Chris Coombs is an experienced portfolio and programme management leader with over 25 years in the aviation and transportation sectors. Chris is responsible for ensuring that capital investments align with strategic priorities while maintaining rigorous governance across a diverse and safety-critical project landscape. Chris played a central role in transforming NATS’ project controls environment—leading the adoption of Microsoft Project Online to provide enterprise-wide visibility and control. With a background that spans technology, change management, and business strategy, Chris brings a practical, delivery-focused perspective to portfolio management. He is passionate about building capability, simplifying complex processes, and enabling decision-makers with timely, actionable data. Chris’ leadership has helped NATS enhance transparency, standardise reporting, and better demonstrate value across its programme portfolio.

Hilal Demircapa is an accomplished Associate Director at Laminar Projects, specializing in project management consulting with an emphasis on integrating advanced technologies into construction. With a career spanning the Turkey, Kuwait, and the UK, she draws on her international experience to bring a well-rounded perspective to project execution and delivery. Hilal is particularly focused on leveraging visual planning, data analytics, and technology-driven tools to optimize project outcomes. Her expertise includes project planning and controls, data analysis, and risk management, encompassing a diverse portfolio of projects ranging from £1 million to £500 million, including data centres, railways, hospitals, harbors, and residential developments.

Gianluca Di Lecce is a civil engineer with over 20 years of international experience in the industrial, oil & gas, and renewable energy sectors. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in the successful delivery of complex infrastructure and energy projects across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East—including Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Russia, Italy, and France. His core expertise lies in project and construction management, construction cost engineering, and the integration of economic and technical disciplines to optimize project outcomes. His deep understanding of project lifecycles, from early planning and CAPEX estimation to execution and close-out, has enabled him to effectively lead multidisciplinary teams, manage large-scale budgets, and ensure alignment between technical design, commercial strategy, and execution efficiency. He is a Certified Member and speaker of AACE International (Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering), holds the APMP certification from the Association for Proposal Management Professionals, and is also a certified Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I), demonstrating his ability to apply agile principles in complex engineering environments. In addition, he is TCM certified by ICEC (International Cost Engineering Council) through AICE, where he actively contributes to the advancement of cost engineering and total cost management practices. Thanks to his strong analytical mindset, leadership skills, and cross-cultural communication abilities, he has successfully collaborated with stakeholders at all organizational levels—engineering teams, contractors, clients, and executive leadership—ensuring transparency, risk mitigation, and value-driven decision-making across all project phases. Passionate about continuous improvement and innovation in project delivery, he is committed to leveraging his technical background and strategic vision to drive impactful and sustainable results in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Joao Dias brings over 15 years of extensive experience as a Chartered Civil Engineer specialising in Planning, Scheduling, Risk, and Cost Engineering, coupled with a deep understanding of FIDIC and NEC forms of contracts. His career has encompassed diverse projects spanning Railway, Marine, Civils, Highways, Airports, Building, Pharma, Hightech, and Energy sectors, working globally and collaborating closely with key stakeholders across major and mega international EPC and D&B projects. His academic background includes an Integrated Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering, a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management and a MSc Degree in Data Science, complemented by certifications as a Planning and Scheduling Professional (PSP) by AACE International and a Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) by PMI. Moreover, he is an early adopter of new construction technology and has extensive experience in the implementation of state-of-the-art digital solutions at projects and portfolio levels, such as Oracle Primavera P6, OPC, SAP, Office 365, Candy CCS, and Synchro. Furthermore, he has a track record of volunteering, currently serving as the Director for AACE Region 9 Europe and Africa, and has navigated diverse environments across various countries, cultivating adaptability and adeptness in fostering cross-cultural collaborations, essential qualities for navigating the global landscape of project planning and management.

I'm a dedicated specialist in project controls and maintenance management, with a strong focus on improving operational efficiency in asset-intensive industries. With extensive experience in both planned maintenance, Capex- and turnaround projects, I have worked closely with industrial sites across Europe to optimize their project control processes, digitalize execution workflows, and enhance maintenance performance. As a consultant, I'm also actively involved in the development and implementation of innovative SaaS solutions tailored to the maintenance sector. In recent years, this has included the promotion and refinement of modules for digital work execution, handover management, and project performance reporting. A key part of this work involves translating complex operational requirements into practical, scalable digital tools that seamlessly integrate with existing ERP and scheduling systems like SAP and Primavera. Recognizing that technology alone does not drive sustainable change, I believe very much in the combination of digital transformation initiatives with a structured consulting methodology. This includes process mapping, bottleneck analysis, and collaborative stakeholder workshops to identify improvement opportunities and align new tools with day-to-day operational practices. I have contributed to several high-profile maintenance, Capex - and turnaround projects within the chemical, energy, and manufacturing sectors, supporting both daily maintenance operations, large-scale capex projects and shutdown events. By bridging the gap between strategic project control principles and on-the-ground execution, I help organizations achieve greater visibility, control, and efficiency in their maintenance -, Capex - and Turnaround processes.

