Dr Robert Ochola

PhD Graduate in Materials Engineering and experienced in a range of economies and industries in Africa in his career in Banking across Africa trade

Eben Snyman

Construction Legal Expert with a strong background in Engineering.

Professor Cyril O’Connor

Senior Research Scholar, Centre for Minerals Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town.

CHALLENGES FACING THE SOUTH AFRICAN MINING INDUSTRY

South Africa is host to some of the worlds’ largest reserves of strategically important minerals such as PGMs, manganese, chromium, vanadium, ferrochrome, etc. However, it has in recent decades failed to leverage the advantages it should have achieved from such a remarkable resource base. Some of the challenges it faces in unlocking the huge values inherent in this resource base include optimizing the use of energy and water, ensuring the implementation of sustainable processing options, managing modern environmental legislation, and arguably being able to navigate through the complex legislative and labour relations environment in an industry which demands enormous capital investments. This presentation aims to explore and quantify these issues in greater detail.

Captain Nick Sloane

Marine Salvage Expert

RECOVERY OF THE BARK EUROPA

Nick Sloane led the operation to recover and restore the 113-year-old Bark EUROPA after an incident in Cape Town. His work returned the historic tall ship to sailing condition, allowing it to embark on a 6,500-nautical-mile voyage through the Southern Ocean and around Cape Horn. Hear his first-hand account of the challenges, lessons learned, and the critical role of engineering excellence and root cause analysis in saving this iconic vessel.

Richard Baker

Specialist Loss Adjuster

THREE VIGNETTES FROM 40 YEARS OF TECHNICAL INSURANCE LOSS ADJUSTING-THE HUMAN ELEMENT

With decades of experience in loss adjusting, Richard Baker will share three key vignettes from his career, offering valuable insights into the industry’s evolution, major cases, and lessons learned.

Advocate Michael Wragge SC

Advocate and Senior Council, Cape Bar. Practice predominantly in the area of maritime and admiralty law

The ROLE OF AN EXPERT IN LITIGATION

Advocate Michael Wragge is a highly regarded senior counsel in maritime and admiralty law. His session will focus on the critical role of expert witnesses in litigation, exploring how technical evidence influences legal proceedings and the responsibilities of engineering experts in legal disputes

Philip Myburgh

Group Head: Trade, Business & Commercial Banking, Standard Bank Group

UNLOCKING AFRICA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH: TRADE, INVESTMENT & ENERGY FRONTIERS

Philip Myburgh is a seasoned expert in African trade, business banking, and cross-border commerce. As the Group Head of Trade for Business & Commercial Banking at Standard Bank Group, he plays a pivotal role in advancing trade solutions across Standard Bank’s 20-country footprint.

With over 15 years of experience, Philip has extensively engaged with international trade, working on key corridors such as Africa-China and Africa-US trade. His expertise includes facilitating Chinese foreign direct investment into Africa, supporting African businesses looking to expand internationally, and leveraging Standard Bank’s strategic partnership with the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).

Philip has undertaken over 100 trade missions across the continent and previously served as Head of Standard Bank’s Africa-China division in Beijing. His leadership has been instrumental in building Standard Bank’s Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) workstream and Africa Trade Barometer, supporting businesses with access to new markets, trade finance, and foreign exchange solutions.

At Africa’s Inaugural Root Cause Analysis Conference, Philip will offer critical insights into Africa’s evolving energy and infrastructure landscape. His session will cover major trade and investment opportunities, including oil and gas projects in Uganda, Namibia’s rising energy sector, and Mauritius’ role as an investment hub for Africa. He will also discuss how businesses can navigate the regulatory environment and capitalise on AfCFTA-driven trade expansion.

Caylynn Jacobson

Associate Attorney (General Litigation and Commercial Litigation) at Heerschop Pienaar Inc Attorneys.

NAVIGATING THE TARIFF CLASSIFICATION CRISIS IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY: THE SARS DEBACLE

Caylynn Jacobson specialises in commercial and general litigation. Her presentation will examine a landmark case involving SARS export tariffs on metallurgical products, outlining its legal implications and how regulatory challenges impact the engineering and materials industries.

Robert Denovan

Director – Denith Engineering (Pty) Ltd

SHIP DISPOSAL: A COMMERCIAL VIEW

Robert Denovan is an expert in marine and offshore structure design and fabrication. His presentation will explore ship disposal from a commercial perspective, including asset disposal strategies, environmental considerations, and the financial implications of ship decommissioning.

Karl Walter

Senior Marine Surveyor, ABL

BREAKING POINT: ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS IN THE MARINE INDUSTRY

Karl Walter is a Senior Marine Surveyor and Chief Engineer with 28 years of experience in the offshore sector, including 12 years as a Chief Engineer. He specialises in hull and machinery surveys, marine warranty surveys, protection and indemnity (P&I) surveys, and pre-purchase inspections. With extensive expertise in vessel suitability assessments, project oversight, and technical consultancy, Karl has worked across various vessel types, including bulk carriers and offshore support vessels.

