Leadership in Technology Speaker Series: A Conversation with Brett Cope ’90 and Dinesh Paliwal MS ’83 MBA ’85
February 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Benton Hall Auditorium (Room 102)
510 E. High Street
Oxford, OH 45056
Free Chick-fil-A voucher for all attendees!
Doors open at 6 p.m. No entry after 6:45 p.m. Space may be limited.
About This Session
Join Beena Sukumaran, Ph.D., the Dinesh and ILA Paliwal Dean of Miami University College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) for a dynamic conversation with CEC alumni Brett Cope ’90, CEO of Powell Industries, and Dinesh Paliwal MS ’83 MBA ’85, Partner at KKR New York. These innovative leaders will share their career journeys, lessons in leadership, and advice for current students.
Reception to follow.
The Speakers
Brett Cope
President and Chief Executive Officer, Powell Industries, Inc.
Chairman, Miami University College of Engineering and Computing Executive Advisory Board
Brett Cope has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Powell Industries, Inc. since October 1, 2016. Brett was elected as the Chairman of the Board for Powell Industries on October 1, 2019.
Brett has more than 31 years of experience in the electrical, automation and process industries. Prior to his election as Powell's Chief Executive Officer, Brett served as Powell's Chief Operating Officer from December 2015 to September 30, 2016.
Brett joined Powell in 2011 to create a global Sales and Marketing team across Powell as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Prior to joining Powell, Brett spent twenty years with ABB in various engineering, project operations and sales management positions. In his last role as the Group Vice President, he was responsible for the strategic development and execution of global business initiatives for ABB's activities with the ExxonMobil Corporations.
Brett is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a Bachelor in Applied Science, and has successfully completed numerous professional certifications.
Powell Industries designs, manufactures and services custom-engineered equipment and systems for the distribution, control and monitoring of electrical energy. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022, Powell has approximately 2,000 employees.
Powell's markets include large industrial customers including utilities, oil and gas producers, refineries, petrochemical plants, data centers, pulp and paper producers, mining operations, and commuter railways.
Dinesh C. Paliwal
Partner at KKR
Board Member at Nestle S.A. and Board of Trustees at Miami University
Chairman: KKR portfolio companies Topcon, Marelli, and Koki Holdings
Dinesh Paliwal joined KKR in 2021 and is a Partner within the firm’s Global Private Equity business. Mr. Paliwal sits on the Board of Directors of KKR portfolio companies Topcon, Koki Holdings and Marelli.
Prior to joining KKR, Dinesh was Chairman and CEO of HARMAN (2007-2020), a global leader in connected car technologies, audio solutions, SaaS including cyber, cloud-based OTA and IoT solutions. In March 2017, he sold the company to Samsung Electronics for US$8.8 billion after having built HARMAN into an industry leader.
Prior to HARMAN, Dinesh was with ABB for 22 years and served in dual roles simultaneously - President of ABB Group in Switzerland and Chairman and CEO of ABB North America, a global leader in energy and automation. He was instrumental in ABB’s turnaround from near collapse in 2002. During his time with ABB, Dinesh lived and worked in the United States, Singapore, Australia, China, India and Switzerland.
Dinesh was named Fortune Magazine’s “Businessperson of the Year in 2014” and was listed in Yahoo Finance’s 5-Star CEOs. Dinesh is a recipient of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, founded by the Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS), which counts among its past medalists seven U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and other world leaders of government, industry, education, the arts, and sports. In addition, he has been honored by numerous organizations for his contributions, including T.J.Martell Foundation, B'nai B'rith International, GOPIO, America India Foundation and EY.
He is a former corporate board member of Harman International, Raytheon Technologies (RTX), Bristol Myers Squibb, TYCO (Johnson Control), ADT Securities, Embarq (Century Link) and ABB. He also served on the boards of U.S. India and U.S. China Business Council and the Farmer School Board of Visitors.
Dinesh received his master’s degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology and earned an MSc in Engineering and an MBA in Finance, both from Miami University in Ohio. In 2019, he was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by the Board of Trustees of Miami University. In the same year, Dinesh was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology. In 2021, he was honored with the Pioneer Award by Miami University College of Engineering and Computing.
About The Series
As a technology-driven world continues to evolve, engineering and computing students face unprecedented challenges in fields ranging from smart manufacturing and renewable energy to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. At the same time, they need to navigate complex leadership demands in dynamic, globalized industries. By connecting CEC students with seasoned professionals and their first-hand experiences in these fields, CEC can help bridge a critical gap between academic theory and practical, real-world leadership.
The Leadership in Technology Speaker Series at Miami brings distinguished Miami alumni and esteemed friends of the university to campus to share their experiences, challenges and future visions. These speakers not only address important topics like practical leadership, technological advancements and emerging industry trends, but also inspire students with examples of perseverance, business ethics and innovation. By fostering these critical discussions, this speaker series prepares students to lead in their fields.