Dr Shirin Dora is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at Loughborough University in the Department of Computer Science. Shirin holds a PhD in Machine Learning from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, ranked 15th globally. He has over 13 years of experience in developing domain-specific AI solutions – including grid optimisation, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and construction. He has previously held research roles at the University of Amsterdam and CWI Netherlands, contributing to the EU Human Brain Project. Prior to starting his PhD in 2012, he worked with Cognizant and SAS R&D (India) in software developer roles.

Maged El Hawary is a Project Management Consultant with over 25 years of experience in Project Management, Strategic Management, Cost Control, EVM, Technology, and Innovation. Maged is currently the Managing Director of Analytica, operating in UAE, KSA and Egypt; He was CIO/CCO of ASGC Group. Started his career in 1998 as a Site Engineer, then as a Planning and Control Engineer in The Arab Contractors -Egypt; later on, Maged held several managerial positions in critical international companies and managed major projects in Residential, Commercial, Oil, and gas, social infrastructure and Industrial sectors. Maged is an Assistant Professor and Research Supervisor at Heriot-Watt University, Member of the Industry Advisory Board of AUD Past President of AACEI, UAE- section Maged is a professional speaker and panellist in international conferences on Project Management, Project controls and technology forums. Maged has received the following international awards: - Charles Kean for distinguished service award – AACE International-USA 2014 -Team Leader of the Year – 1st UAE PM Conference – SOE -2015 -Controls expo global Award- UK-2018 -H.H. Hamdan Bin Mohamed Award-Innovative PMO Manager-DIPMF 2019 - Male Construction Leader of the Year 2021 – Big5 Egypt – 2021 Maged holds the following degrees: - 1998: BSc. in Civil Engineering- Cairo University- Egypt - 2002: PGD. in Construction Engineering and Management - Cairo University - 2013: MSc. Construction Project Management – Heriot-Watt University - UK - 2020: MRICS - UK - 2021: AF-Higher Education Academy - UK - 2023: PhD. Construction Technology& PM– Heriot-Watt University - UK - Project Management Professional (PMP) -PMI/USA - Certified Cost Professional (CCP) - AACEI/USA - Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP)- AACEI/USA - Earned Value Professional (EVP) - AACEI/USA - Registered Expert - CRCICA- Egypt

Mohamed is a Senior Manager at Khatib & Alami – PMC sector, with 23 years of experience in construction projects, including real estate, hospitals, security buildings, hospitality projects, harbors, infrastructure, and petrochemical plants. Besides, his expertise includes establishing and operating PMOs for major organizations in Saudi Arabia. He holds an MSc. in PMO and Program Management, an MBA from Leicester University–UK, a Chartered Level-7 Diploma in Strategic Management from CMI–UK, a Professional Diploma in Forensic Schedule Analysis from CCM–UK, and a BSc. in Civil Engineering. Mohamed also has professional certificates, including PMP, CCP, PMI_RMP, and P3O. In addition to his professional achievements, Mohamed is the Founder of SeedsWise and a Co-Founder of Luqman Academy, reflecting his commitment to community development and knowledge transfer.

Mr. Moj Kesheh is a Planning and Scheduling Professional, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and expert witness in disruption, productivity loss, delay, and risk management with over 22 years of experience. He helps clients avoid, mitigate, and resolve complex project disputes while driving process improvement and capital efficiency. Recognised for his expertise in cost and schedule risk analysis, he supports risk-informed decisions through identification of key risk drivers, proactive mitigation, and performance forecasting. He uses System Dynamics modelling to quantify and demonstrate disruption, delay, and productivity loss, and to support project recovery. Mr. Kesheh serves as a Technical Board Member of AACE International and Vice Chair of its Claims and Dispute Resolution Subcommittee.

Milla began her railway career in 2005, initially working with Union Railways on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now known as High Speed 1) and then with Network Rail, the railway infrastructure owner and operator for Great Britain. Over the years, Milla has focused on programme controls, planning, scheduling, and integration in the railway industry. In her current role in Wales & Western Region, Milla is leading initiatives in project data analytics across the capital delivery portfolio. Milla is a keen volunteer, having supported the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways as a permanent way worker, the Royal Academy of Engineering with project CARE, as well as the Association for Project Management (APM) in a variety of roles. Her work with Network Rail and the Royal Academy of Engineering was recognised with the honour of a British Empire Medal. Within APM, Milla has been a passionate and active volunteer, joining the Planning, Monitoring & Control SIG in 2014 and becoming the group’s chair in 2016. That same year, Milla was elected as a charity trustee of APM, where she has served on all board committees. Most recently, in 2022, Milla was elected as the chair of the APM board, concluding her term in 2025. In 2024, Milla was also appointed as a Non-Executive Director of GCH Ltd, an independent housing association dedicated to providing affordable homes and building successful communities. Milla’s passion is for innovation and lifelong learning; she will either be found working, volunteering, or learning something new.

