Advisory Board
The Mining Innovation Network is pleased to have such an accomplished list of Advisory Board members, including:
Michelle Ash
Technology Executive Lead
OZ Minerals
Michelle joined OZ Minerals in March 2022. As Technology Executive, she is accountable for ICT, including digital, robotics and automation, Mining Technology and Transformation.
Michelle has more than 20 years’ experience in the mining and manufacturing sectors with a focus on business improvement and change management.
Most recently, she was CEO of Dassault Systems GEOVIA software division where she led a growth strategy across the company’s Natural Resources sector, delivering next-generation solutions through geologic modelling and mining engineering software applications.
Prior to this, Michelle was Chief Innovation Officer at Barrick Gold.
She is also the Chair of Global Mining Group and a Board Member of technology start-ups Railveyor and Off World.
Jacqui Coombes
MC & CEO
Amira Global
Jacqui is Minerals industry thought leader with experience across the mine value chain, commodities, and across the globe. She is skilled in building collaboration across the industry, government and academia; developing capability of businesses and people; and integrating ideas into systems to add value, improve efficiency and productivity, and maintain momentum for ongoing innovation.
Malcolm McRae
Head of AI and Advanced Analytics
Vale
Malcolm McRae heads the AI and Advanced Analytic group at Vale, one of the world’s leading multi-metal mining companies. He is an evangelist for the adoption of applied AI in the mining industry and has assembled an industry-recognized team and practice in this area. Malcolm is a frequent speaker on the adoption of AI and its application in asset-intensive industries. He has over 20 years of industry experience and holds degrees in Economics and Computerized Business Systems.
Arun Narayanan
Chief Data Officer
Anglo American
Arun Narayanan was appointed the Chief Data Officer of Anglo American in 2018. In this role, Arun is responsible for shaping and leading the implementation of Anglo American’s data analytics strategy. The Data Analytics group is part of Anglo American’s innovative approach to sustainable mining, helping to shape the future of Anglo American and potentially change, for the better, how the entire mining industry operates. Arun leads the team that develops the industry-first VOXEL platform, which implements digital transformation for mining. This platform uses data science to improve operational efficiencies and output of Anglo American, which will help deliver towards the profitability of the company, increase the safety of operations and reduce any environmental impact.
Previously, Arun was with Schlumberger for more than 21 years, focused on building and executing best-in-class software for the oil and gas market. His final role there was VP E&P Data, Schlumberger Software, responsible for defining and building the industry’s first E&P data lake encompassing exploration, development & production. Arun joined Schlumberger in 1997 and has been instrumental in developing the software landscape of oil and gas software. Arun led the team that developed the oil industry’s first cloud-based offering – INTERSECT in the Cloud, which led to developing the transformative end-to-end DELFI platform. Arun held various technical and management positions within Schlumberger in the US and Asia. He has, in the past, been responsible for product design, development, and marketing. He also was the general manager for the software businesses in India and Malaysia.
Arun holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Mumbai, a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Iowa State University of Science and Technology, and MBAs from both the University of Houston and the University of Texas at Austin.
Gemma White
Head of Digital
BHP
Whilst helping BHP navigate Queensland’s first-ever autonomous mining deployment, Gemma White saw first-hand how aligning people, technology and organisational factors was critical for successful digital transformation. Sparked with the passion to build this digital future, Gemma disrupted her decade-long mining career in corporate affairs and made a successful career leap into digital and data-driven technologies.
Today as Head of Digital for BHP’s Queensland operations, Gemma is driving the company’s digital transformation agenda by delivering industry-first machine learning, advanced analytics and award-winning innovation projects.
Gemma graduated from Queensland University Technology’s inaugural Master of Business Administration (Digital) created to develop leaders in the digital economy and received an MBA Directors Award for sustained academic excellence.