Process Safety Management Virtual Forum
Building Operational Resilience: Why you must go beyond compliance to ensure safety and combat the rising cost of downtime
Process Safety Management Virtual Forum
This virtual forum provides you with real-world insights from industry leaders and subject matters on the current challenges facing Process Safety Management professionals, while navigating uncertainty with real-time, digital process safety tools.
Designed for professionals in high-risk and asset-intensive industries from Process Safety Managers to Digital Transformation Leaders. If you’re responsible for keeping customers safe and ensuring uptime, this is a must watch for you. Whether you’re tackling legacy systems, leading safety initiatives, or driving digital change, this is your opportunity to learn how to future-proof your operations and move from reactive to resilient.
Date: June 24th, 2025
Time: 9am CT
Welcome Keynote
Paul Marushka, CEO & President | Sphera
Building Operational Resilience: Why you must go beyond compliance to ensure safety and combat the rising cost of downtime.
From Risk To Resilience: Safeguarding Operations Amid Global Uncertainty
Sayanh Alam, Analyst | Verdantix
In a world of escalating uncertainty, operational resilience begins with controlling what you can. Backed by global survey insights, this session explores how Process Safety Management (PSM) technologies reduce downtime, strengthen continuity, boost productivity and drive ROI well beyond compliance—through smarter collaboration, automation, and a focus on what’s within operational control.
From promise to practice: Why do some digitalization initiatives succeed where others fail?
Iain Mackay, SVP – ORM | Sphera
Charlie Singh, VP Client Services – ORM | Sphera
Digital process safety systems promise reduced risk, improved compliance, and greater operational efficiency—but too often, those promises are never fully realized. Why do some digitalization initiatives succeed where others fail? The reality is that many implementations fail due to poor integration with existing processes, lack of user adoption, disconnected data, and a misunderstanding of the complex operational context in which these tools must function. In this session, we’ll explore the root causes of success and failure in digital process safety initiatives and what it takes to bridge the gap between software capabilities and practical outcomes.
Speakers:
Paul Marushka
CEO & President
Sphera
Paul Marushka is Sphera’s founding CEO, recognized for driving innovation in software and analytics. He’s a past EY Entrepreneur of the Year, holds a J.D. and MBA, and has led teams at Marsh ClearSight, FICO, and CCC. In his free time, he enjoys travel and racing ATVs.
Sayanh Alam
Analyst
Verdantix
Sayanh is an Analyst in the Verdantix Industrial Transformation team. She holds an MSc in Chemistry with Molecular Physics from Imperial College London, where she researched improving the thermal stability of organic solar cells.
Iain Mackay
Group Vice President
Sphera
As Chief Operating Officer of Petrotechnics, Iain was an integral part of the Executive Team that led the successful acquisition of Petrotechnics by Sphera Solutions in January 2019.
Charie Singh
Global Vice President, Client Services
Sphera
Charlie brings nearly 20 years of experience leading Professional Services teams at global SaaS firms, including a decade in senior roles in the EHS and ORM space. He specializes in scaling consulting teams, optimizing services, and building partner-led service offerings.
Date: June 25th, 2025
Time: 9am CT
Ask the Expert with Tony Downes, PSM Consultant
Tony Downes, PSM Consultant
Scott Lehmann, VP of Product Management | Sphera
Market volatility, tariffs, increasing energy demands and geopolitical tensions are driving a new era of uncertainty across the global energy landscape. These rapid and pervasive geopolitical and market shifts are putting even more pressure on aging assets, available capacity, and operational costs. Traditional, siloed approaches to process safety are no longer just inefficient—they may be a liability. In this Ask the Expert session, we’ll discuss why organizations must embrace digital process safety solutions to navigate this new era of volatility. You’ll learn how digital solutions and AI can provide real-time visibility, proactive risk mitigation, and enhanced regulatory compliance—empowering organizations to adapt and operate safely amid global uncertainty.
When old meets new: AI, aging facilities, and the future of process safety
Scott Lehmann, VP of Product Management | Sphera
Gunjan Khera, VP of Platform Engineering & Analytics | Sphera
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Human Intelligence (HI), and Operations Intelligence (OI) is on the cusp of transforming Process Safety Management (PSM). AI-powered predictive models and processes promise improved best practice-based risk assessments, the ability to move from reactive to predictive and proactive mitigation of threats, and to help minimize process disruptions and equipment failures before they occur. This session takes a closer look at how AI-powered insights could facilitate more informed decision-making, reduced downtime, the strengthening workplace safety culture, and help prevent industrial accidents.
Speakers:
Tony Downes
Independant PSM Consultant
Sphera
Tony Downes is an independent PSM consultant with 40+ years of industry experience. A CCPS-Certified process safety engineer, he’s led 100+ PHAs and investigations, and is a recognized expert in PSM digitalization. He’s published globally and co-authored 3 books.
Scott Lehmann
VP of Product Management
Sphera
Scott Lehmann is VP of Product Management at Sphera, leading Platform and Operational Risk. With 28+ years in enterprise software, including Microsoft, he focuses on enabling digital operations. He launched Sphera’s Safety Survey and has been widely published.
Gunjan Khera
VP Platform Engineering & Analytics
Sphera
Gunjan Khera is VP of Platform Engineering & Analytics at Sphera. With 20+ years’ experience, he blends enterprise tech, AI, and product leadership from roles at Accenture, Marriott, and Nielsen. He’s also a passionate cook, photographer, and tech thinker.
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