Prof Olga Battaïa

Operations Management and Information Systems Kedge BS Paris, France

Title of presentation: Digital Responsibility in the era of Industry 5.0: Challenges and Perspectives

Prof. Olga Battaïa is an award-winning Full Professor at the Department of Operations Management and Information Systems at KEDGE Business School. With an extensive academic and institutional leadership career, she previously served as Associate Dean for Research (2020–2025), where she provided strategic oversight to nine research centers and more than 200 faculty members, strengthening interdisciplinary research excellence at scale. She currently serves as Associate Editor for leading journals including Journal of Manufacturing Systems, IISE Transactions, and Omega – The International Journal of Management Science, and acts as DEI Chair of the IFAC Technical Committee on Management and Control in Manufacturing and Logistics.
Prof. Battaïa’s research lies at the intersection of sustainable manufacturing, business analytics, and equity-aware decision support. With more than 270 peer-reviewed publications and extensive supervisory experience with 18 PhD and DBA students and over 120 Master’s students, Prof. Battaïa has played a formative role in developing the next generation of scholars.

Prof Karim Djouani

Electrical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa/ French South African Institute of Technology, Paris Est University, France

Title of presentation: Hybrid Artificial Intelligence and Human-Robot Collaboration

Prof Karim Djouani is a full Professor, scientist, and technical group supervisor of Artificial Intelligence, mobile and Wireless Communication Systems and Robotics. From September 2025 Holder of the DSI-NRF-TUT co-founded SARChI chair in applied Artificial Intelligence. From Jan 2014 to Dec 2023, he was the DST/NRF SARChI chair holder in Ambient Intelligence, enabled Environment and Assistive Living.
Since Sep 2006, he is full Professor at the university Paris Est-Creteil (UPEC). Since January 2011, he is full professor at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)/French South African Institute of Technology (F’SATI), Pretoria.
He acts also as research leader within the Telkom-Centre of Excellence at TUT.
From July 2008 to December 2010, he was Seconded by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research to F’SATI at TUT.
He also acts as an expert for different public and private institutions (ANR-France, NRF- South Africa, UNU, EU, Algerian Ministry of Research and Education, Majors companies in Telecommunication).

Emanuel Zeferino

Chair of Manufacturing Systems, University of Twente Enschede, The Netherlands

Title of presentation: Introduction of New Technologies in the Next Generation Battery Gigafactories

Emanuel Zeferino is a Ph.D. researcher in the chair of Manufacturing Systems, University of Twente, since 2023. His research focused on modelling assessment of new technologies in battery manufacturing process chain and factories (Gigafactory). He holds a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from Tshwane University of Technology, which he obtained Cum-Laude, amongst top 3 Faculty performers. He previously worked in various capacities, including as a Project Manager and Data Scientist at Sunstone Logistics Systems, where he managed projects for digitalising and optimising end-to-end logistics operations for companies such as Coca-Cola Africa (CCBA), in over 10 countries.
Emanuel has several scientific publications on topics related to modelling and simulation, battery production, decision science and smart manufacturing. He has received several awards as a result of his outstanding academic and industry contributions. Emanuel has also supervised Master and undergraduate students, as well as serving as a reviewer for scientific journals and conferences. He has contributed with opinion articles to newspapers and televised interviews to offer science and technology related advice.

Prof Dr Eng Edmund Maputi

Pro Vice Chancellor Academic Great Heights University Harare, Zimbabwe

Title of presentation: Recalibration of Engineering Pedagogics for an Industry 5.0 Relevant Manufacturing Era

Prof Dr Eng. Edmund Shingirayi Maputi is the Pro Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs at Great Heights University. He is a Professor of Engineering Design, data-driven decision making, computational applications and Nature inspired algorithms. In his previous role he served as Executive Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology at Harare Institute of Technology. He has a total of 13 years of university experience, with 5 years in university administration.
He holds a PhD in Engineering, Master of Technology degree in Engineering Design and BTech (Hons) degree in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. Prof dr. Eng. Maputi also served as: Chairman of the Innovation and Technology Committee of the Harare Institute of Technology.
Chairman of the Manpower development committee at ZImbabwe Institute of Engineers
He is a Fellow of the Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers