Jessica Balasso
Head of Technology - Olympic Dam
BHP
Jessica Balasso is Head of Technology-Olympic Dam at BHP. She has worked in various leadership roles in the Mining industry over the last 10 years including engineering, production, maintenance, business improvement, and technology. Prior to this, she worked in the recruitment industry in South Australia and Western Australia. Jessica is currently heading up the technology team at Olympic Dam working on strategy, operational technology and improvement.
Head of Technology - Olympic Dam
BHP
Jessica Balasso is Head of Technology-Olympic Dam at BHP. She has worked in various leadership roles in the Mining industry over the last 10 years including engineering, production, maintenance, business improvement, and technology. Prior to this, she worked in the recruitment industry in South Australia and Western Australia. Jessica is currently heading up the technology team at Olympic Dam working on strategy, operational technology and improvement.
Adrian Beer
CEO
METS Ignited
Adrian is the Chief Executive Officer for METS Ignited. As a global industry leader, he brings extensive experience in the application of technology to the mining sector.
Adrian is passionate about collaborative transformation, business efficiency, and maximising the effectiveness of operations for the benefit of all stakeholders.
With a technical background in mineral processing, Adrian’s career spans project delivery, product technology strategy, small-scale technology start-ups and mining operations. Most recently, Adrian has held global executive strategy roles within two of the world’s largest industrial technology organisations.
As METS Ignited moves into the execution phase of its growth initiatives, Adrian is focussed on strategy delivery, further extending the reach of Australia’s leading Mining Equipment, Technology and Services sector.
CEO
METS Ignited
Adrian is the Chief Executive Officer for METS Ignited. As a global industry leader, he brings extensive experience in the application of technology to the mining sector.
Adrian is passionate about collaborative transformation, business efficiency, and maximising the effectiveness of operations for the benefit of all stakeholders.
With a technical background in mineral processing, Adrian’s career spans project delivery, product technology strategy, small-scale technology start-ups and mining operations. Most recently, Adrian has held global executive strategy roles within two of the world’s largest industrial technology organisations.
As METS Ignited moves into the execution phase of its growth initiatives, Adrian is focussed on strategy delivery, further extending the reach of Australia’s leading Mining Equipment, Technology and Services sector.
Peter Evans
Director at MineLiDAR Pty Ltd
Senior Geotechnical Engineer at MineGeoTech Pty Ltd
Peter Evans, Director of MineLiDAR, specialises in the capture and analysis of mobile LiDAR data for geotechnical investigations. Prior to MINELiDAR, Peter was the senior geotech engineer at MineGeoTech, and worked as a geotech engineer at mines in Australia and Asia. Peter has a BEng (Geological) and a MEngSc (Geomechanics).
Director at MineLiDAR Pty Ltd
Senior Geotechnical Engineer at MineGeoTech Pty Ltd
Peter Evans, Director of MineLiDAR, specialises in the capture and analysis of mobile LiDAR data for geotechnical investigations. Prior to MINELiDAR, Peter was the senior geotech engineer at MineGeoTech, and worked as a geotech engineer at mines in Australia and Asia. Peter has a BEng (Geological) and a MEngSc (Geomechanics).
Ben Groeneveld
Product Manager - Mining Data Management
Deswik
Ben is a mining engineer by trade with a keen interest in how technology can improve efficiencies in the mining industry. He has over 10 years of experience working across planning and operational roles at Underground and Open Pit metal sites across Australia, Asia and Africa. He has a PhD from the Western Australia School of Mines where he developed an interest in optimisation, data analysis and programming. Currently, he is Product Manager for Deswik.MDM which is Deswik’s technical workflow and data management system that is seeking to improve your sites productivity by managing a sites planning data and exposing this to other systems.
