ISM World 2025 Detailed Agenda

Sponsored by: Ivalua

This presentation (exclusive to ExecIn attendees) will supply in-depth analysis of major factors shaping economic outcomes, including interest rates, global conflict, wage dynamics, business confidence, and demographics. It will then turn toward a forecast for the coming year, highlighting the major risks that economic stakeholders will likely encounter.

Executives / Senior Leaders

Ethical and moral decision-making is a cornerstone of effective procurement practices. This session examines the ethical landscape in procurement, addressing challenges such as conflicts of interest and bribery while exploring the consequences of unethical behavior. Attendees will learn about various ethical decision-making frameworks, including utilitarianism and deontology, with practical examples of their application in procurement scenarios.

The session also focuses on fostering an ethical procurement culture by emphasizing the role of leadership, clear policies, comprehensive training, and technology to mitigate risks. Real-world case studies will illustrate ethical dilemmas and underscore the professional responsibility of procurement practitioners to uphold high ethical standards.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Executives / Senior Leaders

This interactive session helps leaders and practitioners evaluate their organization’s analytics maturity against market peers and best-in-class data dynasties. Drawing on IBM’s extensive experience with analytics clients, the session uncovers lessons learned and provides actionable insights to drive data transformation.

Attendees will gain a tangible scoring method to assess their organization’s capabilities, along with tailored recommendations for improvement. The session also features case studies of in-house initiatives, partnerships, and technology solutions, as well as methodologies for selecting the right technologies and partners to build a data-driven powerhouse.

Managers/Directors

Value Engineering is a proven methodology to enhance the value of products, services, or processes by analyzing their intended function relative to their cost. The approach focuses on identifying and eliminating unnecessary expenses without compromising quality or performance.

Attendees will explore key techniques, including should-cost modeling, competitive benchmarking, component teardowns, performance testing, product reviews, and material evaluations. These strategies provide practical tools for optimizing costs while maintaining high-quality outcomes.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Join us for an intimate, 30-minute discussion with industry leaders. Not your typical presentation. It's a chance to connect directly with experienced professionals, learn about their career journeys, and gain valuable insights to propel your own career forward.

In this small-group setting, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships with like-minded individuals. Join this informal and impactful conversation. Space is limited.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Join us for an insightful session led by Sanford Hodes, SVP, Chief Procurement and Corporate Development Officer at Ryder System, where we delve into the transformative world of warehouse automation and robotics. Discover the latest commercially available technologies and explore what Ryder is currently using, piloting, investing in, and tracking. This session will feature engaging videos showcasing the cutting-edge technology deployed by Ryder, along with a glimpse into the future innovations on the horizon. Gain valuable insights into the rapidly growing landscape of warehouse automation and understand how these advancements can enhance efficiency and productivity in your operations. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Ryder's extensive experience and expertise in this dynamic field.

Executives / Senior Leaders

This session explores the intersection of supplier diversity and sustainability, offering actionable strategies for procurement professionals to align these essential objectives. Attendees will learn how to incorporate diverse suppliers into sustainable procurement practices, balancing corporate goals with ethical sourcing.

The discussion will provide practical tools and approaches for building long-term, mutually beneficial supplier relationships that drive corporate responsibility. Participants will leave with insights to enhance their procurement strategies while advancing both diversity and sustainability initiatives.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Geopolitical shifts, market changes, and macroeconomic challenges are reshaping supply chain resilience. This session explores key impacts such as labor disruptions, geopolitical tensions, extreme weather, and supplier financial health, along with the role of interest rate changes in shaping outcomes.

Attendees will gain insights into challenges facing private suppliers, private credit and equity firms, and banks—critical sources of capital for suppliers. Learn how macroeconomic factors disproportionately affect private companies and discover strategies to mitigate these risks and enhance resilience.

Executives / Senior Leaders

Bath & Body Works recently onshored key component production from China to Ohio, achieving significant supply chain benefits. By moving packaging production closer to final production sites, the company reduced shipping costs, shortened lead times, and improved speed to market and reliability.

This session will highlight how these changes enhanced quality control and allowed greater flexibility to meet evolving customer demands. Attendees will gain actionable insights into the benefits and considerations of onshoring to improve supply chain efficiency.

