Mining executives will gather around a virtual fireside at the World Mining Congress next month to confront one of the industry's most pressing challenges: why some projects thrive while others crash into delays, cost overruns, and outright failure.
The World Mining Congress 2026 takes place in Lima from June 24 to 26, gathering business leaders, experts, and authorities from the global mining industry to discuss the sector's future under the vision "Mining for the Future," built on three pillars: technology, trust, and transformation.
The intimate discussion format will anchor a special block of sessions titled "Transformation: Project Focus" on June 24, featuring Bent Flyvbjerg, the Oxford University professor widely regarded as the world's leading authority on megaprojects.
Industry giants join discussion
The fireside chat "What Makes a Successful Project?" will bring together Karla Mills, EVP and chief project development officer at Teck Resources; Juan Luis Kruger, CEO of Minsur; and Joe Lombard, vice chair at Hatch. Sarah Gordon, CEO of Satarla, will moderate the conversation.
The session forms part of a broader examination of project execution that mining companies desperately need as they face mounting pressure to accelerate new mine development while managing massive capital investments and rising environmental standards.
Flyvbjerg's academic research has dissected thousands of megaprojects across infrastructure, energy, technology, and natural resources, uncovering patterns that separate success from failure. His findings reveal that planning biases, underestimated risks, and overly optimistic projections rank among the most common causes of project underperformance.
Critical questions for mining
The block begins at 11:00 a.m. with the panel "What Makes Projects Succeed or Fail?" where Flyvbjerg will share the stage with Karina Gistelink, President Potash at BHP, and Lucy Martin, Senior Vice President at Bechtel. James Marzocca, Vice Chair at Hatch, will moderate.
The sessions conclude with "Accelerating Project Delivery Responsibly," where Flyvbjerg and Marzocca will explore how companies can compress development timelines without compromising sustainability, risk management, or stakeholder trust.
Growing complexity
Mining project development has become increasingly complex as companies grapple with shortened development timelines, massive capital optimization requirements, and heightened environmental and social standards. These factors have dramatically increased demands on mining companies and their ability to deliver projects successfully.
For mining executives, investors, project leaders, and strategic decision-makers, the sessions represent a rare opportunity to access applied knowledge on delivering projects faster, more efficiently, and with better outcomes.
Those interested can explore the preliminary program here: https://Wmc2026.org/plenary-program
Registration is available on the official website: https://Wmc2026.org/registration
March 18, 2026
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