He is the author of the books "Österreichische Schule für Anleger" and "Die Nullzinsfalle" as well as Board Member of Tudor Gold and Advisor at VON GREYERZ and Monetary Metals. He is a sought-after speaker on gold and "Sound Money" worldwide. Stöferle is an advocate of long-term value investment strategies.
Our speakers
Matthias Baier, Head of the German Competent Authority for EU Due Diligence Obligations in Mineral Supply Chains (DEKSOR), Hanover
There must be order! The tasks of DEKSOR and the regulations for gold (and other commodities)
Matthias Baier (born 1970) specialized in development cooperation, European integration and globalization during his studies in economics. With over 25 years of experience in international cooperation, he was project coordinator at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) from 2009 and supervised the certification project for "conflict minerals" in the DR Congo. Since 2019, he has headed DEKSOR at the BGR and uses his expertise in the practical implementation of due diligence obligations in raw material supply chains.
Florian Bulling, Engineer, FEM Research Institute, Schwäbisch-Gmünd
Precious metal applications, including renewable energies: New technological trends in silver and platinum metals.
Florian Bulling studied materials science at Aalen University until 2017 and has been a research assistant at the fem research institute in Schwäbisch Gmünd since then.
Thanks to numerous projects in the precious metals sector, he has extensive specialist knowledge
to evaluate future trends. Since the end of 2024, he has headed the metallurgy department at the fem, which deals with research and services for precious metals. His focus is on investment casting of highly reactive alloys, the additive manufacturing of ceramic crucibles and molds and the development of new precious metal alloys.
Ruth Crowell, Chief Executive, London Bullion Market Association
Greeting: The work of the LBMA
In her tenure as CEO of LBMA, Ruth is responsible for the governance, commercial and transparency overhaul of the LBMA and the Loco London precious metals market. Her experience as a human rights expert helped her successful creation of the LBMA’s Responsible Sourcing Programme, which covers all Good Delivery Refiners processing 92% of gold mined annually. Ruth is also a Non-Executive Director for Wilton Park (Executive Agency of the UK FCDO) and a Trustee for Human Rights at Sea. She also continues to serve as Vice Chair of the OECD Multi-Stakeholder Governance Group for Responsible Minerals.
Michael Eubel, Director/Head of Precious Metals Department, BayernLB, Nuremberg
Prefer physical, prefer non-physical? Silver and the platinum metals as investors' stepchildren.
Michael Eubel, who holds a degree in banking management (BA), began his career in 1987 at a VR Bank in North Hesse. Via DZ Bank, his career took him to Frankfurt and Berlin before he moved to BayernLB in 1999. He entered the precious metals business in 2006 and took over as head of BayernLB's center of competence for foreign notes and coins/precious metals in 2010. He has been passionate about precious metals ever since. He is 56 years old, married and has two children.
Philipp Goetzl-Mamba, Senior Manager Trading, Tradium GmbH, Frankfurt
And then there is lithium, rare earths, etc. Is this just a fashion or a real topic for institutional investors? And what does the industry think about investors getting involved here?
Philipp Götzl-Mamba has been Senior Manager Precious Metals at TRADIUM GmbH since August 2021 and is responsible for expanding the precious metals business. After training as an industrial clerk at Heraeus, he started in sales for precious metal chemicals before switching to precious metals trading in 2014 and completing his B.A. degree at the same time. His extensive market expertise contributes to the development of TRADIUM as a leading commodity brand in the strategic metals sector. He is married and the father of three children.
Christian Hiller von Gaertringen, Journalist, Africa Partners GmbH, Frankfurt
Africa as a secure supplier of precious metals and raw materials? Using the example of West Africa for gold and South Africa and Zimbabwe for the indispensable platinum metals: what is the current situation, what role do Russia and China play, what does the future hold?
Christian Hiller von Gaertringen is an experienced business journalist with a focus on financial markets and economic developments in Africa. He publishes the weekly blog Capital News Africa. After studying economics in Lyon and Vienna, he graduated in 1990 from the Maîtrise at the Université Lumière Lyon 2. He began his journalistic career with a traineeship at the Georg von Holtzbrinck School for Business Journalists. He then worked as an editor for Business Week, The world, Le Monde and for 16 years for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). He is the author of several books.
