10:00 – 10:30: Keynote

10:30 – 11:00: Keynote

Dr. Wan Harun

Dr. Wan Harun is an industrial engineer, corporate advisor, and transformation practitioner with over three decades of experience spanning manufacturing systems, business process re-engineering (BPR), and human capital development. He holds a PhD in Engineering Education and has served as an academic prior to transitioning into industry, where he has led transformation initiatives across multiple sectors including retail, operations, and organizational performance.

He is the originator of the Metanoia approach in corporate transformation — a disciplined shift in perception and decision-making that enables leaders to move beyond legacy thinking and respond effectively to decline, disruption, and complexity. His work integrates engineering principles with human insight (IQ, EQ, and SQ alignment) to restore clarity, rebuild leadership capability, and drive sustainable performance turnaround.

Dr. Wan Harun is currently advancing the concept of Professor-in-Practice as a bridge between academia and real-world transformation, focusing on redefining engineering education to develop not only competent problem-solvers, but adaptive system re-thinkers.

11:00 – 11:30: Keynote

11:30 – 12:00: Keynote

12:00 – 12:30: Keynote

Dr. Rechard Noor
Managing Director, W-Tech Manufacturing and Fibretek Manufacturing
Group Managing Director, H&M Group
Research Associate, Nelson Mandela University
Chairperson, Community Chest of the Western Cape
Chairperson, Advisory Board Meeting, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Dr. Rechard Noor is a distinguished South African industrialist, academic, and community leader whose career spans over four decades of transformative leadership in the manufacturing and operations management sectors. He currently serves as Managing Director of W-Tech Manufacturing and Fibretek Manufacturing, and as Group Managing Director of the H&M Group—an integrated portfolio of advanced manufacturing companies operating across composite materials, industrial coatings, and polymer technologies. Under his strategic stewardship, the Group has evolved from a struggling enterprise into a highly competitive and profitable industrial organisation.

Dr Noor holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Nelson Mandela University, where his research examined decentralised organisational systems, human capital development, radical transformation, and sustainability within advanced manufacturing environments. His scholarly contributions are anchored in bridging theory and practice—linking strategic management and organisational innovation with the operational realities of industrial enterprises. His book, Radical Transformation and Sustainability for an Advanced Manufacturing Industry (2020), co-authored with Dr Oswald Franks, Prof Brink Botha, and Prof Bingwen Yan, has become a key reference in understanding transformative approaches to manufacturing resilience, human-centred leadership, and sustainable growth in emerging economies.

Over the years, Dr Noor has been instrumental in redefining leadership and operational excellence within South Africa’s manufacturing landscape. His pioneering implementation of decentralised management systems and advanced human capital development models has consistently resulted in improved productivity, workforce empowerment, and long-term organisational sustainability. His work exemplifies how engineering management principles can be strategically aligned with social innovation to foster inclusive industrial growth.

Within academia, Dr Noor serves as a Research Associate at Nelson Mandela University, contributing to studies in industrial transformation and sustainable operations management. He also holds prominent governance and advisory positions at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, where he chairs the Advisory Board in Operations Management and Industrial Engineering. In these capacities, he plays a crucial role in strengthening the interface between industry and higher education, ensuring that academic programmes remain responsive to the evolving needs of the manufacturing and operations sectors.

Beyond academia and industry, Dr Noor has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to community development and ethical leadership. As Chairperson of the Community Chest of the Western Cape and Chairperson of the Electronic Recycling Association of South Africa, he advocates for corporate citizenship, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. His leadership extends to various non-profit and sports organisations, reflecting his holistic view of leadership as a vehicle for social transformation.

Dr Noor’s thought leadership has been featured on major media platforms including ENCA, Heart FM, Good Hope FM, and KFM, where he has shared insights on sustainability, governance, and energy efficiency. His professional journey—from an apprentice fitter and turner at Murray & Roberts Engineering to the helm of a major industrial group—embodies resilience, continuous learning, and visionary leadership.

Guided by his enduring philosophy that “true transformation is not about politics or power—it is about unlocking human potential and building organisations and societies that are ethical, sustainable, and people-centred,” Dr Rechard Noor continues to inspire the next generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, and community builders across Africa and beyond.

12:30 – 13:00: Keynote