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. Featured Speaker: Identifying the Future Leadership Persona
- Elena Alikhachkina, Ph.D., Founder, Inflofluence.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.
9:45 a.m. Networking and Refreshment Break
10:15 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.
- George Young, Vice President, Global Digital and Cybersecurity Services, Rockwell Automation | Kalypso
Moderator: Jeff Puma, Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
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
Moderator: Penelope Brown, Senior Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
Section 2 – Human-Machine Relationship
11:45 a.m. Featured Speaker: Making the Human-Machine Relationship Work
As manufacturers continue to expand AI’s role, leaders must define how machines and people work together. Discover the strategies and methods manufacturers can use to get the most out of evolving human-machine relationships.
12:15 p.m. Networking Luncheon
1:15 p.m. Case Study: How AI and Manufacturing Work Together
Discover how one manufacturing company is redefining human-machine collaboration to drive performance and innovation. This session will reveal real-world results, lessons learned and the challenges that remain as AI capabilities advance.
1:50 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.
- Randal Kenworthy, Senior Partner, West Monroe
Moderator: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
Section 3 – Leading in an Unknown Future
2:35 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, Chief Executive Officer, Worthington Steel
In conversation with: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
3:05 p.m. Networking and Refreshment Break
3:30 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.
Moderator: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
4:15 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.
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
