For questions on the agenda or if you’re interested in speaking at our event, please email [email protected].
Tuesday, December 2
6:00 p.m. Welcome Networking Reception
Network, engage and enjoy cocktails and conversations with fellow event participants.
Wednesday, December 3
7:15 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
8:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
8:10 a.m. Opening Address: The Digital Leader’s Playbook
- David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
What skills will tomorrow’s manufacturing leaders need to succeed? Technological expertise, agility to thrive in flatter organizations, and the ability to orchestrate across functions won’t be optional—they’ll be the baseline. This session will define the capabilities that matter most and deliver clear guidance to help leaders prepare for the future.
8:30 a.m. Keynote: Leading Through Changing Times
- Andrea Kates, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship
Agility and adaptability are no longer enough for manufacturing leaders. In an era of turbulence and rapid change, executives must sharpen their focus, inspire innovation, and build the resilience to achieve lasting competitive advantage. This session will advise executives on how to go beyond being agile, flexible, and adaptable to leading with the purpose of creating true competitive advantage for the future.
Section 1 – Current and Future States
9:15 a.m. Panel Discussion: Too Many Chiefs?
New digital roles—chief digital officer, chief data officer, chief AI officer, and more—are proliferating as manufacturers push deeper into digitization. But where do the boundaries lie? And how should companies define the responsibilities of these critical technology leaders? This conversation will cut through the confusion and clarify how to structure leadership for maximum impact.
- Peter Aiken, Ph.D., Founding Director, Virginia Commonwealth University | Anything Awesome
- Matthew Littlefield, Co-Founder, President and Research Lead, LNS Research
- George Young, Ph.D., Vice President, Secure Digital Operations, Rockwell Automation | Kalypso
Moderator: Jeff Puma, Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
10:00 a.m. Networking and Refreshment Break
10:30 a.m. Identifying the Future Leadership Persona
- Elena Alikhachkina, Ph.D., Chief Data Officer and Executive Director, InfoFluence.ai
The future of manufacturing demands a new kind of leader. Digital leadership will look different across sectors and types of manufacturing, but the mandate is the same: define the personas that will guide talent strategy and shape the next generation of leadership. Executives must understand the characteristics that matter most—and act now to build the capabilities their organizations will need to compete and win.
11:00 a.m. Panel Discussion: Designing the Organization of the Future
Digitization is reshaping how people access information and make decisions. The challenge is to design and redesign organizational structures that maximize effectiveness and unlock Manufacturing 4.0’s full potential. This will be an executive-level exploration of models that enable agility, empower teams and drive performance in the digital era.
- Siva Gurupackiam, Senior Vice President, Global Head Strategy and Solutions, Products Industries, NTT DATA
- Tim O’Neal, Global Director for Operational Excellence and Leveraged Services, Dow Inc.; Member, MLC Board of Governors
- Alison Seward, Vice President and General Manager Turbine and Fluid Systems, Industrial Systems and Services, Woodward, Inc.
Moderator: Penelope Brown, Senior Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
Section 2 – Human-Machine Relationship
11:45 a.m. Making the Human-Machine Relationship Work
- Brad Zalischuk, Program Manager, Digital Innovation and Transformation, Eclipse Automation
As AI and digital transformation reshape manufacturing, leaders must rethink how humans, machines, and AI work together. This session introduces the 3Cs Framework – Connect, Contextualize, and Collaborate – to show how unified data and shared digital environments enable real-time human–machine collaboration. Attendees will explore practical strategies and technologies manufacturers can use to build trust, accelerate digital manufacturing, and shape the future of Physical AI.
12:20 p.m. Networking Luncheon
1:25 p.m. Fireside Chat: Developing Leaders in the Human-Machine Era
As intelligent systems take on a greater share of decision-making and operational work, manufacturing leaders face a new kind of challenge: guiding hybrid teams of people and machines toward shared goals. The next generation of leaders must blend technological fluency with strategic foresight while fostering cultures of trust and adaptability. This discussion will explore the evolving traits and mindsets manufacturers will need most and how companies are identifying and developing their future leaders.
- Philipp Schume, Smart Manufacturing Leader, EY
- Steve Urquhart, Talent Development Lead, Lockheed Martin
Moderator: Jeff Puma, Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
2:00 p.m. Panel Discussion: Staying in the Driver’s Seat
As AI grows more powerful and capable of making decisions autonomously, manufacturing leaders face a critical question: Where should the boundaries of human oversight be set? This forward-looking panel will examine the technology’s evolution and share insights on how to maintain control and exercise it effectively.
- Tim Buschur, Chief Strategy Officer, Invisible AI
- Randal Kenworthy, Senior Partner, West Monroe
- Mike Tomasco, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies; Member, MLC Board of Governors
Moderator: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
Section 3 – Leading in an Unknown Future
2:45 p.m. Executive Interview: Strategies to Deal with Constant Change
Geopolitical, market and technological shifts are accelerating, challenging leaders to respond with agility, flexibility and adaptability. In this session, you’ll gain practical strategies and tactics to leverage in the era of constant change, positioning your organization to thrive in the years ahead.
- Geoff Gilmore, President and Chief Executive Officer, Worthington Steel
In conversation with: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
3:15 p.m. Networking and Refreshment Break
3:45 p.m. Panel Discussion: The Transformation of Change Management
A continual challenge for manufacturers undertaking significant technology projects is to marry those projects with effective change management methodologies and techniques in order to maximize adoption and success.
- Gardner Carrick, Chief Program Officer, The Manufacturing Institute
- Lisa McEvoy, Associate Vice President, Digital Manufacturing, Merck & Co., Inc.
- John Robinson, Founder and CEO, The Quorum Principle
- Dean Warman, Master Principal Consultant, Organizational Change Management, Infor
Moderator: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
4:30 p.m. Biohacking Leadership: What Biology Teaches Us About the Digital Future
- Scott Hutcheson, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Engineering and Technology Leadership, Purdue University, School of Engineering Technology
Biological systems offer surprising insights into how leaders can adapt and thrive in a digital world. This session explores what “keystone species” teach us about building resilient teams and organizations.
5:00 p.m. Panel Discussion: Charting a Path for Leadership in the Future
Industry leaders will reflect on the day’s most impactful insights to define the strategies and mindsets you need to guide your organization and manufacturing leadership into the future. We’ll discuss not only how to chart a clear path for digital leadership, but also why a well-defined innovation strategy is essential for long-term competitiveness. This conversation will also serve as an introduction to tomorrow’s Innovating the Future event, where the IRI will take a deeper dive into building that innovation roadmap.
- Andrea Kates, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship
- Alyssa Mueller, IRI contributor and member of the Foresight Advisory Board
- Mike Tomasco, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies; Member, MLC Board of Governors
Moderator: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
5:30 p.m. Networking and Cocktail Reception: The Future of Manufacturing Project and Innovating the Future
7:30 p.m. The MLC’s Future of Manufacturing Project Event Concludes
