61st Symposium Procurement and Logistics

SPECIAL EVENTS

WEDNESDAY | 18.11.2026

Welcome Reception by the Federal Board for First-Time Symposium Attendees

Perfect for everyone attending for the first time - connect, settle in and get to know the symposium.

First-time participants from procurement and SCM leadership levels are warmly invited to network and meet the Federal Board of BME e.V. in person.

Moderation: Dirk Steffel, Head of Product Management, BME e.V.

We look forward to welcoming you!

If you are interested in participating, please contact: dirk.steffel@bme.de

WOMEN IN PROCUREMENT DIALOGUE

PASSION INTO ACTION

Moderation: Mirjam Zeller, Managing Director, BME Marketing GmbH

THURSDAY | 19.11.2026

CPO & CSCO Masterclass

Lead your Brain to Change the Game

How leadership truly succeeds in complex times

Dr. Yana Heussen, Neuropsychologist and Organizational Development Expert

Strategy Briefing Defence

Strategic Insights 2026: Resilience Under Pressure – Procurement Between Bottlenecks, Scaling and Cost Reality

Supply shortages, volatile markets, and limited capacities are putting European defence supply chains under severe stress tests. Political ambitions are colliding with budget constraints, single-source risks and global dependencies.

In 2026, operational reality takes center stage: scaling despite limitations, maintaining flexibility without cost explosions, securing critical components, and data-driven risk management.

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Michael Eßig, Chair of Procurement and Supply Management, Bundeswehr University Munich

Panelists:
Manuel Hartmann, Vice President Procurement Digitalisation & Excellence, TKMS GmbH
Tanja Heinemann, Head of Procurement / Senior Vice President Procurement, KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Thomas Holzapfel, Chief Procurement Officer, BWI GmbH
Jochen Pfister, Chief Procurement Officer, Hensoldt AG

Stronger together – The BME Sourcing Network Exchange

• Market Insights & Networking: Gain current market insights and exchange perspectives with peers across the network
• B2B Matchmaking: Meet BME partners, connect with country experts and engage in targeted conversations
• Business Insights: Learn from practitioners how they are successfully unlocking new sourcing opportunities

Moderation: Joanna Chrzanowska, Project Manager International, BME e.V.

Panelists:
Tamara Zajec Balažič, Director, SPIRIT Slovenia Business Development Agency
Guido Furxhi, Senior Technical Expert, PIEMONTE AGENCY FOR INVESTMENT AND EXPORT
Denis Pede, Leiter Einkauf, EWM GmbH

Strategy Briefing Defence

Rethinking Investment Decisions – The Strategic Role of Indirect Procurement
How Companies Make Value-Driven Decisions on Logistics, Automation and Infrastructure Projects

Moderation: Karen Klement, Senior Expert Logistics

Panelists include among others:
J. Felix Becker, Vice President VT SCM Central, Voith Group
Constantin Degro, Bereichsleiter Einkauf, Käserei Champignon Hofmeister GmbH & Co. KG
Dr.-Ing. Meike Kramer, Mitglied der Geschäftsleitung, TUP GmbH & Co. KG
Svenja Meyer, Head of Procurement, duisport – Duisburger Hafen AG

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE

A dedicated format for C-level executives to develop and discuss strategic topics.

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Limited number of participants to enable interactive collaboration
• Prior registration is required

WEDNESDAY | 18.11.2026

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 1

From Cost Pressure to Competitive Advantage: Reinventing Direct Procurement

• The Direct Procurement Reality – Why the Traditional Model Is Reaching Its Limits
• Procurement Starts Too Late – Moving Influence Upstream
• From Fragmented Data to a Design-to-Source Operating Model
• AI in Direct Procurement – From Automation to Decision Intelligence

Ulrich Bosch, Senior Business Consultant, Samsung SDS Europe Ltd
Ben Grudda, Head of SRM Business, Samsung SDS Europe Ltd

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 2

From ESG Requirements to a Joint Solution: Workshop with EnBW and osapiens

• Learn how common standards within the ESG Energy Alliance can simplify supplier assessments and reduce duplicate efforts
• See in a live demo how digital supplier onboarding works using the BDEW questionnaire and Supplier Code of Conduct
• Discuss your requirements, the concrete benefits and next steps with Olaf Komitsch (EnBW) and Stefan Wawrzinek (osapiens)

Olaf Komitsch, Chief Procurement Officer, EnBW
Stefan Wawrzinek, Co-Founder & Chairman, osapiens Holding GmbH

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 3

Accelerating your Agentic AI Transformation

• Why most procurement teams are stuck in Agentic AI pilots while a few early adopters are already seeing measurable value
• What leading organizations are doing differently with people, skills, and change management to drive excitement and adoption
• The technology foundations and operating practices needed to scale Agentic AI quickly and sustain long‑term impact

Ari Stone, SVP – Value Engineering, Solution Consulting and Services, Ivalua

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 4

From Copilot to Autopilot: How AI Agents Are Fundamentally Changing Procurement

• How far AI in procurement has actually come — and what needs to be in place to enable autonomous procurement processes
• Stefan Köhler shares his perspective on the key success factors for deploying AI agents and on the interplay of data, processes and AI in the context of SAP’s strategy
• First-hand insights from CPOs on their AI initiatives: what is already working, where the challenges lie, and what lessons can be learned
• A joint discussion of the most pressing questions and the next steps on the road to autonomous procurement

Stefan Köhler, Head of Finance & Spend Management Germany, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG
Michael Münnich, Chief Procurement Officer, KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Ferdinand Wieland, Senior Vice President Procurement (CPO), thyssenkrupp AG, Business Segment Automotive Technology

ECXECUTIVE CIRCLE 5

Make, Buy or Wait? A Procurement Leader’s Compass for Choosing the Right AI Strategy

• AI has arrived in procurement – yet more than 80% of organizations see no measurable business value, and 95% remain stuck in the pilot phase
• Three paths to AI adoption: leverage your existing suite, build your own capabilities, or invest in best-of-breed solutions
• The biggest risk is fragmentation – creating a patchwork of disconnected AI tools instead of an integrated ecosystem

Success depends not on the technology itself, but on strong processes, effective governance, and a well-executed transformation strategy

Oliver Fleck, Project Manager, H&Z Management Consulting
Sven C. Schumacher, Partner, H&Z Management Consulting

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 6

Strategic Procurement in the Age of AI – Driving Value, Strengthening Decisions

• From operational buying to strategic value creation: How Procurement can become a true driver of innovation, resilience and business success
• AI in Procurement – from experimentation to measurable business impact: Where AI is already improving decisions, accelerating processes and creating new opportunities
• Technology as decision support for people: How data and AI empower employees to make faster, better-informed and more confident decisions

Werner Güntner, CEO & Gründer, SoftconCIS
Bastian Wagner, Software Development, SoftconCIS

THURSDAY | 19.11.2026

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 7

Agents are Easy. Orchestration is the Magic

• Pre-configured agents activated in days, screening suppliers and flagging duplicate vendors without lengthy configuration timelines
• Connect agents into a single, compliant, unified buying experience that makes procurement a permanent value driver
• Agents execute, orchestration governs, and people lead; design governance and compliance from the start, not bolted on later

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 8

Your AI tool knows nothing about strategic procurement. We do.

• 28 years of procurement consulting expertise from H&Z are built into the Elevatry platform: category expertise, negotiation logic and process standards. By procurement. For procurement
• Generic AI can handle any process, but not every category. In a live case, we show where procurement expertise makes the difference and where today’s solutions reach their limits
• Technology without adoption is just another license bill. That’s why we deliver both the technology and implementation from a single source and measure ourselves by the results

Heiko Schwarz, CEO & Co-Founder, Elevatry GmbH
Oliver Fleck, Projekt Manager, H&Z Management Consulting

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 9

From Automation to Agentic: Redesigning Procurement for the AI-enabled Era

• Blueprint for where AI actually delivers in procurement today, mapped across all eleven stages from intake to contract lifecycle, not just sourcing
• Clear view of how the CPO role and team structure need to change, with concrete examples of new positions replacing legacy ones
• Working session, not a lecture: leave with a personal action plan with discussions on use cases, talent, and governance

Thomas Lagner, Partner, Head of Procurement DACH, Bain & Company

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 10

From Firefighter to Architect: How Procurement Becomes a Driver of Value

• From Reactive to Strategic: How to Free Procurement from Operational Firefighting and Establish It as a Strategic Business Partner
• Holistic Value Creation Beyond Cost Reduction: New Approaches to Driving Process Excellence, Resilience and Innovation alongside Traditional Cost Optimisation
• Success Factors from Practice: Concrete Benchmarks and Best Practices from ERA Group on How to Make the Shift to a Sustainable Value-Driving Procurement Function

Dr. Christian Becker, Senior Partner, ERA Group
Michael Paulus, Senior Partner, ERA Group

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 11

From cost centre to margin engine: how AI-Automated Accounts Payable unlocks the financing layer of procurement

• Why the financing layer stays locked today: dynamic discounting and per-invoice financing only work when invoices are validated in hours, not weeks. AI-run accounts payable is the entry ticket, not the end goal
• How cash-rich organisations turn early payment into pure margin: capturing the 80% of discounts that go unclaimed today, at annualised returns of 30%+ that no treasury desk can match
• How to extend payment terms without squeezing suppliers: third-party financing on an invoice-by-invoice basis – the supplier is paid early, you pay later, and the relationship stays intact

Markus Arnold, Head of Product, Causa Prima

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 13

Managerial Coaching – Leading Effectively

• The coaching mindset: From manager to coach
• Leading like a coach: Tools for real change. How to successfully integrate coaching tools into everyday professional life
• Practical examples: Concrete applications in real-world settings

Sascha Siegers, Director Planning & Replenishment, ALDI Nord Group

EXECUTIVE CIRCLE 14

Digitalization & AI Using a Concrete Use Case – Sourcing

• Smart Procurement: digital sourcing, automated decision-making, and SAP-based contract creation
• Strategic technology partnerships as drivers of innovation
• Outlook and expansion of AI applications in procurement

Olga Fendel, Head of Digitalization, Processes and Methods, Procurement, Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
Christian Götz, Head of Procurement Strategy, Procurement, Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft

MITTWOCH | 13.00 - 17.45 Uhr

Fireside chat

INSIDE THE MIND OF A PROCUREMENT LEADER

Procurement of the future means managing constraints

Dr. Christoph Bode, Endowed Chair of Procurement, University of Mannheim
Franziska Liebel, Global Head of Purchasing, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG

Changeover Break

Our Journey to the Digital Procurement of the Future

• The Start: Build, clean, and maintain master data
• The Path: Analyze and visualize data digitally and automatically
• The Goal: Support and guide procurement decisions with AI

Sven-Uwe Erber, Head of Procurement (CPO), Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
Olga Fendel, Head of Digitalization, Processes and Methods, Procurement, Brose Gruppe, Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Networking Break

Indirect Procurement Reimagined: How Syntegon Scales Automation, Delivers Sustainable ROI, and Optimizes Processes and Data through AI

• A holistic procurement approach across the entire value chain
• Increasing the level of automation in indirect procurement through catalog solutions
• Reducing supplier complexity through consistent demand bundling and consolidation
• Data-driven management as the foundation for AI-enabled optimization
• Outlook on additional AI-based use cases and strategic AI initiatives in indirect procurement at Syntegon

Anita Adam, Process Expert Indirect Processes, Syntegon Technology GmbH
Dirk Woerner, Director, Head of Indirect Purchasing, Syntegon Technology GmbH

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

Humans vs. AI Agents: Who Is Really in Control of Procurement in 2026?

• What actually works — and what doesn’t? Real-world insights from global rollouts across 150+ companies, with AI already used daily by more than 1 million people
• What leading technology providers need from procurement to make AI Agents deliver real value
• Humans vs. machines: What AI Agents can do today, where they are heading, and what effective collaboration between agents and procurement professionals looks like

Kristin Binöder, Head of Digital Solutions & Performance Management (Indirect Procurement), Schaeffler

DONNERSTAG | 10.50 - 12.30 Uhr

Human capacity in procurement – Our journey into AI supported procurement agents and the impact on capacity

Serge Van Vooren, CPO, QIAGEN GmbH

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

TBA

Jens Zoll, Business Acceleration Lead, EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG

Changeover Break

PANEL DISCUSSION

From AI Support to Agentic Procurement: What’s Next?

Moderation: Dr. Ruth Schültken, Habilitandin, Universität Mannheim

Panelists include among others:
Jessica Morris, CPO, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG)
Michael Schürmann, CPO, Körber AG

DONNERSTAG | 14.30 - 15.35 Uhr

New levers, old homework: Cost management between innovation and catching up

Ulrich Bär, VP Global Procurement, PALFINGER

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

How we are advancing controllability and data-driven decision-making in procurement at SBB

• Scorecard as a tool: Delivering the right data to the right stakeholders
• End-to-end alignment: From strategy to initiatives
• Culture and people development: Empowering employees in a data-driven procurement environment

Simon Roth, Head of Group Procurement, Swiss Federal Railways SBB CFF FFS

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Simultaneous translation of all plenary sessions
German : English

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Florian C. Kleemann, Professor for Supply Chain Management, University of Applied Sciences Munich

MITTWOCH |13.00 - 17.45 Uhr

Fireside chat

INSIDE THE MIND OF A THOUGHT LEADER

TBA
Dr. Thomas Germer, CPO, ADAC SE

Changeover Break

Collective Intelligence at KERN-LIEBERS: Decentralized Strength, Central Strategy – How KERN-LIEBERS Creates Measurable Value

Dominik Kleiser, Senior Vice President Corporate Purchasing, KERN-LIEBERS

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Networking Break

From Automation to Outcome: What AI Agents Really Change in Procurement

Christian Cramer, Procurement Manager, SKion Water
Dirk Ruhl, Abteilungsleiter Einkauf und Logistik, EnviroChemie GmbH

💬 Conversation with Niklas Tauch, Co-Founder und COO, OPUS-Technologies GmbH

Changeover Break

PANEL DISCUSSION

Lead the Future. Not the Function

The Procurement of Tomorrow – Skills, Structures, Mindset

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Florian C. Kleemann, Professor for Supply Chain Management, University of Applied Sciences Munich

Panelists:
Frank Arendt, CPO, Barry Callebaut AG
Vera Asam, Global Head Corporate Procurement, SIXT
Alexander Schreiber, CPO, VP Global Procurement, Villeroy & Boch

DONNERSTAG |10.50 - 12.30 Uhr

PANEL DISCUSSION

Transformation – Ongoing

Moderation: Dr. Judith Paulus, Senior Researcher, Zürcher Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften

Panelists:
Ferdinand Wieland, Senior Vice President Procurement (CPO), thyssenkrupp AG, Business Segment Automotive Technology
Dirk Wuschech, Head of Supply Chain Management, Franke Home Solutions

Changeover Break

No Cost Is Best Cost – How Procurement Drives the P&L

• From Savings Tracker to P&L Driver – The paradigm shift from measuring procurement success by savings percentages to creating measurable impact on the profit and loss statement
• No Cost Is Best Cost – Why a global mobility company has moved beyond traditional savings metrics and how procurement is redefining value creation
• The Last Line Before Money Is Spent – How procurement is becoming the strategic decision-making function that eliminates unnecessary cost altogether instead of merely negotiating lower prices

