AK Karan
A.K. Karan is the VP of advanced engineering & innovation at Baxter International, a leading medical device supplier. Karan joined Baxter in 2021 and currently leads the strategy for the company’s automation, digital-transformation, and operational-excellence processes. Prior to joining Baxter, Karan held a variety of leadership roles spanning engineering, operations and digital transformation.
Jamie Simpson
David Hinkler
David Hinkler brings over three decades of comprehensive manufacturing expertise to the table. His career spans 17 years in Operational Technology (including industrial controls, automation systems, manufacturing execution systems, and quality systems) complemented by 16 years in Information Technology (covering ERP implementations, IT/OT integrations, security, and advanced analytics).
With leadership experience across multiple industries – from Life Sciences (15 years) and Food & Beverage (8 years) to Automotive (5 years) and Chemical (4 years) – David has developed exceptional depth of knowledge in industrial controls, data integration, manufacturing execution systems, quality management, and security implementations.
As a recognized industry expert, David has contributed to numerous technical committees and publications, including IEC 62443, ISA-95, BioPhorum, and MESA Smart Manufacturing, establishing himself as a thought leader in manufacturing technology integration and digital transformation.
James N. Boudreau
David McGee
Asher Fink
