IPAF Summit 2026 Programme: Sharing Knowledge and Ideas – Why Collaboration Matters in Business
With demand already high and 50% of tickets sold, delegates are encouraged to register now for the upcoming IPAF Summit & IAPAs 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey, on 21 and 22 April, an event built around the powerful theme "Sharing Knowledge and Ideas - Why Collaboration Matters in Business."
At a time when industries face rapid technological change, increasing regulation, and growing safety expectations, the summit will champion collaboration over competition, showing how shared learning strengthens businesses and raises standards across the access industry.
The conference will open with an introduction from Saruhan Günaydın, President of PLATFORMDER, the association of personnel lifting platform operators, manufacturers, and distributors in Turkey, and IPAF partner.
Saruhan Günaydın, President of PLATFORMDER, said:
“This event is not only an international summit; it also marks the beginning of Türkiye’s journey to becoming a global voice in the field of powered access. The event, held in collaboration with IPAF and KHL Group, will open the doors to even greater international conferences, organisations, and partnerships in the years to come.”
This year’s conference programme reflects a significant investment in content and expertise, led by two high-profile keynote speakers.
Keynote Speakers
Professor Ali Ari, Economist
Professor Ali Arı is a leading economist specialising in macroeconomics, international economics, and political economy, with a strong focus on energy, sustainability, and financial stability. His research explores financial and currency crises, international trade, energy transition, and the structural transformation of emerging markets, particularly the Turkish economy. Combining global comparative analysis with insight into technology, climate policy, and geopolitics, his work examines their impact on growth and inequality. Prof. Arı has held senior academic leadership roles at Marmara University and Kırklareli University and has extensive international experience through visiting positions at universities in the US, Asia, and Europe.
This session examines how geopolitics, energy markets and AI are shaping the future of the powered access industry in Turkey and the Middle East. Attendees will gain insight into how financial volatility and inflation interact with emerging AI-driven investment, while exploring how AI is transforming site safety, predictive maintenance and operator training. The session concludes with a practical risk and opportunity dashboard to support strategic decision-making across the powered access sector.
Mustafa İÇİL, Robotics & AI Specialist
Mustafa İÇIL is a globally recognised expert in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and technology-led business strategy. With nearly 35 years of experience at companies including Microsoft, Apple, and Google, he has held senior leadership roles such as Regional Marketing Director at Google, delivering award-winning initiatives across multiple international markets. Recognised as one of Capital magazine’s “Top Marketers” during his time at Apple, he now leads IÇIL Training and Consulting, advising organisations on AI, innovation, digital marketing, customer experience, and future-focused leadership.
This session looks ahead to the transformative impact of robotics and AI on the powered access industry, highlighting how innovation can be most effective when knowledge is shared across the sector.
Workshops
Alongside the keynote programme, the summit will feature three practical afternoon workshops, designed to encourage discussion, shared responsibility, and real-world application. The sessions will be as follows:
- Mast Climbing Work Platforms: Safety and compliance through shared responsibility (Gian Luca Benci, CEO of Alias2k and Dana Peters, Director of Digital Services at Terex). This workshop will cover lessons learned from incidents, reinforcing that safety and compliance are collective responsibilities across manufacturers, rental companies, contractors, end-users, and regulators.
- Practical uses of AI within the powered access industry (Alex Ventosa Lazaro, Director of Sales at Alba). This workshop will focus on real applications in the powered access industry.
- The use of telematics and data sharing to improve safety, efficiency, and decision-making (Steve O’Brien, Compliance Team Leader at Laing O’Rourke and Georgia Vaidarlis Raffaut, Customer Success Manager at Trackunit). This session will explore how data sharing can improve safety, efficiency, and decision-making within powered access.
Closer to the event, attendees will be invited to register for one workshop session. Places will be limited to ensure meaningful engagement.
Other confirmed speakers include Mark Keily, QHSE Director (Sunbelt Rentals Limited); Peter Douglas, CEO & Managing Director (IPAF); Brian Parker, Head of Safety & Technical (IPAF); Domokos Speder , Vice President of Customer Success (Trackunit); Rob Cavaleri, Regional Training Safety and Compliance Manager (Manlift Group) and Kai Schliephake, CEO (Partnerlift).
Peter Douglas, CEO and Managing Director of IPAF, said:
“Following the success of our Platform Türkiye event in April 2025, we’re excited to be bringing this international conference to Istanbul. We’ve worked hard to add real value to the programme by bringing together outstanding keynote speakers and practical workshops that reflect the importance of sharing knowledge. Collaboration is essential to improving safety, embracing innovation, and strengthening our industry globally.”
The conference will offer simultaneous translation in English and Turkish, ensuring accessibility for an international audience. Attendance is free, but advance registration is required as places are limited.
Held over two days, the IPAF Summit forms part of a four-event programme, including a site visit, dedicated networking session and the International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs).
