Keynote Speakers
Day 1 – Onsite – December 1, 2024
08:45-09:30 Opening Ceremony at SQU Campus – SQU Conference Hall
We are pleased to announce that the 2nd International GCC Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) will commence on December 1, 2024, at 9:00 AM by the opening ceremony under the esteemed patronage of H.E. Prof. Mahad bin Saeed bin Ali Baowain, Minister of Labor, Oman
We are honored to have the Ministry of Labor’s participation, and we look forward to welcoming you all for a successful and insightful event as we explore the latest developments in industrial engineering and operations management.
09:30-10:30 – Keynote
Prof. M. Selim Akturk
Dean
Faculty of Business Administration
Bilkent University
Turkiye
Title: The Evolution and Strategic Importance of Industrial Engineering in Emerging Countries
Bio:
Prof. Aktürk has been a full-time faculty member at Bilkent University since 1990. He is currently serving as the Dean of Faculty of Business Administration since 2023. He also served as Department Chair of Industrial Engineering Department between 2013 – 2021. During his sabbatical leaves, he spent an academic year at UC Berkeley IEOR Dept. (twice), McGill University, Faculty of Management, and Carnegie Mellon University, School of Business, as a visiting professor.
Prof. Aktürk is President of Operational Research Society of Turkey since 2013. Prof. Aktürk is a Fellow of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), class of 2023.
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00-12:30 Panel “INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING & OMAN’S VISION 2040” at SQU Campus:
- Salim Ali Al-Harthi. General Manager, Oman Airports Management Company
- Azhar Al Kindi, Chief Operating Officer, Energy Development Oman (EDO)
- Mustafa Al-Balushi, Vice President, Corporate Continuous Improvement, Planning and Performance, OQ
12:30-02:00 Transfer to the Hotel, Lunch & Prayer – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
02:00-04:00 Technical Parallel Sessions – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
04:00 – 04:30 Coffee Break
04:30-06:00 Technical Parallel Sessions – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
Day 2 – Onsite – December 2, 2024
8:00 – 9:30 Parallel Technical Sessions – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
9:30 – 10:00 Coffee Break
10:00 – 1:00 Keynotes: – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
Dr. Ali Al Hashmi
General Manager
Omantel General Manager Networks
Oman
PhD in operation and strategy management
Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
As a General Manager Networks, I report directly to the vice president Technology. Lead three senior managers with total workforce of 165 employees. Manage activities of Network Division to ensure that Omantel’s network solutions are designed to meet business requirements, comply with legislative rules and regulations, deployment of fixed and mobile networks, and associated networks are done in a fast and efficient manner. Also, manage 5G program in Omantel and a member of the Oman 5G national group. Plan and design first 5G network in Oman by deploying more than 900 5G sites by 2021. Likewise, design and deploy first NFV in Oman to support 5G core (NSA/ SA) and upcoming 5G use cases ( IoT, network slicing, uLLR, )
Ziyad bin Abdullah al Harbi
Vice-President of Strategic Planning
Asyad Group
Muscat, Oman
Bio: Strategic planning expert with 12 years + experience in formulating and executing long -term strategies, setting up new businesses and proven track record in transforming business planning and performance management cultures towards performance driven businesses in the maritime and logistics sector. He is currently heading ASYAD’s Group Strategic Planning, Governance, Risk Management and Compliance functions. He also sits at the Board of Directors of Sohar Port, Sohar Freezone and Skybridge Freight Solutions logistics company based in UAE. Ziyad holds Master’s degree in Transport and Shipping from the Netherlands Maritime University and a Bachelor degree in Maritime Business & Logistics Management from University of Tasmania, Australia.
Prof. Sunderesh S. Heragu
Regents Professor and Donald and Cathey Humphreys Chair
Department of Industrial Engineering & Management
College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
Presentation Title: Supply Chain Challenges and Opportunities in the Post COVID-19 Era
Bio
Sunderesh S. Heragu is a Regents Professor and holds the John Hendrix Chair at Oklahoma State University. He has served previously at the University of Louisville, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, State University of New York, Plattsburgh, and held visiting appointments at State University of New York, Buffalo, Technical University of Eindhoven, University of Twente, and IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center. Dr. Heragu is author of the 5th edition of Facilities Design and has authored or co-authored over two hundred articles. He has served as Principal investigator or co-investigator on research projects totaling over $27 million funded by the Department of Homeland Security, National Science Foundation, Defense Logistics Agency, and private companies such as General Electric. Dr. Heragu is President-elect for the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). He is a Fellow of the (IISE), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and the World Academy of Productivity Sciences (WAPS). He has received the Reed-Apple award from the Material Handling Institute, the David F Baker Distinguished Research award, the Fred C. Crane Distinguished Service award, and the Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award as well as best paper awards from IISE.
Abstract
n this talk, we will discuss the challenges as well as opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. We also look at disruptive innovation in the past fifteen years and study their impact not just during this time period, but also in a post COVID-19 era, whenever that happens. We will address short-term as well long-term supply chain challenges that are caused by natural causes and human actions and discuss why minimization of the negative environmental impacts caused by human activity as well as sustainability are topics that must be addressed seriously and immediately. We will present some optimization models that help us meet these challenges and help us turn these challenges into business opportunities.
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch and Prayer Break – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
02:00-04:00 Technical Parallel Sessions – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
04:00 – 04:30 Coffee Break
04:30-06:00 Technical Parallel Sessions – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
Day 3 – Onsite – December 3, 2024
8:00 – 9:30 Parallel Technical Sessions – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
9:30 – 10:00 Coffee Break
10:00 – 11:15 Parallel Technical Sessions – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
11:30 – 1:00 Keynotes – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
Humaid Al Bimani
Functional Process Safety Engineer
Petroleum Development Oman
Title of the Talk: Managing Cumulative Risk in Process Safety for Oil and Gas Facilities
Industry expertise and experience:
Humaid is a seasoned process safety professional with 17 years of extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, specializing in Technical Integrity, maintenance execution and Asset Integrity Process Safety assurances.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics Engineering from Sultan Qaboos University and a Master of Petroleum Technology from Curtin University in Australia. Throughout his career, he has held various technical integrity leadership roles at Petroleum Development Oman.
In his current position as Functional Process Safety Engineer and an SME, Humaid develops process safety strategies, cumulative risk and conducts a range of assurances related to process safety. He focuses on learning from process safety incidents within operational functions to ensure that assets are safe to operate.
Dr. Khaled Goher
Associate Professor
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department
Sultan Qaboos University
Muscat, Oman
Title: From Fields to Factories: Harnessing Robotics and Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Industrial Solutions
Bio: Khaled Goher is an Associate Professor in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Sultan Qaboos University, with over 20 years of international experience in academia and research. He has held key leadership roles, including Deputy Director of the Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Program at the University of Nottingham, and Founding Programme Leader for Biomedical Engineering, as well as Programme Leader for Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lincoln. Dr. Goher’s research expertise spans robotics, dynamics, and control, with innovative applications in agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing. He is the founder of the Soft Robotics Laboratory and has been instrumental in developing interdisciplinary programs that bridge industry and academia. A Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Dr. Goher has led high-impact projects funded by renowned organizations, advancing sustainable and AI-driven robotic solutions.
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch and Prayer Break – Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel
2:00 – 6:00 Social Program (Trip to National Museum, Matrah Souq)