Keynotes

OPENING KEYNOTE Speaker

Genevieve Bell

Vice-Chancellor and President of The Australian National University (ANU)

AO FAHA FTSE FASSA

BIOGRAPHY

Ph.D., (Stanford University)

Born and raised in Australia, Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell was appointed the 13th Vice-Chancellor of ANU in January 2024. She completed her tertiary education in the United States where she studied cultural anthropology. Bell spent nearly 20 years in Silicon Valley working for technology company Intel. She is best known for her work at the intersection of cultural practice and technology development and for being an important voice in the global debates around artificial intelligence and human society. She is widely published, holds 13 patents and has held a number of appointments, including a Non-Executive Director of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia Board and is currently a Member of the Prime Minister’s National Science and Technology Council. Genevieve has been recognised across three Australian learned Academies and is an Officer of the Order of Australia.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

Through the stories of Australia’s Overland Telegraph Line, Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell will explore what we can learn from a historical large-scale system and how we can use it to understand the complex systems of contemporary AI. Interwoven with other human, technical, and ecological systems, the OTL transformed our experiences of time, distance, knowledge, mobility, and social relationships. Genevieve will use insights from the OTL to encourage different conversations about current and future human and technical systems—including those shaping the future of mobility.

Industry Keynote Speaker

Tim Shih

Tim Shih has been a design leader in the automotive industry for over 25 years. After completing degrees in architecture and transportation design, Tim started his career at Volvo Trucks North America before departing the US in 2000 to work for Johnson Controls’ automotive interiors business in Germany and Japan. In 2006, Tim achieved his childhood dream and went to work for BMW in Munich, Germany. In 2014, he relocated to Shanghai with BMW to lead design for a new EV sub-brand and collect insights from the world’s most dynamic market: China.

Inspired by China’s rapid development, Tim left BMW in 2017 to lead the global design team at Yanfeng, the world’s largest automotive interior supplier with 240 locations and 55,000+ employees worldwide. As Global VP of Design and User Experience, Tim oversaw creative teams in China, Germany, and the US.

In 2022, Tim returned to the US to help care for his parents and his own growing family. He also took the chance to apply his experience toward greater social impact. In addition to new advisory roles, Tim co-founded Mobility Futures Alliance, a US-based non-profit with the vision to improve lives through better transportation.

KEYNOTE ABSTRACT

What does a future look like where ‘happy mobility’ is an integral part of life? This question has become a personal pursuit for Tim Shih, following decades of experience designing emotionally engaging automotive interiors and, more recently, shifting his focus toward mobility systems that improve everyday life.

Through the lens of his design journey, Tim will explore how transportation can be reframed as a powerful force for societal change—rather than simply the movement of people and goods. Drawing on systems thinking and creative visual storytelling, he will share how his team at Mobility Futures Alliance works to build excitement and alignment around mobility futures that move us toward a brighter and more equitable world.

‘Happy mobility’ isn’t just about the journey. When fully realized, it has the potential to change lives and build more vibrant communities. Tim’s keynote will offer an inspiring vision for what transportation can truly become.