MostInfluential Leaders
Editor's
Honoring the Visionaries Transforming Manufacturing in 2025
Asweusherinaneweraofindustrialinnovation,
CIOLook’seditionof Most Influential Leaders Revolutionizing the Manufacturing Industry, 2025 paystributetothetrailblazersreshapingthe landscapeofoneoftheworld’smostvitalsectors.
Manufacturing,longviewedasthebackboneofeconomic development,isundergoingatransformationunlikeanyin itshistory.FromtheintegrationofAIandroboticstothe adoptionofsustainablepracticesandsmartfactories, today'sleadersarenotmerelykeepinguptheyaresetting thepace.Theyareturningdisruptionintoopportunityand complexityintocompetitiveadvantage.
Thiseditionhighlightsexecutives,engineers, entrepreneurs,andvisionarieswhoaredrivingrealchange. Theseindividualsarebreakingdownsilos,embracing digitaltransformation,andprioritizingsustainabilityand resilience.Whetherthey’restreamliningglobalsupply chains,championingworkforceempowerment,or
investinginnext-generationtechnologies,theyare demonstratingwhatboldleadershiplookslikeinaneraof constantevolution.
Ourgoalwiththisfeatureisnotonlytocelebratetheir achievementsbutalsotoinspirethebroadercommunity executives,investors,policymakers,andemergingtalentto thinkmoreexpansivelyaboutthefutureofmanufacturing. Eachprofileoffersaglimpseintothestrategies,mindsets, andvaluesthatdefineinfluentialleadershipin2025.
Weareproudtopresentthiscollectionofstoriesandhope itservesasasourceofinsightandinspirationforthose whobelieve,aswedo,thatinnovationpoweredby purposecanreshapeindustriesandtheworld.
Happy Reading!
MichaelWayne
Securing the Future Through Cybersecurity Leadership
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A R T I C L E S ROI Analysis and Market Projec ons The Economic Impact of AI in Manufacturing
Predic ve Maintenance Revolu on How AI in Manufacturing Prevents Costly Down me?
Deputy Editor Anish Miller
Managing Editor Prince Bolton
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MostInfluential Leaders Revolutionizing the Manufacturing Industry in 2025
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JanG.Skjoldhammer CEO,Inventor, Founder,100%Owner
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Steve Lorimer
Securing the Future Through Cybersecurity Leadership
Organizations must prioritize transparency, accountability, and security when handling sensitive data. Hexagon follows a data governance framework that ensures compliance with privacy regulations and ethical AI standards. Transparent data policies, user consent mechanisms, and secure data processing practices are essential in maintaining trust and regulatory compliance.
Inanerawherecyberthreatsareevolvingatan
unprecedentedpace,theroleofaGroupPrivacy& InformationSecurityOfficer(GPI&SO)hasbecome morecriticalthanever.Businessesarenolongerjust focusedonsecuringITinfrastructure;theymustnow integratesecurityacrossallaspectsoftheiroperationswhile ensuringcompliancewitharapidlyshiftingregulatory landscape.WiththeemergenceofAI-driventhreats, increasingregulatorypressures,andthechallengeof balancinginnovationwithrisk,organizationsrequirea comprehensivesecuritystrategythatgoesbeyond conventionaldefences.
ForHexagon,afast-growingcompanyoperatingacross multipleindustries,safeguardingcriticaldataandensuring complianceisatoppriority Thecompany'scentralized securitymodelensuresrobustsecuritymeasureswhile enablingseamlessglobaloperations.TheadoptionofAI, machinelearning,andproactivesecurityframeworkshas becomeessentialintacklingemergingthreats.However, cybersecurityisn’tjustabouttechnology,it’salsoabout culture,awareness,andstrategicleadership.
SteveLorimer,GroupPrivacy&InformationSecurity OfficeratHexagon,shareshisinsightsontheevolvingrole ofcybersecurityintoday’sdigital-firstworld.From fosteringasecurity-firstmindsetacrossorganizationsto leveragingAIforthreatdetectionandresponse,his
approachhighlightstheimportanceofproactiverisk management,regulatorycompliance,andasecurity-driven businessculture.
TheRoleofaGroupPrivacy&InformationSecurity OfficerisConstantlyEvolving
TheresponsibilitiesofaGroupPrivacy&Information SecurityOfficerhaveexpandedsignificantlyinresponseto growingcybersecuritychallenges.TraditionalIT security—focusingonnetwork,system,andperimeter defensesarenolongersufficient.Amodernsecurityleader mustoverseeincidentresponse,compliancemanagement, andsecurityawarenessinitiatives,ensuringthatcriticaldata isprotectedfrombothinternalandexternalthreats.
