Pick up your badge and join your peers for a coffee and a chat prior to kick-off!

Welcome to FORGE: ENGAGE Community Gathering 2023 - let’s get started!

• Chair's welcome and event overview: 
  Jake Wojcik, EVP, Insight Sourcing Group
• Welcome from Mike Cadieux, CEO & Founder, Procurement Foundry 

Join a fun, ‘outside the box’ learning opportunity with this expert Improv company who through unscripted theatre and a bit of comedy will refresh the way you think about communicating and collaborating. This revolutionary learning technique will leave you inspired with new ways of thinking to take back to the office and ensure you are fully charged for the day ahead!

Host: The Hideout Theatre 

Clifford A. Bailey (former Board Member and National Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee Chair, NMSDC - National Minority Supplier Development Council)

Followed by a panel discussion on: 

Utilizing supplier diversity strategically in the organization

Clifford will be joined on stage by:

Jim Gorzalski, Senior Procurement Executive (Former CPO, Capital One)

Nedra Dickson, MD Global Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability Lead, Accenture

Grab a coffee & visit our awesome solution providers in the Expo.

• Macro & micro trends in supply chains 
  o    Supply chain shortages / delayed shipping

• Supply management and supply assurance, how are you pushing back against incumbent price increases from suppliers?

• Lingering global conflicts

• Inflation / interest rate environment and impact from a third-party risk perspective

• Offshore to nearshore outlook

• Organizational design / what sourcing model should you be adopting moving forward?

Sopan Shah, CPO, IHG

Rhondia Turano, CPO, SVP, Board Member (former 3M)

Host: Seb Butt, Head of Global Business Development & GM, Craft

This case study explores how Ed's leadership at Dynatrace transformed procurement and risk management. When Ed initially joined Dynatrace as the first Procurement hire, he found a company operating with minimal procurement processes. He identified a tool, consolidated access, and established a structured approval process. The study emphasizes the leveraging technology and process to lay the foundation for a strong team and discusses Zip's role in building and growing a Procurement organization in an expanding business.

Host: Colin Glazier, VP Procurement Solutions, ZIP 

Edward Petrush, Senior Director, Global Procurement, Dynatrace 

This is your time to speak!! Join a facilitated discussion group and talk with panelists sharing their insights and learnings in an interactive, collaborative setting designed to maximize interaction and take-aways.

Choose from A, B or C below:

The disruption of talent by new technologies and AI is having a significant impact on the workforce of both today and tomorrow. How do we inspire and prepare the next generation of employees and upskill the current workforce to maximize humanity in this new business world?

Host: Ken Hubbell, Pragmatic Futurist

Big Cloud Savings on AWS, Azure & GCP are achievable with the right tools and support. 

Post Contracting, Cloud Services are variable billed and can create an open check book for many firms with dispersed accountability. This session will assess solutions which can yield 30-50% savings with minimal risk\disruption. 

Host: Jamie Martino, SVP, Strategic Sourcing: Trusted Technology Sourcing Consultant, IT Diversity

In 2023 cost reduction is key. Finding ways to improve EBITDA through cost savings is at the forefront of many conversations, but unfortunately, this becomes increasingly difficult with limited resources, expertise, data, and time. Green Cabbage will address the low-hanging fruit that every company can take advantage of to generate hard dollar savings for their organization, regardless of the industry, location or size. Eric will address how having access to relevant data, and industry-leading “Market Intelligence" is accelerating optimal outcomes in some of the largest spend categories on the balance sheet, indirect technology, and contingent workforce.

Host: Eric Cunningham, Founder & CEO, Green Cabbage

Join our tribe ready to tackle your issues head on and seek the wisdom of peers who can help steer you in the right direction, connect you with the right people and advise you on vendors. Benefit from the shared knowledge of the pack.

Host: Paul Nilsen, Director of Procurement, Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Danielle Salyers, 2^nd VP Strategic Sourcing, Allied Solutions

Ruth Hicks, Head of Procurement, Sword Health

Chiharu Romano, Director of Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Management & Supplier Diversity, Endeavor

Join the community in the Expo for lunch & continued networking. Visit the supplier booths to find out how they can support your goals and objectives.   

With thanks to:

Cash burn is a term and a subject most Procurement professionals overlook. While its top of mind for CFO’s, CEO’s and Investors alike; It’s important to understand how procurement is one of the few mechanisms in an organization to truly Fight Cash burn.

Zai Mohammed, Head of Global Procurement, TalkDesk

This session will explore the emergence of digital purchasing cooperatives - the next evolution of group purchasing. It will showcase quantifiable research on the value of cooperative models. Attendees will learn strategies for assessing categories for cooperative management and gain insights into how cooperatives future-proof procurement.
•    Benefits and evolution of group purchasing models
•    How digital technologies increase efficiency and resilience
•    Assessing categories ripe for cooperative management
•    Insights into how cooperatives transform procurement

Brian Harmon, VP of Procurement, SDI

Kate Denissova, Senior Director, Procurement Advisory, The Hackett Group

This is your time to speak!! Join a facilitated discussion group and chew the fat with panelists sharing their insights and learnings in an interactive, collaborative setting designed to maximize interaction and take-aways.

