PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LevaData, the company that delivers applied AI to transform strategic sourcing and procurement, today announced the program for its 2018 Cognitive Sourcing Summit. The summit is the premier event for strategic sourcing executives in AI sourcing and procurement and will feature opportunities to connect with senior executives, explore the latest industry insights, and learn more about the Cognitive Sourcing Maturity Model.
“Following a successful conference in 2017, LevaData is excited to host the Cognitive Sourcing Summit this fall,” said LevaData CEO Rajesh Kalidindi. “This event marks the release of the 2018 Cognitive Sourcing Study, which provides a real-world recap of procurement transformation across a range of industries. Using our Cognitive Sourcing Maturity Model, attendees will have the opportunity to apply the insights of industry innovators, assess their organization’s maturity, and build a roadmap to successful digital procurement implementation.”
The opening keynote will be delivered by Ray Wang, Principal Analyst and Founder of Constellation Research, a Silicon Valley firm that advises Global 2000 companies on business strategy and disruptive technology adoption. He is the author of the bestselling book Disrupting Digital Business and A Software Insider’s Point of View, a business and technology blog that garners tens of millions of page views each year. He contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review and is often quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg, CNBC TV, Reuters, IDG News Service, and other global media outlets.
Tania Seary, the founding chairman of Procurious, will give a closing keynote and lead a panel discussion, “Unleashing the Power of Cognitive Sourcing: A Moonshot Opportunity.” Procurious is the world’s first and largest online community for procurement and supply chain professionals, with more than 70,000 followers in 140 countries across all social media platforms. Seary has been recognized by IBM as a #NewWaytoEngage Futurist and named “Influencer of the Year” by Supply Chain Dive.
Other summit highlights include:
- Kevin Purser, Head of Global Supply Chain Sourcing & Procurement at Fitbit, will present a case study on the company’s growth and evolution of the sourcing organization in “Leapfrog: Fitbit’s Journey to Cognitive Sourcing.”
- Mickey North Rizza, program vice president for IDC's Enterprise Applications and Digital Commerce research practice, will lead a workshop to help participants plan their adoption of cognitive technologies, “Roadmap Development: Vision, Value, Velocity.”
- Kalidindi will present “Insights from the 2018 Cognitive Sourcing Study and Maturity Model,” featuring updated results, an expanded set of questions, and a broader number of sourcing executive participants.
Additional talks, panels and workshops will feature top executives from companies like Bose, HERE Technologies and Forbes discussing executive perspectives on digital procurement, cross-functional orchestration through cognitive sourcing, and change management.
Attendees include executive innovators from leading global manufacturers including HP Inc., IBM, McKesson, Plantronics and Rockwell Automation. Attendance at the Cognitive Sourcing Summit is by invitation only; executives interested in attending are encouraged to request an invitation.
About LevaData
LevaData helps global enterprises improve gross margins by reducing supply chain costs, with a focus on delivering measurable and accountable supply chain solutions and strategies that transform companies. The unique LevaData Cognitive Sourcing™ Platform allows customers to sense efficiencies and risks, recommend, act, and learn to digitally transform their direct supply chain procurement practices. Customers include leaders in the top global supply chain organizations, as well as medium-sized OEMs seeking to achieve best-in-class direct materials sourcing practices. LevaData is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit www.levadata.com.
