Overview keynote speakers
Keynote speaker session 1
Frank Feindt
Chief Quality Officer, Hamburg Port Authority
Frank Feindt is Chief Quality Officer and Head of the Chief Quality Office at the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA). A civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience in port and maritime infrastructure, he has been with HPA since 2005, where he has held senior technical leadership roles in structural engineering, geotechnics, and quality management. Frank is also a lecturer at the Technical University of Hamburg, teaches port planning and port engineering, and is actively involved in national and international standards development as well as professional committees focused on waterfront structures and maritime infrastructure.
Keynote speaker session 2
Dr. Ernst Niederleithinger
Head of Non-destructive Testing Methods for Civil Engineering at BAM
Dr. Ernst Niederleithinger got his Masters Degree in Geophysics in 1990 from TU Berlin, his PhD degree from University of Potsdam, and a habilitation degree from RWTH Aachen University.
After working for 11 years as a geophysical contractor he joined BAM, the German Federal Research Institute for Materials Research and Testing. Currently he serves as head of the division for NDT in civil engineering and coordinates BAM’s new competence center for data analytics.
His main research interests are ultrasonic imaging and monitoring, especially using geophysical techniques. In addition, he lectures at RWTH Aachen University. He is a member of various committees working on recommendations for NDT.
Dr. Niederleithinger will deliver the keynote address for session 2 at the conference, which focuses on the testing and evaluation of piles that are to be reused. As one of the principal investigators of the foundation re-use project REFUND (in Germany) and RUFUS (in the European Union) and co-author of various NDT and monitoring guidelines and standards, he will share his views on how the current condition and the remaining life of existing deep foundation elements can be assessed.
Keynote speaker session 3
Leonard Sands
Fugro
Leonard Sands is passionate about uncovering the unseen influences below the ground surface. With extensive experience in ground risk management, he leverages advanced ground imaging and geotechnical observations to create ground models from data insights. Leonard’s work exemplifies his commitment to smarter, faster, and more efficient methods, improving value and timelines while enhancing reliability. His innovative approach transforms ground risk management, ensuring safer and more economically viable projects.
Keynote speaker session 4
T.B.A.