Dr. Michael Liesegang, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Berlin
Raw materials strategy and raw materials policy. How are Germany and Europe strategically positioned in the battle for scarce raw materials now and in the future?
Dr. Michael Liesegang holds a doctorate in metallurgy and began his career as a research assistant at Clausthal University of Technology. After completing his doctorate in 1998 on pyrometallurgical copper refining, he took on management positions in the metal processing and recycling industry. He gained international experience as a project manager in Canada, Australia and Iceland. Since November 2021, he has been a scientist and project manager at the German Mineral Resources Agency at BGR, Berlin. He has extensive expertise in metallurgy, raw materials management and recycling.
John Mulligan, Director Sustainability Strategy, World Gold Council
Gold's ESG and Sustainability Impacts
John Mulligan is Director of Sustainability Strategy at the World Gold Council and leads the research program on climate change and the dialogue with investors and stakeholders. He also contributes to the World Gold Council's market analysis and communications. Since joining the Council in 2005, he has worked in investment research and later on projects on the socio-economic and sustainability impact of gold. With over 25 years of experience in the financial markets, he has held senior positions in business development, product management and market analysis. He holds degrees from the University of Sussex and Birkbeck College, University of London.
Johan Palmberg, Senior Quantitative Analyst, World Gold Council
How do you value Gold?
Johan Palmberg is a Senior Quantitative Analyst at the World Gold Council and develops quantitative models to provide historical analysis and forecasts on gold and macroeconomic correlations. With over ten years of experience in precious metals research, he has worked for the World Gold Council, the World Platinum Investment Council and as an independent consultant. Previously he worked for a leading European commodity hedge fund. He holds an MSc in Finance from the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, Finland.
John Reade, Senior Market Strategist, World Gold Council, London
Gold investment trends - the global picture
John Reade is Market Strategist for Europe and Asia at the World Gold Council and has been based in the London office since 2017. He develops strategies for the gold market, engages in all areas of the industry and is one of the organization's main spokespersons. With over 35 years of experience in the gold industry, he has worked in production and project evaluation for mining companies, as an analyst and gold strategist at investment banks and as a portfolio manager at an asset manager. John holds a degree in Mining Engineering from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London.
Rüdiger Schmitt, Head of Communications, Reisebank AG, Frankfurt Expert Steinbeis Gold Market Study for Germany
Gold investment trends in Germany - Only German Boomer fear or how to reach Generation Z?
Rüdiger Schmitt is company spokesman and precious metals expert at Reisebank, a subsidiary of DZ BANK and part of the Genossenschaftliche FinanzGruppe. Reisebank is one of the highest-turnover precious metals providers in Germany and acts as an institutional trader and precious metals competence center for over 600 financial institutions. Since 2016, Rüdiger Schmitt has been co-author of the study "Goldinvestments: Indicators, motives and attitudes of private individuals", which is produced jointly with CFin - Research Center for Financial Services at Steinbeis University Berlin.
Nicky Shiels, Head of Research & Metals Strategy, MKS PAMP SA, New York
When will the shine come back? The supply and demand situation for silver.
Nicky Shiels is Head of Research & Metals Strategy at MKS PAMP and works closely with the trading team to optimize sales and trading strategies and further develop the precious metals research platform. She has 15 years of experience in the financial industry as a commodity strategist at North American banks with a focus on precious and base metals, market research and forecasting. She is a regular speaker at industry conferences and a sought-after expert in the media. Nicky Shiels holds a B.A. in Economics from Yale University.
Dominik Sperzel, Head of Precious Metals Trading, Heraeus Precious Metals, Hanau
Recycling trends: Will recycling make gold greener?
Dominik Sperzel is an experienced leader and has been with Heraeus for over ten years. He has held various strategic positions in Europe and the USA in the areas of chemicals, catalysts and precious metal recycling. Since 2024, he has headed the trading desk at the headquarters in Hanau as Senior Vice President and is responsible for trading in gold, silver and platinum group metals. With his extensive knowledge of commodity trading, risk management and strategic investments, he brings valuable expertise to the table. As an advocate of the sustainable use of precious metals, he is committed to responsible trading and promoting the energy transition.
