On June 15th, hundreds of supply chain and logistics professionals from across Europe will be gathering in Barcelona for the 2015 European Supply Chain and Logistics Summit. This 3-day event will offer attendees a wide array of case studies, workshops and keynotes from various industries, all revolving around the theme “Reshaping the Supply Chain of Tomorrow.”
After a successful and insightful experience in 2014, I will once again be attending the summit as a blogging partner this year. I am looking forward to networking with the industry’s top leaders and gaining new insights into the current challenges supply chain and logistics professionals are facing. There is no better place to obtain trending information than directly from the source, and 500+ experts in one room certainly represents a great opportunity for exchanging current best practice strategies and expanding professional networks.
All of the workshops and case studies that will be held fall into one of the following five streams offered at the summit:
- World Class Logistics
- Effective Supply Chain Strategies
- Supply Planning & Operations
- Performance Management
- Procurement, Finance & Global Sourcing
The fifth stream is a new addition this year and demonstrates the growing importance of the procurement function within the organization. I am especially looking forward to the case study on Day 1 titled “Sustainable Sourcing: Going Green While Maintaining Margins”, being presented by Keith Kenny, the Head of Sustainability & CSR at McDonald’s. In this case study, Kenny will talk about the journey McDonald’s embarked on, together with the World Wildlife Fund, with the goal of prioritizing the company’s sustainable sourcing initiatives. The importance of collaboration will be highlighted in this presentation. The new procurement stream is definitely something I will be keeping an eye on this year.
As you already know, the effective management of supply chain processes is risky business. On Day 2, MIT Professor and supply chain thought leader, David Simchi-Levi, will share some of his research on risk management in his keynote address titled “Effectively Identifying Risks and Mitigating Disruptions in the Supply Chain”. Using Ford Motor Company as an example, Professor Simchi-Levi will display how companies can minimize costly supply chain disruptions and maximize profits by identifying previously unrecognized risk exposures.
Another presentation I will be attending is being held on Day 3 in the Performance Management stream. Lora Cecere, founder of Supply Chain Insights, will be addressing the question: “How should companies define supply chain metrics to improve market capitalization?”. Cecere will discuss which supply chain metrics matter most and present how companies can best align these metrics to drive improvement.
On top of these case studies and keynotes, you can expect further networking conversations to address:
- Improvement of demand visibility along the supply chain
- Integration of cloud technologies into supply chain processes
- Creation of sustainable and transparent supply chains
- Management of the balancing act between inventory levels and customer satisfaction
I encourage you to view the full event program, and if possible, join in on this great networking opportunity.
Those of you that made it this far down in my event preview are in for a treat. If you are:
- a senior supply chain and logistics professional and
- interested in meeting up in Barcelona,
you can register here and receive a 25% discount on the entry fee. This exclusive offer is valid until May 18th, 2015!
If, for whatever reason, you are unable to attend the event, I would be happy to report back on a particular case study or workshop in the program that grabbed your attention. Just send me an e-mail at david.weaver@inform-software.com or leave a comment below.
A click on the picture below will take you to the photo gallery from last year:
Be sure to follow me, @Weaver_davidw, as well as the Supply Chain and Logistics Network, @SCLNetwork, on twitter for live updates from Barcelona. You can use the hashtag #SCLEU15 to follow the discussions.
I hope to see you in Barcelona!