Giventhedynamicregulatoryenvironment,stayingahead ofevolvingthreatsiscrucial.Organizationsmustprepare fornewriskswhilealigningsecuritystrategieswith businessobjectives. “Security is now a strategic function, requiring cross-departmental collaboration to protect data, ensure compliance, and support innovation.” denotesSteve
BalancingSecurityandInnovation
Intoday’sdigitallandscape,securityandinnovationmust gohandinhand. “Organizations cannot afford to treat security as an afterthought, nor can they allow it to hinder
technological advancements. The key lies in implementing security controls that enable innovation rather than obstruct it.” saysSteve.
Cybersecurity is not just a technical challenge; it is a cultural imperative. A security-driven culture begins at the leadership level, where executives must recognize the importance of proactive risk management.
Securityleadersmustunderstandthebusinesslandscape andensurethatsecurityframeworkssupportgrowthrather thancreatebarriers.Byembeddingsecurityintoproduct development,ITinfrastructure,andoperationalworkflows, companiescanfosterinnovationwhilemaintainingastrong securityposture.
NavigatingRegulatoryComplianceAcrossJurisdictions
GlobalregulationslikeGDPR,CCPA,andemerging frameworkssuchasNIS2andCRApresentsignificant challengesformultinationalorganizations.Hexagon,a companywithoperationsspanningmultipleindustriesand regions,hasadoptedacentralizedsecuritymodeltoensure consistentcomplianceandriskmanagementacrossall jurisdictions.
Bystandardizingsecuritytechnologiesandframeworks, Hexagonhasbeenabletostreamlinecomplianceefforts whilemaintainingoperationalefficiency Thisshifthas enhancedsecurityresilience,ensuringthatregulatory requirementsdonotbecomeobstaclestobusinesssuccess.
BuildingaSecurity-FirstCulture
“Cybersecurity is not just a technical challenge; it is a cultural imperative. A security-driven culture begins at the leadership level, where executives must recognize the importance of proactive risk management.” saysSteve.
AtHexagon,astrongleadershipcommitmenthasenabled effectivesecuritytransformation.Regularengagementwith executiveteamsensuresthatsecurityremainsapriority acrossalldepartments.Furthermore,securityawareness trainingprogramsencourageemployeestotakeanactive roleinprotectingcompanyassets.
Byincorporatingsecure-by-designandprivacy-by-design principles,Hexagonensuresthatsecurityisintegratedinto everyproductandprocess.Employeeengagementin securityinitiativesiscriticaltobuildingaresilient organization.
AddressingHumanErrorinCybersecurity
Despiteadvancementsinsecuritytechnology,humanerror remainsoneofthebiggestsecurityvulnerabilities.Mistakes suchasclickingonmaliciouslinks,misconfiguringaccess controls,orunintentionallyexposingsensitivedatacanlead toserioussecuritybreaches.
Tomitigatetheserisks,organizationsmustfocusontwo corestrategies:educationandtechnology.Hexagon employsreal-worldsecuritysimulations,phishingdrills, andcontextualtrainingprogramstoenhanceemployee awareness.Additionally,AI-poweredsecuritysolutionshelp preventhumanerrorsbyautomatingriskdetectionand response.
Aproactivesecurityculture,combinedwithcutting-edge technology,cansignificantlyreducetheimpactofhuman erroroncybersecurity.
EmergingCybersecurityThreatsandProactiveDefense Strategies
Ascyberthreatsbecomemoresophisticated,organizations mustadoptaproactivesecurityapproach.“AI is being increasingly used by cybercriminals to automate attacks, create deepfake scams, and bypass traditional security measures. At Hexagon, AI-driven security solutions are leveraged to detect and counter evolving threats. Machine learning models analyze behavioral patterns to differentiate between legitimate user activity and potential threats.” commentedSteve.
Additionally,AI-basedfrauddetectiontoolshelpprevent socialengineeringattacksanddeepfakescams.By investinginnext-generationsecuritytechnologies,Hexagon ensuresthatitscyberdefensestrategiesremainaheadof emergingthreats.
EnsuringEthicalAIandDataPrivacy
TheriseofAIandbigdataanalyticspresentsnew challengesindataprivacyandethicalsecuritypractices. “Organizations must prioritize transparency, accountability, and security when handling sensitive data. Hexagon follows a data governance framework that ensures compliance with privacy regulations and ethical AI standards. Transparent data policies, user consent mechanisms, and secure data processing practices are essential in maintaining trust and regulatory compliance.” saysSteve.
