Check out our next upcoming event
Strategic Insights for 2026: Price Trends, Market Balance and Policy Updates
Thursday 22nd January, 2026
Online
Giga USA 25
Tuesday 3rd June, 2025
08:00 - 08:30
Networking Breakfast
08:30 - 09:00
Words of Welcome
- Simon Moores, Executive Chairman, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Professor M. Stanley Whittingham, Nobel Laureate,
09:00 - 09:20
America First in the Battery Race: Leadership, Security, and Strategy
- A national security perspective on the critical mineral supply chain—underscoring the strategic imperative to reduce dependence on adversarial nations and reassert American leadership in mineral sourcing, processing, and manufacturing.
- Senator Tom Cotton, Senator for Arkansas, U.S. Senate
- Andrew Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
09:20 - 09:40
Advancing Battery Innovation and Strengthening America's Supply Chain
- As the automotive industry accelerates toward electrification, securing a stable and scalable supply of critical minerals has become a top priority. In this session, GM shares insights on sourcing strategies, upstream partnerships, and the role of automakers in reshaping the mineral supply chain.
- Kurt Kelty, Vice President, Battery, Propulsion, and Sustainability, General Motors
- Andrew Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
09:40 - 10:00
Price Transparency in Critical Minerals
- Caspar Rawles, Chief Operating Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Jean-Luc Amos, Director, Market Development, ICE
10:00 - 10:20
Networking Break
10:20 - 10:40
Unlocking America’s Potential: Building a Resilient Critical Mineral Strategy
- Senator John Hickenlooper, Senator for Colorado, U.S. Senate
- Bryan Bille, Policy & Geopolitical Principal, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
10:20 - 11:40
US Regional Spotlights
- State-level policy initiatives supporting production
- Leading states in critical mineral production and processing
- Economic benefits of localized supply chain investments
- Collaboration between state governments and private industry
- Brent Wilson, CEO, Galvanic Energy
- Noemi Gallardo, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
- Cristina Paredes, Executive Director of SC Nexus, South Carolina Department of Commerce
10:40 - 10:55
Bridging America’s Raw Material Disconnect
- Graham Kerr, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, South32
- Daisy Jennings-Gray, Head of Prices, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
10:55 - 11:10
The Turbulent but Certain Path Towards Electrification
- Philip Lienert, External Affairs/Government Relations Manager, LG Energy Solution
- Iola Hughes, Head of Research, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
11:10 - 11:35
Securing Copper for a Resilient Energy Future
- Copper demand growth for EVs, grid storage, and renewables
- Expanding US copper mining and refining capacity
- Addressing supply constraints and price volatility
- Daan De Jonge, Lead Analyst - Copper Demand & Prices, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Jonathan Absolon, VP of Commodity Strategy, Anglo American
11:35 - 11:50
U.S. Policy in 2025 and the Shifting Landscape of Trade and Investment
- Chris Berry, Founder and President, House Mountain Partners
- Frank Fannon, Managing Director, Fannon Global Advisors
11:40 - 12:00
Building Project Resilience for a Stronger U.S. Supply Chain
- Fiorella Sist, Project Director, Hargrove Engineers and Constructors
11:50 - 12:05
Navigating Global Markets and Critical Mineral Trade
- Andrew Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Mehdi Lemsagued, Managing Director, Manatrade AG
12:05 - 13:00
Networking Lunch
13:00 - 13:20
Cathode & Battery Innovation
- Chirranjeevi Gopal, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, Mitra Chem
- Daisy Jennings-Gray, Head of Prices, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
13:00 - 13:30
Finance Spotlights
- Anticipating battery value chain bankability issues early on to best position a project for financing
- Different pools of investors at different stages
- Timeline and sequencing
- Will Talbot, Research Manager, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Ltd
- Chloe Tacconi, Director - Battery, Mining and Industries, Societe Generale
- Tim Van Pelt, Global Lead Batteries & Charging, Sustainable Value Chains, ING
13:20 - 13:40
What It Takes to Build Mineral Supply Chains for Energy Security
- Kunal Sinha, SVP Marketing and Global Head, Recycling, Glencore
- Beatrice Browning, Battery Recycling Technology Lead, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
13:30 - 14:00