Product Manager - Mining Data Management
Deswik
Ben is a mining engineer by trade with a keen interest in how technology can improve efficiencies in the mining industry. He has over 10 years of experience working across planning and operational roles at Underground and Open Pit metal sites across Australia, Asia and Africa. He has a PhD from the Western Australia School of Mines where he developed an interest in optimisation, data analysis and programming. Currently, he is Product Manager for Deswik.MDM which is Deswik’s technical workflow and data management system that is seeking to improve your sites productivity by managing a sites planning data and exposing this to other systems.
Jordan Herrmann
Technical Sales Specialist
Maptek
Since joining Maptek in 2005 Jordan Herrmann has been involved with Maptek laser scanner hardware production, sales and customer support. He specialises in showcasing, installing and supporting technology solution trials, including high level implementation across operations and organisations. Working closely with site geologists, geotechnical engineers and surveyors as well as corporate management teams, Jordan is a highly regarded professional helping Australian and international spatial solution customers.
Technical Sales Specialist
Maptek
Since joining Maptek in 2005 Jordan Herrmann has been involved with Maptek laser scanner hardware production, sales and customer support. He specialises in showcasing, installing and supporting technology solution trials, including high level implementation across operations and organisations. Working closely with site geologists, geotechnical engineers and surveyors as well as corporate management teams, Jordan is a highly regarded professional helping Australian and international spatial solution customers.
Dr. Stefan Hrabar
CEO and Co-founder
Emesent
Dr. Stefan Hrabar is the CEO and co-founder of Emesent and has been at the forefront of drone autonomy R&D for nearly 20 years. Following his PhD in Computer Science/Robotics on this topic, he spent 13 years at CSIRO where he continued his work on vision and lidar-based perception and navigation for drones. He led the development and commercialisation of Hovermap in CSIRO, and co-founded Emesent to bring this ground-breaking technology to market for mining and other applications.
CEO and Co-founder
Emesent
Dr. Stefan Hrabar is the CEO and co-founder of Emesent and has been at the forefront of drone autonomy R&D for nearly 20 years. Following his PhD in Computer Science/Robotics on this topic, he spent 13 years at CSIRO where he continued his work on vision and lidar-based perception and navigation for drones. He led the development and commercialisation of Hovermap in CSIRO, and co-founded Emesent to bring this ground-breaking technology to market for mining and other applications.
Genene Kleppe
Founder and CEO
Digital Twinning Australia
Genene Kleppe is the founder and CEO of Digital Twinning Australia, an industrial automation company specialising in digital management of physical assets. With over 20 years consulting in strategic asset management and technology architecture, Genéne’s experience in mining and infrastructure spans finance, engineering, programming, transport/logistics, utilities and the odd port.
Drawing on her career experience [from being the first professional woman on a mine site for BHP IO] along with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, graduate diploma in organisational psychology and an MBA, her expertise has led her to create an industry-leading sychronising Digital Twin technology [DTAL]. DTAL democratises information whilst optimising RoCE in a world of ever-shorter asset lifecycles.
Founder and CEO
Digital Twinning Australia
Genene Kleppe is the founder and CEO of Digital Twinning Australia, an industrial automation company specialising in digital management of physical assets. With over 20 years consulting in strategic asset management and technology architecture, Genéne’s experience in mining and infrastructure spans finance, engineering, programming, transport/logistics, utilities and the odd port.
Drawing on her career experience [from being the first professional woman on a mine site for BHP IO] along with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, graduate diploma in organisational psychology and an MBA, her expertise has led her to create an industry-leading sychronising Digital Twin technology [DTAL]. DTAL democratises information whilst optimising RoCE in a world of ever-shorter asset lifecycles.
Simon Ratcliffe
Head of Experimentation and Technology
Maptek
Simon Ratcliffe has worked on various hardware and software development projects at Maptek since 1995. As our inaugural Chief Technology Officer he drove the strategic objectives for solutions development to meet industry needs. Now Head of Experimentation & Technology, Simon focuses on identifying and exploring new ideas for technology applications.
