Milouni Sheth and Jeff Foley with Siemens

Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTech 2025 and talking to Milouni Sheth and Jeff Foley with Siemens about "RUGGEDCOM and securing utility assets. Scott MacKenzie hosts an industrial podcast from Distribute Tech in Dallas, Texas, featuring Jeff and Milouni from Siemens. They discuss the evolution of utility challenges, such as increased costs and digitalization, and the role of technology in addressing these issues. Jeff, with 24 years at Siemens, focuses on cybersecurity for critical infrastructures, while Milouni, with over 20 years in marketing, emphasizes the importance of secure, reliable, and redundant communication solutions. They highlight Siemens' efforts in digital substations, use cases, and AI integration to enhance efficiency and security. The conversation underscores the need for continuous innovation and collaboration in the utility sector.

Action Items

• [ ] Connect with Milouni and Jeff on LinkedIn to discuss Siemens' offerings further.
• [ ] Develop more collaboration and communication between interconnected utilities to drive innovation.
• [ ] Assess legacy infrastructure and implement segmentation, firewalls, and intrusion detection to add security layers.
• [ ] Explore use cases for digital substation solutions to address utility challenges.
• [ ] Investigate how AI can be leveraged to enhance cybersecurity and efficiency, while addressing potential risks.

Outline

Introduction and Welcome

• Scott MacKenzie introduces the Industrial Talk Podcast, emphasizing its focus on industry innovations and professionals.
• Scott welcomes listeners and highlights the importance of industry professionals in solving global problems.
• The podcast is sponsored by Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Grid Software, encouraging listeners to visit siemens.com for more information.
• Scott mentions the current broadcast location at Distribute Tech in Dallas, Texas, and introduces the guests, Jeff and Maloney from Siemens.

Initial Impressions and Conference Overview

• Jeff and Milouni express their excitement about the conference, noting its massive scale and high interest in the topics discussed.
• Scott comments on the growth of the conference compared to previous years and reflects on the evolution of the utility industry.
• Milouni discusses the ongoing challenges faced by utilities, including increased costs and digitalization, and the advancements in technology that help address these challenges.
• Scott and Milouni agree on the significant progress made in technology over the past few decades, which has improved the ability to tackle utility issues.

Professional Backgrounds and Roles

• Milouni introduces herself, sharing her extensive experience in marketing, particularly in the electric power industry.
• Milouni emphasizes the ever-evolving nature of the utility industry and the importance of communication infrastructure in digitalization.
• Jeff shares his background, detailing his 24 years at Siemens, focusing on communications, telecom, and cybersecurity for critical infrastructures.
• Jeff highlights the constant evolution and changing requirements in the utility sector, which necessitate continuous adaptation and innovation.

Challenges and Solutions in Utility Modernization

• Scott and Jeff discuss the challenges of modernizing utilities, including the need for more efficient and cost-effective solutions.
• Milouni explains Siemens' approach to helping utilities transition to digital substations, which offers significant benefits in addressing current challenges.
• Jeff elaborates on the...