Vera Asam, Global Head Corporate Procurement, SIXT

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

The strategic diamond in supply chain Logistics

• How to connect external market dynamics with our Logistics Strategy 
• How does diamond empower as a holistic model? 
• How to create a path, that connects strategic activities with the model

Christian von der Schulenburg, Head of Logistics Innovation, Smart Infrastructure Logistics, Siemens AG

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

DONNERSTAG |14.30 - 15.35 Uhr

From Prompt to Performance – Digitalization as a Leadership Task for Procurement 2030

• Digitalization is a leadership task and not an IT project
• Procurement 2030 is shaped not by tools but by clear target visions, governance, and consistent AI integration in management
• Culture determines scaling
• A deliberately built “Digital Confidence Culture” transforms individual initiatives into sustainable, competence-based, value-oriented, organization-wide transformation
• With “Digital Confidence Culture,” AI becomes practically effective
• Using Volkswagen Poznań’s structured procurement program as an example, the session demonstrates how AI formats empower employees and turn experiments into measurable productivity

Dr. Tanja Ernst, Head of Overall Procurement, Volkswagen Poznań Sp. z o.o., and Head of the Regional Sourcing Committee Poland, Volkswagen Poznań Sp. z o.o.

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

Beyond Borders: Procurement as a Global Value-Creation Architecture

• Global governance in procurement: How to create structures that combine local flexibility with global control? What are the change management and supplier enablement requirements?
• Digitalization as an enabler: Which technologies (e.g., AI, predictive analytics, platform solutions) are critical for global transparency and efficiency?
• Talent & Organization: What competencies does procurement of the future need to succeed globally and digitally?

Karsten Dedendorf, Head of Corporate Procurement, Rodenstock GmbH

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Anne Meinke, Professor for Supply Chain Management, Fachhochschule Dortmund

MITTWOCH |13.00 - 17.45 Uhr

Fireside chat

INSIDE THE MIND OF A SUPPLY CHAIN LEADER

End-to-End Supply Chain – Vision, Reality, Challenges

Asmus Wolff, CEO Supply Chain, Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG
Prof. Dr. Anne Meinke, Professor for Supply Chain Management, Fachhochschule Dortmund

Changeover Break

Orchestration of the global value chain in disruptive times

Arjun Varma, Group Head – Supply chain Strategy & Transformation, Apollo Tyres Ltd

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Networking Break

From Fragmented Data to a Shared Supplier View: Elia Group’s Journey in Strategic Supplier Management

• The challenge: fragmented supplier information across teams, systems, and geographies
• The approach: creating a shared supplier view through consolidated supplier data and ownership with Kodiak Hub
• The outcome: a trusted foundation for transparency, collaboration, and supplier management

Andrea Di Leva, Procurement Process Owner, Elia Group

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

PANEL DISCUSSION

Rethinking Global Sourcing: Future Strategies Between Geopolitical Realities and Operational Implementation

Moderation: Olaf Holzgrefe, Head of International, BME e.V.

Panelists among others:
Michael Harms, Executive Director, Ost-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft e.V. 
Urban Herok, Vice President Einkauf Mechanik & Rohstoffe, Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
Bernd Schmeling, Einkaufsleiter - Aerostruktur - Doors, Airbus Operations GmbH

DONNERSTAG |10.50 - 12.30 Uhr

Agentic AI in practice:

How IBM is transforming its supply chain — and what it means for its supply chain teams

• Supply chains under pressure: risks, volatility, and data silos are slowing down decision-making
• Traditional processes are often manual, slow, and error-prone
• Agentic AI enables proactive management and faster responses
• Success requires the interplay of AI, data, and human expertise

Matthias Graefe, Director of Supply Chain Transformation, IBM Infrastructure

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

Supply Chain & Operations: From Cost Center to Future Enabler

• 80% of global supply chains have been massively disrupted at least once in the last five years – yet few companies have fundamentally adapted their operating models
• The supply chain of the future is no longer a cost block but a strategic value driver
• AI accelerates this transformation

Markus Sagolla,  Head of Group Supply Chain & Operations / Deputy CEO, Mibelle Group

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

PANEL DISCUSSION

Raw Material Dilemma 2026: Dependencies, Availability, and Innovation Under Review – Strategies for Greater Autonomy

Moderation: Lisa Immensack, Senior International Project Managerin, BME e.V.