In Breaking Point: Root Cause Analysis in the Marine Industry, Karl will explore mechanical failures and manufacturing and materials defects—two key areas that contribute to material degradation and structural failure in marine applications. He will provide expert insights into failure mechanisms, the importance of root cause analysis, and how proactive engineering solutions can prevent costly incidents and improve safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance.

Julien Delgado

Head of Metallurgical Failure Analysis, CETIM (France)

STATISTICAL FRACTOGRAPHY & INNOVATIVE PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE

Julien Delgado is an expert in metallurgy and fracture analysis, leading the metallurgical failure analysis team at CETIM. With extensive experience in industrial failure investigations and research & development, he has contributed to advancing the mechanics of materials, corrosion analysis, tribology, and surface treatment processes.

Julien will co-present two key topics alongside Laurent Ponson, CEO of TORTOISE:
Statistical Fractography: The Missing Link Between Fracture Mechanics and Failure Analysis – bridging the gap between traditional fracture analysis and modern statistical methods.
Assessing the Residual Lifetime of In-Service Components by Micro-Sampling: An Innovative Method of Predictive Maintenance – exploring groundbreaking techniques for evaluating component durability and extending service life.

Discover how advanced failure analysis and predictive maintenance can transform industry practices and enhance operational reliability.

Malcolm Hartwell

Master Mariner & Director, Norton Rose Fulbright Maritime Division

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS: THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EARLY GATHERING OF EVIDENCE IN MARITIME CLAIMS UNDER SOUTH AFRICAN LAW

Malcolm Hartwell is a master mariner and maritime lawyer with extensive experience in admiralty law, marine insurance, international trade, and maritime casualty investigations. As head of transport for Africa at Norton Rose Fulbright, he provides expert legal counsel on ship casualties, salvage operations, cargo disputes, and regulatory compliance.

With a decade of hands-on experience at sea, Malcolm has served on general cargo, bulk, refrigerated, and container vessels worldwide. He holds a Master Mariner’s Foreign Going Certificate of Competency and is admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa and a solicitor in England and Wales.

Malcolm has been involved in high-profile maritime cases, advising shipowners, insurers, and international law firms on complex claims. A former president of the Maritime Law Association of South Africa, he remains actively engaged in legal and technical advancements in maritime law.

Dr Janet Cotton

Founder and Director of One Eighty Materials Engineering Solutions and renowned Metallurgist and Materials Engineer

WHEN INFRASTRUCTURE FAILS: THE BOLLARD COLLAPSE THAT LED TO TRAGEDY

HIDDEN RISKS: HOW A PAINT COATING FAILURE LEFT A MANUFACTURING FACILITY EXPOSED TO FIRE

When infrastructure fails: the bollard collapse that led to tragedy
This presentation examines the catastrophic failure of a bollard that resulted in a fatality. Dr Janet Cotton will walk through the root cause analysis process, detailing the engineering principles, material failures, and forensic investigation that determined why the failure occurred. She will also explore how the findings were used in litigation and how standards and codes shaped the legal arguments.

Hidden risks: how a paint coating failure left a manufacturing facility exposed to fire
A failed paint coating on a fire reticulation system left an entire manufacturing facility at high risk of fire without proper mitigation. In this case study, Dr Cotton will break down the engineering investigation, the role of material science in failure analysis, and how the evidence played a crucial role in legal proceedings. She will also discuss the importance of compliance with industry standards and the impact of overlooked material failures on safety and liability.

Marcelle de Waal

Lead Candidate Engineer at One Eighty Materials Engineering Solutions

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS OF A RUDDER STOCK FAILURE

Sarah Virgin

Senior Consulting Engineer at One Eighty Materials Engineering Solutions

COMPOSITE TESTING FOR A BUREAU VERITAS MARINE AND OFFSHORE CLASSED PLEASURE VESSEL

Sarah Virgin is a mechanical engineer and senior consulting specialist at One Eighty Materials Engineering Solutions, where she has been an integral part of the team since 2022. Her expertise spans materials and metallurgical testing, root cause failure investigations, and expert witness consulting, making her a key contributor to high-profile engineering and legal cases.

Sarah has played a pivotal role in several major court matters, including providing critical support in a High Court trial and contributing to expert witness reports. Her expertise has extended internationally, including work on the Bark Europa matter and upcoming testimony in a legal case against the City of Cape Town. With a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Stellenbosch University, Sarah is known for her analytical problem-solving skills and her ability to apply high-level engineering techniques to real-world failure analysis

Anne Myers

Country Manager and Principal Surveyor
ABL Energy and Marine Consultants South Africa

Malcolm Hartwell

Master Mariner and Director at Norton Rose Fulbright Maritime Division

Mark Glock

Bureau Veritas Marine, equipment and materials surveyor.
Business Development Manager (Marine) – Sub Saharan Africa.

Robert Denovan

Director of Denith Engineering – a firm specialising in the design and fabrication of marine and offshore structures