Panel Discussion

Panel Discussion: Adoption of AI in Real-world Industrial Operations: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

Date: 10 December 2025

Time: 09:40AM-10:40AM

Venue: Singapore Management University, Singapore

Dr Partha Adhikari
Associate Technical Fellow (ATF)
Boeing Designated Expert (BDE)
Principal Data Scientist
Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM)
Boeing AI, India

Dr Partha Adhikari is an Associate Technical Fellow (ATF), Boeing Designated Expert (BDE) in Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) and Principal Data Scientist at Boeing AI, India. He has over 27 years of technical experience in Diagnostics & Prognostics (D&P), Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Health Management, Modeling and Simulation, Digital Twin technologies, and Multi-sensor Data Fusion across Défense and Aerospace organizations including Airbus, Canadian Aerospace, the Aeronautical Development Agency, and Research Centre Imarat (DRDO). As Technical Leader for the Predictive Maintenance portfolio, Partha drives technology solutions for diagnostics and prognostics of aircraft subsystems, AI-driven engineering efficiency, and the development of predictive maintenance strategies and technology roadmap. He holds 6 patents, 3 Meritorious Invention Awards and 6 trade secrets. Partha has 38 publications / talks including international conference / journal papers, keynotes in external events and tech talks in Boeing & Universities to help advance knowledge in the fields of IVHM & Data Analytics. He is a member of the SAE IVHM Standards Committee (HM1) and a key contributor to SAE ARP 6887: V&V of IVHM. He has also authored a book chapter on digital enablers for industry. His recognitions include “Engineering Team of the Year,” “Performance Innovation,” “Best of the BTEC Conference,” the “CTO LEAN Award,” and honours from SAE, among others. Partha holds a B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics and a B.Tech. in Opto-electronics from Calcutta University, and an M.E. in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST).

Dr Ahmed Farahat
Director
Applied AI R&D
Industrial AI Laboratory
Hitachi America Ltd

Dr. Ahmed Farahat is a Director, Applied AI R&D, at the Industrial AI Laboratory at Hitachi America, Ltd. R&D. He holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of Waterloo in Canada, as well as M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees from Cairo University in Egypt, all in Computer Engineering. Ahmed is deeply passionate about applying AI and advanced technologies to solve complex challenges in industry, aiming to foster significant societal advancements. He has co-invented over 30 patents and contributed to more than 40 scholarly papers.

Dr. Ng Huey Yuen
Coordinating Director of Research and Development, SIMTech & ARTC
Head of Technology Development, The Sectoral AI Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing (AIMfg)
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

Dr. Ng Huey Yuen serves as the Coordinating Director of Research and Development at SIMTech & ARTC, where he leads research divisions in the areas of Autonomous Manufacturing and Resilient Value Chain. He is also the Head of Technology Development at the Sectoral AI Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing (AIMfg), where he drives co-innovation and oversees projects aimed at implementing and scaling AI solutions within the manufacturing sector.

Previously, Dr. Ng directed the Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO) at SIMTech & ARTC, where he was responsible for managing Continuing Education and Training (CET) programs focused on upskilling the advanced manufacturing workforce.

With expertise in manufacturing operations management, Dr. Ng specializes in inventory optimization and digital transformation. He has played a key role in transformative R&D projects, including the redesign of Singapore's port value chain to achieve just-in-time efficiencies.

As an ACTA-certified trainer, Dr. Ng is dedicated to sharing his knowledge with industry professionals and regularly lectures on inventory network optimization. He also contributes as a member of the Smart Manufacturing Technical Committee, helping to establish essential standards that promote growth within the manufacturing sector.

Dr. Ng holds a PhD in Engineering (Manufacturing & Management) from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor's degree (1st Class Honours) in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Imperial College London. He was a recipient of the A*STAR National Science Scholarship (BS-PhD).

Dr Haissam Wakeb
Head of Strategic Projects - CEO Office
Technology Innovation Institute (TII)

Deep Tech Technology-agnostic thought leader with 20 years of experience transforming innovation into national capability and economic value across Defence, Security, Space, and Civil sectors.

Armed with a PhD in Technology Transfer, I specialize in bridging science and complex R&D into commercially viable solutions. I have led ecosystem development and shaped policy and strategies through G2G and B2G engagements across the Middle East, Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America.

My approach is rooted in strategic execution. I operate across industries with a focus on measurable impact-translating vision into outcomes and innovation into real-world value.

As a leader, I champion integrity, adaptability, and bold communication. I believe leadership means creating space for others to experiment, fail forward, and rise. Impact starts with trust-and thrives in environments where people are empowered to lead with purpose.

Moderator:

Dr Savitha Ramasamy
Principal Scientist II
Deputy Division Head of Advanced Sustainable Manufacturing Division
Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R)
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Singapore

Dr Savitha Ramasamy is a Principal Scientist and Research Group Leader at A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research, where she leads teams in advancing open-world learning to create AI models that are robust, transparent, and trustworthy.

Her research is driven by real-world challenges, and she works across the TRL scale, from early-stage research to deployment in operational environments. This allows her to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI and its adoption in industries where asset reliability and resilience are vital.

She collaborates with partners across airlines, MRO providers, maritime operators, and manufacturers to develops AI solutions for tracking, monitoring, and preventing failures in engineering assets such as aircraft, vessels, and building systems. Currently, she spearheads a joint research lab with a major Southeast Asian airline, with the objective of delivering innovations to improve the airline operations, including averting costly disruptions like flight delays and Aircraft-on-Ground incidents. She has been recognized as the 100 Women in Tech, and 100 Women in GovTech.