Keynote Speakers | 11th International Conference on OPEX

Keynote Speakers for the 11^th International Conference on OPEX – IIMK – 11^th – 13^th January 2027

06
Speakers

01Keynote Speaker 1

Professor Sanjay Bhasin

Professor of OPEX, University of Buckingham, UK

Title

Sustaining Operational Excellence: Retaining Focus for Long-Term Maturity and Success

Synopsis

Sustaining Operational Excellence requires a never-ending commitment, organisational resilience, and the disciplined application of effective performance improvement methodologies. Enduring operational maturity is achieved through the integrated alignment of leadership, workforce capability, process governance, operational systems, and technology with evolving customer expectations and strategic enterprise priorities. Sustainable transformation is driven less by financial investment and more by leadership continuity, workforce ownership, organisational trust, and strong cross-functional communication. Operational Excellence is not a one-size-fits-all approach; SMEs and large organisations require adaptable, context-specific implementation strategies to overcome different operational challenges. Future-focused OPEX organisations balance operational discipline with agility, while evolving performance measurement beyond efficiency toward resilience, sustainability, innovation, continuous learning, and long-term value creation.

Contents of Keynote

Operational Excellence Sustainability
Long term maturity vs short term gains
Challenges associated with sustainability of OPEX
Key drivers for achieving OPEX sustainability

Biography

Prof Sanjay Bhasin is a Programme Director of OPEX and Innovation at Buckingham University. An accredited practitioner depicting high-ranking positions within the industrial, education and public sectors. As a Master Black-belt, recent role as “Head of Continuous Improvement” for the England and Wales Probation and Prisons Sector incorporated steering the organisation towards higher OPEX maturity. This entailed acting as a senior project advisor safeguarding the integration of C.I. principles alongside correct project methodologies. He is the author of numerous articles published in reputable international journals alongside several books and frequently invited as key-note speaker at international conferences.

02Keynote Speaker 2

James Dwan

CEO of Catalyst Consulting, UK.

Title

Random Acts of AI: Why Operational Excellence, Human Centricity and Sustainability Have Never Mattered More

Synopsis

We are at an inflection point. AI is reshaping every function of the modern enterprise at a pace that will make today's world of work unrecognisable within years. The commercial pressure to move fast is immense — and so is the risk of getting it wrong. Without purpose-driven systems thinking, AI investment collapses into "random acts of AI": expensive experiments that fail customers, people and the planet. Drawing on real-world case studies and live demonstrations, James Dwan shows how operational excellence, human centricity and sustainability principles equip leaders to harness AI's extraordinary potential — moving fast and getting it right.

Key contents

Why AI without holistic, purpose-driven systems thinking leads to "random acts of AI" — and how to avoid the trap
How AI is already transforming operational excellence, from intelligent data analysis to autonomous quality monitoring
A human-first approach to integrating humans and machines, building on the Agile Business Consortium's 2025 whitepaper
Why OPEX and quality professionals are uniquely equipped to lead this revolution — not as gatekeepers slowing things down, but as game changers making sure we move fast and get it right
What quality leaders need to know to scope, sponsor and guide AI-enabled transformation

Biography

James Dwan is CEO of Catalyst Consulting and a recognised thought leader in business transformation, operational excellence, and the integration of AI into the modern enterprise. A Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with over two decades of experience, he has guided organisations across financial services, manufacturing, government and technology through large-scale change. James co-authored the Agile Business Consortium's 2025 whitepaper "A Human-First Approach for Integrating Humans and Machines" and leads the Consortium's Think Tank on AI and Business Agility. He is the creator of CatStat, the AI-powered Lean Six Sigma analytics platform democratising data-driven improvement for quality and OPEX professionals worldwide. A regular keynote speaker at international conferences, James is currently writing "Random Acts of AI", a book on why quality and operational excellence thinking have never mattered more in the age of artificial intelligence.

