The Art of the Impossible

Step inside the design Oct 20, 2026 40:33 Scott Virtue began his career in the United States Air Force before moving into engineering leadership at the forefront of immersive design. As Director of Engineering at Foth, a firm working across infrastructure, environmental services, and production, he oversees what the company delivers to clients, and has been a driving force behind its adoption of VR and augmented reality as decision-making

Start crazy, land simple Oct 6, 2026 39:22 Starline Windows makes over 10,000 entirely custom windows every month, no two the same. As Chief Operating Officer, Lesley Noland has spent more than two decades turning that complexity into an advantage, driving a run of industry-first moves in materials, automation, and digital design. In this episode, she traces Starline’s path from early powder-coat adoption to Autodesk-based BIM workflows an

Transformation never ends Sep 22, 2026 45:49 Tom Loader joined Multiplex in 2018 as an architect by background. Today, he leads the global contractor’s digital transformation across technology, data, AI, and digital skills. In this episode of The Art of the Impossible, he argues that the grand phrase ‘digital transformation’ hides what’s really a slow, incremental, never-finished process, and that setting that expectation early is one of the

Taking play seriously Sep 1, 2026 47:11 What does play have to do with design and manufacturing? Everything. In this episode Michelle Lee, Partner and Executive Managing Director at IDEO, reframes play not as a fun distraction but as a discipline: a deliberate practice of curiosity, creativity, and experimentation that has helped global brands crack their hardest problems. Drawing on a career spanning aerospace engineering, the toy indu

Taking products to market in a 21st-century world Feb 2, 2026 32:06 In December 2024, Joe Zak acquired Fonda Flexible Manufacturing, a precision sheet-metal fabrication and component manufacturing company. Now leading both Fonda and Zentrypoint, he’s driving both businesses to stay at the cutting edge of design and manufacturing technology.A key focus for Joe is sustainability. He’s positioning Fonda for B Corp certification, exploring opportunities in climate tec

Rocket fuel for change: driving digital transformation in aerospace manufacturing and beyond Jan 26, 2026 37:59 Meng Zhu, former blue-chip consultant with IBM, Accenture, and Deloitte, has driven digital transformation for global leaders including Meta, Pfizer, PVH, Hilton, and aerospace innovator Blue Origin. She reveals how Organizational Change Management (OCM), AI, and a people-first strategy can turn ambitious visions into measurable results – from boosting adoption and streamlining processes to signif

Creating product prototypes with iterative AI Jan 19, 2026 39:24 Tom Jarvis, Head of Industrial Design at Kingfisher plc, is exploring how generative AI can reshape product design. Leading a small team of seven UK-based designers, he discovered that pairing AI with CGI creates rapid prototypes for stakeholder feedback – streamlining decisions and accelerating the production of hundreds of products each year.By iterating designs in Photoshop, Tom’s team has prov

Designing for impact: Phil Gilbert on transforming industries with ‘design thinking’ Jan 12, 2026 55:12 As Head of Design at IBM, Phil Gilbert helped over 400,000 employees adopt new workflows by introducing design thinking – shifting focus from products to customers. The result? Faster time to market, reduced costs, and higher employee engagement.Now Founder of Gilbert Workshop and Managing Partner at Ten X Labs, Phil has spent his career – from start-ups to global enterprises – proving how lasting

Driving people-led change in the manufacturing industry Dec 8, 2025 44:03 Joanna Cooper, General Manager at Daimler Truck North America, is proving that people-led leadership drives measurable results. Her approach has already delivered more than $13 million in operational efficiency improvements across the organization.Starting as a Procurement Specialist, Joanna rose through the ranks by embracing digital transformation and leading change with her teams. She grounds h

Bolts to bytes: transferring digital transformation principles across industries Nov 24, 2025 38:45 Digital transformation is reshaping the design and manufacturing industry, no matter the speciality. Few know this better than Emma Alexander, Chief of Staff (Engineering) at Relativity Space. After starting her career at John Deere, Emma has leveraged her expertise from farm vehicles to aerospace, demonstrating that innovation can be applied across diverse industries.Emma champions iteration

