The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has shared further programme details of its IMCA Global Summit, which takes place in Utrecht, Netherlands, on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 December 2024, with author and safety expert Todd E Conklin joining as a keynote speaker.
Dr Conklin spent three decades at Los Alamos National Laboratory developing the Human Performance programme and has shared his insights on safety cultures with global audiences – from executives to field workers.
He is the author of three best-selling books on safety, including Pre-Accident Investigations: An introduction to Organizational Safety and hosts a popular podcast with the same name.
Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Conklin continues to advocate for safety to empower workers in unpredictable environments.
well as a keynote speech in the ‘Safety Session’, he will join an industry panel discussion featuring a range of IMCA Members sharing their insights and experiences with the audience, including Subsea7’s Andy Woolgar and Petrobras’ Josué E Maia França.
“I’m delighted to be joining the discussions in Utrecht,” said Conklin.
He added: “IMCA members have been at the forefront of thinking on safety for decades, and it goes without saying that the offshore environment is an extremely challenging place to operate in.
“There is much we can learn from each other, and I’m looking forward to meeting delegates in December.”
IMCA has also announced other keynote speakers in the sessions on sustainability, macro-economics, and safety.
Forum for the Future chief executive Sally Uren will be presenting on systematic change and how organisations can adapt to meet new ambitions on sustainability.
Partner in the advisory division at Rystad Energy Fredrik Ellekjær will be looking at the political and macro-economic outlook for 2025 and broader industry trends.
IMCA closed bell diving supervisor Chris Lemons (pictured) is the ‘star’ of the critically acclaimed BBC/Netflix documentary Last Breath which explores his story. He survived more than 40 minutes on the seabed after his umbilical was severed and his story is being immortalised by Hollywood in a movie of the same name, due to be released in 2025.
IMCA chief executive Iain Grainger said: “Our keynote speakers will provide delegates with expert insight, and kickstart challenging discussion and debate.
“We’ve tried to continue this theme across the programme with sessions which inform and educate, while offering tangible takeaways which can be taken back to the workplace.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming IMCA Members and the wider industry to our Global Summit in December.”
Early Bird tickets are now available offering significant discounts on the full price. The Summit is open to Members and Non-Members alike. Find out more at https://www.imca-int.com/calendar/imca-global-summit-2024/