03Keynote Speaker 3

Professor Beth Cudney

Professor of Data Analytics, Maryville University and President of Cudney Consulting Group, LLC, USA

Title

Operational Excellence 5.0: Creating Sustainable Value Through Human-AI Collaboration

Synopsis

As artificial intelligence and digitalization reshape how organizations operate; the next evolution of operational excellence must extend beyond technology adoption and efficiency improvement. Operational Excellence 5.0 places people at the center of digitally enabled transformation, combining the speed, scale, and predictive capabilities of AI with human judgment, creativity, ethical reasoning, and systems thinking. This keynote explores how organizations can integrate AI with proven operational excellence principles to move from reactive improvement to predictive, adaptive, and resilient systems. It examines the critical roles of leadership, culture, data, continuous improvement, and responsible AI in translating technological capability into sustainable value. Most importantly, it challenges leaders to rethink operational excellence not as a collection of tools or digital initiatives, but as a human-centered management system capable of continuously learning, adapting, and creating value for organizations, employees, customers, and society.

Contents of Keynote

The evolution from traditional OPEX to digitally enabled Operational Excellence 5.0
Moving from automation to meaningful human-AI collaboration
Integrating AI and analytics with Lean, continuous improvement, and systems thinking
Building trust through responsible AI, governance, transparency, and human oversight
Developing the leadership and workforce capabilities required for AI-enabled OPEX
Creating resilient, sustainable, and adaptive organizations that deliver long-term value

Biography

Dr. Elizabeth A. Cudney is Professor of Data Analytics at Maryville University and President of Cudney Consulting Group, LLC. She is an Academician of the International Academy for Quality and a Fellow of ASQ, IISE, and ASEM. Her expertise spans operational excellence, Lean Six Sigma, Quality 4.0, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and sustainable systems. She has authored 18 books and more than 150 journal articles and has delivered keynotes internationally. Her recent book, Lean-AI: A Humanistic Integration of Lean and AI, received the 2026 Shingo Publication Award and ILSSI Book Award. Her book Lean Sustainability received the IAQ Walter E. Masing Book Prize and ILSSI Book Award. Before academia, she held engineering, management, and Six Sigma Black Belt roles in industry. Her work focuses on integrating emerging technologies with proven improvement methodologies to create human-centered, resilient, and sustainable organizations.

04Keynote Speaker 4

Professor Rachna Shah

Professor and Chair of the Supply Chain and Operations Department at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, USA

Title

Opportunities and Challenges for OPEX in the era of digitalization: The enduring role of employees

Synopsis

The conference theme is particularly timely. Reimagining the future of operational excellence (OPEX) is not simply an option but an imperative as organizations confront increasingly complex and interconnected challenges. While traditional lean principles may appear insufficient for this new landscape, digital technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain, are increasingly positioned as solutions to operational problems. Yet, digital tools are not a panacea; they introduce new challenges and unintended consequences, from algorithmic bias and ethical concerns to diminished problem-solving capabilities, employee engagement, and autonomy. My keynote will explore the role of employees in realizing the promise of digitalization. I will argue that the future of OPEX lies not in choosing between lean and digital, or between people and technology, but in understanding how employees can effectively appropriate, complement, and shape these technologies to create sustainable operational excellence.

Key contents

The unintended consequences of digital technologies
The enduring role of employees
Reimagining OPEX for a more complex world

Biography

Rachna Shah is a Professor and Chair of the Supply Chain and Operations Department at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. She received her PhD in Management Science, and an MBA/MHA in Finance from Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University. Her undergraduate degrees are in Economics and mathematics/statistics from Delhi University, New Delhi, India. Professor Shah is world renowned for her research on ‘lean’ and uses it to examine how firms achieve operational excellence. She also investigates why firms experience failures, which take different forms in different industries, such as product recalls in automotives, pharmaceuticals, and medical device industries, spills and pollution events in oil and gas or in an environmental context, and patient readmission and mortality in healthcare settings. Her research in operational failures is focused on identifying approaches to mitigate these negative outcomes. Professor Shah’s research has received many prestigious awards including “Shingo Award for Excellence in Research” from the Shingo Institute and the “Wickham Skinner Early Career Research Accomplishment Award” from the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS). Two of her papers published in Journal of Operations Management continue to be in the Top 10 most downloaded papers from the journal website. She also received a three-year Fulbright Specialist Grant (2017-2020) as an endorsement of her thought leadership and expertise in lean production. She has held editorial roles in several leading journals and has served or currently serves in leadership roles in several professional societies.

