Europump announces additional Keynote Speaker for its 2024 Annual Meeting

Europump (the European Pump Association) which represents 15 National Associations across the continent of Europe continues to develop the programme of presentations for its 2024 Annual Meeting, taking place at the spectacular De Vere Beaumont Estate near Windsor from 22nd – 24th May.

Hosted by the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) and sponsored by WEG – a world leader in motor, drive, and asset management systems technology – this key event for the international pump sector will deliver a comprehensive programme of meetings and presentations that will offer both intellectual and commercial value at a practical level for Europe’s leading pump manufacturers and suppliers. 

In addition to sessions dedicated to the activities of the various Europump Commissions – Technical, Standards, Marketing, SME – a complement of invited speakers will also share their thoughts and expertise on a range of topical issues.

With the announcement in January of the first two guest speakers, namely, Stephen Phipson CBE, Chief Executive, Make UK, who will provide an overview of the political arena in the UK and its impact on the manufacturing sector both at home and abroad, and Kiran Ahmed, Lead Economist, Oxford Economics, who will present the key findings from the 2024 World Pump Report, the knowledge transfer bar had already been set extremely high. However, the team behind this residential conference is delighted to now also welcome Mike Otten, Director, Edge & Intelligence, Xylem as the third Keynote Speaker.

Mike is part of the Corporate Growth & Innovation team at Xylem, where he focuses on digitizing water through AI, machine learning, and digital twins. He is committed to driving smart, disruptive change to improve business outcomes and fulfil Xylem’s purpose of making water more accessible, affordable, and communities more resilient.

With expertise in water technology, including holding a global patent in the field of digital wireless power transmission, Mike is passionate about solving problems associated with asset management and total system life cycle cost through digitalisation of assets and advanced data intelligence. Having worked and lived across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the US for global water technology OEMs and as a founder of two start-up businesses, he possesses deep insights into global business dynamics and cultural diversity. This specialised knowledge enables him to ease and accelerate the customer’s digital journey in optimising water assets and systems at scale.

Mike’s presentation, entitled ‘Unlocking the Power of AI: Elevating Pump Manufacturing Expertise’ will address the impact of Artificial Intelligence for the pump manufacturing industry, and how to harness the power of Digital Twins and Generative AI for an evolution of the sector. Specifically produced for the Europump Annual Meeting, this talk will detail how these technologies optimise asset performance, predict maintenance needs, and drive unprecedented efficiency gains within all types of pump systems.

Commenting on the inclusion of this highly relevant presentation, BPMA CEO, Wayne Rose, said: “We are thrilled to have secured the engagement of Mike Otten, a recognised expert in the field of digitisation, whose exploration of the transformative impact this technology has for business operations, cost reduction, and customer satisfaction, will be of real value to our audience. The insight given will allow attendees to better position their businesses at the forefront of innovation in the pump manufacturing industry.”

He continued: “The 2024 Europump Annual Meeting will prove to be a must-attend event for those senior pump executives looking to successfully navigate their way through the complexities of pump manufacturing and distribution over the coming months and years. As such, I would encourage anyone not already booked in to the event to do so straight away.” 

Further guest speakers will be announced shortly, but in the meantime full details on the event, including further information on the venue, its location and travel arrangements can be found on the dedicated website. The online booking system is simple to navigate, and a promotional video, illustrating all aspects of the event is also available to view on the site - www.Europump2024.com.