Dr. Mircea Gradu is the Chief Engineering Officer at Ballard Power Systems, responsible for developing next-generation fuel cell module technology and zero-emission engines with industry leading performance and costs.  He has extensive executive-level industry experience including a track record of product development and deployment with leading global automotive OEMs and suppliers.  He previously led Engineering and Quality at Hyundai Motor America, served as Vice President, Transmission Powertrain and Driveline at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, as Executive Director, Engineering at Timken Automotive, and in product development and engineering project management roles at Schaeffler Group and Daimler AG.  He most recently held the position of Senior Vice President, Automotive Programs at Velodyne Lidar, a provider of smart lidar technology solutions for vehicle autonomy.

A former President and Chairman of the Board of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International, an SAE Fellow and FISITA Board Member, Dr. Gradu is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of California Irvine.  He holds a Doctorate in Engineering from the Technical University of Stuttgart, an MSME from the Politechnica University of Bucharest, has been extensively published, was awarded 56 patents, and honored with the Edward N. Cole Award for Automotive Engineering Innovation.