AsAIcontinuestotransformcybersecurity,organizations mustremainvigilantinbalancingtechnological advancementswithethicalconsiderations.Intoday’s digital-firstworld,theroleofaGroupPrivacy& InformationSecurityOfficerismorestrategicthanever. WithAI-driventhreats,regulatorycomplexities,andthe growingneedforasecurity-firstculture,organizationsmust adoptaproactiveandholisticapproachtocybersecurity
Hexagon’scentralizedsecuritymodel,AI-powereddefense strategies,andcommitmenttosecurityawareness exemplifyhowenterprisescannavigatetoday’s cybersecuritychallenges.Byprioritizingregulatory compliance,riskmanagement,andcontinuousinnovation, organizationscanstrengthentheirsecurityposturewhile drivingbusinessgrowth.
Ascyberthreatscontinuetoevolve,businessesmuststay aheadbyembracingacultureofsecurity,leveraging cutting-edgetechnologies,andensuringthatprivacy remainsafundamentalpartoftheiroperations.
Analysis and Market Projec ons
The Economic Impact of AI in Manufacturing
Theintegrationofartificialintelligence(AI)intothe
manufacturingsectormarksaprofoundshiftinhow industrialoperationsareconceived,managed,and scaled.Asglobalcompetitionintensifiesandthedemand forefficiencyandinnovationgrows,manufacturersare increasinglyturningtoAI-driventechnologiestoenhance productivity,reducecosts,andstrengthentheirmarket position.Fromstreamliningsupplychainstoimproving resourceutilizationandfosteringnewformsofinnovation, AIisnotonlyredefiningoperationalprocessesbutalso reshapingthebroadereconomiclandscapeoftheindustry
This article highlights the return on investment (ROI) and future market projections associated with the adoption of AI in manufacturing, focusing on its contributions to cost efficiency, supply chain resilience, workforce transformation, and long-term economic growth.
CostReductionandResourceOptimization
Artificialintelligenceplaysasignificantroleindrivingcost efficienciesacrossthemanufacturingsector.Byautomating repetitiveandroutinefunctions,AIallowsmanufacturersto shifthumanlabortowardmorestrategicandvalue-added activities,therebyimprovingoverallproductivitywhile reducingrelianceonmanualprocesses.Thistransitionhelps lowerlong-termlaborcostsandenhancesoperational agility Additionally,AI’scapacitytoprocessandanalyze largevolumesofdataenablescompaniestopinpoint inefficienciesinareassuchasenergyuse,supplychain performance,andmaterialconsumption.Theseinsightslead tomoresustainablepracticesandenablecost-effective decision-making.
AnotherareawhereAIdemonstratessubstantialeconomic impactisinoptimizingresourceutilization.Through sophisticatedpredictiveanalyticsandforecastingmodels,
AIequipsmanufacturerstobetteranticipatechangesin demand,allowingformoreaccurateinventory management.Thisproactiveapproachminimizestheriskof overproductionandstockouts,cuttingdownonstorage expensesandimprovingresponsivenesstomarketneeds.As aresult,companiescanachievegreatercustomer satisfaction,strengthentheircompetitiveposition,and ultimatelyenhanceprofitability
TransformingSupplyChainManagement
Artificialintelligencehassignificantlytransformedsupply chainmanagementbyprovidingreal-timevisibilityand advancedpredictiveanalytics.Manufacturerscanleverage AI-driventoolstogaincomprehensiveinsightsintosupplier performance,logisticalbottlenecks,andemergingrisks acrossthesupplynetwork.Intimesofdisruptionsuchas naturaldisastersorgeopoliticalinstability—AIenables rapidanalysisofalternativesourcingstrategiesand
identifiesthemostefficient,cost-effectiveresponses, helpingtomitigatepotentialfinanciallosses.
Inaddition,AIsupportsthecreationofmoreresilientand adaptablesupplychains.Itallowsmanufacturersto simulatevariousscenarios,assesstheimpactofpotential disruptions,anddevelopcontingencyplanswithreduced financialexposure.Thisenhancedcapabilityforstrategic planningandinformeddecision-makingstrengthens operationalagilitywhileminimizingthecostsassociated withinefficienciesanddelays,ultimatelyleadingtoamore competitiveandresponsivesupplychainecosystem.