Designing and digitising liveable spaces beyond earth Jan 6, 2025 37:48 Space exploration is in a constant state of innovation and development. As we advance understanding of it, astronauts are able to go further, and stay longer, in space. An inevitable step in this evolution is to explore how human habitats can exist in space and beyond. Sebastian Aristotelis is doing just this. As founder of SAGA, an architectural firm specialising in space architecture, he us

Revolutionising India’s mini-mobility industry Jan 6, 2025 37:42 The automotive industry thrives on the pursuit of innovation—newer, bigger, and better. Vayve Mobility approaches this demand with a unique vision, focusing on agility and sustainability at the core of its vehicle designs.With two models currently on the market, Vayve Mobility creates next-generation cars powered by electric charging and solar energy, aligning performance with environmental respon

Ensuring net-zero employment rates in the rise of AI Jan 6, 2025 38:07 Digital transformation is a constantly evolving process, with new technology rapidly entering the fray. Currently, the biggest buzz centres around artificial intelligence (AI), which offers several opportunities – although some can be controversial. Riddhi Karambelkar is Head of Manufacturing Engineering at Brompton Bicycle and strives to make AI and humans work together. With the belief that

Data visualisation – the key to driving business performance? Jan 6, 2025 46:39 Druck has taken a very manual industry and turned it into something very digital. The company specialises in highly-configured pressure sensors developed for a range of applications–from nuclear engineering to aerospace. Claire Aitchison is Druck’s Executive Operations Leader. During her time at the company, she noticed that many customers needed Druck’s products, but didn’t have the resource

Digitising traffic management for cities of the future Jan 6, 2025 47:47 Yunex Traffic is a global leader in intelligent traffic solutions. The company creates digital options for a previously practical industry, working with highway authorities to improve the function of roads. Its solutions transform cities into places where people can live, work, and move more freely with a better quality of life.The company maintains a strong focus on sustainability, aiming to redu

A transitionary tale – top tips from a product design expert turned consultant Jan 6, 2025 34:45 As consumer products become more plentiful and accessible, it is increasingly difficult to get noticed. However, product consultancies like Zentry Point take away this challenge and provide production advice as well as design expertise.  Zentrypoint Co-founder, Joe Zak, shares insights from his journey in product design and consultancy, discussing how embracing digital transformation has

dormakaba: creating a flourishing data ecosystem Jan 5, 2024 35:04 One of the cornerstones of digital transformation is integration. Making systems work together efficiently so no data is lost is a challenge that all companies face in their journeys. How do you manage it internally and how does it affect other parts of the business? From recruitment to clients and the product itself, we explore how Alexander Bradfisch, Senior Vice President of EntriWorX at dormak

Northvolt: 3D Design at the Heart of a Sustainable Future Jan 5, 2024 44:58 Most people would assume that a transition to 3D and digital design is more about productivity and efficiency but for some businesses, the added objective of achieving greater sustainability triumphs profit. Sustainability through innovation is at the core of the Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt. They have taken digital transformation a step further by innovating across the entire busin

Nijhuis Saur Industries: Moving into 3D Jan 5, 2024 50:18 From technical drawings to visual walkthroughs, 3D in design has been a game changer on all levels. 3D visualisation enables more iterative and agile workflows, leading to more straightforward communication with internal and external stakeholders.In the third episode of season three, we explore the move from 2D to 3D with Ted Page, Head of Digital Design at Nijhuis Saur Industries We delve into th

Rathbane Group: digital transformation and change management Jan 5, 2024 42:26 Change can seem daunting even to the most experienced of managers. Anticipation and effective communication is key to ensuring the successful delivery of a digital transformation project. From leveraging efficiencies to mediating resistance, having a solid plan and a change management strategy can mark the difference between success and failure. Jude McCann, Innovation Manager at Rathbane Gro

Visiconsult: The AI revolution in Design & Manufacturing Jan 5, 2024 33:32 Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the next frontier of digital transformation. From automating processes to writing code and increasing productivity, the use cases for AI are as versatile as the companies that utilise them.But it’s also one of the most hotly contested topics: how can companies in the D&M sector harness its power? Which processes lend themselves best to automation? Ho

