KEYNOTES

Virginijus Sinkevičius
Member of the European Parliament (Lithuania)

Virginijus Sinkevičius has been the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries since 2019. He was formerly the Minister of Economy of Lithuania (2017-2019). Before becoming the Minister of Economy, Sinkevičius led the Economic Committee of the Parliament of Lithuania. Sinkevičius was elected to Parliament in October 2016. Before that, he was a Team Lead for Regulatory Affairs at Invest Lithuania. Prior to joining Invest Lithuania, Sinkevičius was Managing Editor at the US Office of The Lithuanian Tribune in Washington D.C. Sinkevičius holds a BA in International Relations and Affairs from Aberystwyth University and a Master’s degree in European International Affairs from Maastricht University.

Artur Pollak
Founder and CEO of APA Group (Poland)

Artur Pollak is an engineer and entrepreneur, specialising in industrial automation, smart manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 solutions.
With over 20 years of hands-on experience, he has led the design and implementation of advanced automation and digital transformation systems for global industrial companies, including Volkswagen, General Motors, 3M, Daimler, Amazon, and Siemens.
His work focuses on translating emerging technologies into operational industrial environments — from production systems and energy optimisation to integrated smart infrastructure.
Beyond his business activity, he is actively engaged in industry–academia collaboration and participates in several advisory and industry bodies, including the Programme Council at the Silesian University of Technology, the Polish-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Polish Green Building Council, and Business Centre Club. He is also a co-founder of the SINOTAIC IoT & AI Cluster.