Eduard Stefanescu, Sustainability Officer, C. Hafner
The main thing is complicated! The bureaucracy surrounding precious metals Supply Chain Act, REACH etc.: the current situation.
Eduard Stefanescu has been Sustainability Manager at C.HAFNER GmbH + Co KG for 2.5 years. The geoscientist (mineralogy at KIT) began his career in plant engineering for mineral processing and later specialized in the procurement and processing of critical minerals and precious metals. Since 2018, he has been an expert in responsible supply chains, including in small-scale mining. At C.HAFNER, he implements ESG issues and is responsible for the company's sustainability strategy and compliance.
Philipp Stockinger, Head of Business Development, aXedras, Zug
Gold and the digitalization of the world: Who is driving which trend in precious metals, what are investors and industrial consumers looking out for?
Philipp Stockinger began his career in corporate banking at Commerzbank in Germany, Hong Kong and Switzerland before joining aXedras AG as its first employee in 2018. There, he played a key role in building up the company and gained in-depth insights into the precious metals value chain and digitalization strategies in the industry. His expertise combines technological innovation with financial knowledge to sustainably change the precious metals industry through digital transformation projects.
Wilma Swarts, Director of PGM Research, Metals Focus Ltd, London
How is the demand situation for platinum metals currently changing? What are the prices doing, what is the outlook?
Wilma Swarts is Director of PGM Research at Metals Focus and leads the research on platinum group metals. With 16 years' experience in the PGM industry, she spent 12 years in the mining industry, most notably in metals sales and marketing at Lonmin, where she was Head of Commercial Services. She has been active as a non-executive board member in the Platinum Jewellery Development Association, the World Platinum Investment Council and Furuya Metals. She was also Chairperson of The Platinum Incubator from 2016 to 2019 and is currently Chairperson of Women in PGMs. Wilma Swarts holds an MSc in International Business Administration from the University of London.
York Tetzlaff, Managing Director of Fachvereinigung Edelmetalle
Greeting and introduction of FE e.V.
York Alexander Tetzlaff has been Managing Director of the FVEM - Fachvereinigung Edelmetalle, based in the "gold city" of Pforzheim, since the end of 2018. He is also a Board Member of the EPMF - European Precious Metals Federation based in Brussels. He previously headed the European office of the German Insurance Association (GDV) and before that the EU liaison office of the Bavarian Business Association (vbw), both in Brussels. Until then, Mr. Tetzlaff worked in the areas of legal advice and representation of interests as in-house counsel for the employers' associations of the Bavarian metal and electrical industry (bayme vbm) in Munich. He graduated from the Universities of Munich and Bayreuth with degrees in law and economics.
Christoph Wild, President of the Swiss Association of Precious Metal Manufacturers and Traders (ASFCMP), Zurich
Is there enough? The situation in global gold production.
Christoph Wild is a business economist from the University of Applied Sciences Zurich (HWV ZH) and holds a SME diploma from the University of St. Gallen (HSG).
Christoph Wild worked at Argor-Heraeus since 1988. Until 2013 in the function of CFO and since 2014 as CEO and Delegate of the Board of Directors of Argor-Heraeus.
He was responsible for the worldwide business of Argor-Heraeus.
From 1999 until the complete takeover of Argor shares by Heraeus Precious Metals in July 2017, he was a co-partner of Argor-Heraeus.
Christoph Wild has been a member of the Swiss Association of Manufacturers and traders of Precious Metals (ASFCMP) as Vice Chairman since 2013 and as Chairman since October 2021.
Peter Zöllner, London Bullion Market Association, former member of the Executive Board of the Austrian National Bank, Vienna and BIS, Basel
New love, new happiness? Gold and the central banks
Peter Zöllner is an Independent Non-Executive Director at the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). He was previously a board member of the Austrian National Bank before joining the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, the central bank of central banks. With his many years of experience in international finance and central banking, he brings valuable expertise to the LBMA and supports the strategic development of the global precious metals market.