Bridgestone Tyres: unlocking the potential of Smart Factories Jan 5, 2024 43:00 Like much of the technological jargon, the term Smart Factory seems to be used in a variety of ways with multiple meanings to it. Asif unpacks how one famous brand, Bridgestone Tyres defines a Smart Factory and what it has been doing to spearhead digital transformation from the factory up.Andy Warren, Senior Engineering Services Support Manager at Bridgestone Tyres Americas, discusses the potentia

Making Change Part of the Everyday Oct 21, 2022 47:55 In recent years, we’ve had to deal with rapid and unpredictable changes both personally and professionally. How can companies maintain their agility, and make changes part of the ‘business as usual’ mindset? Join Autodesk’s Asif Moghal as he discusses what agile change means to people and processes in a D&M business, with Karim Sekkat, CEO of Oxford Engineering Group, and Dr Sally Eaves, CEO o

Innovative Thinking in Manufacturing Oct 21, 2022 51:38 With the complete overhaul in product design and manufacturing processes in recent years, there has never been a greater need to implement innovative thinking within the Design and Manufacturing industry. In this episode, Asif Moghal – Director of D&M Market & Industry Development at Autodesk – speaks to Ben Maddock, Design Engineer at Steller Engineering, and Sam Rogers, Test Pilot and Ad

Inside Out Disruption - Building a Culture of Innovation Oct 21, 2022 54:55 Digital transformation is one of the most important enablers of innovation, but it’s not enough to create a lasting impact. The willingness and awareness to innovate and keep learning have to be ingrained in the company culture in order for businesses to keep thriving and evolving with the times. In this episode, we are joined by Kim Dabbs, Global VP of Social Innovation at Steelcase, and Dylan Ho

Championing Sustainability One Innovation at a Time Oct 21, 2022 51:32 As a society, one of the biggest challenges of our age is tackling climate change by finding long-term sustainable business solutions across industries. But how can digital transformation facilitate sustainability? We are exploring innovative technologies that can pave the way for a greener future with Alec Anderson, co-founder of Koolmill Systems, and Dr. Taryn Foster, founder of Coral Maker. Hos

Bridging Data Access Oct 21, 2022 47:11 The strategic importance of data is well-known across the D&M industry. But while many companies collect huge amounts of data, it can be hard to know how to process it effectively. In this episode, Asif Moghal speaks with Rob Marchant, CEO of MarchantCain Design Ltd., and Tom Jones, Senior Solution Architect Manager at Amazon Web Services, to explore how data can be collected and used to enact

The Extended Realities of Design Oct 21, 2022 50:58 Virtual reality is no longer a science-fiction fantasy, and recently, it’s been growing in use in professional and industrial settings. But how are architecture and design firms taking advantage of this technology? In this episode, Asif Moghal speaks with Brendan Mullins, Associate & Architect at Stantec, and Craig Bunyan, Associate Director at Seymourpowell, to find out how Extended Reality (

Collaboration - the Key to a Better Tomorrow? Mar 16, 2021 40:59 The past 12 months have shown us, beyond all doubt, that being more collaborative can result in phenomenal outcomes. In this episode, Asif Moghal talks to Tony Cox, owner and co-founder of Great British Outdoor Fires and John Grimshaw, Product Manager at Elcometer about what collaboration is and why it’s the only way to succeed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Customer Experience Vs Customer Service Mar 16, 2021 36:54 How exactly should SMEs build a customer experience mindset into their business? What's the difference between that and customer service, and what does good look like? To explore this subject, host Asif Moghal welcomes Ilham Said, CEO and founder of Engineer 2 Engineer (E2E), and Richard Hagan, Managing Director of Crystal Doors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flexible Thinking Leads Flexible Manufacturing Mar 16, 2021 44:00 While the Covid-19 pandemic has shown how quickly companies can shift, creating essential life-saving PPE equipment overnight, in today’s episode we get down to the nitty-gritty stuff around flexibility. To unearth just how flexible the industry really is through real-life examples, Asif Moghal talks to Adrienne Houston, Director of Euro Evacuum Products, and Tom Mongan, General Manager at Subcon

