User2User Europe 2025 Afternoon Keynotes
People, Process, and Technology - digital transformation at Leonardo
Tom Pitchforth, the VP of Leonardo UK's Electronics Engineering division -- a global leader in Aerospace, Defense & Security, the division employs over 500 engineers across the UK, focusing on full lifecycle development from RF systems to digital solutions.
In this talk Tom reviews a comprehensive plan built on a “People, Process & Technology” framework, starting with the considerable challenges they face in scaling-up and improving each of these pillars. Key initiatives include deploying AI/ML capabilities for value-added tasks and leveraging advanced analytics provided by Siemens’ Questa One software, strengthening strategic partnerships with external vendors, and advancing rapid prototyping capabilities.
A D&V Leader’s View of Today’s Toughest Verification Challenges – And How Siemens is Responding
According to the 2024 Wilson Research Group Functional Verification study, the problems facing today’s Functional D&V teams are getting worse: first silicon success is declining, there is a significant rise in projects that are behind schedule, and workforce issues (accelerating retirements, onboarding new engineers) is creating a productivity gap causing these quality and schedule declines (as echoed in Leonardo UK Electronics Engineering division VP Tom Pitchforth’s presentation above).
Siemens’ response to these challenges are described in-detail in this presentation by Siemens EDA VP & GM Abhi Kolpekwar. Specifically, Abhi introduces Questa One -- Siemens’ smart verification solution enabled by AI.
Questa One represents a breakthrough in combining AI-powered capabilities with advanced electronic system design and verification tools. This innovative platform is engineered to deliver up to 5x improvement in total user productivity with faster engines, making for faster engineers running significantly fewer workloads.
The solution integrates static, formal, and AI-driven verification capabilities to address next-generation verification challenges in electronic systems design. A standout feature is its seamless collaboration environment, enhanced by intelligent insights that significantly reduce the learning curve for engineers. The platform leverages contextually aware and adaptive verification flows, powered by sophisticated AI algorithms and predictive analytics.
Meet the speakers
Tom Pitchforth
Vice President Electronics Engineering
Vice President Electronics Engineering UK
20+ Years at Leonardo
- Firmware, Hardware & Rapid Prototyping (2002)
- Model Driven Engineering, Modularity & Re-use (2015)
- Capability, Technology & Innovation Office (2020)
- Engineering Improvements & Governance (2022)
- Electronics Engineering Technology Unit (2023)
Abhi Kolpekwar
Vice President and General Manager Design Verification Technology
bhi Kolpekwar is the VP and GM of the Digital Verification Technologies (DVT) division at Siemens EDA. Abhi's organization covers Simulation, Formal, Functional-Safety, Portable-Stimulus, Coverage Acceleration, Static Verification, Design Creation, Debug, and Verification IP product lines with teams across the globe.
Abhi’s 25 plus year career in EDA covers a wide range of roles including technology development, corporate strategy, solutions development and pre-sales in functional verification area.
Abhi graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with MS in Electrical & Computer Engineering, and also holds MS in Physics and has authored 13 US patents in functional verification area.