Head of Experimentation and Technology
Maptek
Simon Ratcliffe has worked on various hardware and software development projects at Maptek since 1995. As our inaugural Chief Technology Officer he drove the strategic objectives for solutions development to meet industry needs. Now Head of Experimentation & Technology, Simon focuses on identifying and exploring new ideas for technology applications.
Jason Richards
Global Product Strategy Manager
Maptek
As one of the Global Product Strategy Managers for Maptek, Jason Richards brings a wealth of experience across geological and spatial measurement applications to improving industry outcomes. Jason is dedicated to understanding industry drivers and trends to improve productivity for spatial data users. He will showcase a new approach that automatically converts a data feed from any and all available spatial data into dynamic single source of truth live models.
Global Product Strategy Manager
Maptek
As one of the Global Product Strategy Managers for Maptek, Jason Richards brings a wealth of experience across geological and spatial measurement applications to improving industry outcomes. Jason is dedicated to understanding industry drivers and trends to improve productivity for spatial data users. He will showcase a new approach that automatically converts a data feed from any and all available spatial data into dynamic single source of truth live models.
Andrew Rouse
CEO
Digital Terrain Pty Ltd
An MBA qualified Mining Engineer, Andrew has over 21 years’ experience in underground metalliferous and open cut coal. His on-going focus is on delivering industry leading, integrated management systems and technology improvements.
Since 2008 PYBAR Mining Services; Chief Services Officer/ Board Member. Current responsibilities include finance, supply, technology, business systems and ICT.
Intimately involved with production reporting, tendering and mine planning. Andrew has extensive experience in business intelligence and solution architecture. He has worked across three significant JV’s as part of the owner’s team; BMA, Mount Thorley Warkworth and Ulan, providing insight into how the industry’s major mining houses operate at a senior level; BHP, Rio Tinto, Xstrata.
CEO
Digital Terrain Pty Ltd
An MBA qualified Mining Engineer, Andrew has over 21 years’ experience in underground metalliferous and open cut coal. His on-going focus is on delivering industry leading, integrated management systems and technology improvements.
Since 2008 PYBAR Mining Services; Chief Services Officer/ Board Member. Current responsibilities include finance, supply, technology, business systems and ICT.
Intimately involved with production reporting, tendering and mine planning. Andrew has extensive experience in business intelligence and solution architecture. He has worked across three significant JV’s as part of the owner’s team; BMA, Mount Thorley Warkworth and Ulan, providing insight into how the industry’s major mining houses operate at a senior level; BHP, Rio Tinto, Xstrata.
Stephen Rowles
Product Manager - Survey
Deswik
Stephen is a qualified mine surveyor who has over 10 years’ experience underground in Western Australia and 2 years’ experience in engineering surveying in the UK. He has worked for Barrick, Goldfields and Sirius/IGO. At the Nova project in WA he worked in partnership with Deswik to develop the surveying functionality that now exists in Deswik. His role within Deswik is to develop the surveying product and provide scoping, training, implementation and analysis for operations around the world.
Product Manager - Survey
Deswik
Stephen is a qualified mine surveyor who has over 10 years’ experience underground in Western Australia and 2 years’ experience in engineering surveying in the UK. He has worked for Barrick, Goldfields and Sirius/IGO. At the Nova project in WA he worked in partnership with Deswik to develop the surveying functionality that now exists in Deswik. His role within Deswik is to develop the surveying product and provide scoping, training, implementation and analysis for operations around the world.
Andrew Scott
Principal Innovator
Symbiotic Innovations
Andrew Scott, National Cluster Development Manager, METS Ignited; Executive Chairman, Queensland Robotics and Director and Secretary for Hydrogen Queensland (H2Q)
With a long history in technology innovation, Andrew has over 30 years of experience in the resource industry working wIth Placer Dome and Barrick Gold. He studied biotechnology and computer science at the University of Queensland. Andrew is part of the founding team for the Global Mining Guidelines collaboration group (now in it’s 12th Year of operation). Queensland Robotics (a member of Robotics Australia – growing the robotics Industry globally), is a competitive cluster where Industry, Researchers, Government, Entrepreneurs, Startups and Venture capitalists are working together to grow the Australian robotics industry through collaboration, trust and innovation. METS Ignited is a Industry Growth Centre for the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services Sectors and is focused on technology commercialisation and is very active in competitive cluster development.
