Brad Holmes, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Detroit Lions, will deliver the opening keynote at Automate 2025 on Monday, May 12, at 9 a.m., alongside Dan Miller, Sports Director at Fox 2 Detroit and the voice of the Lions. Automate 2025 is North America’s premier event for the robotics and automation industry.
Since joining the Detroit Lions in January 2021, Holmes has been credited with helping transform the team’s culture, alongside head coach Dan Campbell, who also joined that year. The Lions, currently riding an 11-game winning streak, are enjoying one of the most successful seasons in franchise history.
Holmes will engage in a discussion with Miller, sharing insights on how to reshape an organization and build a winning culture, using the Lions’ turnaround as a key example.
“Brad Holmes has been a key figure in the Detroit Lions’ rise to becoming one of the most dynamic and respected teams in the NFL,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “His experience and leadership offer valuable lessons on overcoming challenges and fostering collaboration, which will resonate with Automate 2025 attendees looking to learn about effective leadership and talent development.”
Holmes oversees all football operations for the Lions and reports to Sheila Ford Hamp, the team’s principal owner and chair, and Rod Wood, president and CEO. His leadership philosophy emphasizes teamwork, shared vision, and talent development, which he has implemented with Campbell since they began reshaping the Lions roster in 2021. The duo has focused on building a team with players who bring grit, passion, and strong football character to the field, ensuring precision in every aspect of talent acquisition.
Before joining the Lions, Holmes spent 18 years with the Los Angeles Rams, culminating in his role as Director of College Scouting from 2013 to 2020, where he oversaw the Rams’ college recruiting operations for eight seasons.
Miller, who has more than 40 years of experience in sports broadcasting, has been with Fox 2 Detroit since 1997, after beginning his career in high school radio.
Automate 2025, which runs from May 12-15 at Huntington Place in Detroit, will feature additional keynote speakers, which will be announced soon. The event’s keynotes are free to all attendees, with the show itself open to the public, showcasing over 800 exhibitors across 320,000 square feet of space. The conference, featuring more than 140 sessions across 20 different topics, does have a fee for attendees. In 2024, the event attracted over 40,000 registrants from across the U.S. and internationally. The show is open to anyone 12 years or older to explore the latest in robotics, AI, motion control, and more.
About A3 (Association for Advancing Automation)
A3 is the leading global organization advocating for the benefits of automation. It promotes technologies and ideas that are transforming business operations. A3’s membership includes over 1,300 companies, including manufacturers, suppliers, integrators, end-users, academic institutions, and consulting firms, all dedicated to advancing automation worldwide.
