Bryan has worked in metallurgy and processing for the last 30 years across a variety of roles spanning operations management, project development, innovation, and corporate technical leadership. He graduated from the University of Alberta in Canada with a degree in Metallurgical Engineering and has since worked in lead/zinc, gold and copper mineral processing and hydrometallurgy. He has been fortunate enough to work at and with many of the global top-tier mill operating assets over the last three decades, including Red Dog, Escondida, Cerro Verde, Morenci, Highland Valley Copper, Polaris, Olympic Dam, Grasberg, Antamina, and Quebrada Blanca in a variety of technical roles spanning design , commissioning, and operational management. Previous recent roles include Technical Director Processing at Teck Resources, Director Metallurgical Solutions Americas at Freeport McMoRan, and he is currently Head of Global Metallurgy and Processing at BHP. Bryan is passionate about leveraging fundamental science and engineering acumen, coupled with a healthy dose of creativity and curiosity, to advance our industry towards more efficient ways of producing the products our global society needs.

Jasper Schaffer is an Engineer at Woodgrove Technologies, where he specializes in Advanced Process Control (APC) integration and global client engagement. He has extensive experience with Woodgrove’s PARC® and AwaRE® systems, delivering control solutions that bridge the gap between operator challenges and optimal plant performance. Jasper has contributed to projects across a wide range of operations and jurisdictions, consistently driving sustainable and long-term results for clients. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. Outside of work, he is an avid sailor and has a strong interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Alec is currently the Senior Metallurgist at MMG Dugald River. His career has taken him to MMG Rosebery & Dugald River Mines and Mount Isa Mines over 8 years. He has experience developing control solutions for complex systems, leading implementations of Soft sensors, Advanced process control and more recently Digital twins. Alec is currently acting as the Processing Support Superintendent.

Doctor of Industrial Chemistry and Reaction Engineering with over 15 years of experience in process modeling and simulation. Possessing a robust academic background, I have worked across various fields, including electrochemical reactor design, oil refining, renewable fuels production, and metallurgy. With more than 10 years of experience in Research and Development (R&D), successfully managing large-scale modeling projects and collaborating with diverse stakeholders. My role often involves coordinating with cross-functional teams, including engineers, operators and business leaders, to drive innovative solutions leading to optimized processes. Currently, I focus on applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to process modeling and optimization. This involves integrating chemical engineering expertise with advanced modeling techniques. My primary areas of interest include first-principle's modelling, deep reinforcement learning, and scientific machine learning. I am dedicated to leveraging digital solutions to drive process optimization and create significant value, always striving to push the boundaries of innovation in the field.

Brian is the Director of Application Engineering for the Grinding Media Division of ME Elecmetal. He graduated with a degree in Mining and Mineral Process Engineering from UBC in 1985. He has worked at various operations globally including Canada, PNG, Peru, and Australia. In 2017 he joined ME Elecmetal and soon realized why he had all his previous jobs. Brian is now a dual citizen based regional Melbourne, Australia.