Advisory Board

Ana Casaca is an innovation leader with over 20 years of experience in technology transfer, corporate innovation, and ecosystem development. She began her career as a researcher in San Francisco under AICEP and Fulbright scholarships, later moving into industry to accelerate growth through technology, startups, and international collaboration.

She holds a degree in Microbiology from the Portuguese Catholic University and an MBA from Porto Business School, where she is also an Invited Professor. She is additionally an Invited Associate Professor at ISEG and is currently completing the International Directors Programme (IDP) at INSEAD.

Ana collaborates in several major European and National innovation programmes, supporting the identification of projects with strong scientific and societal potential.

She is currently Director of Innovation at Galp, leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple geographies and advancing new value pathways for the energy transition.

Amit Kar has 20 years’ experience exploiting the power of Digitalization to tackle the management and operational challenges of Oil & Gas. By translating technology into value, Amit focuses on conveying the business impact of Digitalization – for both Owner/Operators and EPCs, as well as greenfield and brownfield investments – and advises on developing strategies to capture value.

Saud Said Al Zakwani is the Vice President of Integrated Digital Solutions & Continuous Improvement at OQ Exploration & Production (OQEP), leading the company’s digital and technological transformation under the People, Technology & Culture (PTC) function. Saud drives OQEP’s Integrated Digital Solutions (IDS) strategy—covering digital transformation, IT operations, cybersecurity, and business excellence—to deliver smarter, safer, and more efficient operations.

A strategic thinker, technology leader and an Ai practitioner, Saud combines technical depth with business acumen to drive value creation, efficiency, and resilience through data and digital-driven solutions. His vision centres on positioning OQEP as a digitally enabled, AI-driven organization, supporting Oman’s ambition toward sustainable energy excellence.

Ross Corfield is a Global Strategic Account Director at Intel and leads the Energy & Utilities vertical for Intel UK & Northern Europe Sales and Marketing. A proud Aston University graduate with a BSc (Hons) in IT for Business, Ross has spent over 20 years building his career at Intel — developing deep expertise across the full technology stack, from edge computing to cloud infrastructure.

Throughout his tenure, Ross has worked with some of the world’s largest global and national enterprises, helping them navigate digital transformation and unlock the potential of AI to drive efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage. He has built a reputation for cultivating strategic partnerships that deliver real business outcomes, serving as a trusted advisor to senior leaders tackling the energy sector’s most complex technology challenges.

Passionate about the role technology plays in shaping a better future, Ross brings both technical breadth and commercial acumen to any engagement — combining two decades of industry experience with a genuine enthusiasm for innovation at the frontier of energy and tech.

Outside of work, Ross is based in Shropshire, where he enjoys life with his wife, two children, and their dog — and can often be found out on his bike exploring the surrounding countryside.

Paul is currently SVP of Digital Consulting at Worley, where he drives the strategic direction of industrial digital solutions such as Digital Twin, Autonomous Operations and Robotics for clients across the globe. Prior to joining Worley, Paul gained a wide range of experience as a Petroleum Geologist through to management consulting. Paul holds a MsC. In Petroleum Geoscience from The University of Aberdeen and a B.Sc in Resource Geology.

Strategic transformation leader with 20+ years of global impact across engineering, product development, and digital innovation. Recognized as a Digital Principal and AI Champion, scaling bottom line business value capture through AI, automation, and operational excellence. Recent solution development includes renewable low carbon solutions and circular manufacturing. PhD in Applied Sciences, electronics. Known for driving innovation, enabling ecosystem collaboration, and leading high-performing cross functional teams in regulated environments.

Thomas Bode is the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at MET Group, where he leads four interconnected pillars: data management, analytics, process management, and IT. With a strong foundation in finance and data & analytics, Thomas has substituted the paradigm “Business vs IT” by “People > Process > Data > technology” bringing an end-to-end mindset to enterprise-wide change.

Prior to joining MET, he held several senior leadership roles at Swarovski, where he established the data and analytics functions , and embedded governance frameworks. What sets Thomas apart is his structured yet people-first approach- ensuring that transformation is not just about selecting technology, but about aligning people, purpose, process, and data to deliver sustainable and scalable outcomes.