The Future-Ready Podcast: Industry & Beyond

Siemens

A podcast series exploring the future of industry and the ideas, technologies, and transformations shaping what comes next. In each episode, industry leaders and experts discuss how they bridge the physical and digital worlds to accelerate change. The podcast explores how AI, software, and data are reshaping the design, production, and operation of complex products - and how organizations can turn complexity into opportunity and stay future-ready.

  1. 2d ago

    Shaping the future of semiconductors with the digital twin

    Bringing a new chip design to market is not simply a matter of designing the chip then sending it to be fabricated. Building fabs is, itself, a costly and highly complex process and, even once that is completed, it will still take further time to dial in the chip fabrication process to achieve good yields. All these factors contribute to the costs, risks and challenges associated with bringing new, cutting-edge chip designs to market. So, across the chip design process, adopting the latest in digital technology isn’t just a benefit – it’s a imperative.In this episode, host Conor Peick is joined by Katherina Westrich, Global VP of Electronics and Semiconductors at Siemens, to explore how the needs of the semiconductor industry can be served by the increasing adoption of digital twin and artificial intelligence technologies and how that will shape the industry going forward.In the episode you’ll learn about: (0:44) How the semiconductor industry must adapt in the future(2:42) The importance of the digital twin in chip design(5:16) AI accelerates the semiconductor industry(6:23) Reducing ramp up time(11:05) Building new fabs vs. new chips(12:25) How to reach yield quicker  About the voices:Katharina Westrich is Global VP of Electronics and Semiconductors at Siemens. In this role Katharina heads a team focused on unlocking the potential of resilient, smart, and sustainable semiconductor and electronics manufacturing across the entire value chain.Conor Peick is a Marketing Professional creating forward-looking content for the Thought Leadership team at Siemens Digital Industries Software. Conor collaborates with industry experts and executives to produce impactful content exploring the challenges companies face and the technologies that can provide solutions.

    Shaping the future of semiconductors with the digital twin
  2. 2d ago

    Flexibility in process industries might mean looking at discrete manufacturers

    Simply embracing flexibility and resilience is not an option, it needs to happen without compromising on efficiency. And to do that business are going to have to implement digitalization in their workflows to keep a balance on their priorities. And making that happen, businesses in the process industries might want to look at the solutions others are finding to implement flexibility into their own processes.To wrap up our deep dive on the future of the process industries, we brought back Rebecca Vangenechten to talk with Mark Hindsbo a third episode of Siemens’ Future Ready Podcast.In this episode you’ll learn about:(00:00) Introduction(02:20) Similar solutions across industries(07:29) AI needs determinismAbout the voices:Mark Hindsbo joined Siemens in 2025 as Head of Operations Software. He is leading a team to build an integrated and modular industrial operations software suite that allows customers to design, engineer, and operate their factories, data centers, or plants – powered by agentic AI and digital twins. His extensive career includes leadership roles at Ansys, Parallels, and Microsoft, alongside experiences at The Boston Consulting Group, Novo Nordisk, and CERN. Mark is also an Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Born and educated in Denmark, he holds an M.S. in Applied Physics & Mathematics from the Technical University of Denmark.Rebecca Vangenechten has been the Head of Automation and Engineering for Process Automation at Siemens since 2023 – helping customers and partners through the entire plant lifecycle with engineering, consulting and modernization. But her background in Biomedical Sciences and Endocrinology is perfect for understanding the challenges of process industries.Nick Finberg is a technical marketing writer for Software-Defined Everything, with a background in Nuclear Engineering. He has worked with experts to cover many industries and topics including Automotive, Battery, sustainability, and systems engineering.

    Flexibility in process industries might mean looking at discrete manufacturers
  3. Sep 22

    The Digital Twin Advantage: Scaling Future-Ready Operations at PepsiCo

    Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies are managing greatly increased complexity, changing demands and broadening product portfolios. At the same time, CPG companies cannot easily increase global footprints, driving them to do more with the same assets.The Digital Twin and digital transformation offer a path forward, as demonstrated by the early success of PepsiCo’s digital transformation. In this episode we continue with our discussion with Ali Peyrovi and Steve Hoinka of PepsiCo and Stuart McCutcheon of Siemens to dive into new capabilities that a Digital Twin has unlocked and how its fueling a new mindset for future growth.In This Episode:(00:12) Welcome and building new manufacturing concepts with the Digital Twin(04:08) How the Digital Twin and industrial AI improve decision making(07:36) How to keep momentum when scaling a digital transformation program(11:30) Key takeaway: Think big, start small, go fast and deliver value quicklyAbout the voices:Steven Hoinka is Vice President of Global Manufacturing Strategy and Transformation at PepsiCoAli Peyrovi is Vice President of Global Warehouse Strategy and Transformation at PepsiCoStuart McCutcheon is Global Vice President for the Industrial Metaverse, Digital Twin and NPDI at Siemens Digital Industries SoftwareConor Peick is a Marketing Professional creating forward-looking content for the Thought Leadership team at Siemens Digital Industries Software

