Changemakers of Tomorrow 2025
We bring together the people reshaping the future of energy. From Shell staff, our partners, customers, and emerging startups to industry leaders, policymakers, and communities. Here, ideas become action. Connections become solutions. And together, we are working towards building the future energy systems that our world will need.
16 – 17 September, 2025
Sheraton Grand Whitefield, Bengaluru
Registrations are now closed
Impact in every word and number
Joseph Alenchery, SVP & Business Head, Energy Next, Infosys LtdI am convinced there are numerous opportunities for collaboration between our companies as Shell focuses on simplifying, optimising and transforming.
Attendees6000+
Speakers50+
Start ups65+
Paul den Dekker, Global Account Director Shell, DatabricksI firmly believe the success of Changemakers is due to the passion for innovation and engineering at Shell.
Day 1 - September 16
| Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 - 10:00 | Changemakers of Tomorrow 2025 - Inaugural Ceremony | Kick off with key government officials setting the tone for a future-forward energy dialogue. |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Fireside Chat: How Technology is Reshaping the Energy Landscape: Scaling Ideas That Matter Speakers: Robbert van Rutten (Executive Vice President Information and Digital Technology & Shell CIO); Nandan Nilekani (Co-founder and Chairman, Infosys) | A conversation on building digital foundations, driving systemic change, and collaborating across industries to shape the energy system of the future |
| 11:30 - 12:30 | Panel: Tech-Driven Energy - How Technology is Powering the Transition to a Secure and Lower Carbon Future Panellists: Mansi Madan Tripathy (Chairperson, Shell Group of Companies in India & SVP, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific) Arundhati Bhattacharya (President & CEO Salesforce, South Asia) N Venu (Managing Director & CEO, India & South Asia, Hitachi Energy) Satyakam Arya (CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles) Moderator - Shruti Mishra (Deputy Editor, CNBC-TV 18) | Powered by CNBC and CNNNews18, this panel will spotlight the pivotal role of technology teams—from generational AI, ML, digital twins and forecasting is accelerating the energy transition. It will explore how digital innovation is enabling cleaner energy systems, improving grid resilience, and expanding access to reliable energy. |
| 13:00 - 13:30 | Keynote - The Psychology of Serial Innovation Speakers: Mary Mesaglio (VP & Distinguished Analyst Gartner); Owen O’Connell (SVP & CIO IDT Services and Operations, Shell) | True innovation is less about process and more about mindset. This session by Gartner's Mary Mesaglio explores how to move beyond the call to “just innovate” by focusing on purpose, motivation and safety. Learn how to model behaviours that make experimentation safe, shrink the initial ask and build creativity into daily habits, creating the conditions for innovation that lasts. The session is followed by a fireside chat between Mary and Shell's Owen O'Connell. |
| 14:00 - 14:45 | Keynote: Powering the Future: AI and Digital Innovation in Upstream Speaker: Gabriel Guerra (VP Data, Digital & Innovation - Development, Subsurface and Wells, Shell) | Join Gabriel Guerra as he describes the next wave of Shell Innovation focused on enabling the future of Upstream through the power of AI and digital innovation applied to Subsurface. The keynote will delve into some of Shell's strategic innovation initiatives, including some interesting early outcomes and the approach taken to partner and leverage the wider technology ecosystem |
| 15:15 - 16:00 | Panel - NVIDIA, AWS, Microsoft, IBM and Shell: AI, High Performance Computing and cloud computing – now all the same? Panellists: Guy Gueritz (Regional Energy Industry Sales Leader, NVIDIA) Thijs van Wetten (Global Account Technology Strategist, Microsoft) Joseph Santamaria (Global Director, WW Energy and Utilities Solution Architect, AWS) Amith Singhee (Director, IBM Research India) Detlef Hohl (Chief Scientist Computational and Data Science, Shell) Karina Fernandez (GM, Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies Shell) | Join experts from Shell, Microsoft, AWS, IBM and NVIDIA as they unpack the explosive growth of generative AI and its impact on high-performance and cloud computing. The panel will explore what’s driving demand, how large AI models could get, and what it means for cost, scalability, and the future of decentralized AI. Expect bold questions, sharp insights, and a look ahead at what’s next. |
Day 2 - September 17
| Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 - 10:15 | Let’s talk innovation – A dialogue with Robin Mooldijk & Robbert van Rutten Speakers: Robin Mooldijk (President, Projects and Technology, Shell) Robbert van Rutten (Executive Vice President Information and Digital Technology & Shell CIO) Moderator: Karina Fernandez (General Manager, Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies, Shell) | What does it take to push the boundaries of innovation at Shell? Robin Mooldijk (President, Projects and Technology) and Robbert van Rutten (EVP IDT & Shell CIO) will explore this question through thought-provoking topics raised by colleagues across the globe. Their dialogue will highlight the role of technology in Shell’s transformation, the challenges ahead, and the opportunities waiting just beyond the horizon. |
| 10:15 - 11:00 | Fireside Chat: Shell & Ceres in Conversation Speakers: Selda Gunsel (Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President Technology, Shell); Phil Caldwell (CEO, Ceres Power) Moderator Ajay Mehta (Vice President Research & Innovation, Technology, Shell) | Join us for a dynamic conversation between Shell’s EVP Technology & CTO, Shell and the CEO of Ceres, as they explore the power of partnership in driving innovation. From the SOEC electrolyser pilot at STCB to the behaviours that fuel successful collaboration, this session will offer insights, inspiration, and a glimpse into the future of cleaner energy. |
| 11:15 - 12:00 | Keynote: The Language of Care: How Empathy Shapes the Future of Innovation Speaker: Shantanu Naidu (General Manager, Head - Strategic Initiatives, Tata Motors) | In a world obsessed with speed and disruption, the quiet force shaping the most groundbreaking ideas isn’t just technology. it’s empathy. Drawing from stories of building Goodfellows, Motopaws, and other ventures, Shantanu shares how genuine human understanding is the answer to creativity and opens doors to innovations that strategy alone can’t unlock. This talk offers leaders a way to embed care into the DNA of work, creating solutions that are both successful in every way and yet deeply meaningful through human connection. |
| 14:15 - 15:15 | Panel: The Future of Gas: Leading the Energy Transition through Innovation, Technology & Collaboration Panellists: Marianne Olsnes (Vice President Norway, Country Chair Shell); Anne O'Halloran (Vice President, Technical Asset Support, SEAM Shell); Misfer Al-Bidaiwi (Vice President, Pearl GTL, Qatar) Shane McArdle (President & CEO, Kongsberg Digital) Moderator: Rishabh Chopra (Emerging Digital Technologies & AI Lead, Digital Technology Office, Shell) | This panel brings together global leaders from Shell and Kongsberg Digital to explore how gas must evolve to meet changing energy demands. The discussion will cover energy transition, innovation and collaboration, and embedding change through leadership and culture, with insights from leaders across Norway, Qatar, global asset support, and digital transformation. |
| 15:30 - 16:45 | Shell.ai Awards 2025 Speakers: Robin Mooldijk (President, Projects and Technology, Shell) Robbert van Rutten (Executive Vice President Information and Digital Technology & Shell CIO) Selda Gunsel (Chief Technology Officer and EVP Technology, Shell) Mike Curtin (Vice President, Digital Technology Office, Shell) Karina Fernandez (General Manager, Digital Innovation & Emerging Technologies, Shell) Many more presenters | The Shell.ai Awards Grand Finale celebrates winning teams and individuals driving innovation with AI, data, and digital solutions across Shell. |
Meet our speakers
Nandan Nilekani
Co-founder and Chairman, Infosys
Nivruti Rai
Managing Director, CEO, Invest India
Arundhati Bhattacharya
President & CEO Salesforce, South Asia
Shantanu Naidu
General Manager, Head-Strategic Initiatives, Tata Motors
N Venu
MD & CEO, India and South Asia, Hitachi Energy
Meet our sponsors
Last year, in moments
Discover highlights from last year’s event and see how our speakers, tech partners, industry professionals, startups, Shell staff, and NXplorers experienced the magic.
Speakers we’ve heard from previously
Madhu Bangarappa
Minister of School Education and Literacy
Government of Karnataka
Gaurav Gupta
Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka
Faye D'Souza
Founder & Editor, Beatroot News
Krish Ashok
Content Creator, Masala Labs; Global Head, TCS
Ayesha Faridi Vengsarkar
National Editor, Anchor
Times Network
Mansi Madan Tripathy
Vice President, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific & Country Chair Shell India
Robbert van Rutten
Executive Vice President Information and Digital Technology & Shell CIO
Vijay Nirani
Managing Director, Nirani Industries and TruAlt Energy