Dr. Ahmed Al-Ashaab hold PhD in manufacturing engineering and MSc in Computer Integrated Manufacturing from Loughborough University. He is a highly effective Reader in Lean Product Development with over 20 years of strategic experience leveraging academic research to drive transformation within the manufacturing sector. Specialist in the integration and hands-on implementation of Lean Product Development (LeanPD), Set-based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE), Agile Hardware Development (Scrum/Sprint), Remanufacturing and digital transformation within product lifecycles. Successfully delivered large-scale process transformation and performance uplift for tier-one global partners, including Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Atlas Copco Getreg, Caltec, OTT-HydroMet, MOOG. Dr Al-Ashaab has deep technical expertise in leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies—notably Digital Twin, IoT Network, and Generative AI CAD—to establish scalable LeanPD environments and optimise industrial performance.
Dr. Yuri holds a PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Transformation, and has earned certificates in Digital Transformation and Data Analytics from Stanford University and Financial Analysis from the University of Oxford. She currently serves as a Researcher in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Cambridge, and as Co-Director of the Cam AI Lab. Previously, she was a Scholar Fellow and Professorial Committee Boarder at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and a Professor at the London School of Innovation. From 2021 to 2025, she served consecutively as a United Nations Advisor Boarder on Artificial Intelligence. Her research and applications focus on advancing the integration and innovation of AI/ML technologies in the digital transformation of businesses, as well as in critical sectors such as healthcare, retail, advanced manufacturing, energy and FinTech.
Anirudh Durg is a mechanical engineer from RV College of Engineering from India and holds an MSc in Engineering and Management of Manufacturing Systems from Cranfield University, with academic and industry experience across manufacturing systems, product development, and operations-focused engineering, focused on improving engineering decision-making and its link to manufacturing performance. At Digital Lean Exchange, he works as a Lead Project Engineer, contributing to the lean transformation of traditional product development processes through the application of structured engineering approaches including Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Set-based Design, and knowledge-based trade-off analysis, alongside CAD/CAE applications. The role also involves integrating Industry 4.0 practices such as IoT-based systems and early-stage application of Generative AI within engineering workflows. He supports engineering transformation initiatives across multidisciplinary teams, strengthening the integration of design, manufacturing, and operational performance, and is responsible for the development and maintenance of the Digital Lean Exchange website, contributing to its technical structure and content delivery.