Choose from A, B, C or D below:

When we think about procurement, we often envision a straightforward process of buying goods and services at the best possible price. In the world of supply chain and procurement, complexity is a given. Multiple suppliers, fluctuating market demands, geopolitical influences, and technological innovations mean that today’s procurement professionals are navigating an ever-changing landscape. Which means the same strategies they used before, may be outdated and out of time. However, to truly excel and create a strategic advantage, procurement needs to think in terms of CHESS, not checkers. In this session we will cover:

• Proactive thinking: multiple moves ahead

• Understanding your pieces and the game

• Sacrifices? Playing the long game

• Every move counts and much more!

Host: Zai Mohammed, Head of Global Procurement, TalkDesk 

Rhondia Turano, CPO, SVP, Board Member (recent 3M)

• Supplier failure risk management and keeping this top of mind as we return to normal, post pandemic
• Managing vendor cost increases / getting value from your supply chain during an inflation period
• Examples on adding more value to the business through your contracts / vendor roadmaps

Rich Giuliani, Director of Procurement, Indirect, and IT, Cedar Fair Entertainment

A’Keela Johnson, Director of Procurement - IT & Indirect, Molson Coors 

Robert Nichol, Sourcing Procurement Manager, Automation Anywhere

Taylor White, Category Manager, Hotel Technology, IHG

Host: Clifford Bailey, CEO, TechSoft

Nedra Dickson, MD Global Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability Lead, Accenture

Jim Gorzalski, former CPO, Capital One

You've got 5 minutes!

Nobody wants to spend all day listening to other people. Head into these sessions equipped with questions and ideas, they are facilitated with your input to be spearheading the conversation.

Choose from A, B, C or D below:

Host: John Eustis, SVP U.S. Group Procurement, Toray Industries 

Karen Hodson, Global Procurement & Real Estate Officer, Marigold 

Megan Mills, VP of Procurement, Genesys

Holly Rabinsmith, Director, PMO, City of Atlanta Department of Procurement

KR Barron, Principal Product Marketing Manager, Productiv

Jon Winsett, CEO, NPI

Alan Poulin, Global Software Category Lead, Transamerica   

Trace Lewis, Lead, Procurement & Vendor Management Specialist, Transamerica

Geoff Saccoccia, Director IT Software, Humana

Brad Veech, Head of Technology Procurement, Discover Financial Services

How do I speed everything up, where do I use AI and where not? Which software – do I build or buy, CLM / P2P

Host: Sameer Kausar, Solutions Architect, Tonkean

Rachel Henney, Managing Director, Self Driven Coaching, former Head of Procurement 

Melanie Berry, Sourcing Director, Synovus

David Berger, Director – Americas Procurement Strategic Programs, CBRE

DJ Beckett, Digital Procurement Strategy Leader, Kenvue (a former J&J company)

Join Brad and Andrea as they deliberate and debate on their experiences and actionable insights into team building from a leadership perspective.

Brad Veech, Head of Technology Procurement, Discover Financial Services

Andrea Veech, Executive Coach, Founder & CEO, Leadership Beach

Join your peers for informal drinks and digest the best content of the day! 

De-risking your contract

This session will help the procurement professional find and fix hidden risks in their contracts at all stages of the contract life cycle. Learn from an expert with 30 years of experience negotiating complex contracts.  By attending this program, you will be better prepared to:

• Identify risks hidden in scopes of work or standard contract terms

• Preserve terms and conditions that mitigate and control risk during negotiations, and

• Use the contract to mitigate losses if a risk event occurs

This session is designed for those who draft, negotiate and manage contracts. Bring a risk scenario to talk through and gain first-hand insight into developing your contract.

Workshop leader: Jeanette Nyden, Contracts Expert & Author, J. Nyden & Co.

Join your peers for a coffee and a chat prior to Day 2 kick-off!

Join our Chair for a recap of Day 1 and what you can look forward to today! Plus some innovative ideas around AI.👍

Jake Wojcik, EVP, Insight Sourcing Group

• Embracing digital and pioneering practices
• Our vision and next steps

Ninian Wilson, Global Supply Chain Director & CEO, Vodafone Procurement (v)

Leveraging AI technologies is a leap forward enabling teams to deliver more value to the business - paving the way for more accurate decisions, higher resilience, increased sustainability, and lower operating costs. According to Accenture’s 2023 Technology Vision, 95% of respondents said advances in generative AI signifies a new era of enterprise intelligence. Insights from this session include: 

•    Emerging trends and innovations in AI
•    Real-world examples of how AI is transforming the procurement landscape
•    Benefits of tapping into the power of AI    

Tracy Ring, Chief Data Officer and Global Generative AI lead - Life Sciences, Accenture

