Keynotes Speakers

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.

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.

AI and digital twins serving regional development

With a background in Materials Engineering, Jean Michel Taladriz has primarily held senior commercial leadership roles in digital transformation across multiple industries. He brings over 25 years of experience in industrial software, simulation, PLM, and advanced collaborative solutions. Currently serving as Regional Director for Francophone Africa at Dassault Systèmes, he supports organizations in adopting the 3DEXPERIENCE platform in particular, as well as the broader Dassault Systèmes software portfolio, enabling the development of advanced digital twins. Passionate about innovation, he works alongside organizations ready to challenge the status quo and build sustainable competitive advantage.

Value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Lean and Safe Construction Project Execution

Jochen Teizer is Professor and Director of the Construction Automation and Information Technology Laboratory in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). His research seeks lean and injury-free construction work environments creating the next generation of Digital Twins, information backbones, building information modeling, internet of things and sensors, artificial intelligence, and mixed realities for active personalized learning. He has over 20 years of academic and professional work experience from around the world. With more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and numerous academic and construction industry teaching and research awards, he also serves as a visionary and consultant for the AEC industry.

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.

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.

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.

The use of generative AI in the project management

Dr. Eng. Béatrice Rouzé is a senior European consultant specializing in higher education, international cooperation, and innovation. With over thirty-five years of experience, she has built strong bridges between academia, public institutions, and industry across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. She serves as Administrator and Treasurer of the French Institute for Lean Construction (IFCL) and has played a key role in organizing major international conferences the last 3 years. Her career is distinguished by a strong ability to build sustainable bridges between universities, public authorities, and industry, and to mobilize complex European and international networks in support of strategic projects. Deeply engaged in innovation, she is actively involved in the integration of generative artificial intelligence applied to projects, education, and organizational management, with particular attention to ethical, organizational, and strategic dimensions.

The journey in Germany towards establishing IPD as an additional approach for delivering complex construction projects

Shervin Haghsheno is Professor of Construction Management at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he has held the chair since 2013 and serves as Managing Director of the Institute of Technology and Management in Construction. His research and teaching focus on construction project management, construction process management, collaborative project delivery and contracting models, Lean Construction, digitalization in construction, and conflict management in complex projects. He began his academic career as a research associate at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where he earned his doctorate in civil engineering. Professor Haghsheno plays an active role in the scientific community as Founding Member and Chairman of the Board of the German Lean Construction Institute (GLCI) and as a founding member of the leadership team of the IPD Center – Center of Excellence for Integrated Project Delivery. His work bridges academic research with the systematic development of innovative construction management methods.

Construction 4.0 and Digital Transformation in Public Infrastructure

Dr. Laure Ducoulombier is an expert in Construction 4.0 and digital transformation in the built environment. Her research focuses on Digital Construction, Industrialized Construction, AR/VR technologies, 3D scanning, Digital Twins, and design optimization. With over 15 years of experience in research and development for major international construction organizations, she has led collaborative R&D programmes linking academia and industry. Laure previously headed Bouygues Construction’s DesignLab, developing innovative digital design solutions, BIM strategies, and immersive technologies for construction trades. She is currently conducting advanced research at Centrale Lille Institute to develop new concepts and methodologies supporting the evolution of Construction 4.0 and sustainable infrastructure systems.

Keynote title to be added

Alan originally trained as an architect and then in management and organisation development. After working in local government and higher education, he has worked as a socio-technical systems consultant since 1988. He returned to construction in 2001 to apply his knowledge, understanding and skills in design, collaboration, systems thinking, organisation development, variation, quality and lean. Based in UK, he has coached design and construction teams adopting lean thinking for clients across four continents as well as working with students at a number of universities. At Centrale Lille in France he is teaching aspects of Construction 4.0 as well as lean construction and Last Planner®. He is a co-developer of the Villego® Last Planner Simulation. Principal of The Change Business, a UK-based lean design and lean construction consultancy, Alan has written a number of papers relevant to lean construction, is active in local politics, a keen gardener, loves to sing and enjoys walking and cycling in the hills and valleys around his home in the Cotswolds.

From Traditional to Industrial Performance: Why Flow Is the Key in Modular Construction

Dr. Igor Loebl specializes in operational excellence and organizational transformation, with a career as executive director spanning over 30 years. He started in the 1990s in business process design and optimization, adopted Lean thinking in the early 2000s, and since 2015 has focused on organizations with complex processes, particularly in construction, design, and service-based environments. His work centers on flow, collaboration, and system-level performance.