Addressing the Permitting Barrier
- Addressing permitting pain points for gigafactories and mineral facilities
- Finding efficiencies and utilizing tools like FAST-41 to accelerate the permitting process to meet urgency and scale
- The limits of executive orders and need for Congressional action
- Understanding state and federal dynamics
- Learning from recent success stories (and cautionary tales) in the U.S. and abroad
- Peter Stahley, Senior Vice President, Cassidy and Associates
- Manisha Patel, Acting Executive Director, Permitting Council
- Rebecca Konolige, Director of Federal Affairs, ZETA
- Thomas Hochman, Director of Infrastructure Policy, Foundation for American Innovation
13:40 - 14:15
Navigating Tax Credits, Trade Policy, and U.S. Manufacturing Goals
- Donald Davidson, Head of Federal Affairs and Political Strategy, Volkswagen Group of America
- Samm Gillard, Executive Director, BATT Coalition
- Jennifer Safavian, President and CEO, Autos Drive America
- Dan Anziska, Partner, Troutman Pepper
- Phillip Sherman, Senior Manager, International and Industry Affairs, Mercedes-Benz
14:00 - 15:30
Supply Chain Innovations
- Hear from energy transition innovators on new projects and technologies to build a strong battery supply chain
- Paramita Das, Senior Advisor to the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer, Stardust Power Inc
- Julian Dunn, Vice President, Sudeep Advacned Materials
- Steve Cotton, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director, Aqua Metals
- Ian Rodger, CEO, Jindalee Lithium
- John Busbee, CEO & Founder, Xerion Advanced Battery
- Erez Ichilov, Founder, Cedrus Arbor LLC
14:15 - 14:30
The Smackover Formation: Unlocking Lithium’s Strategic Value for Texas and Beyond
- Ken Biberaj, Executive Managing Director, Savills
- Congressman Nathanial Moran, U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman from Texas
14:30 - 14:50
Building a Sustainable Supply Chain
- Enhancing transparency and accountability across the supply chain
- The importance of bipartisan support in creating a sustainable domestic supply chain
- Albert Gore, Executive Director, ZETA
- Abigail Hunter, Executive Director, Center for Critical Mineral Strategy, SAFE
- Alexis Georgeson, Vice President, Government Relations, Communications, and Consumer Recycling Programs, Redwood Materials
- Tina Jeffress, Group Manager for Energy and Sustainability, Panasonic Corporation of North America
- Stefan Debruyne, Director of External Affairs, SQM Lithium
15:05 - 15:30
Powering the Future: Chile’s Lithium Strategy and the Path Forward
- Beatriz Herrera, Investment Commissioner, InvestChile
- Juan Gabriel Valdes S, Ambassador of Chile to the United States of America, Embassy of Chile
15:30 - 15:45
Networking Break
15:45 - 16:15
Deep Sea Mining: Unlocking New Frontiers for Critical Minerals
- Exploring the potential of deep sea resources to meet growing demand for critical metals like nickel and cobalt
- Addressing environmental, regulatory, and technological challenges to responsible seabed extraction
- Industry perspectives on project readiness, innovation, and the path to commercial viability
- Ernest Scheyder, Reporter, Reuters News
- Craig Shesky, Chief Financial Officer, The Metals Company
- David Anonychuk, Global VP Metallurgy & Consulting, SGS
- Oliver Gunasekara, CEO & Co-Founder, Impossible Metals Inc.
16:15 - 16:25
From Battery Scrap to Battery Grade - How the Recycling Industry is Evolving
- Beatrice Browning, Battery Recycling Technology Lead, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
16:25 - 17:05
The Business and Policy Case for Battery Recycling
- The role of battery recycling in building a circular economy
- The Importance of policy and regulatory support for scaling up battery material recovery
- Emma Bishop, Vice President, Venn Strategies
- Beatrice Browning, Battery Recycling Technology Lead, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- David Fauvre, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Blue Whale Materials
- Shane Thompson, EVP Strategy & Business Development, Cirba Solutions
- Chao Yan, CEO, Princeton NuEnergy
17:05 - 17:15
US Battery Storage in a Shifting Policy Landscape
- Iola Hughes, Head of Research, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
17:15 - 18:00
Scaling Storage for a Resilient Energy Future
- Scaling up domestic production of grid-scale energy storage solutions
- Overcoming cost and efficiency challenges in large-scale deployment
- Paul Dorsey, Associate General Counsel - Regulatory and External Affairs, Samsung SDI America
- Vikash Venkataramana, President - US Sales & Business Development, REPT.