• How to improve your existing data strategy – what are front-runners doing in this space?
• What Meta data are you going for? Why is it important? What cools things are you doing with data?
• Contract spend data / searchability
• What changes should you be making now to make your life worthwhile
• Skilling up to maximize visibility and value – getting sophisticated on contracts 

Host: Eric Pritchett, President, COO, Terzo 

Tony Filippone, CPO, AXIS Capital 

David Berger, Director, Americas Procurement Strategic Programs, CBRE 

Maya Wilson, Center of Excellence Process Manager, City of Atlanta Department of Procurement

Craig Smith, Sr Director of Procurement, DHI Group 

• What is your digitization strategy

• Cutting through the noise of buy-tech – the nice to have and the need to have

• Best of Breed vs Suite vs Hybrid

• What are you using that’s making an impact?

• How is tech changing the people in your team? How are you ensuring they are using it to the best capability?

Qiana Levy, VP Procurement & Strategic Sourcing, Learfield

Shachi Rai Gupta, Global Senior Director, Strategy, Intelligence & Transformation,  BMS

DJ Beckett, Digital Procurement Strategy Leader, Kenvue (a former J&J company)

Chuck Shehadi, Head of Procurement & Sourcing, Zoom Video Communications (v)

Host: Dan Coor, Head of Procurement, Tonkean

Join us for a fireside chat with Radhika to hear about her experience reshaping procurement processes and building stakeholder engagement at Optimizely. As a CFO at many fast growing companies, Radhika had a vision for how procurement experience can change from being considered slow and bothersome roadblock to something that genuinely helps business teams move fast, gain visibility and control over their own spend, and deliver business impact.

Host:  Lalitha Rajagopalan, Co-Founder, ORO Labs

Radhika Samant, (former) VP Finance and Head of Global Procurement, Optimizely

Many companies overpay for their procurement spend because suppliers do not have the right incentives to lower their prices. Traditional negotiation techniques accompanied by recent inflationary trends have prevented buyers from taking advantage of the leverage in their supply base and prices have remained high, leaving value on the table. The good news is game theory can help. In this session attendees will learn the fundamentals of game theory and how it can help buyers gain the upper hand in their negotiations and drive savings and other commercial value.

Zoe Pangalos, Procurement Negotiations Lead, NERA 

• Winning through the current labor market – challenges and opportunities
• Procurement specialists or generalists – what fresh thinking/skills can be learned from bringing in non-procurement professionals
• Hybrid working strategies – what’s working / what technology are you using to move forward? How can you get the most from your team?
• How are you planning for your future team in a tech enabled / AI environment, what skills/efficiencies will you need across the department?

Host: Rachel Henney, Managing Director, Self Driven Coaching, former Head of Procurement

Sheri Spinks, VP Global Procurement Strategy, Primo Water 

Mathew Schultz, Head of Global Procurement, Forrester 

Susan Patrick Harris, SVP Procurement & Accounts Payable, Wellpath

• Optimizing spend
• Ways to get more out of an already well negotiated supply base
• Getting more out of your contracts
• Best pricing negotiation tactics in today’s environment
• How to get creative in the face of cost increases from vendors
• Reducing tech debt

Host: Megan Brooks, Sr. Sourcing & Partnerships Manager, SiriusXM 

Jonathan Townsley, Sr. Business Partner – Global Procurement, Sterling

A’Keela Johnson, Director of Procurement - IT & Indirect, Molson Coors 

Rendi Miller, Head of Global Travel and Procurement, Qualtrics

Chelsea O'Connor, Manager of Procurement, Vendr

AI technologies are transforming industries at a faster rate than any other prior technology. Starting with a guided discussion on the major areas impacting the procurement and supply management organizations, then explore how to remove obstacles in your AI journey. There will be ample time to address questions that are top of mind.

Host: Melissa Drew, Data and Digital Transformation Executive (formerly IBM)

Tracy Ring, Chief Data Officer and Global Generative AI lead - Life Sciences, Accenture

Break into discussion roundtables based on theme / sector / trade. Based on your areas of responsibility, find crucial nuggets of info from your peers. Choose from:

1.    Reshoring – rethinking global supply chains – Ernie Hernandez, Supply Chain Leader
2.   Build - Scale - Next Steps 
3.    Stakeholder engagement / building partnerships - Lavanya Palaparthy, Global Procurement Category Director - Information Technology, Kimberly-Clark
4.    Igniting motivated teams through aspirational leadership – Derinda Gaumond, VP Strategic Sourcing & Procurement, Achieve 
5.    Climbing the procurement ladder – Kim Master, Manager, Technology Sourcing, Netflix
6.    Is a hybrid workforce helping or hurting? Melanie Berry, Director Sourcing, Synovus
7.    Bridging the Digital Divide: How can organizations leverage ESG, combining the E and the S to make a difference? Danielle Richie, Account Manager, PCs for People 
8. Leveraging Microsoft 365 to incrementally enable your team - Larry Leung, Procurement Foundry