Victor Abrams has more than 25 years of experience in dealing with UK and international corporate tax matters for PwC where he is a senior tax partner based in London. He is on the global leadership team of the PwC Value Chain Transformation group which provides multinational companies with innovative business and tax models to facilitate their international commercial operations, particularly in Europe and increasingly globally. Victor specialises in designing and implementing tax advantaged business processes, including developing new limited risk business models and restructuring existing operations for both Product based and Services based companies, to meet the new commercial challenges facing multinational companies. These include Entrepreneur models, for both buy-side and sell-side activities, including emerging Procurement models and organisations, and, increasingly, models which enable the Corporate and Finance Simplification Agendas of multinational companies.

Greg Aimi brings 28 years of business experience within supply chain and technology to his position as research director within Gartner Supply Chain. Mr. Aimi researches and analyzes global logistics and distribution strategies and best practices including planning and execution activities, organizations, performance management and analytics, use of logistics outsourcing, and global logistics management. Mr. Aimi advises clients on the impact that these areas have on company performance and helps align their logistics capabilities with demand-driven transformations. Mr. Aimi was one of the technology pioneers who developed the Supply Chain Execution category of supply chain software, including the integration of transportation, warehousing and order fulfillment across an integrated supply chain network. His work has focused on the optimization and automation of supply chain functions in response to changing execution dynamics.

Dr. Victor Allis co-founded Quintiq in 1997 and has been the company’s CEO ever since. Victor is based in Quintiq’s Philadelphia office and is responsible for Quintiq with a focus on the non-European Business Units. His prime responsibilities extend to product development and delivery. Victor remains a co-owner of Quintiq and together with Arjen Heeres, COO, forms the company’s Executive Management team. Victor started his career in 1987 as a freelance teacher, course developer and mentor of various AMBI courses for NOVI. Victor has lectured at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam as an Assistant Professor in Artificial Intelligence. In 1995 he joined Bolesian, a daughter company of Capgemini specialized in developing advanced systems based on Artificial Intelligence, as a senior consultant and manager. Victor holds a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from Maastricht University, The Netherlands, and graduated cum laude with a M. Sc. in Computer Science from the Vrije Universiteit, The Netherlands. He has more than 30 publications to his name; the majority of his published work reports on research in search technologies.

Stan Aronow is a research director in Gartner's Supply Chain Research group, with a focus on high-tech industrial value chains, semiconductor in particular.

Ray Barger, Jr., is a research director working in the Gartner Supply Chain Research group, with specific focus on industrial and aerospace and defense (A&D) supply chain best practices. Mr. Barger also supports cross-industry supply chain topics, including supplier relationship management, outsourced manufacturing, cost management and new product introduction.

Jane Barrett is the group vice president for Gartner's AMR Supply Chain Research group. Ms. Barrett leads the Supply Chain analyst group covering the Supply Chain functions (plan, source, make, deliver, customer service and product life cycle) for the manufacturing and retail sectors. In her analyst role, she helps organizations with supply chain strategy and organization design, sales and operations planning, and related initiatives.

Mike Burkett is a research vice president and chief of research for the Gartner supply chain team, drawing on more than 15 years of manufacturing experience introducing and supporting products from concept to end-of-life. Heading Gartner's cross-industry research on product life cycle supply chain strategy, he is regarded as a leading expert, having co-authored the first industry publication to define the product life cycle management market. Mr. Burkett previously managed an analyst team responsible for cross-industry supply chain process and technology research. He continues to conduct research on the extended value chain issues impacting industrial discrete manufacturing companies.

Matthew Davis is a principal research analyst with Gartner's Supply Chain Research, covering supply chain strategy across industries. He is the lead analyst for supply chain segmentation, customer-focused supply chain and supply chain for solutions business models.

Mike is the executive director of WW New Product Introduction and Global Manufacturing Strategy at Lenovo Group Ltd. Lenovo is a $US21 billion personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries and the world’s third-largest PC vendor. Mike has over 30 years of Manufacturing and Operations experience in the technology sector. He has worked for several companies including Hughes Aircraft, Exide Electronics and EMC in addition to his current role at Lenovo. Mike holds an MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and a Production and Operations Management degree from Cal Poly. Mike lives in Cary, North Carolina with his wife and 2 children.

Mike Griswold is research VP and team lead for Gartner's Retail Supply Chain Research. He is responsible for assisting supply leaders in understanding and implementing demand-driven supply chain principles that improve the performance of their supply chain.

As Category Supply Chain Vice President for Colgate-Palmolive Company, Julian is responsible for all toothpaste and mouth rinse production throughout Europe. His responsibilities include plants performance, product sourcing, capacity management, service to all country distribution centers and portfolio and formula harmonization. Over 28 years with Colgate Palmolive have seen assignments in different geographies and categories, being involved in major restructuring programs, business divestitures, and leading the Mexican Supply Chain organization into the best-in-class regional manufacturing operation.

