2023 Keynote Speakers — BIM Gathering

Keynote Speakers for Gathering 2023

	Léon van Berlo, BuildingSmart International Léon van Berlo is a distinguished figure in buildingSMART, significantly influencing the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. His expertise in building information modeling (BIM) and commitment to promoting open standards have helped shape the global approach to construction technology. Van Berlo's strategic insights and practical experience have driven innovation and improved interoperability in the industry, earning him recognition as a thought leader in his field.
	Ronan Collins, HSS Engineers Ronan Collins is a chartered engineer with over 25 years of experience in the construction industry. He is passionate about BIM and has dedicated his career to driving innovation and digital transformation in the industry. Ronan has implemented digital solutions and services for large-scale developments all over the world, including airports, hotels, railways, universities, exhibition centres, casinos, and complex industrial projects. He is a certified BIM Manager and provides expert advice on the specification, planning, and implementation of digital engineering processes.
	Enda Geraghty, John Sisk & Son Enda has over 9 years’ of experience on BIM projects in the engineering consultancy and construction sectors. He joined Sisk in 2015 where he started as a BIM Engineer on Irelands first public works contract with BIM level 2 requirements. Enda was a key member of the team involved in achieving BIM Level 2 accreditation within John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd. and ensures the company’s approach to Digital Project Delivery is implemented across the projects within his region. Enda is currently the BIM Lead for Regional Building within Sisk.
	Jessica Hartnett, John Sisk & Son Jessica has been with Sisk for 8 years working across the UK and Ireland. Joining as an Engineer on a large scale civil project, Jessica worked with the Civil and Rail business units working on various performance improvement projects upgrading the digital delivery on projects, including being part of the team to achieve ISO19650 accreditation in 2020. Having returned to Ireland in 2023, Jessica is currently Information Systems Manager for Regional Building within Sisk.
	Georgios Kontopoulos, PwC Georgios Kontopoulos is a Chartered Engineer with extended experience in strategy development and execution of major capital projects and reform programmes in Greece, the United Kingdom and France. As a Manager at PwC Greece, he actively supports the European Commission towards the digitalisation of the built environment, preparing the ground for a construction data space, supporting the digitalisation of building permit systems, and promoting the adoption of BIM in public procurement across Member States. Georgios is also involved with the development of the national BIM Strategy & Roadmap for the Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. In the past, as a Civil Engineer, Georgios acquired important experience in the design management and construction of large rail and high-rise building projects in London.
	Stephen Lynam, Office of Government Procurement Stephen Lynam has worked in the construction industry for 35 years, commencing his career on site as a general operative in the private sector, progressing into design as a Civil Engineering Technician in the Office of Public Works, and Architectural Technician in the Department of Education and Skills. There, he furthered his studies and became a Civil Engineer in 2007 and completed a master’s degree in Information Communication Technology at Dublin Institute of Technology in 2015. Stephen moved to a new position as Technical Adviser for Construction Contracts in the Office of Government Procurement in 2018. In his role there he has the responsibility to develop a plan for the implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) across Public Works Contracts and the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF). As a seasoned construction professional within the Civil Service he is passionate about advancing BIM in Ireland and in particular, for the Public Works Contracts.
	David Philp, Cohesive David Philp is Chief Value Officer at Cohesive Group. With over 30 years in industry, David is a Chartered Construction Manager by background. He has previously worked with Balfour Beatty, Mace and AECOM. As CVO he is responsible for driving customer-centricity and creating sustainable value for clients across their asset lifecycle and portfolios. David has been involved in delivering innovative projects, digital change strategies and digital asset management strategies across the globe.
	Carolina Soto Ogueta, Planbim Carolina Soto is the Executive Director of Planbim_Corfo, a program of the Chilean government. Since Planbim’s inception in 2015, she has led this initiative which aims to foster the digital transformation of the AEC industry at a country level. In addition, she was Chair of the Latin American BIM Governments Network from 2019 to 2022, and is currently a partner at Factor Digital, a consulting firm focused on Digital Transformation. She is an architect from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and holds a Master of Science degree in Design and Computation from MIT.
	Simon Tritschler, BAM UK & Ireland Simon is a Digital Construction Specialist for BAM UK & Ireland responsible for the deployment of Autodesk Construction Cloud for the segment. A Land Surveyor by profession, during his 25+ years in the construction industry he has worked as a consultant, trainer and team manager on projects across the EU and Middle East. While responsible for the deployment and adoption of the B360 suite, he is also a key advocate and speaker on the adoption of digital technologies and Lean culture including a big stage presentation at AU2019. Simon has a successful track record for building high performance agile teams that operate in high stress environments and deliver world class results.
	May Winfield, Buro Happold May is the Global Director of Commercial, Legal and Digital Risks at international engineering firm, BuroHappold. May is a senior construction lawyer of over 19 years’ experience and is recognised as a leading legal specialist in BIM and construction technology. May has co-authored various documents in this field, including legal guidance on the ISO19650, an ISO19650-compliant Information Protocol and a JCT Practice Note on BIM. She is one of the co-authors of the Centre for Digital Built Britain’s Digital Twins Roadmap and Digital Twins Toolkit Report. May won Best Woman in Construction Law in the Women in Construction and Engineering Awards 2020, was named as one of the Construction Idols by London Build 2022, and most recently won the Compliance Innovator award at the highly regarded Lexology European Counsel Awards 2023.
	Tony Woods, Midland Steel Tony Woods is the Managing Director of Midland Steel Reinforcement Supplies. Tony has over 30 years' experience in the construction industry with emphasis on reinforced concrete structures and frames. Midland Steel established its head office in Mountmellick in 1998 and in later years, expanded to Scotland, Newcastle, London, and Norway. Tony’s leadership directs strategic development, managing financial performance and growth enabling efficiency, ensuring the group's position is stronger year on year, focusing on customer service collaboration and innovation in BIM through Tekla.