All 2026 Conference Sessions

Gartner Procurement Conference 2026 dives deep into key topics for CPOs and sourcing, procurement, and vendor management leaders across direct, indirect, and IT, around AI, cost optimization, risk management and more to help you address your organization’s mission-critical challenges.

2026 Conference Theme

Lead the Future of Procurement: Strategize. Optimize. Transform.

In 2026’s volatile climate, procurement must lead transformation amid disruption, AI, shifting priorities, and pressure to do more with less. Leaders must manage risk, optimize costs, and deliver greater value while adapting to new industry baselines and evolving needs. 

Explore our conference sessions below, all developed with this theme in mind.

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Get a sneak peek from conference chair Jo Ann Rosenberger on how you’ll connect, learn and lead at the inaugural Gartner Procurement Conference. See what’s in store and watch now!
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There are many sessions happening each day. Filter to see sessions that align with your role and interests. After registering for the conference, craft your agenda and book priority sessions — all through Conference Navigator.

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Tuesday, September 15, 2026

09:30 AM - 10:15 AM PDT

Gartner Opening Keynote: Empowering Procurement to Lead in the Autonomous Era
Lindsay Azim, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Join Gartner’s Opening Keynote to discover how CPOs and procurement leaders can reimagine their operating models, harness emerging technologies and position their teams to lead their organizations confidently into the autonomous era. ... Show More Show Less

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM PDT

Ask the Analyst: Elevate Procurement’s Value Using Metrics Beyond Cost Optimization
Ryan Polk, VP Analyst, Gartner
Procurement has long delivered on cost optimization goals. Procurement organizations need to transform to deliver and highlight value to other stakeholder objectives as well. Procurement’s ability to engage with stakeholders increases when they align with stakeholder objectives and report the value delivered toward these objectives. This interactive session will discuss different categories of metrics that procurement can report on when they align with stakeholder objectives. ... Show More Show Less

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM PDT

CPO Circle Workshop: Building Your Talent Roadmap for 2026 and Beyond
Andrea Greenwald, VP Analyst, Gartner
AI and intelligent systems will reshape procurement work, and leaders need clarity on how to prepare. This workshop helps CPOs build a future-back talent strategy based on expected technology maturity from 2026 and beyond. You will identify future roles, critical skills and where capability gaps will emerge. The session shows how to backcast from the future to determine the investments you must make today in upskilling, reskilling and workforce design. ... Show More Show Less

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM PDT

Modernizing Procurement for the AI Economy: Skills and Governance for 2026 and Beyond
James Smith, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
AI is reshaping procurement roles. This session covers evolving skills — from digital dexterity to human‑AI collaboration — and how CPOs can build teams and governance models fit for an AI‑driven operating environment. ... Show More Show Less

12:30 PM - 01:15 PM PDT

CPO Circle Ask the Analyst: How to Redefine the CPO-CIO Partnership to Accelerate Digital Value
Rapid technology adoption and vendor shifts toward more complex pricing models require CPOs and CIOs to rethink their relationship. Attend this session to learn how they can partner to navigate these changes. ... Show More Show Less

12:30 PM - 01:00 PM PDT

How You Can Make Procurement Change Stick
Lorraine Gavin, Sr Principal Analyst, Gartner
Change is inevitable, ongoing and endless. But is it making a difference? Procurement organizations are transforming, but how well are we embedding those changes and shifting the status quo? Join this session to take change from an input to an outcome. ... Show More Show Less

12:30 PM - 01:15 PM PDT

Roundtable: Building AI Talent and Skills Foundations for Procurement
Fareen Mehrzai, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
AI skills are the latest commodity on the talent market, but many CPOs are left wondering what skills they need first, how to develop those skills, if they can develop these with their current people or if they need to buy externally, and more. Come to this session to explore with procurement peers approaches to building crucial AI skills on your procurement team. ... Show More Show Less

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM PDT

Addressing Process Complexity to Ready Procurement for the Future
Alexis Boudreau, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Procurement has undergone significant change in response to global volatility and technology advancement. Supporting this ongoing transformation requires that foundational processes are optimized and designed for simplicity. This session outlines how leaders can diagnose and address the complexity that is weighing down their procurement processes and position their procurement teams for future success. ... Show More Show Less

02:30 PM - 03:15 PM PDT

Ask the Analyst: How to Tackle Behavioral Resistance in Procurement
Lorraine Gavin, Sr Principal Analyst, Gartner
Transformations are on track from an operational perspective, but behaviors aren't changing, calling ideated ROIs into question. If employees don't change and work in new ways, what's the point? Come to this session to ask all the questions you were afraid to, including why oh why won't they change? ... Show More Show Less

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“Every session so far has been impactful, with a focus on sharing actionable insights, processes and knowledge that can be put into practice. It’s been really useful to see it in terms of real-world examples too, without any aspect of it feeling sales-y.”

2025 Gartner Conference Attendee

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