    The Digital Twin Advantage: Scaling Future-Ready Operations at PepsiCo
  4. Sep 22

    From Tribal Knowledge to Operational Intelligence at PepsiCo

    Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies face a future of increasing customer demands, expanding global product and production portfolios and other challenges. Many companies are managing increasing complexity as they add new products or new variants to address rising consumer demands for health-focused products and to cater to regional preferences in developing markets. At the same time, global volatility and disruptions threaten increasingly distributed supply chains.Faced with the same challenges, PepsiCo has embarked on an ambitious digital transformation, converting select manufacturing and warehouse sites into high-fidelity 3D Digital Twin models that simulate plant operations and the end-to-end supply chain. In this episode of the Future Ready Podcast, you will hear from three of the experts leading this transformation to talk more about the technology, the pain points and future possibilities.In this episode:(00:12) Welcome and introduction(03:57) Breaking down data barriers(06:26) The value of real-time data and how AI supports orchestration(09:58) How the Digital Twin supports new product introductionsAbout the voices:Steven Hoinka is Vice President of Global Manufacturing Strategy and Transformation at PepsiCoAli Peyrovi is Vice President of Global Warehouse Strategy and Transformation at PepsiCoStuart McCutcheon is Global Vice President for the Industrial Metaverse, Digital Twin and NPDI at Siemens Digital Industries SoftwareConor Peick is a Marketing Professional creating forward-looking content for the Thought Leadership team at Siemens Digital Industries Software

    From Tribal Knowledge to Operational Intelligence at PepsiCo
  5. Sep 22

    Open energy platforms make sustainable power tech possible

    The energy transition from petroleum-based power to greener, electrified options is becoming a reality. But as many green energy systems are dependent on a vast number of variables (from the weather to a given location’s energy demands) it is difficult to manually optimize such an ecosystem. In this podcast, Christian Gueckel, Head of Verticals Chemicals and Energy at Siemens Digital Industry will discuss how an energy platform can optimally run an energy ecosystem. He will then argue that to maximize the potential of the ecosystem, the platform must be open and AI enabled. In this podcast you will learn:(00:39) – What energy platforms are in relation to energy ecosystems(06:42) – The importance of making an energy platform open(12:01) – What role AI will play in the open energy platformConor Peick – ModeratorConor Peick is a Marketing Professional helping to create forward-looking content for the Thought Leadership team at Siemens Digital Industries Software. Conor collaborates with seasoned industry experts and executives to produce podcasts, articles, blogs, and other forms of content focused on the trends and challenges companies face in the future, and the technologies that may provide solutions.Connect with Conor on LinkedIn Christian Gueckel – Head of Verticals Chemicals and Energy at Siemens Digital IndustriesChristian Gueckel is the Head of Vertical Chemicals and Energy at Siemens Digital Industries. In this role, he is responsible for sales operations within the vertical.Prior to joining Siemens, Gueckel spent more than ten years at the specialty chemicals company Clariant in various management positions, including Head of Strategy and Marketing. He also earned his PhD in inorganic chemistry from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.Connect with Christian on LinkedIn

    Open energy platforms make sustainable power tech possible
  6. Sep 18

    What a green energy ecosystem actually looks like

    The world’s energy ecosystem is heading towards a transition. Environmental realities, supply chain pressures, public opinion and growing regulations are shifting the industry away from petroleum to greener power sources. But understanding what this ecosystem will look like, and how to prepare, can be a challenge. In this podcast, Christian Gueckel, Head of Verticals Chemicals and Energy at Siemens Digital Industry will discuss industry’s vision of a green energy ecosystem. Along the way he will discuss everything from green electrons to energy carriers like green hydrogen. In this podcast you will learn about:(00:30) – The big shifts in the energy industry(05:56) – How new and existing technologies will support the transitions(12:08) – What needs to happen for there to be a secure supply chain for energyConor Peick – ModeratorConor Peick is a Marketing Professional helping to create forward-looking content for the Thought Leadership team at Siemens Digital Industries Software. Conor collaborates with seasoned industry experts and executives to produce podcasts, articles, blogs, and other forms of content focused on the trends and challenges companies face in the future, and the technologies that may provide solutions.Connect with Conor on LinkedIn Christian Gueckel – Head of Verticals Chemicals and Energy at Siemens Digital IndustriesChristian Gueckel is the Head of Vertical Chemicals and Energy at Siemens Digital Industries. In this role, he is responsible for sales operations within the vertical.Prior to joining Siemens, Gueckel spent more than ten years at the specialty chemicals company Clariant in various management positions, including Head of Strategy and Marketing. He also earned his PhD in inorganic chemistry from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.Connect with Christian on LinkedIn

    What a green energy ecosystem actually looks like

About

A podcast series exploring the future of industry and the ideas, technologies, and transformations shaping what comes next. In each episode, industry leaders and experts discuss how they bridge the physical and digital worlds to accelerate change. The podcast explores how AI, software, and data are reshaping the design, production, and operation of complex products - and how organizations can turn complexity into opportunity and stay future-ready.