Paul Bailey, R2-D2 Expert and Former Tech Director for Disney Imagineering, to Keynote IPC APEX EXPO 2024

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Each year, IPC APEX EXPO features industry’s most dynamic, innovative minds to deliver keynote presentations that are both educational and entertaining. IPC APEX EXPO 2024 will feature Paul Bailey, mixed-media artist, technologist and vice president and general manager of AOA West, a design, production and project management company in Burbank, Calif.                     

A former principal concept technical director for Walt Disney Imagineering, Bailey will present the IPC APEX EXPO opening keynote on Tuesday, April 9, “The Art of the Impossible,” discussing the creation of “moonshot” projects like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and other projects, while discussing the “why” and deep purpose behind the decisions made, as well as the human side of leading a team while attempting projects of this magnitude.                                                          

With expertise in illusions, special effects, and show technology integration, Bailey’s extensive work in the themed entertainment industry spans nearly three decades and covers a wide range of storytelling tools, methods, and environments. While at Disney, he worked in multiple roles at Walt Disney Imagineering, totaling 15 years of combined service on global projects. Bailey developed the projection system used in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and directed the delivery of the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction.  He was also responsible for bringing all the Astromech droids to life in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area of the parks, gaining him the distinction of “R2-D2 expert.”                                                                                

In addition to Bailey’s opening keynote, IPC President and CEO John W. Mitchell will explore the impact of automation, artificial intelligence, and responsive technology and dispel doubts about the role humans will have in this changing landscape during his keynote, “The Future of the Human Workforce: Maximizing Potential in an Automated World,” on Wednesday, April 10. Closing out IPC APEX EXPO 2024, Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist, will deliver the closing keynote on Thursday, April 11 and will ride the wave of change with keynote attendees as he explores the trends revolutionizing the electronics industry, in his keynote, “The Next Wave in Electronics: Trends Reshaping Our Industry.”                                                          

Opening and closing keynotes are free to all IPC APEX EXPO participants with advance registration ($50 online and onsite after April 6, 2024). The Wednesday luncheon keynote is included in All-Access, World Convention and Full Technical Conference packages or available as an a la carte purchase. Meetings and courses will run April 6-11; the technical conference and exhibition will run April 9-11, 2023.