Debra Hofman brings more than 25 years of experience in the research and advisory business to her position as vice president at Gartner. Her research focuses on how to define supply chain excellence. She manages the annual Supply Chain Top 25 ranking, and she advises clients on the effective use of metrics and measures in optimizing supply chain performance. Previously, she launched and led the AMR Benchmark Analytix service, which provided company-specific supply chain performance assessments tied to the use of technology and best practices.

Richard has been working in the supply chain management and manufacturing space for over 20 years and is responsible for driving the market direction and positioning of SAP’s SCM solution set. Prior to joining SAP in 2004, Richard spent 15 years with Marcam Solutions where he was VP of Marketing for the companies Process ERP solutions. Richard has also implemented ERP and SCM systems at companies such as Nestle, Gillette, Colgate Palmolive, Rohm & Haas, Wyeth, Royal Worcester Spode and Dairy Crest. Richard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Mid Glamorgan in the UK. Richard is also a regular contributor to www.forbes.com where you can read his blogs at http://blogs.forbes.com/people/richardhowells/

Simon Jacobson is responsible for Gartner's coverage of manufacturing operations. He researches and works closely with clients on current and future manufacturing strategy, alignment with supply chain IT and business process architectures, and goal alignment and metrics, as well as providing insight and best practices. He examines specific functional capabilities and supporting systems across subjects such as manufacturing execution, enterprise integration, operations intelligence and performance management, and quality management. Mr. Jacobson is frequently quoted in the press and presents often at industry events on such topics as Manufacturing 2.0, Global Quality and MES.

VP Value Chain Operations for EMEA, Cisco systems. Prior to that SVP Global Operations at Tandberg, Head of Global Logistics at Ericsson, CEO Avure Technologies AB and Program Director over supply chain excellence programs at Ericsson in Europé and Latin America. Have over 15 years experience from supply chain and operations with telecom and high-tech industry and have lived an worked in Latin America, North America and Europe. The red line through all assignments have been business transformation. Have as a leader a high faith in the people in the organization and what an empowered and unified team sharing a mission are capable of. As most companies I’ve worked for have been very large, been multinational and had close to fully outsourced supply chains I’ve learned the necessity of putting very high demands on visibility across the full chain, close collaboration between all parties together with clear governance and clear performance management structures.

Vladimir Krasojevic brings more than 25 years of experience in logistics, supply chain, change management, business process strategy and innovation to his role at Gartner. He works closely with senior supply chain executives from global companies across the value chain (consumer goods companies, wholesalers, retailers and logistics service providers), advising them on business strategy and best practices. His work is focused on Europe and emerging markets, talents, knowledge brokering and supply chain leadership.

Scott currently serves as the Global Head of Supply for Syngenta AG based in Basel, Switzerland. Scott leads planning, logistics, supply chain management, design and strategy for the worldwide seeds and crop protection businesses. A chemical engineer, Scott began work with a Syngenta legacy company 23 years ago in a speciality chemicals manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. He has worked throughout Latin America for the Crop Protection business based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He also spent five years managing the Global Vegetable Seeds supply chain based in Toulouse, France.

Barbara Kux is a Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG. Her specific responsibilities include Supply Chain Management and Sustainability. As Chief Sustainability Officer she took over the marketing of the environmental portfolio, which grew in revenue from 19 billion Euros (2008) to 28 billion Euros (2010). She has introduced a comprehensive Sustainability Program leading to the recognition of Siemens by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as Sector Leader in 2009 and 2010. Siemens was also selected as Best Global Company by the Carbon Disclosure Project, an organization on behalf of 534 investors with assets of 64 trillion USD in 2010. She started off her career as a consultant at Mc Kinsey & Company, Inc., Germany, in 1984, taking up major assignments for global clients. From 1989 on she held top management positions in leading international companies and was a Member of the Group Management Committee at Royal Philips Electronics, before she was appointed the first woman to the Managing Board of Siemens in the company’s over 160-year history. After her studies in Switzerland and the US, Barbara earned her MBA with Distinction at INSEAD, Fontainebleau. Wall Street Journal and Fortune have recognized her among “Leading International Business Women” and the World Economic Forum in Davos awarded her as Global Leader of Tomorrow. Barbara has been a Member of the Board of Directors of INSEAD since 2003, and is a Member of the Supervisory Board of Total S.A., France.

Matthew is an accomplished Supply Chain professional with almost 20 years of experience in Transportation, Retail and CPG Supply Chains. He currently leads the Customer Supply Chain team for Unilever, North America where he focuses on optimizing tactical solutions for order management and implementing leading edge customer logistics strategies. Prior to joining Unilever Matthew held various roles including Director of Global Supply Chain for Walmart where he focused on network design and optimization. Prior to Walmart, Matthew held key roles within J.B. Hunt Logistics where he developed and implemented Supply Chain solutions for manufacturing and retailers.