Andrew is interested in deep symbiotic collaboration to stimulate, promote and realise positive outcomes for humanity and the planet earth.
Principal Innovator
Symbiotic Innovations
Andrew Scott, National Cluster Development Manager, METS Ignited; Executive Chairman, Queensland Robotics and Director and Secretary for Hydrogen Queensland (H2Q)
With a long history in technology innovation, Andrew has over 30 years of experience in the resource industry working wIth Placer Dome and Barrick Gold. He studied biotechnology and computer science at the University of Queensland. Andrew is part of the founding team for the Global Mining Guidelines collaboration group (now in it’s 12th Year of operation). Queensland Robotics (a member of Robotics Australia – growing the robotics Industry globally), is a competitive cluster where Industry, Researchers, Government, Entrepreneurs, Startups and Venture capitalists are working together to grow the Australian robotics industry through collaboration, trust and innovation. METS Ignited is a Industry Growth Centre for the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services Sectors and is focused on technology commercialisation and is very active in competitive cluster development.
Andrew is interested in deep symbiotic collaboration to stimulate, promote and realise positive outcomes for humanity and the planet earth.
Dr. Jeremy Sofonia
Technical Evangelist
Emesent
Dr. Jeremy Sofonia has been working on a wide variety of projects, all over the world for the last 20 years with a specialisation in remote sensing applications and fieldwork in remote, dangerous and challenging environments. His PhD was focused on the utility of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in Remote Sensing. As the Technical Evangelist at Emesent, Dr. Jeremy Sofonia works with Hovermap customers and industry organisations to explore new uses cases and promote technical excellence. He has completed hundreds of data capture missions across Africa and other mines around the world.
Technical Evangelist
Emesent
Dr. Jeremy Sofonia has been working on a wide variety of projects, all over the world for the last 20 years with a specialisation in remote sensing applications and fieldwork in remote, dangerous and challenging environments. His PhD was focused on the utility of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in Remote Sensing. As the Technical Evangelist at Emesent, Dr. Jeremy Sofonia works with Hovermap customers and industry organisations to explore new uses cases and promote technical excellence. He has completed hundreds of data capture missions across Africa and other mines around the world.
Jim Stuart
Senior Vice President, Sales and Customer Success
Emesent
Jim has been leading technology companies for more than 25 years, having helps some of the biggest brands realise hyper growth. His experience covers software product innovation, digital strategy development and implementation, business transformation and operational excellence. Jim now leads the commercial development activities for Emesent, an autonomy and robotics system manufacture based in Brisbane, Australia. Prior to Emesent, Jim led Lloyd’s Register’s Digital business unit which provides software and digital solutions focused on asset health and reliability management. Prior to LR, Jim held various leadership with the leading oil and gas software provider, Paradigm (now part of Emerson).Qualifications
MSc Applied Science
BDesign
Senior Vice President, Sales and Customer Success
Emesent
Jim has been leading technology companies for more than 25 years, having helps some of the biggest brands realise hyper growth. His experience covers software product innovation, digital strategy development and implementation, business transformation and operational excellence. Jim now leads the commercial development activities for Emesent, an autonomy and robotics system manufacture based in Brisbane, Australia. Prior to Emesent, Jim led Lloyd’s Register’s Digital business unit which provides software and digital solutions focused on asset health and reliability management. Prior to LR, Jim held various leadership with the leading oil and gas software provider, Paradigm (now part of Emerson).Qualifications
MSc Applied Science
BDesign