Symposium: Product Safety – Batteries, AI & Cybersecurity, SAGA – GPSR

Dipl. Ing. Mark Haacke

Graduate engineer (BA), Managing Director of Mark Haacke Automotive GmbH Expert for product conformity & product safety

With more than 25 years of professional experience in the automotive industry and over 20 years of experience with legal requirements, he is the head of operations and is always involved in projects and training. His CV is characterized by many stations – among others as an expert of an officially recognized monitoring organization, homologation engineer at a supplier, single point
of contact for recalls to two carlines at an international vehicle manufacturer and 6 years as head of
Conformity of Production. Mark Haacke is also actively involved beyond his professional duties, e.g. in numerous expert panels and various VDA-QMC working groups.

Ralf Rathmacher

Senior Manager, Functional Safety Continental Engineering Services GmbH

Ralf Rathmacher is an experienced engineer and manager in the field of electrical engineering and functional safety. After graduating from TU Darmstadt in 2002, he began his career at various OEMs and suppliers, where he gained valuable insights into the industry. Since 2005, his work has focused on the area of functional safety, which clearly demonstrates his passion and expertise.

At Continental Engineering Services GmbH (CES), Rathmacher took on the role of Functional Safety Manager in 2012 and demonstrated his leadership skills by being promoted to a management position in 2019. His current role at CES is global in scope and he is responsible for leading and developing the Functional Safety function. His experience and expertise are invaluable to the company and the industry.

Trainer profile of Ralf Rathmacher

Personal data

Name: Ralf Rathmacher
Position: Senior Manager, Systems Engineering – Functional Safety
Company: Continental Engineering Services GmbH
Studies: Electrical Engineering, TU Darmstadt (degree: 2002)

Professional experience

Over 20 years of experience in electrical engineering and functional safety
Held various positions at OEMs and suppliers, enabling a broad understanding of the industry and its requirements
Specialized expertise in functional safety, with a focus on it since 2005

Current role and responsibilities

Global point of contact for functional safety at CES
Leading a team of experts to support customers in functional safety implementation and certification
Developing and improving functional safety processes and standards
Internal and external functional safety trainer to promote knowledge and competencies in this critical area

Certifications and awards

Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE)
ISO 26262 Functional safety for road vehicles
Internal CES management certificate

Training experience

Internal trainer at CES since 2013, training colleagues and new employees in the area of functional safety
External training for CES customers and partners on ISO 26262 and functional safety in the automotive sector
Development and implementation of workshops and webinars on specific functional safety topics

Specialist areas

Functional safety in the automotive sector (ISO 26262)
Systems engineering and requirements management
Risk management and analysis
Functional safety assessments and audits
Development and certification of safe systems

Training style

Rathmacher’s training style is hands-on and interactive, using his extensive experience to illustrate theoretical concepts with real-life examples and case studies. He fosters a participative learning environment and encourages participants to actively engage, ask questions and contribute their own experiences. His aim is not only to impart knowledge, but also to develop practical skills so that participants can immediately apply what they have learned.

Summary

Ralf Rathmacher is an experienced and certified expert in the field of functional safety who is keen to pass on his expertise and passion through training and education. His extensive industry knowledge, combined with his leadership experience, makes him a valuable trainer and mentor. His hands-on approach to training ensures that participants develop a deep understanding of the concepts and can apply them effectively in their work.

Veeresh Ravichand Hebbale

As Security & Privacy Manager at Continental Engineering Services GmbH, Veeresh Ravichand has the important responsibility of ensuring the cyber security and privacy of advanced automotive systems. With over 8 years of experience, he brings expertise in areas such as threat analysis and risk assessment (TARA), security architecture and compliance with international standards such as ISO 21434 and UNECE R155.

Veeresh started his career at Continental in 2017, where he gained valuable insights into machine learning development, project management, innovation management and cybersecurity. With a degree in Computer Science and Engineering, he has continuously contributed to the secure advancement of modern automotive systems in various roles including Security Analyst, Security Architect, Security Manager and Security Assessor.

Personal data

Name: Veeresh Ravichand Hebbale
Company: Continental Engineering Services GmbH
Studies: Computer science & Engineering, Sir MVIT, Bangalore

Professional experience

With over 8 years of experience in automotive cybersecurity, Veeresh has worked tirelessly to protect automotive systems throughout their lifecycle – from proposal to end-of-life. His areas of focus include:

• Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment (TARA)
• Development of security concept
• Security architecture
• Cybersecurity management systems (CSMS)
• Compliance with ISO 21434, UNECE R155 and country-specific standards.

Veeresh’s collaborative approach and commitment have contributed to the development of safe and reliable automotive systems, earning him trust and recognition among his peers.

Current roles and responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for the safety of automotive projects and products
• Act as the main point of contact for cybersecurity in customer interactions
• Ensuring compliance with ISO 21434 and UNECE R155
• Implementation of security gap analyses and management
• Implementation of TARA to identify and mitigate risks
  Internal
• Development of security and data protection concepts
• Promoting process improvements and defining robust security strategies
  within the companyCertification

Certifications and awards

• Certified SAFe Agile Scrum Master
• Internally certified Security & Privacy Practitioner

Training experience

Veeresh is an experienced trainer who has developed and delivered effective training programs both internally at Continental and for external audiences. His areas of specialization include: TARA (Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment), security concept development, ISO 21434 compliance, UNECE R155 regulations and emerging cyber security standards.

He has also delivered expert talks and workshops on automotive cybersecurity to external organizations and shared his knowledge and insights with industry professionals. He has also led internal workshops and tech talks where he has translated complex cybersecurity principles into actionable knowledge for different audiences.

Specialization

• ISO/SAE 21434 Road vehicles – Cybersecurity engineering
• Systems engineering and requirements management
• Cybersecurity risk management (TARA)
• Cybersecurity assessments and audits
• Vulnerability management and security maintenance
• Development of security platforms

Training style

Veeresh’s training approach is designed to integrate both theoretical concepts and practical case studies. His sessions encourage active participation and open discussion, creating an engaging learning environment.

Participants leave the training with actionable skills, tools and techniques to tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges. Each session is designed to build confidence and competence in automotive cybersecurity.

Summary

Veeresh Ravichand Hebbale is a dedicated Security & Privacy Manager at Continental Engineering Services GmbH, specializing in automotive cyber security with over 8 years of experience. He has extensive expertise in TARA, security architecture, ISO 21434 and UNECE R155 compliance.

Veeresh has successfully managed cybersecurity for automotive projects and products at all stages of the lifecycle, driving secure system developments and gaining stakeholder trust. As a certified trainer, he has delivered impactful training programs, expert talks and workshops for internal teams and external audiences, translating complex concepts into actionable insights.

His hands-on and engaging training style ensures that participants gain the skills and confidence to overcome real-world cybersecurity challenges. With his deep technical knowledge and collaborative approach, Veeresh continues to contribute to the secure development of automotive systems.

Dr. Benedikt Rohrßen

Lawyer (Attorney-at-Law, Germany) Partner / Head of Commercial & Product Practice at Taylor Wessing

Dr. Benedikt Rohrßen heads the commercial and distribution law practice group of the international law firm Taylor Wessing. He advises clients on entering the European market and on the strategic structuring of their distribution systems, including the product compliance required for distribution (“no compliance, no market”), also for products with integrated artificial intelligence. His industry focus is on the highly regulated electronics, mechanical engineering and automotive sectors.

Benedikt is also editor of the Zeitschrift für Vertriebsrecht, author of numerous articles, webinars and training courses on the topics of distribution, product liability and product conformity and AI in particular, lecturer at the Munich Business School, German expert for distribution law at the International Distribution Institute, Bitkom-certified AI manager and member of the “Task Force AI Act” of the German digital association Bitkom.

Marvin Müller

Senior Project Engineer - PEM Motion

Marvin Müller – Senior Project Engineer, Product Compliance – PEM Motion GmbH

Marvin Müller works as a Senior Project Engineer at PEM Motion GmbH and is a certified Product Compliance Officer in accordance with ISO/IEC 17024. He is responsible for product conformity and safety issues for the automotive and industrial applications sectors. He has in-depth expertise in the homologation of vehicles and vehicle parts as well as the conformity testing of industrial products such as energy storage systems and chargers. His core markets are Europe, China and North America.

Trainer profile

personal data

Name: Marvin Müller

Position: Senior Project Engineer

Company. PEM Motion GmbH

Education. B.Eng. / M.Sc. Automotive Engineerimg

Professional experience

Marvin Müller has eight years of experience in the field of product conformity and safety. He helped several customers with the type approval of systems and vehicles in terms of selection and communication with authorities and technical services as well as the preparation of necessary documentation. In addition, he guided several clients safely through the CE process by establishing necessary processes, implementing management systems and compiling technical documentation (specifications, risk assessment, V&V plans, etc.). He was also involved in the preparation of technical expert opinions in court proceedings to prove product conformity.

Certification & Awards

Product Compliance Officer (according to ISO/IEC 17024)

Daniela Miebach

Lead Functional Safety at Continental Engineering Services GmbH

As Lead Functional Safety at Continental Engineering Services GmbH, I bring over eight years of experience in the analysis and validation of functional safety requirements. My expertise extends not only to vehicles, but also to construction machinery, robots and other machines.

My core tasks include the investigation of potential error effects, the definition and implementation of safety measures as well as the creation and review of safety-relevant documents in these diverse application areas. Together with interdisciplinary development teams, I ensure that legal requirements are met on time.