James Attard Kingswell – NPD Officer, Toly Group ltd.
James holds a B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering and an MSc in Integrated Product Development. He joined the Toly Group immediately after graduation and has worked across product innovation, R&D, prototyping, and technical sales. He supports complex client projects from concept to industrialisation, with hands-on experience in tooling design, injection molding, and pilot-to-production transitions. James also develops internal digital tools to streamline product development workflows. Skilled in Autodesk Inventor and Fusion 360, he applies simulation tools like FEA and mold flow analysis. His expertise spans additive manufacturing (FDM, SLA, SLS), bridging design and engineering to deliver practical, production-ready solutions.
James will be speaking on:
Designing Impact: How Education Shapes Product and Service Thinking in the Cosmetics Industry
This keynote explores how a foundation in engineering and product design education influences the development of both tangible products and the services that surround them, with a focus on the global cosmetics industry.
Drawing from work at Toly, a leader in packaging innovation, the session highlights how academic training in integrated product development translates into real-world decisions across the full lifecycle, from early concept generation to manufacturing and market delivery. Examples include inclusive packaging design, multi-component systems, and customer engagement strategies, illustrating how products are increasingly inseparable from the services they support.
Key tools and methods such as CAD, simulation (FEA, mould flow), and additive manufacturing are presented not only as technical enablers, but also as catalysts for faster, more iterative collaboration across disciplines. The keynote also addresses the realities of tooling, injection moulding, and working with global clients, underscoring the complexity of delivering design at scale and the extent to which formal education prepares practitioners for such challenges.
Ultimately, this session offers an industry-grounded perspective on how impactful engineering and product design education cultivates the mindset required to navigate and integrate product and service innovation, and how learning continues long after graduation, on the shop floor, with customers, and in the boardroom.
Amanda Azzopardi – Senior Principal Engineer at Baxter Malta
Amanda Azzopardi is a mechanical engineer with extensive experience in the biomedical and research and development sectors. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Malta. Her career at Baxter Malta Ltd. spans from Senior Engineer to Senior Principal Engineer, where she served as a Product Design Owner and Product Risk Management Owner for renal and medication delivery devices. She has also worked as a Visiting Assistant Lecturer and as a research project engineer on several projects at the University of Malta. She has been awarded the Professional Engineering Warrant and has several patents and publications to her name, related to design in the biomedical engineering field.
Design practices: From engineering education to the biomedical industry
Designing products that improve human health presents a uniquely rewarding challenge, blending technical innovation with a profound sense of purpose. The speaker’s career trajectory, a transition from academia to the biomedical industry, has provided a distinctive perspective on this design process. This keynote will explore proven design practices, emphasising human-centred approaches and iterative development methodologies across diverse biomedical projects. The session will examine key design methods and tools, alongside the critical challenges encountered in product development, with particular attention to navigating complex regulatory frameworks. The presentation will conclude by discussing emerging skills and technologies, including AI applications in design, that are becoming essential for the next generation of engineers seeking to create impactful and innovative solutions in the rapidly evolving landscape of biomedical design.