- Suzanne Leta, VP, Policy and Advocacy, Americas, Fluence
- Iola Hughes, Head of Research, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Katie Clasen, Principal, Prelude Ventures
18:00
Networking Reception
Wednesday 4th June, 2025
08:00 - 08:45
Networking Breakfast
08:45 - 09:10
Words of Welcome
- Adam Panayi, Chief Research Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
09:10 - 09:30
Powering the Nation: Critical Minerals and U.S. Competitiveness
- Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator for Alaska, U.S. Senate
- Simon Moores, Executive Chairman, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
09:30 - 09:50
Building a Vertically Integrated Lithium Ecosystem
- Bari Bean, Deputy CEO of Natural Resources, County of Imperial
- Jesus Eduardo Escobar, Supervisor, Imperial County
- Ryan Kelley, County Supervisor, County of Imperial
- Congressman Raul Ruiz, U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman for California
09:50 - 10:30
How U.S. Policy and Global Tensions Are Redrawing Trade Lines
- Addressing the impact of geopolitical tensions on supply chain stability
- Gracelin Baskaran, Director, Critical Minerals Security, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
- Sarah Bianchi, Senior Managing Director, Chief Strategist of International Political Affairs and Public Policy, Evercore
- Chris Berry, Founder and President, House Mountain Partners
- David Abraham, Director, Three Legged Capital LLC
- Jeff Gaulin, Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Communications, Vale Base Metals
10:30 - 10:50
Building a Secure Lithium Supply Chain in North America
- Andrew Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Eric Norris, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, Albermarle
10:50 - 11:05
Networking Break
11:05 - 11:30
The Defense Case for Critical Mineral Security
- This session offers a defense community perspective on how critical minerals directly enable advanced military systems, and the operational risks posed by supply disruptions—highlighting the need for coordinated procurement, stockpiling, and industrial base planning.
- Eric Shields, Senior Battery Advisor - Policy, Analysis, & Transition OASD, Industrial Base Policy, OUSD for Acquisition & Sustainment, U.S. Department of Defense
- Joe Bryan, Principal, Muswell Orange
- Rodrik Cave, Publisher, CTO Countertrade & Offset
11:30 - 11:50
Navigating Tariffs
- The impact of tariffs on raw material costs and supply chain resilience
- Navigating global trade dynamics while securing reliable supply sources
- Strategies for mitigating tariff-related risks in battery manufacturing
- Zhiwei Chen, Counsel, Crowell
- Iola Hughes, Head of Research, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
11:30 - 12:00
Mobilizing Federal Investment for Energy Independence
- Mahnaz Khan, Vice President of Policy for Critical Supply Chains, Silverado Policy Accelerator
- Pat Risner, President, Hermosa, South32
- Adam Burstein, Technical Director for Strategic and Critical Materials, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, U.S. Department of Defense
11:50 - 12:20
Minerals in Focus: Nickel
- Parvin Adeli, Manager, Batteries, Nickel Institute
- Robert Seguin, Market Development, Vale Canada Limited
12:00 - 12:10
Powering American Industry Through Innovation and Mineral Security
- Carolyn Schnyder, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
12:10 - 13:00
Next Generation of US Mining and Refining
- Innovations in extraction and refining processes for critical minerals
- Advancing US-based refining to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers
- Sharad Dubey, Global Business Development Manager, SLB
- Venkee Sharma, Executive Chairman, Aquatech
- Jesse Edmondson, Director of Government Relations, Standard Lithium
- Jason Muller, Head of Public Policy, Equinor
- Daisy Jennings-Gray, Head of Prices, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
12:20 - 12:40
Evaporation Reinvented: From Doubling Pond Output to Halving DLE Energy Use
