The keynote address at PEIE’s Smart Manufacturing Conference – 23/24 January 2006, Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel (http://peie.blogspot.com) will be delivered by Professor Mike Gregory CBE, Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge University, and Head of the Manufacturing and Management Division of the University Engineering Department and of the University’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM).
According to PEIE, Professor Gregory's work is mainly on the interface between engineering, management and policy formation and he is actively involved in the IfM’s work in these areas. He is heavily engaged in ensuring close University - Industry links and directs - with senior colleagues - the Institute's Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre.
“We’re delighted to have Professor Gregory on board – he’s one of Europe’s leading manufacturing experts,” remarked Mohammed Al Ghassani, Executive Vice President, PEIE. “Our manufacturers are facing a major challenge from dynamic markets, discerning customers and increased global competition; there’s pressure for companies to become more agile, virtual, team-based and innovative. Indeed, to truly succeed, Gulf manufacturers need to grow beyond traditional methods and fundamentally change the way they do business. We hope the conference will help them in this regard,” explained Al Ghassani. Professor Gregory’s keynote address is expected to embrace: developing people, leadership, strategy, globalisation, competitiveness, business efficiency, lean thinking and adding value - issues that will help lead the Gulf’s manufacturing sector into the future.
Joining Professor Gregory will be Dr. Tim Minshall, Cambridge University Lecturer in Technology Management and fellow member of the Institute for Manufacturing. Before joining the IfM, Dr. Minshall was a Project Manager and Board Member at St John’s Innovation Centre Ltd where he worked on a series of projects to support industry and academic collaboration focused around new technology ventures.
Gregory and Minshall will co-present on an Innovation and Manufacturing panel. “Everyone knows the fable of Jack’s fast-growing beanstalk. It grew and grew as if by magic. Unfortunately, manufacturers don’t have magic beans that can make profits grow overnight like Jack’s plant,” said Al Ghassani. However, innovative manufacturers have discovered a number of strategies that can, over time, provide a lift to a company’s top- and bottom-line performance. “We’re seeing manufacturers across the world reconsidering their business models and employing tactics to gain a sustainable competitive advantage,” observed PEIE’s Executive Vice President. Gregory and Minshall’s panel will explore innovative strategies that have helped large and small manufacturers achieve real and substantial growth.