The Race to Sustainable Manufacturing Mar 16, 2021 41:18 The demand for products is on the rise, driven by the increasing global population. But the resources we need to meet these levels of demand are finite, and we’re becoming increasingly aware of and concerned by the impact this will have on climate change. In this podcast’s episode, we welcome James Selka, CEO at the Manufacturing Technologies Association, and Denise Taylor, Director of Wylde Conne

Achieving More Through Automation Mar 1, 2021 33:30 Automation is so much more than industrial robots or productivity. And while certain economies seem to be way ahead of the investment curve, many worry about the comparatively high costs of automation for an SME and the ever present concerns about jobs. Asif Moghal is joined by Jocelyn Cole, Goods Lift General Manager for Penny Hydraulics and the University of Warwick’s Dr Simon Leigh to try to un

Rethinking Traditional Value Propositions Mar 1, 2021 42:42 The world of design and manufacturing is digitizing at an exponential rate. Whilst keeping abreast of changes might represent a challenge to some, it also presents a great opportunity for businesses to rethink traditional value propositions and apply them to new products, markets or even business models in timescales once thought of as impossible. But how do we get there? To explore this topic, As

Making Manufacturing Personal Mar 1, 2021 43:56 In this episode of the podcast, Asif Moghal asks Dr Saeed Talebi, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering and the Built Environment at Birmingham City University, and Founder of Equitus Engineering Limited, Raam Shanker, to discuss the cross-pollination of mass customization from the design manufacturing industry into the construction industry. They explain the nuances within mass customiza

The Future of Supply Chains Feb 8, 2021 40:43 For as long as civilisation has existed, we have thrived and survived in our ability to get access to stuff that we need further and further away from our homes, or more complex things to allow us to work and play in the way we've become used to. In today’s episode, Asif Moghal discusses the future of supply chains and what resilience looks like with transport and manufacturing expert Rachel Eade

Education and Industry Working Together Feb 8, 2021 49:38 In this episode of the podcast, Asif Moghal speaks with Paul Perera, technology manager at myMaskFit, and Nicole Pellizzon, aeronautical engineer undergraduate at Imperial College London, about how education and industry can work together to drive innovation. They discuss the transformational impact of their individual experiences; what’s preventing more businesses to take on board innovation; the

Plugging the Digital Skills Gap and Building for Tomorrow Feb 8, 2021 45:58 In this episode of the podcast, Asif Moghal speaks with top 100 women in UK tech and Founder of The Immersive KIND, Kadine James, and Managing Director of Hosokawa Micron, James Moore, about the digital skills gap in the design and manufacturing industry. They discuss some of the currently desired skills in the sector; the fact that certain capabilities, due to their digital nature, are constantly

The Challenge of Innovation Jan 11, 2021 45:17 A good idea, executed at the right time, in the right place, has the power to create markets, unlock potential, generate opportunities. Innovation seems to be something we’re all chasing, but being innovative doesn’t come without its risks. In this episode, we welcome Matthew Maclennan, mechanical design engineer at Steve Vick International, to talk about what defines an innovative idea, and, more

Creating the Next Generation of Manufacturing Leaders Jan 11, 2021 37:42 Leadership is always an important topic in the design and manufacturing industry. To explore what it truly means to be a leader in the 21st century and how we can create the next generation of digitally empowered manufacturing leaders, we spoke to Nick Hussey, CEO of The Manufacturer, and Jason Cole of Jonathan Lee Recruitment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Powering Businesses Through Digital Transformation Jan 11, 2021 46:36 People and technology are empowering businesses, reshaping manufacturing and building the industries of tomorrow. In this podcast, our guests William Bridgman, Chairman at Warren Services, and Chris Greenough, Chief Commercial Officer at SDE Technology, share their thoughts on Digital Transformation, what it actually means, their journeys to get there, and their advice to those who want to give it

Welcome to The Art of the Impossible Oct 9, 2020 0:56 Asif Moghal, Autodesk Senior Industry Manager, Design & Manufacturing, introduces a new podcast series which will showcase industry pioneers, business leaders and bright young minds working at the cutting edge of design and manufacturing and discuss the big ideas driving the sector forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

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