Paul Lord is a research director in Gartner Supply Chain Research. His research covers supply chain practices and transformation strategies in the chemical, agricultural and petroleum processing industries. Mr. Lord advises clients on planning and inventory strategies as well as logistics operations in industrial bulk handling environments.

Jesus has a broad experience in Supply Chain at global, regional and local levels. He spent 18 years at Unilever where he worked in the Home and Personal Care Division in Spain, USA and UK where responsibilities included the design of a long term global supply chain for new and existing products. Jesus also actively collaborated in the design of the new Global Supply Chain approach within Unilever. In November 2009, Jesus left Unilever to become Supply Chain Director at Carrefour Spain. He also has the Supply Chain responsibility for the Non-food business in Europe. Carrefour is the world’s second-largest retailer and the largest in Europe, the group operates four main grocery store formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and convenience stores. The Carrefour group currently has over 15,000 stores in more than 30 countries.

Mickey North Rizza is a research director in the Gartner Research Supply Chain team, with specific focus on procurement, sourcing and supplier management. As an analyst, Ms. North Rizza helps organizations with strategy definition, best practices and insights from leaders in these areas. Her research emphasizes critical procurement, sourcing and supplier management areas, such as: organizational design; transformation; category/commodity management; strategic sourcing; contract management; supplier relationship management; supplier collaboration; raw material strategies; organizational metrics; talent management; supplier performance and risk management; and working capital management.

Sean is currently Head of Regional Strategic Sourcing for the EMEA and Latin Americas region at Intel Corporation. Since joining Intel as a College Graduate in 1997 Sean has had several roles in the Materials organization starting as a buyer within the site purchasing organization before moving to the European Purchasing Organization where he assumed the role of GER IT Strategic Procurement manager in 2002. In 2006 Sean was appointed as Global Strategic Sourcing Manager for IT within Global Indirect procurement before moving to lead Intel’s Contract and Negotiations center of competency in 2009. Prior to joining Intel Sean held positions with Irish Life & Permanent and Ulster Bank in the Financial Services sector. Sean holds a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Higher Diploma in Information technology from the National University of Ireland.

Tim Payne is a research director in Gartner, where he is part of the Supply Chain Research group and is the agenda manager for the Core Supply Chain team. In this position, Mr. Payne is able to leverage more than 15 years of direct experience in supply chain management into his research. His current research areas focus on all aspects of supply chain planning, sales and operations planning, and integrated business planning - from a process, organization and technology perspective. Additionally, he supports Gartner's clients on aspects of supply chain management best practice and supply chain transformation.

Anthony has had a fascinating career in Logistics and IT and management since graduating from Keele University in 1985. After a brief spell working in the City of London in re-insurance, Anthony’s first supply chain role was working for United Parcel Service where he was part of the initial group of European managers hired by UPS in Europe when they entered the market in 1987. He then spent seven years in the UK and overseas with PepsiCo International in a number of senior IT roles finishing as IT Director for EMEA. In 2001 having after a brief spell managing an Internet start-up, Anthony moved to Rome to join the Multinational Forces and Observers, an NGO which manages observation of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. In this role he was responsible for supply chain and IT for the military bases, the 12 contingents of 1,600 military personnel and equipment in the Sinai desert Anthony has worked for Alliance Boots since 2004 when he joined the Group as a Director of UniChem as IT Director. In 2006, following the merger of Alliance UniChem with Boots, he joined the Alliance Healthcare Executive Team working for Chief Executive, Ornella Barra on the development of a new business model for Alliance Healthcare. He is responsible for the IT and Logistic Operations throughout the Division and also for the development of Healthcare Solutions. This includes Homecare and Speciality Medicine services.

Mr. John Schlitt serves as General Manager for the Energy Services Automation Center of Excellence of Nalco Company. At Nalco, Mr. Schlitt developed Refined Knowledge®, a trademarked solution that communicates proactive data, reduces TCO, and improves performance for Nalco’s customers. Furthermore, Refined Knowledge® tools are implemented at Nalco production plants to complete the Supply Chain cycle with enhanced production planning. Prior to joining Nalco, Mr. Schlitt served as a BU Vice President for Oracle Corporation. He served as President and CEO of Air-Transport IT Services, VP - Transportation for TAVA Technologies, Director of Environmental Business Operations at Elsag Bailey, and as Sales Manager for Fischer & Porter Company.