- Sean Zheng, CEO, Princeton Critical Minerals
12:40 - 13:00
Preserving 45X for Critical Minerals: What Stakeholders Need to Know
- KaLeigh Long, CEO, Westwin Elements
13:00 - 13:50
Networking Lunch
13:50 - 14:00
Minerals in Focus: Cathode & Anode Raw Materials
- Will Talbot, Research Manager, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Ltd
13:50 - 15:10
Rare Earths and the Race for Resource Security
- Securing domestic rare earth mining and refining capabilities
- Reducing US dependence on Chinese rare earth supply chains
- Applications of rare earths in defense, EVs, and electronics
- Ramon Barua, CEO, Aclara Resources
- David Petitjean, Director, Sales Critical Minerals, Rio Tinto
- Christine Burow, Chief Marketing Officer, Torngat Metals
- Zac Komur, Executive Director – Project Delivery of Kangankunde Rare Earths, Lindian Resources
- Daan De Jonge, Lead Analyst - Copper Demand & Prices, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
14:00 - 14:45
Lithium in the Lead: Supply, Innovation, and the Global Race for Scale
- Roland Chavasse, Secretary General, International Lithium Association
- Ken Brinsden, Chief Executive Officer, PMET Resources
- Rock Hoffman, Equity Research Analyst, Bank of America
- Leigh Clarke, VP, Government and Regulatory, E3 Lithium
- Ashish Patki, Director, Business Development and Market Intelligence, Rio Tinto
14:45 - 15:00
Expanding US Government Advocacy in Critical Minerals
- Hiro Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Advocacy Center, U.S. Department of Commerce
15:00 - 15:30
The DRC's Role in Critical Mineral Production
- Mike Blakeney, Head of Government and Public Affairs, Cobalt Institute
- Marie-Chantal Kaninda, President of Glencore DRC, Glencore
15:10 - 15:30
North American Lithium Supply in a Global Context
- Opportunities and Pressures Across the Value Chain
15:30 - 15:45
Networking Break
15:45 - 16:00
Inside the EV Supply Chain - What it takes to build at scale
- Caspar Rawles, Chief Operating Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Tara Berrie, Director of Battery Cell Materials & Rare Earth Sourcing, Rivian
16:00 - 16:30
Financing the Future: Aligning Public and Private Capital for Mineral Projects
- Understanding the US public funding structures for international projects
- Learning from international successes; what role have sovereign wealth funds played?
- Optimizing the relationship between public and private sectors to secure funding for critical mineral projects
- Kristi Rogers, PRISM, Co-Founder & President
- Rierens Loupatty, VP of Investments, INA
- Tom Haslett, Director for Energy and Critical Minerals Policy, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
- Andrew Jory, Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Australia
16:30 - 17:10
The Role of Geopolitics in the Global Critical Mineral Supply Chain
- Understanding how to strengthen domestic supply chains through international partnerships
- Addressing growing global demand for lithium and how to meet this
- Navigating policy and investment risks
- Mike Blakeney, Head of Government and Public Affairs, Cobalt Institute
- Septian Hario Seto, Member of National Economic Council, Republic of Indonesia
- Diego von Vacano, Professor, Texas A&M University
- Bryan Bille, Policy & Geopolitical Principal, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
- Johanna Kruger, Counsellor and Head of Section, Environment and Energy, Embassy of Canada to the US
- Maria Fernanda Avila, Congresswoman, Congress of Argentina
18:00
Close of Conference and Networking
Upcoming Events
Strategic Insights for 2026: Price Trends, Market Balance and Policy Updates
Thursday 22nd January, 2026
Online Event
Benchmark Summit Cape Town 2026
Monday 9th February, 2026
60 Colinton Rd
Benchmark Summit Toronto 2026
Monday 2nd March, 2026
1 King Street West
Giga Europe 2026
11th - 12th March, 2026
Parc du Cinquantenaire 11, Nord-Est
Giga US 26
9th - 10th June, 2026
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Giga Africa 2026
29th - 30th September, 2026