For the last 37 years, Howard has worked on process plant all over the world, from downstream petrochemicals and refining through midstream to upstream onshore and offshore, from roles as a technician to executive consultancy. Throughout his career, which has spanned the arc of digital technology, he has been applying digital technology to the different aspects of chemicla engineering. Howard is known for his book ‘Simplicity from Complexity’ and providing clarity where others struggle.

Paul Ou is a PhD student at the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, researching data-driven methods for modelling, optimising and validating digital bioprocess development as part of the ARC Digital Bioprocess Development Hub.

Srividhya Venkatesan is the CEO and Co-founder of Next XR Group, a Melbourne-based technology company specialising in XR, AI, Digital Twins, simulation and workforce intelligence. She is passionate about translating emerging technologies into practical solutions that improve workforce readiness, safety and operational performance across complex industries. Srividhya was recognised among Victoria’s Top 100 Asia Innovation Business Leaders (2024), SAARI’s 101 South Asian Australian Startup Founders (2025), and as a finalist in the SBE Australia Impact Awards – Global Pathway category (2022). Her work focuses on bridging the gap between emerging technology and real-world industry challenges. She currently leads the development of GoalCert, an AI-powered workforce intelligence platform combining Digital Twins, simulation and immersive technologies to help organisations move from training completion to measurable operational readiness and continuous workforce improvement.

Iskandar Halim is a Research Scientist at ISCE2, A*STAR. His research focuses on process systems engineering applications to support the design and operation of safe and sustainable chemical processes. His expertise involves the development of qualitative methods, mathematical modelling, process simulation, and optimization strategies to address complex engineering challenges. His research on systematic methodologies and intelligent systems for chemical process sustainability has been featured in leading journals. Notably, his project on decision-support systems for sustainable pharmaceutical supply chains received the IChemE Singapore Sustainability Award in 2017.