Keynote Speakers – IEOM 2026 Wollongong
Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Welcome Address by Conference Chair: 11:00 – 11:20 am
Dr. Matthew Pepper
Director, Centre for Supply Chain Research
School of Business, Faculty of Business and Law
University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
Matt’s PhD research centred on the design and application of continuous improvement frameworks in process industry supply chains. Recent research and consultancy activities focus on lean thinking, six sigma-based process improvement and supply chain design and optimisation. Matt has undertaken research and consultancy across a range of industry sectors, including the manufacturing and process industries as well as local government. Most recently his work has focused on the implementation of continuous improvement in service environments. Matt is a member of the Editorial Advisory Boards for the Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education. He is also an Associate Editor for the Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management and the IIMK Society and Management Review Journal.
Keynote I: November 24, 2026, 11:20 – 12:00 pm
Romy Baker MBA, Grad Dip Admin, GAICD, RN
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Business Excellence Australia
Romy’s career commenced with nursing and operating room training and then she developed her career to the level of a senior executive in the health industry with a strong record of accomplishment in a range of health-related roles in the private and public sectors. As Chief Executive of one of the largest private hospitals in Australia, St John of God Subiaco, Romy led the organisation through a major building redevelopment, and a financial and corporate reorganisation. Her unique combination of business acumen, project management, strategic leadership skills and nursing have also been utilised in planning, designing, developing and establishing general practice medical centres.
Prior to this she oversaw the building of a research institute and project managed the amalgamation of four leading research centres, creating a major national research institute, Westmead Millennium Institute.
Romy has consulted to several health organisations including Day Hospitals Australia and now focuses on business improvement. Since 1993 Romy has had a special interest in business excellence and has used the Australian Business Excellence Framework (ABEF) to guide and develop high performing, resilient organisations. She is an experienced evaluator with the Business Excellence Australia.
Keynote II: November 24, 2026, 12:00 – 12:40 pm
Wednesday, November 25, 2026
Keynote III, Wednesday, November 25, 2026, 11:20 – 12:00 pm
Professor Olivia Mirza
Associate Dean, Engagement
School of Engineering, Design & Built Environment
Western Sydney University
Sydney, Australia
Topic: Sustainability in Engineering Projects
Professor Olivia Mirza was one of the sixteen Golden Jubilee Scholarship holder at University of New South Wales in 2000. She graduated in Honours Bachelor of Civil and Environmental in 2002. She worked as a structural engineer for 8 years before pursuing her academic career. She worked for Leighton Contractors (Student Engineer), Australia Consulting Engineers (Structural Engineer) and Cardno Group (Senior Engineer – International Projects). Professor Mirza is currently Professor and Associate Dean Engagement in School Engineering, Design and Built Environment. She is also Research Theme Champion at University level under Pro-Vice Chancellor Research, Enterprise and International. She is also the President for Engineers Australia, Sydney Division. Some of her outstanding projects she worked on was M7 motorway, One Shelley Street, King Street Wharf, Sydney where the external structural support system supported by diagrid for sustainable purposes. She was the lead structural engineer for the diagrid. The building was awarded a 6-star Green Star “World Leader” rating and the highest environmental building rating achievable in Australia. She is also leading the fire design in the Tower 5 of the New York World Trade Centre.
She is distinguished in her forensic bridge rehabilitation. She was the lead design engineer for Sydney Harbour bridge where she proposed a resilient alternative by incorporating steel-concrete composite theory and capability of being precast and modular. This project also involved in retrofitting the new precast modular section onto the existing steel girder. Her passion for making changes to conventional engineering and fulfill Australia 2050 net zero pledge shows with the recent Parramatta light rail Stage 1 construction using Macro Synthetic Fibres Reinforced Concrete for slab track. It was Australia first (MSFRC) and longest green track.
Professor Mirza is a strong advocate for encouraging more women into the engineering profession. Australia like most other countries in the world has a shortage of engineers and it is Olivia’s vision to increase the number of women engineers. In 2016 she set up a group called “WoW” Women of Wisdom for Western Sydney University. WoW is to help with the retention of female student in Construction and Engineering field. She managed to increase the female participation from 17% to 35%.
Keynote IV, Wednesday, November 25, 2026, 12:00 – 12:40 pm
Professor Dr Sami Kara
School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Topic: Decarbonisation and Sustainability of Manufacturing Industry towards Net-Zero
Dr Kara is a professor of sustainable manufacturing and life cycle engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney Australia (www.lceresearch.unsw.edu.au). He has a professional background of more than 30 years in industry, research, and tertiary education, including several engineering and management positions in manufacturing companies in Australia and around the world. His research interest is in developing technology solutions with a life cycle view by using circular economy strategies to decarbonize and reduce environmental impact of manufacturing industry while helping them create value. He has authored more than 300 peer reviewed scientific publications.
He is regularly invited as a Subject Matter Expert to review Australian and international government proposals in decarbonization of the manufacturing industry and environmental sustainability. He also works as an advisor for various international organizations in providing strategic directions to decarbonize their organizations towards achieving their net-zero targets.
Professor Kara is an elected fellow of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP), Royal society of New South Wales, UNSW Scientia Education Academy, International Academy of Engineering and Technology (AET), and German National Academy of Science and Engineering (ACATECH).
Thursday, November 26, 2026
Keynote V, Thursday, November 26, 2026, 11:20 – 12:00 pm
Keynote VI, Thursday, November 26, 2026, 12:00 – 12:40 pm