Opening Keynote & Plenary Session | Monday May 5 | 8:30 | Room 710

Innovation and Artificial Intelligence

The Opening Plenary features a keynote address on the transformative role of innovation and artificial intelligence in the minerals industry, showcasing how these advancements are shaping decarbonization efforts and accelerating the energy transition. Following the keynote, a dynamic panel of industry leaders and experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities in leveraging technology to build a resilient and sustainable minerals sector.

Keynote Speaker: Rohitesh Dhawan

President and Chief Executive Officer, ICMM

Rohitesh “Ro” Dhawan is the President and CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), leading 24 CEOs of the world’s largest mining and metals companies in advancing responsible mining. Under his leadership, ICMM has made key commitments to sustainability, including industry-wide net-zero emissions, nature-positive actions, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and improved transparency on industry contributions.

Ro is a Fellow and faculty member of the Africa Leadership Initiative, a Raisina Fellow at the Asian Forum on Global Governance, and serves on several advisory boards. He has been recognized as a climate change leader in South Africa and has contributed to the UK Government’s PACT Programme.