ImpactonLaborandEmployment
Whiletheeconomicbenefitsofartificialintelligencein manufacturingaresubstantial,itsimplicationsforthelabor marketaremultifaceted.Theadoptionofautomationand intelligentsystemstendstoreducetheneedforcertainlow-
skilledroles,especiallythosecenteredonrepetitive,manual tasks.Thisshiftcanresultinshort-termjobdisplacement, highlightingtheurgencyforcomprehensivereskillingand upskillingprograms.Preparingtheexistingworkforcefor moretechnologicallyadvancedrolesisessentialtoensuring asmoothtransitionandmitigatingthesocialandeconomic effectsofworkforcedisruption.
Conversely,AIalsogivesrisetonewcareeropportunitiesin areassuchasAIdevelopment,dataanalytics,machine learningengineering,androboticsmaintenance.Asthe industryevolves,theemphasisismovingfrommanual labortorolesthatdemandtechnicalcompetencies,digital literacy,andcriticalthinking.Thisevolutionhasthe potentialtoenhancejobqualityandemployeeengagement inthelongterm.However,realizingthesebenefitsdepends heavilyonsustainedinvestmentineducation,vocational training,andworkforcedevelopmentinitiativestoalign skillsetswiththedemandsofanAI-drivenmanufacturing environment.
DrivingInnovationandEconomicGrowth
Artificialintelligenceservesasapowerfuldriverof innovationwithinthemanufacturingsector,enablingthe creationofnewproducts,services,andbusinessmodels.By leveragingAItechnologies,manufacturerscanstreamline processessuchasdesignautomation,rapidprototyping,and masscustomization.Theseadvancementssignificantly reduceproductdevelopmenttimelinesandenhance
responsivenesstoshiftingconsumerpreferencesand emergingmarkettrends,allowingfirmstomaintaina competitiveedgeindynamicenvironments.
Atabroadereconomiclevel,theintegrationofAIinto manufacturingplaysapivotalroleindrivingindustrial growthandglobalcompetitiveness.Organizationsand nationsthatsuccessfullyharnessAIcapabilitiesarebetter positionedtodeliverhigh-qualityproductsmoreefficiently andatlowercosts.Thisincreasedproductivityand adaptabilitynotonlyenhancemarketresponsivenessbut alsomaketheseentitiesmoreattractivetoinvestorsand internationaltradepartners,therebysupportingsustained economicexpansionandpositioningthemasleadersinthe globalindustriallandscape.
Conclusion
TheeconomicimpactofAIinmanufacturingextendswell beyondoperationalenhancements—itrepresentsa fundamentaltransformationwithfar-reachingimplications. Byenablingcostreductions,optimizingresourceuse,and enhancingsupplychainresponsiveness,AIcontributes directlytoimprovedprofitabilityandcompetitiveness.At thesametime,itushersinaneweraofindustrial innovationandjobevolution,emphasizingtheneedfora digitallyskilledworkforce.Asmanufacturersand policymakersnavigatethisevolvinglandscape,sustained investmentintechnologyadoption,workforce development,andstrategicplanningwillbeessential.
How AI in Manufacturing Prevents Costly Downtime?
Witheachminuteofmanufacturingtimepreciousintoday'sfastpacedfactoryenvironment,suddenequipmentfailureor processslowdownscanshutdownentireoperations,leadtolost business,misseddeadlines,anderodedcustomerconfidence.Tocombat this,manufacturersincreasinglyareturningtoarevolutionarytechnology: AIinmanufacturing.
Using artificial intelligence, manufacturers can not only forecast and avoid equipment failure but also tune their operations to steer clear of expensive downtime altogether
TheCostofDowntimeinManufacturing
BeforedivingintohowAIissolvingtheproblem,it’simportanttounderstandthe scaleoftheissue.Downtimeinmanufacturingdoesn’tjustresultinidle machinery—italsoimpactstheentiresupplychain.Accordingtoindustryreports, unplanneddowntimecancostmanufacturersupto$260,000perhour.Beyondthe financialimplications,downtimecancauseseveredisruptionsininventorylevels, productionschedules,anddeliverycommitments.
Inthiskindofcompetitiveenvironment,withmarginsusuallybeingslender,the capabilitytostayofflineisnotonlyaconveniencebutanimperative.
TheEmergenceofAIinManufacturing
Artificialintelligencehastransformedseveralindustries,andmanufacturingisno different.WhatmakesAIinmanufacturingstandoutisitscapabilitytoanalyzehuge datastreamsfromsensors,machines,andsystemsinrealtime,providingpredictive possibilitiesthatwereheretoforeunimaginable.
AIsystemsareabletoscanequipmentperformance,maintenancehistories,temperature data,vibrationpatterns,andmore.Fromthisinformation,AIcanseewhenamachineis goingtofailandschedulemaintenanceinadvance—beforeanythingbreaksdown.