Peter O’Neill is a recognised expert in project portfolio management and digital transformation, with over 25 years of experience helping organisations improve delivery, decision-making and governance across their project environments. As Director at The Project Group (TPG) UK & Ireland, Peter leads engagements that combine strategic consulting with technology solutions built on Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform. He brings particular expertise in integrating Microsoft Project with SAP and other line-of-business systems, including earned value and risk management tools. Peter has worked extensively with TPG’s PSLink® integration platform to bridge enterprise PPM with core finance and operational systems. His work focuses on enabling PMOs and project leaders to align delivery with business goals – ensuring tools, processes and people work in harmony. With deep domain knowledge across sectors including public services, infrastructure, and regulated industries, Peter is a respected voice in the evolution of modern project environments.

Christopher Pond is an experienced commercial leader with a strong track record in driving growth, partnerships, and customer success within the Microsoft ecosystem. As Commercial Director at The Project Group (TPG) UK & Ireland, he leads the company’s go-to-market strategy, helping organisations adopt modern project and portfolio management tools that support strategic execution. With a background spanning both technical consulting and business leadership, Christopher has worked across multiple industries to deliver solutions that connect Microsoft 365, the Power Platform, and enterprise systems such as SAP. He is particularly focused on making project delivery more efficient and transparent, reducing manual effort through automation, integration, and intelligent tooling. A former Microsoft Global Black Belt for Project solutions, Christopher combines deep domain expertise with a pragmatic approach to digital transformation. He is a strong advocate for simplifying complexity and enabling organisations to make confident, data-led decisions about their project investments.

Sarah Schutte (LLB, Solicitor-Advocate, CAPM-PMI), trainer, Mediator (CEDR and CMC) and facilitator. Director of Schutte Consulting Limited and Co-Founder of Peridot Consulting International LLP. Based in London UK. Sarah specialises in construction, engineering, infrastructure and technology projects across the built environment. She has had a tri-partite legal career over almost 25 years: early years in private practice, a decade as in-house Senior Counsel at both client and supplier; and now, since 2014, she is an independent consultant to industry. Her broad and deep field experience translate to pragmatic support, focussing on breaking down complex legalities and putting law in its practical and purposive context to nurture confident business strategists and capable contract users. Sarah has wide experience in collaborative contracts and partnering/ alliancing arrangements, designs visuals for contract tools and processes, and has a keen eye for a holistic whole-life approach. Her technical project management accreditation adds an unusual edge to her work, as does her fledgling practice as a Mediator. Her site boots are always to hand! Sarah volunteers at PMI and APM (nominee Volunteer of the Year 2021), supports local schools and her University on careers, and has judged several student-entrepreneur Enactus competitions. She recently completed 8 years as a school governor, supports a local women-led retrofit hub and is a popular industry interviewee, conference speaker and panel member. Making law work for the construction and engineering industry

Ugur is a Lead Consultant at Laminar with over 10 years of experience in planning and project control, including five years with Laminar. He has worked on major civil and data centre projects across Turkey, Germany, and the UK—such as Europe’s tallest bridge in Istanbul, a £3B car manufacturing facility in Northumbria, and the largest data centre campus in Central London. With an entrepreneurial mindset and a strong passion for data analytics, Ugur focuses on process optimization through a data-driven approach. He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering, an MSc in Construction Project Management, and a BIM Specialist Certificate. He speaks English and Turkish, and enjoys basketball, rowing, and recently took up tennis.

Specialising in strategy and business development, Andrew is a proven business leader with a successful track record in growing and developing large, vibrant, profitable project and programme management businesses serving clients in Government, Defence, Aviation, Roads, Rail and Water Utilities in the UK & Ireland and globally. He has extensive experience in programme leadership, transformational change and programme office management enabling him to oversee purposeful, efficient and highly valued programme intelligence organisations in multiple sectors; with a focus on always ensuring programmes are delivering the right outcomes, in the right way.

Ben is a Chartered Project Professional with over 25 years delivering major international programmes and leading project delivery functions. Working on some of the UKs most significant aerospace and defence programmes for public and private sectors, Ben has extensive experience in setting up and designing PMOs and governance systems as well as leading associated business transformations. As a Management Consultant, Ben helps clients build and implement P3M delivery solutions with a particular focus on Project Controls and PMOs. He believes Project Controls is ultimately about enabling better business decisions and is passionate about developing new, innovative and future focused ways of using Project Controls to drive business value. He is also a certified Project Controls trainer, who has enthusiasm for developing and inspiring the next generation of practitioners.