Mining companies’ real competitive advantage is the speed at which they can adopt technology into their business that solves a business problem, while continuing to create value to society.
Michelle ASH has made significant contributions to the mining sector, focusing on innovation strategy, technology, and digital transformation, and focused on delivering sustainable solutions to create and shape our world through digital transformation and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
As Chair of the Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG), she helped develop best practices and guidelines for technology and socially enabled changes in mining. She is on advisory boards of startups, including Railveyor, OffWorld, Behault, and MineSpider.
Michelle was Chief Innovation Officer at Barrick Gold Corporation where she oversaw the company's innovation program. In 2016, Women in Mining UK named her one of “100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” and she won “Technology Innovator of the Year” from Mines and Technology in 2019.
Innovation in the nuclear industry is accelerating as the push for sustainability and agility drive companies to strive for ever greater differentiation, efficiency and safety. By breaking down the silos between people, processes, and data, the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform is a key catalyst in enabling this business transformation.
Thomas GRAND became Vice President, Energy & Materials Industry, Dassault Systèmes, in 2016.
He drives industry adoption of a new digital perspective of the full business lifecycle – innovation to recycling – to deliver sustainable life for the 21st century. Thomas helps companies in power, metals and minerals, chemicals, mining, and oil and gas create efficient and sustainable materials, processes, and facilities using Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Thomas began his career with British Energy as a systems engineer at Sizewell B nuclear power plant and then specialized in energy consulting and project management for IBM Business Consulting Services and AREVA. He joined corporate marketing at AREVA for the market analysis of nuclear and renewables, and later was vice president of strategic marketing.
Thomas has a master’s degree in energy management from the joint program of BI Norwegian Business School, IFP School in France, and ESCP Europe Business School, a bachelor’s degree in digital systems engineering from the University of West of England, and an associate’s degree in power engineering and industrial automation from Claude Bernard University in France.
Alice STEENLAND brings over 20 years of experience and a broad systems perspective to Dassault Systèmes, having held full-time or advisory positions in large multinationals, non-governmental organizations, rating agencies, consulting firms, academia, startups, and multilateral, working in both the U.S. and Europe on projects with global impact.
She was the founding Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at AXA Group, where she helped the company rise to a leading position in global sustainability rankings. Prior to joining AXA, she led the investor research arm of Vigeo, which is now a subsidiary of Moody’s, worked in the business consulting unit of Arthur Andersen, and acted as an independent consultant in the field of strategic planning for Save the Children USA.
She currently serves as a board member of ShareAction, a lecturer at Ecole Polytechnique in France, and an advisory committee member at the Yale School of Management, the impact fund Giant Ventures, and the leading French sustainability think tank IDDRI. Alice STEENLAND received her bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.
Richard leads the strategy and planning portfolio for BHP’s Technology division. He helped craft and design the strategy for BHP Technology and supports its deployment. His portfolio includes custodianship of the Strategy and Plan, deployment of the Data Strategy, support for the Cloud strategy, and roll out and deployment of 5 Digital Factories across BHP.
Richard has been a strategic advisor to BHP for the past 10 years in various capacities through his company Thought Partners Pty Limited and has been involved in programs in South Africa and Australia. In Australia, he supported supply chain uplift in Rail and Port operations; Truck productivity for Coal; and recently the strategy work with Technology.
Richard’s experience also encompasses entrepreneurship in start-ups, consulting with McKinsey in the minerals and petroleum sectors, and was an Engineer with Anglo American in deep-level gold mines.
Richard holds a B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, awarded with Honours, from the University of Cape Town.
Ouida applies her experience in international development to her work at BSR, where she advises global corporations across industries, but particularly extractives companies, on human rights, sustainable communities, and women’s empowerment.
She also previously supported BSR's HERproject.
Prior to joining BSR, Ouida worked with the United Nations Development Programme in Belize, where she developed and contributed to projects on water governance, gender equality, and disability rights. She also has worked at Community Partners International, a nonprofit dedicated to the well-being of the people of Myanmar. Ouida helped build New Global Citizens, an organization dedicated to engaging U.S. youth in global philanthropy and activism. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador, she worked closely with youth, women, and grassroots organizations.
As a Rotary World Peace Fellow, Ouida obtained an M.A. in International Relations from the Universidad del Salvador in Argentina. She also holds a B.A. in International Relations from Mount Holyoke College.
