We are proud to welcome an exceptional lineup of industry leaders, researchers, and workforce development experts who are shaping the future of the semiconductor industry. Each speaker brings unique expertise, perspectives, and a shared commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a driver of innovation and resilience.

Their contributions will spark meaningful dialogue on how to build a more inclusive and competitive talent pipeline for Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem.

Explore their bios below and get inspired for a day of insightful conversations, practical strategies, and collaborative action at the Inclusive Chips Forum – Designing the Difference.

Pooja Bhardwaj

Pooja Bhardwaj, founder of Catalyst Learning Solutions and a recognized learning strategist with a global background at leading firms like Deloitte, KPMG, and ASML.

​A true change catalyst, Pooja specializes in creating innovative talent development strategies that leverage data and new technologies to drive real business results. She is here today to share her insights on fostering inclusion and diversity within the chip tech industry.

Christopher Frieling

Christopher Frieling is Director for Advocacy and Public Policy at the SEMI Europe Brussels Office. Christopher has a background in EU affairs, innovation, and tech policy. Prior to SEMI he worked at the Brussels office of Fraunhofer in several roles including most recently as Senior Advisor.

Christopher holds an MSc in Economics of Science and Innovation and a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Beatrice Boots

Drs. Beatrice Boots is director of the Dutch STEM Platform: Platform Talent for Technology (PTVT). PTVT is the national knowledge, expertise and network center in the field of technological education and the technological labor market.

Beatrice is also chair of the EU STEM Coalition, the EU’s most important network of national STEM platforms. The main goal of the EU STEM Coalition is to facilitate the sharing of best practices between countries and regions. Through a wide range of activities and resources, we bring together policy makers and policymakers to exchange ideas, share experiences and develop new approaches in a range of areas related to STEM education and the labor market. Our activities include annual conferences, thematic working groups, webinars, peer learning activities and online repositories. In addition, the EU STEM Coalition provides direct support in the development of new initiatives, organizations and strategies based on existing best practices. The main supporting instruments are: policy briefings, task force meetings and roundtable discussions.

Nessa Maguire

Nessa Maguire is the Founder of EudaOrg, a consultancy specialising in workforce development solutions tailored to diverse needs. She holds an MSc in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology and has over 15 years of experience in organisational change, coaching, and research. Drawing on this expertise, she collaborates with industries facing complex talent challenges to build inclusive and high-performing teams. An experienced speaker and advisor, she regularly contributes to discussions on the future of work, leadership, and inclusion. 

EudaOrg is a partner in the European Chips Diversity Alliance, leading research on workforce inclusion and talent shortages in the semiconductor sector. The organisation is also developing AI-driven coaching technology to enhance career readiness, support workforce transitions, and address the evolving demands of the future of work. 

Janka Kottulová

Janka Kottulová, PhD, is a project manager and researcher specializing in gender equality and research talent development. As a member of the Centre for Gender Studies at the Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, she has contributed to projects focused on advancing gender equality in academia and other sectors, including preparation of the university’s Gender Equality Plan.

She also works with EURAXESS Slovakia, where she is responsible for activities supporting early career researchers and for developing intersectoral collaborations to promote research careers beyond academia.

Victoria Cummings

Victoria Joined  SEMI Europe in 2023, she facilitates programs that support workforce development and raise awareness of the different career paths in the semiconductor sector.

She acts as the coordinator of the European Chips Skills Academy (ECSA) project and is involved in several European projects related to skills development and diversity in microelectronics. Prior to entering the semiconductor industry, Victoria worked as a policy adviser for regulation on financial services and energy markets. She received a master’s degree in political science from Boston University in 2018.

Jasper Preijde

Jasper Preijde is Manager Engineering at Demcon high-tech systems Delft. Having spent a decade as an engineer and subsequently as a manager in high-tech industry, he has seen that diverse teams perform better.

To attract and retain the best talent he has made efforts to implement D&I policy and stick to it.

Join him to discuss what we in industry can do to create thriving contemporary engineering teams and lift people up.

Kartikey Srivastava

Kartikey Srivastava is a Senior Specialist – Communications at SEMI Europe, where he focuses on strategic dissemination and exploitation efforts for several high-impact Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe projects, including HiCONNECTS, the European Chips Skills Academy, the European Chips Diversity Alliance, and METIS4Skills. His work has a strong emphasis on increasing the visibility, outreach, and long-term impact of EU-funded initiatives in the semiconductor and microelectronics sectors.

At SEMI Europe, Kartikey develops and implements comprehensive communication strategies, creates compelling narratives for stakeholder engagement, and ensures alignment with project objectives and European Commission guidelines. He holds an MBA from ESMT Berlin, and a Master’s degree in International Political Economy from King’s College London.