Pier Luigi Sigismondi was appointed Chief Supply Chain Officer and a member of the Unilever Executive in September 2009. An Italian national, he holds a Masters in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia. Pier Luigi started his career with Booz Allen & Hamilton as an industrial engineer working in the aerospace and automotive industries heading several multi-national assignments in the US and Europe. He joined A T Kearney in 1997 as Principal, becoming Vice President of Operations in Italy. Focusing on Strategic Procurement, Manufacturing and Logistics across industries including Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), appliances and retail, he led numerous assignments in South East Asia, Europe and Latin America. In 2002 Pier Luigi joined Nestlé S.A. as Vice President of Corporate Operations Strategies, based in Switzerland. He was responsible for industrial strategies and the restructuring of the group worldwide as well as for management of global cost improvement programmes. He moved to Nestlé Mexico in 2005 as Vice President of Supply Chain and R&D.

Steve Smith joined Manhattan Associates in October 2004 and now serves as senior vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Prior to joining Manhattan Associates, Steve served as EMEA General Manager - Strategic Solutions, for SSA Global having supported the development and growth of Dallas Systems and EXE Technologies before their subsequent acquisition by SSA Global. Steve has over 20 years of supply chain experience in consulting services and account management and began his career serving in a number of engineering, research, business development and design positions at Dexion, Fleetwood Systems and Graseby Dynamics.

Steven Steutermann is the vice president of research, consumer products.

Stephen Stokes is a research vice president and distinguished analyst in the Supply Chain Leaders group at Gartner Research. He coordinates sustainability and green technology research across supply chain, business strategy and sustainable technologies. His primary responsibility involves guiding companies in understanding risks and exploring opportunities presented by the challenges of sustainability and the sustainable business transformation. This theme covers a broad cross section of issues relating to the sustainable supply chain, sustainable sourcing and product development, sustainability metrics and benchmarking, sustainable business performance, energy management, carbon emissions and carbon management, emerging frameworks for sustainable business, and business issues associated with the low-carbon economic transformation, ranging from energy and emission policy and regulation to market dynamics.

Christian Titze is a research director in Gartner's AMR Supply Chain Research group, with more than 21 years of professional experience in IT, supply chain management (SCM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP). Mr. Titze is part of the SCM enablers analyst team covering the IT/supply chain alignment from a technology perspective, with special attention to architecture, technology enablement and wider ERP/SAP topics. He covers a wide range of industry sectors, primarily industrial and engineering products. His regional coverage is essentially the German-speaking countries, but he also offers client and sales support across EMEA.

As vice president of Research in the Supply Chain group, Noha Tohamy analyzes trends, best practices and solutions in supply chain planning across vertical industries. Her areas of focus include demand planning, supply chain analytics, inventory optimization, network design and supply chain risk management.

Linda Topping leads the Colgate-Palmolive/Hills Global Procurement team for direct materials and indirect goods & services, in which she has established critical sourcing strategies and organization development plans for the company’s globally dispersed team. Driving the company strategy of 'Professional Procurement partnership in all that we buy' Linda has led the procurement team through a period of organization restructure during exceptional market changes, successfully establishing both funding the growth savings initiatives and risk mitigation plans. Prior to this role, Linda has held a number of supply chain leadership roles within Colgate, moving to New York in 2006 to take the position of Vice President for Direct Procurement. Previously located in both Switzerland and the UK, she held the position of Manufacturing General Manager for Oral Care in Europe from 2003-2006, and was Director of Manufacturing for the company’s UK plant from 1999-2003. Before joining Colgate Palmolive, Linda worked in the supply chain organizations of Procter & Gamble and the British Petroleum Group.

Mike Uskert is a managing vice president in Gartner's Supply Chain Research group. He leads the cross-industry analyst team covering the plan, source, make, deliver, customer fulfillment and PLM functions. As an analyst, Mr. Uskert helps organizations with strategy definition, best practices and insights from leaders in these areas. He uses Gartner research methodologies, frameworks and maturity models to diagnose the current state and support the creation of a vision and road map for the initiative. Included in the road map process is identification of prioritized projects and action items. Mr. Uskert joined Gartner in June 2010, focusing on research and advisory assistance in supply chain strategy and planning; becoming demand-driven; supply planning and inventory management; sales and operations planning; supply chain segmentation and complexity management; collaboration; metrics and scorecards; and driving supply chain excellence.

Federico leads transformation of Pfizer’s Supply Chain at markets, suppliers and network levels to improve process capabilities, organizations and performance, with current priority in 59 market operations. He developed the Pfizer Global Supply Agile/Lean Operations strategy and designed and implemented the End to End Value Stream management function, applying lean/six sigma methodologies to improve global supply chains. Federico established and lead the Supply Chain Management EMEA function and previously created and led the Pfizer Spain Supply Chain team. Federico started his career in Supply Chain at Procter & Gamble Spain after working as a manufacturing industrial engineer in different industries. Federico holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering with a minor in Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. He also holds a Specialist Certification in Production, Quality and Technology Management from the Polytechnic University in Madrid, Spain.