Michael Benning
Michael brings over 30 years of experience in various project and operations management roles in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors. Prior to joining IpX, Michael was the Director of Program Management and was tasked with establishing a Change & Configuration Management competence based on CM2 principles at a tier-1 automotive manufacturer. This global competency included 2 Change Leaders, 1 Change Implementation Leader, 2 Audit Release Analysts, a Director of Change Management, and had direct oversight to the CAD services team. In addition to rationalizing existing product portfolios, and integrating CM2 principles with legacy engineering and operations processes, the team implemented a configurator platform.
Panel: Deploying AI - Separating the Noise from the Nuggets
This panel cuts through the buzz to reveal what it really takes to deploy AI effectively. Experts will explore how to identify high-value opportunities, measure ROI, and position AI as a strategic asset. From workforce impact and change management to data readiness and workflow integration, the discussion will highlight key lessons learned and practical advice for driving real results.
Whether you're scaling AI or just getting started, this session will help you focus on what matters most.
- Cut Through the Hype: Learn how to assess and prioritize AI use cases that align with real business outcomes—not just trends.
- Enable the Workforce: Understand the change management and up skilling needed to integrate AI without alienating teams.
- Build the Right Foundation: Discover what data, infrastructure, and leadership alignment are essential for sustainable AI success
Whether navigating cultural resistance or technical complexity, attendees will gain actionable strategies for using AI to drive measurable improvement—not just innovation for its own sake.
Turning Process into Performance: The Real Meaning of Operational Excellence
Operational excellence isn’t a slogan—it’s what customers experience when everything just works. In this keynote, Michael Benning will unpack what true excellence looks like beneath the surface: not vanity metrics, but disciplined processes, aligned value streams, and enterprise-wide change control that consistently deliver quality, reliability, and trust.
Drawing from years of hands-on leadership, Michael will show how organizations can move beyond disconnected improvement efforts to create a performance system where process becomes a strategic enabler of excellence.
Attendees will gain a practical blueprint for:
- Embedding quality at the point of decision—not inspection
- Building scalable processes that adapt without breaking
- Aligning teams around value-driven execution
- Measuring performance by impact, not activity
This keynote will leave attendees with a clear understanding that true operational excellence is not a destination—it’s a capability that organizations must develop to compete, scale, and serve with integrity.