The Operational Excellence (OPEX) Reference Group – EU/UK Chapter, powered by PRIME BPM, hosted its September 2025 Live Meetup, exploring the transformative potential of generative AI in bridging longstanding gaps between process design and real-world execution.
The virtual meetup featured Iris Velikonja, Senior Director of Global Operational Excellence at CBRE, who delivered an insightful presentation on how organizations are leveraging generative AI technologies to ensure processes function as designed when implemented across complex operations.
Drawing on her extensive experience leading operational excellence initiatives at CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services company, Velikonja shared practical examples of how GenAI is helping organizations move beyond the traditional challenges of process implementation.
“The reality is that most organizations struggle with a fundamental disconnect—processes that look perfect on paper often fail in practice,” said Velikonja during the session. “Generative AI is giving us powerful new tools to close this execution gap by creating adaptive processes that respond to real-world conditions while maintaining core objectives.”
Key Discussion Highlights
- How GenAI is enabling dynamic process adaptation rather than static design
- Real-world case studies showing 30-40% improvements in process adherence
- The evolution from descriptive to predictive and now prescriptive process intelligence
- Practical approaches to integrating GenAI tools with existing process frameworks
- Addressing data quality challenges that impact effective AI implementation
- Balancing standardization with flexibility in global process deployment
- Ethical considerations and governance frameworks for AI-enhanced processes
The interactive session sparked engaging discussions among OPEX professionals from across Europe and the UK, with participants sharing their experiences and challenges in maintaining process integrity during implementation phases.
“What’s particularly valuable about GenAI in this context is its ability to learn from execution data and suggest optimizations that human designers might miss,” noted Velikonja. “We’re seeing organizations reduce the implementation cycle by up to 50% while achieving better outcomes.”
Attendees were particularly interested in CBRE’s approach to measuring process execution quality and how GenAI tools have helped identify previously invisible friction points in complex workflows.
About the Operational Excellence Reference Group
Powered by PRIME BPM, the OPEX Reference Group is a cross-industry community that connects transformation professionals to collaborate, share insights, and accelerate operational success. Designed for professionals involved in process improvement, digital transformation, system implementation, compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement, the group offers a platform to stay ahead of trends, gain practical knowledge, and engage with industry leaders through exclusive meetups and sessions.