Keynotes Speakers

Prof. Dr. Luis F. Alarcon Professor of Civil Engineering, Director of GEPUC

Lean Construction in Chile to build a better future

Luis F. Alarcon is a Professor of Civil Engineering and the deputy director and founder of the Production Management Center (GEPUC) at the Catholic University of Chile. He is the chairman of the board of GEPRO. He has been Visiting Professor at The Ohio State University, Valencia Polytechnic (Spain) and Shimizu Visiting Professor at Stanford University. He holds an Engineering degree from the Catholic University of Chile and M. Eng. MSCE and a PhD from UC Berkeley. Luis is a founding member of the (IGLC) International Group for Lean Construction and he has been a member of the Board of (CIB) International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction. He has published more more than 100 research papers and several books: "Uncertainty Management in Repetitive Construction Projects using WIP Buffers", « Identification and Reduction of Waste in Construction », « Administration of Civil Engineering Projects », »Planning and Control of Projects » and he is the editor and co-author of the book « Lean Construction » and co-editor/author of Lean Construction 4.0. He has developed research and consultancy for public and private organizations in several areas: Project Risk Modeling, Strategic Planning in the Construction, Lean Construction, Production Management, Improvement of Quality and Productivity. He is currently a member of the Panamerican Academy of Engineering and a member of the National Academy of Construction of USA.

Prof. Dr. Wei Pan Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong

Modular Construction in Hong Kong: Policy, Practice and Performance

Professor Wei Pan is Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at The University of Hong Kong and Executive Director of the Centre for Innovation in Construction and Infrastructure Development. He is an international leader in modular integrated construction (MiC), sustainable infrastructure, and zero-carbon buildings, and currently serves as President of the International Association for Modular Construction (IAMC). Professor Pan has led major research programmes exceeding HK$180 million in funding and has played a key role in shaping MiC policy and implementation in Hong Kong. He has authored over 380 publications, supervised more than 100 doctoral and postgraduate researchers, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Engineering Sustainability. Recognized among the top 1% most cited researchers worldwide, his work bridges advanced research, policy, and large-scale construction practice internationally.

Dr Randi Christensen Strategic Sustainability Management Director, COWI

Choosing by Advantages (CBA): Supporting Sustainable Decision-Making in Infrastructure Projects

Randi Christensen is Group Sustainability Director at COWI, a leading international engineering consultancy headquartered in Denmark, where she has been driving sustainability strategy for over six years. Based in Lyngby, she works at the intersection of civil engineering, sustainable infrastructure, and organizational transformation, supporting the integration of sustainability across large-scale public and private projects. Her work focuses on embedding climate action, ESG principles, and long-term value creation into engineering and construction practices. At COWI, she contributes to shaping resilient, low-carbon infrastructure solutions aligned with global sustainability goals. Randi brings a strong systems perspective on how engineering, governance, and sustainability can jointly contribute to more liveable and sustainable societies.

Dr Martin Perks FRICS MICW Trustee Director, Lean Construction Institute -UK

Human-in-the-Loop: Enhancing Public Service Productivity by harnessing Industry 4.0

Dr Martin Perks FRICS MICW is a Director of the Lean Construction Institute–UK with a career spanning many infrastructure markets: highways, rail, nuclear, retail, pharma, research science, and airports. Martin understands both public and private sector business management, governance, and risk assessment. He was until recently a commercial programme director for National Highways Ltd. He has, since 2016, also been a visiting Professor at Birmingham City University focusing on project procurement and commercial management. Martin is recognised as the architect of Regional Delivery Partnerships, a procurement model built to deliver £9 billion of highway enhancement projects. Regional Delivery Partnership is a Target Value Delivery procurement model designed specifically for the UK infrastructure construction market. Using lean and value-focused integrated project delivery techniques, the model has delivered significant improvements in productivity, predictability, outcome focus, and value-based system thinking.

Dr. Ahmed Stifi Chief Executive Officer, Acumen Consulting

Public Contracting in Countries Undergoing Major Infrastructure Development

Dr. Ahmed Stifi is a senior expert in Lean management, operational excellence, and organizational transformation, based in Böblingen, Germany. With a strong background in engineering and applied research, he has extensive experience supporting Lean deployment across complex industrial and organizational environments. His work focuses on process optimization, continuous improvement, and performance management, with particular attention to leadership, change management, and system-wide efficiency. Dr. Stifi actively bridges Lean theory and practice, contributing to the dissemination of Lean principles beyond manufacturing toward services and public-sector contexts. His expertise aligns closely with LIPS objectives, promoting value creation, waste reduction, and sustainable performance through structured Lean transformation.

Dr. Alessandro Orsi Director and Founder of Green Building Factory

Lean Thinking as a Driver for Sustainable and Low-Carbon Construction

Dr. Alessandro Orsi is an international expert in Lean Construction, Sustainable-Project Delivery, and Green-Lean integration, with extensive experience in Europe, USA and South America as professional and as researcher for the development of innovative projects. His work focuses on improving project performances through Lean thinking, digitalization (BIM), and environmentally responsible practices. He has contributed to major European initiatives linking Lean, sustainability, and public-sector transformation, and is an active contributor to the Lean Construction Journal. Alessandro regularly advises and collaborates with academic, public, and industry stakeholders on advancing sustainable and value-driven construction systems.