Strategizing Investments in EV Business with Adalberto Maluf and Ryan Maughan

The electric vehicle (EV) industry has come a long way, from selling a million vehicle in five years to consistently being able to sell a million vehicles in six months. The rapidly growing industry provides a plethora of opportunities to various stakeholders that are involved in the electric vehicle ecosystem.

However, irrationally pursuing these opportunities without a well-defined strategy can pose a major threat to the sustainability of the companies that have made large-scale investments in the ecosystem in order to gain seemingly evident profits.

The electric vehicle ecosystem has witnessed numerous major companies making significant efforts to grow in the industry, however due to lack of proper direction, many have not been able to pursue the said goal. For instance, in 2013, Fisker Automotive went bankrupt despite being an early entrant in the EV market. Moreover, Coda had to file for bankruptcy even after launching its affordable electric vehicle sedan in the same year. In 2019, Dyson, a leading consumer electronics manufacturer, intended to capitalize on the electric revolution that shifted the needs of the automotive industry toward specialization in the electronics domain, but eventually gave up its plan of manufacturing EVs. Manufacturers such as NIO and Faraday Future have been struggling to hold a prominent place, despite earlier showcasing promise in the EV market.

Not only electric vehicle manufacturers but also battery manufacturers such as A123 Systems have considerably suffered due to the uncertainties in the EV ecosystem. Realistically, majority of the stakeholders and their investments are at a constant risk due to the multiple possibilities in the ecosystem. The highly fragmented EV charging market is no exception to this uncertainty and risk.

Irrespective of the challenges faced by these organizations, the EV ecosystem offers several growth opportunities that when explored in the right manner can help reap tremendous benefits to the companies operating in the ecosystem. During the webcast on ‘Strategize Your Investments in EV Business: Transform Risks and Rewards’ on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 10:30 AM (PST), industry stalwarts – Adalberto Maluf (BYD Auto), Ryan Maughan (AVID Technologies), and Ajeya Saxena (BIS Research) – will discuss the present scenario of investments in the EV business and how risks present in the ecosystem can be mitigated.

Mitigating Risks in the Electric Vehicle Ecosystem

· Analyzing the case of companies that have suffered in the ecosystem

• Identifying possible market trends that can pose a threat to investments
• Exploring possible business areas which are expected to remain relevant despite disruption
• Gaining insights on overcoming challenges from industry experts based on their experience

Key Points to be Discussed in the Webinar:

• The major stumbling blocks across EV ecosystem that limit business growth, followed by the key checkpoints to overcome them
• The risk investment areas across the EV charging, EV battery, and EV manufacturing ecosystem
• Strategies and solutions to mitigate the investment risks across the EV charging, EV battery, and EV manufacturing ecosystem
• Use cases for real-time decision making across the EV charging, EV battery, and EV manufacturing ecosystem

Key Speakers

Mr. Adalberto Maluf

Director of Marketing, Sustainability and New Business, BYD Auto, Brasil

• Maluf has worked with climate change mitigation projects with a focus on energy, sustainability and urban mobility.
• He is the Director for Brazilian Association of Electric Vehicles (ABVE).
• He is also an esteemed Member of Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (ABSOLAR) board.
• In past, he held the position of City Director in Sao Paulo for Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) from 2007 to 2014.
• He completed his Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs.
• He also pursued MSc in Internal Political Economy from Institute of International Relations of University of Sao Paulo (IRI/USP).

Ryan Maughan

Managing Director, Avid Technology Group Limited

• Maughan founded the AVID Technology Group Limited back in 2004, has led its growth and development ever since, and is an award-winning entrepreneur.
• He is an Engineer by background with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from UMIST and an MSc in Engineering from the University of Durham.
• Maughan has worked in the motor racing industry in his formative years, learning about high performance engineering and developing a unique blend of hands on practical skills with high-level engineering expertise.
• After a few years of working in a high precision machining business, AVID was born with the mission from the outset to develop new technology that will reduce emissions and fuel consumption of vehicles through improved control.

Ajeya Saxena

Lead Analyst, BIS Research

• He is market research analyst with a track record of providing insights to conglomerates and start-ups across the electric vehicle and automotive materials industry.
• Saxena is skilled at evaluating the potential of emerging markets and development of predictive market engineering models augmented by real-time market-specific insights.

He has also identified opportunities and helped companies such as INEOS, Toshiba Corporation, and LG Chem with go-to-market strategies in emerging business areas.