Keynote Speakers
Professor Srinath Perera
PhD, MSc (IT), BSc (QS) Hons., FRSN, FIAB, MRICS, AAIQS, ICECA, MICCPM, MAIPM
Keynote Speaker Bio
Professor Srinath Perera is the Chair Professor of Built Environment and Construction Management and Founding Director of the Centre for Smart Modern Construction (c4SMC) at Western Sydney University. He is President of AUBEA, Chair of the CIB Future Leaders Committee, and Founding Chair of the CIB Doctoral School. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Construction Innovation (Q1) and Specialty Editor-in-Chief of Frontiers Blockchain (Industry).
A pioneer in construction informatics, Professor Perera integrates AI, Blockchain, IoT, BIM, Digital Twins, and sustainability into construction and project management. He has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications and led major research initiatives, including securing over $700k in industry funding and participating as Chief Investigator in ARC grants exceeding $30 million. He currently holds a national grant to develop a digitalisation policy for the construction industry.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW and the Australian Institute of Building, and a Chartered Surveyor affiliated with RICS, AIQS, and AIPM. With over 30 years’ experience in academia and industry, he has been recognised with awards such as the AIB Professional Excellence Awards (2019, 2024) and the 2024 Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Supervision. His work continues to shape innovation and leadership in the built environment sector.
Professor David Proverbs
BSc (Hons), PG Cert-Ed, PhD, MBA, PFHEA, FCIOB, FRICS
Keynote Speaker Bio
Professor David Proverbs is Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Innovation at De Montfort University responsible for developing the knowledge exchange strategy. He has over 30 years of experience in higher education and held strategic leadership roles in four modern universities. He is passionate about the environment, a great believer in the benefits of working in a global society and committed to creating opportunities for our students to become global, climate aware citizens.
He has developed significant regional, national and international research and enterprise collaborations drawing on a range of funding sources to pioneer innovative solutions towards improving resilience to flooding. His research has had significant national and international impact in the development of UK Climate Change Policy; as lead innovation adviser to the Environment Agency’s Trent Regional Flood and Coastal Committee; and through supporting the development of national flood risk strategies, for example in Brazil, China, Nigeria, Peru and the UK. He is Editor in Chief for the International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation and the Journal of Flood Risk Management.