Executives/Senior Leaders

Managers/Directors

Developing talent within supply chain organizations is essential for scaling capabilities, ensuring continuity, and retaining employees. This session explores the principles and programs implemented by Microsoft Cloud Supply Chain to build a robust talent pipeline and enrich professional development across all career stages.

Attendees will gain insights into strategies for supporting employees, from Early in Career professionals to senior leaders and people managers. The session offers actionable takeaways to help organizations create comprehensive talent development programs that foster growth, engagement, and long-term success.

Executives/Senior Leaders

Managers/Directors

Join the Shipman Award honorees as they share their expertise, experiences, and insights on leadership and excellence in supply management.

Managers / Directors

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the negotiation landscape, offering new possibilities and challenges. This session explores the role of AI in negotiation, focusing on its efficiency in streamlining processes compared to traditional human-driven methods. Attendees will gain insights from an experiment comparing AI-assisted negotiations with face-to-face approaches, showcasing AI's ability to deliver faster and more structured outcomes.

The discussion also addresses the benefits and limitations of AI in negotiations. While AI enhances efficiency and planning, it also comes with constraints that must be navigated. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to integrate AI effectively into negotiation strategies.

Executives/Senior Leaders

Managers/Directors

Join us for an intimate, 30-minute discussion with industry leaders. Not your typical presentation. It's a chance to connect directly with experienced professionals, learn about their career journeys, and gain valuable insights to propel your own career forward.

In this small-group setting, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships with like-minded individuals. Join this informal and impactful conversation. Space is limited.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Sponsored by: BDO

Join intimate, topic-driven networking sessions designed to foster connections and insightful discussions. With up to four topics per day, engage with thought leaders, participate in focus groups, and build valuable relationships in a collaborative setting.

Leaders and ExecIn attendees are encouraged to attend this roundtable discussion. Featuring ISM Board of Directors members and thought leaders, this session will focus on the current disruptions and many of the supply and demand challenges and impacts currently affecting the profession. Gain insights from some of the best and the brightest leaders in the business and engage in some freeform networking. Do not miss this enlightening discussion and the opportunity to learn more from one another regarding strategies to navigate these turbulent times. 

Executives / Senior Leaders

Sponsored by: Synertrade

Join intimate, topic-driven networking sessions designed to foster connections and insightful discussions. With up to four topics per day, engage with thought leaders, participate in focus groups, and build valuable relationships in a collaborative setting.

This session highlights the diverse perspectives of supply chain professionals from various cultural, generational, and career backgrounds, offering valuable insights for professionals at all stages of their careers. Attendees will learn from experts who bring unique experiences and lessons to the discussion, providing practical strategies for navigating today’s complex supply chain landscape.

In a world where adaptability is key, this panel will equip participants with multidimensional approaches to thrive in an ever-changing environment. The session will be moderated by Lori Sisk, CPSM, Lifetime C.P.M.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Supplier diversity is not only a corporate responsibility but also a strategic advantage in today’s market. This session highlights the crucial role of Disadvantaged, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (DMWBE) certification in unlocking the full potential of supplier diversity programs. Attendees will learn how certification strengthens program performance by ensuring inclusivity and fostering innovation.

The discussion will provide actionable insights into leveraging DMWBE certification to drive measurable impact, create opportunities, and build a robust supply chain. Participants will leave with strategies to enhance their supplier diversity efforts and achieve meaningful business outcomes.

Managers / Directors

Join the ISM Talent Management Committee for a lively debate on critical career decisions. Hear from industry experts as they present compelling arguments on topics like:

• - MBA vs. Specialized Degree
• - Generalist vs. Specialist Roles
• - In Office vs. Virtual

You'll have the opportunity to participate in the debate, ask questions, and vote on the best career path.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Marine Corps Officer training prepares leaders to face chaos and accomplish critical missions—a mindset increasingly relevant in today’s complex supply chain environment. This session draws parallels between military leadership principles and corporate challenges, offering actionable insights for cultivating selfless leadership in supply chain teams.

Attendees will explore how instilling values of agility, compassion, and resilience can drive team motivation, retain top talent, and prepare leaders to tackle tomorrow’s toughest supply chain challenges. Participants will leave equipped with tools to inspire their teams to confidently "run towards the fire" and excel in the face of uncertainty.

Managers / Directors

Join us for an intimate, 30-minute discussion with industry leaders. Not your typical presentation. It's a chance to connect directly with experienced professionals, learn about their career journeys, and gain valuable insights to propel your own career forward. In this small-group setting, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships with like-minded individuals.

