Ruben DeMoor – Chief Compromise Officer: The engineer as an architect of sustainable growth.

Historically, it has been up to engineers to find a compromise between scientific possibility, real-world constraint and business interest to conceive a technical solution for an issue. The role of the engineer as a “solution architect” has not changed, yet the environment in which he/she operates is becoming ever more complex.

New stakeholders appeared, more constraints have arisen, budgets are being strained and costs increase. Opportunities to innovate and develop present themselves at a pace and on a scale unprecedented in human history. However, the perceived incompatibility between technical progress, economic growth, and sustainable development leads to polarisation and friction in society.

In this session, we will explore why the engineer is the ideal candidate to solve this conundrum, focusing on the competences and skills pivotal to take charge of the situation.