Thisproactivestrategy,calledpredictivemaintenance,isamongthemostcompelling methodsAIisassistingmanufacturersinavoidingdowntime.
PredictiveMaintenance:AGame-Changer
Conventionalmaintenancestrategieseitheruseatime-basedscheduleorfollowfailures aftertheyhavehappened.Bothareinefficient.Time-basedmaintenancetendstoprovide unnecessaryservicing,whereasreactivemaintenancecreatesexpensivedelayand potentialequipmentdamage.
AI-drivenpredictivemaintenanceaddressesbothissues. Withmachinelearningalgorithms,itdetectspatternsand anomaliesinreal-timeinformation.Forinstance,ifamotor startsvibratingirregularlyoratemperaturecrossesthe normalthreshold,theAIsystemalertsit,proposingan inspectionormaintenance.
Thisimpliesthatmanufacturersareabletocorrectissues beforetheyreachacriticalstage.Consequently,downtime decreasesexponentially,maintenanceexpenseis minimized,andequipmentlifeisprolonged.
Real-TimeMonitoringandProcessOptimization
AIinmanufacturingisnotjustaboutequipment maintenance.Anothermajorbenefitisreal-timemonitoring andoptimizationofmanufacturingprocesses.
AImachinescanmonitorandadjustvariableslike temperature,speed,pressure,andhumiditytoproducethe bestoutput.If,forexample,amachinebeginsproducing marginallyflawedpartsbecauseofaslightcalibration problem,AIwillbeabletoidentifythediscrepancyright awayandeitheradjusttheparametersoralertatechnician.
Constantmonitoringensurestherearenovariationsin quality,reduceswaste,andmaintainsproductionlines runningcontinuouslyallofwhichresultinlessdowntime.
SmartSupplyChainManagement
Artificialintelligencealsoplaysanimportantpartinthe managementofthesupplychainofmanufacturing.Based ondatafromsuppliers,logisticsproviders,andstock systems,AIcandetectimpendingshortagesbeforethey happen.
Forinstance,ifasupplierisfacingdelaysorashipmentis stuckduetoweather,AIcansuggestalternativesourcesor redirectshipmentstokeepproductiongoing.Intelligent decision-makinglikethispreventsmanufacturingprocesses frombeinghaltedbyexternalfactors.
Additionally,AIcanmakemoreprecisepredictionsabout demand,allowingmanufacturerstopreventoverproduction orstockoutsbothofwhichcancontributetodowntime indirectly.
QualityControlandDefectDetection
Yetanotherreasonforunplanneddowntimeislow-quality productsthatneedtobereworkedordamageequipment.
AIvisionsystemscanfindeventinydefectsinproductson theproductionline.Incontrasttohumaninspectors,who mightmisssmallflaws,AIcansustainanuninterrupted, highlevelofvigilancewithoutgettingtired.
Ifqualityproblemsareidentifiedbeforehand,theycanbe correctedatonceandbigbatchesoffaultyproductswillnot beproduced,andtheconsequentoveruseorbreakdownof machinesavoided.
ApplicationsinRealLife
SeveralinternationalproducershavealreadyadoptedAIto immensesuccess.GeneralElectric,forinstance,appliesAI systemstodetecttheirmachineryinrealtime,minimizing unexpecteddowntimeintheirplants.BoschemployedAIto readmachinedataandlowerdowntimeby25%insome operations.
ThesuccessstoriesattesttothefactthatAIin manufacturingisnolongersciencefictionbutatangible resourcegivingquantifiableresults.
HumanandAICollaboration
ItisworthmentioningthatAIisnotreplacinghumansbut augmentinghumancapabilities.Still,skilledworkersare thekeytointerpretingAIinsights,executingcomplicated maintenance,andstrategicdecision-making.Theadoption ofAIisopeningupopportunitiesforupskillingaswellas high-valuepositionsinmanufacturingteams.
Conclusion
TheuseofAIinmanufacturingisrevolutionizingthe sector'sresponsetodowntime.Throughmovingfrom reactivetopredictiveapproaches,streamliningproduction operations,andmakingsupplychainsmoreresilient,AI allowscompaniestoproducewithrecordefficiencyand reliability.
Inanagewhereeverysecondofuptimecounts,AIprovides acompetitiveadvantagethatcannotbeoverlooked.With moremanufacturersturningtoAI-basedsolutions,the futureofmanufacturingisnotjustsmarterbutawholelot moreresilient.Andinthatfuture,expensivedowntime couldbecomearelicofthepast.
