Michael Ballé is co-author of The Gold Mine, a best-selling business novel of lean turnaround, and recently The Lean Manager, a novel of lean transformation, both published by the Lean Enterprise Institute. For the past 25 years, he has studied lean transformation and helped companies develop a lean culture. He is an engaging and colorful public speaker, experienced in running interactive workshops.

As a managing partner of ESG Consultants, Michael coaches executives in obtaining exceptional performance through using the lean tools, principles, and management attitudes. His main coaching technique is the "Real Place Visit," where he helps senior executives learn to see their own operational shop floors and draw the right conclusions for their business as a whole while teaching the spirit of kaizen. He has assisted companies in their lean transformations in manufacturing, engineering, construction, services, and healthcare. Michael holds a doctorate from the Sorbonne in Social Sciences and Knowledge Sciences. He is the co-founder of the Project Lean Enterprise and the Institut Lean France.

Daryl Powell is a professor at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management. He is also Chief Scientist and Research Manager at SINTEF Manufacturing, and a visiting professor at the University of Bergamo in Italy. Lean transformations, he was also recently awarded the title of Professor of Practice in Lean Manufacturing at the University of Wales Trinity St. David, in Swansea, UK. Dr. Powell's research focuses on lean manufacturing, digitalization.