Around 80 speakers from all over the world will occupy the limelight on the Center Stage at HANNOVER MESSE 2026 scheduled for April 20-24. Among them, there will be pioneers, company leaders, scientists, and politicians who have boldly and successfully broken new ground with their innovative spirit, thus contributing to the further development of industrial production. At HANNOVER MESSE, they will provide exclusive insights into their work, share practical expertise, and offer clear orientation concerning the future of industry.

The first confirmed speakers include: 

Cedrik Neike, Executive Board Member at Siemens AG and CEO Digital Industries: Responsible for the automation and industrial software business at Siemens, Neike is driving forward the merger between the real and digital worlds in manufacturing. The team at Siemens shows how artificial intelligence is already moving from a vision to industrial reality—and making for measurable gains in competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience.

 Armin Papperger, CEO, Rheinmetall: Shifts in the global security order are presenting the defence industry with considerable challenges. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, drones, and hypersonic weapons are changing requirements at a rapid pace. In a panel discussion, Papperger will explain how Rheinmetall is responding to these technological and geopolitical changes in international competition.

 Amy Webb, futurologist & CEO, Future Today Institute: Webb is one of the world’s most influential futurologists. She will reveal how technological, economic, and geopolitical trends are merging—and why companies need to think in terms of scenarios nowadays, rather than relying on linear forecasts. On the Center Stage, she will explain the role that artificial intelligence, new data economies, and global risk dynamics will play in the industry of the next decade.

 Julie Sweet, CEO, Accenture: On the Center Stage, Sweet will speak about why companies in the manufacturing industry must approach technological transformation and organizational change as two sides of the same coin to remain future-ready. For her, one thing is clear: technologies like AI, cloud, and data only generate lasting value when combined with a culture of innovation and a strong focus on talent development.

Dr Pablo Erat, Director - LightSpray, On AG: The Swiss premium sports brand On stands for a new way of industrial thinking, in which product innovation evolves into platform innovation. With LightSpray, Dr Erat is pushing ahead with a manufacturing technology that radically simplifies the production of sportswear: automated instead of manual, digital instead of fragmented, and local instead of being dependent on global supply chains. LightSpray shows how robotics, material science, and a bold innovative spirit are not only transforming products, but also redefining entire business models.

For more information: www.hannovermesse.de