05Keynote Speaker 5

Professor E V Gijo

SQC and OR division, Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore, India

Title

Digitally Enabled Lean Six Sigma: Integrating Industry 4.0 Technologies across the DMAIC Journey

Synopsis

Lean Six Sigma has long provided a disciplined approach to improving quality, reducing waste, and controlling variation. However, in today’s digitally connected operations, traditional improvement methodologies must evolve to leverage real-time data, advanced analytics, and Industry 4.0 technologies. This keynote explores the integration of Lean, Six Sigma, and digital technologies across the DMAIC journey to create smarter, faster, and more sustainable improvement systems. Drawing on practitioner insights and emerging research, the session highlights phase-wise technology alignment, the continuing importance of statistical thinking, and the critical role of people in transforming digital capability into measurable operational excellence and long-term competitiveness in modern organisations.

Key Contents

The changing landscape of Operational Excellence
Phase-wise integration across DMAIC
Technology should support improvement logic, not replace it
Human-centric digital improvement
Towards sustainable and intelligent Operational Excellence

Brief Bio

Professor E. V. Gijo is a faculty member in the Statistical Quality Control and Operations Research Division at the Indian Statistical Institute, where he has been serving since 1997. He holds a Ph.D. in Statistics, along with an M.Tech. in Quality, Reliability and Operations Research, and an M.Sc. in Statistics. With over 28 years of experience spanning academia, research, and industry engagement, his areas of expertise include Lean Six Sigma, Statistical Quality Control, Reliability Engineering, and Quality Management.

He has extensive experience as a consultant and trainer, supporting organisations across automotive, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, engineering, electronics, IT/ITeS, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. He has worked with several leading organisations, including Hyundai Motor Company, Indian Space Research Organisation, Biocon Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and Bosch Limited. He has undertaken numerous consultancy projects, contributing to measurable improvements in process efficiency, quality, and reliability across sectors. He has trained a large number of professionals at Master Black Belt, Black Belt, and Green Belt levels, with a strong emphasis on hands-on, project-driven learning, and has mentored several industry projects on quality and process improvement. He has made significant scholarly contributions, including co-authoring books on Lean Six Sigma (published by CRC Press) and Design for Lean Six Sigma (published by Emerald Publishing Limited), and has published around 70 papers in reputed international journals.

06Keynote Speaker 6

Alexandra Niculae

Founder and LSS MBB of Smartway Consulting, Romania

Title

Sustainable OPEX - Navigating the intersection of process improvement and emerging technologies like AI and Blockchain without ignoring the human factor

Synopsis

Deploying Industry 4.0 technologies like AI and Blockchain in non-standardized workflows often causes operational challenges. Achieving true operational excellence requires a clear framework that balances predictive AI and smart automation with strong process engineering, while keeping the human worker at the center. Based on insights from cross-industry consulting and practical implementation cases, this session offers a roadmap for creating resilient organizations ready for the future. We will look at how structured workflow audits set the foundation for digital readiness, making sure new technology promotes sustainability without overwhelming the organization.

Attendees will learn a straightforward method for developing Human-in-the-Loop governance models, where AI improves human decision-making. Participants will leave with a tested method to reduce workflow variation, ensure data trust, and turn technological complexity into a strong, human-focused system designed for lasting performance.

Key Contents

The Digitalization Trap
Building the Foundation: Process Standardisation & Digital Readiness
Case Study Insights
Designing the Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Model
Securing Data Trust through Statistical Thinking
The Roadmap: Key Takeaways & Actionable Framework

Biography

Alexandra is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, certified trainer, and consultant accredited by the International Lean Six Sigma Institute (ILSSI) and the International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC).

With over 16 years of experience across manufacturing, banking, healthcare, and logistics in Romania and international markets, she specializes in aligning traditional process excellence with emerging technologies. Alexandra guides organizations in integrating Lean Six Sigma, Business Process Management (BPMN 2.0), AI, and Blockchain to establish data integrity, build resilient Human-in-the-Loop workflows, and drive sustainable digital transformation.