Join this informal and impactful conversation. Space is limited.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

Join us for an intimate, 30-minute discussion with industry leaders. Not your typical presentation. It's a chance to connect directly with experienced professionals, learn about their career journeys, and gain valuable insights to propel your own career forward.

In this small-group setting, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships with like-minded individuals. Join this informal and impactful conversation. Space is limited.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

• - Revisit the disruptions over the past 4-6 years and impacts to global supply chains and Procurement teams
• - Discuss how the role of Procurement was required to evolve over that time
• - Discuss the role of process, op model and technology during that time in enabling transformation
• - Share perspectives on the future of Procurement.
• - Share lessons learned in Procurement leadership over our tenures which we believe are crucial for long term success

Executives / Senior Leaders

Sponsored by: BDO

Join intimate, topic-driven networking sessions designed to foster connections and insightful discussions. With up to four topics per day, engage with thought leaders, participate in focus groups, and build valuable relationships in a collaborative setting.

Join us for an insightful session led by a seasoned Chief Procurement Officer, where we will explore the essential steps to establish a robust global procurement agenda from the ground up. This session will cover key strategies for aligning procurement goals with organizational objectives, navigating the complexities of international supply chains, and leveraging technology to drive efficiency and transparency.

Attendees will gain practical insights into developing a cohesive procurement framework that fosters collaboration, mitigates risks, and delivers sustainable value across the enterprise. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to refine your existing procurement processes, this session will provide the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in today's dynamic global market.

Executives / Senior Leaders

Sponsored by: Synertrade

Join intimate, topic-driven networking sessions designed to foster connections and insightful discussions. With up to four topics per day, engage with thought leaders, participate in focus groups, and build valuable relationships in a collaborative setting.

Geopolitical factors are reshaping the future of global supply chains, impacting sourcing, logistics, trade, and investment strategies. This session examines key trends such as de-risking, reshoring, nearshoring, and "friendshoring," along with the emergence of varied globalization models. Attendees will gain insights into operational challenges, government responses, and how trade policies and tariffs in the US, EU, and China influence supply chain dynamics.

The discussion will also cover the upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), potential outcomes, and the implications of geopolitical shocks on supply chain cost and performance. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of emerging mitigation strategies and the long-term outlook for global supply chains.

Executives / Senior Leaders

Daniel Snyder’s journey through conquering testicular cancer three times before the age of 33 is a testament to the power of strategic sourcing. By applying business procurement principles—thorough research, supplier evaluation, risk management, and cost-benefit analysis—he navigated the complex healthcare landscape, selecting the best treatments, top doctors, and premier medical facilities.

This session shares how these life-saving sourcing decisions became the most critical of his life, offering a unique perspective on applying procurement strategies to personal and professional challenges. Attendees will be inspired by his story and gain insights into making thoughtful, strategic decisions under pressure.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

This session delves into U.S. Steel's groundbreaking transformation of its iron ore mining operations in Minnesota, highlighting the integration of talent, advanced data analytics, predictive modeling, and automation in the supply chain. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, U.S. Steel is revolutionizing one of the nation’s oldest industries.

Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these innovations are reshaping mining operations to be safer, more agile, and more sustainable. This session offers a unique perspective for supply management professionals looking to drive similar advancements in their own organizations.

Managers/Directors

Individual Contributors

End the day with inspiration! Join emcee Steve Clemons, Editor-at-Large of The National Interest, as he hosts a powerful closing session featuring this year’s J. Shipman Gold Medal Award winner and keynote speaker Secretary Gina M. Raimondo, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and 75th Governor of Rhode Island. Secretary Raimondo will explore the economic forces shaping supply management, emerging challenges, and the innovations driving global business forward.

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A special reception for all ISM Volunteers, this event has become a tradition of raising a glass and celebrating those who give back to the profession--from our event volunteers, committee and council members, chapter volunteers and more. We couldn't do all that we do without these amazing people. #WeAreISM

Volunteers

"They say it's your birthday! It's my birthday too, yeah..."

Come celebrate our community as ISM closes out the conference with our 110th birthday bash poolside. Signature cocktails, food, birthday cake... and a surprise experience for us all to celebrate the "we" in "We Are ISM"! Wear your ISM colors or gear... party hats will be provided.

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