Panelists:
Yofre Alberto Rodriguez Carlos, Global Procurement & Supply Chain Director, Kirsch Pharma GmbH
Alexander Ruth, Director Strategic Purchasing Team Plastics, B. Braun Melsungen AG
Alexander Schupp, Analyst Raw Material Intelligence Department, ZF Friedrichshafen AG

DONNERSTAG |14.30 - 15.35 Uhr

Ad-Hoc Risikomanagement

• Erkennen und Einordnen unerwarteter Lieferkettenstörungen
• Schnelle Transparenz potenzieller Auswirkungen und Entscheidungsfindung unter Zeitdruck
• Ableitung und Umsetzung kurzfristiger Maßnahmen zur Stabilisierung der Versorgung

Linda Faltermeier, Business Development – Sustainability & Risk Management, Corporate Procurement, KRONES AG

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

Changeover Break

The Hidden Operating System Behind Supply Chain Excellence

• Why knowledge flow is becoming a strategic supply chain capability
• How expert communities strengthen speed, resilience, and cross-functional collaboration
• How dependency on “tribal knowledge” can be reduced by making expertise globally accessible and scalable

Melieke Lachenmann, Director Global Supply Chain & Procurement, Danfoss Power Solutions GmbH & Co. OHG

🎤 Keynote (20 min) 💬 Conversation with the moderator (10 min)

MIXED ZONES

A space for discussion, experimentation, and networking – open, interactive, and right in the middle of the action.

WEDNESDAY | 18.11.2026

Start-up Arena: Innovative Lösungen entdecken und mit Start-ups direkt ins Gespräch kommen

Moderation: Erik Wirsing, Head of Innovation, DPD

Supplier Portal Next Level – AI-Based Supplier Management

Mehmet Ünal, CEO, ABICS GmbH

Material price forecasts and causal intelligence for industrial raw materials procurement

 Lukas Haemsich, CEO, Datasphere Analytics GmbH

If your AI agent doesn’t show up in your P&L, it’s not an agent. It’s a chatbot with better PR

• How to turn purchase order confirmation matching into real savings
• How to negotiate more — and negotiate better
• How to ensure negotiated savings are actually enforced throughout the purchasing process

Nicolas Pardon, Geschäftsführer, qado

From Data Chaos to Clarity: AI-Powered Part Harmonization in Procurement

Lisa Reehten, Commercial Director, Resourcly GmbH

Lower Inventory, Higher Availability: Foundation Models and Agentic AI as the Future of Inventory Management

• Forecasting: One foundation model (Q-Foundry) instead of thousands of individual models – delivering more accurate forecasts, ready to use immediately, even for new products
• Decision-making: AI agents combine forecasts, master data and planners’ expertise to generate transparent and explainable replenishment recommendations
• Results: Achieve 10–20% lower inventory levels while reducing stockouts by 20–50%

Dr. Nico Elbert, Co-Founder, SOLISTIQ GmbH

Mentoring in Dialogue: Connecting Perspectives, Unlocking Potential

Moderation: Mirjam Zeller, Managing Director, BME Marketing GmbH

Ina Albers, Junior Strategic Accounts Managerin, Gore Medical GmbH
André Linder, Team Leader für das Provider Selling Team in CER, Gore Medical GmbH

Start-Up Arena

Moderation: Erik Wirsing, Head of Innovation, DPD

Why Procurement Teams No Longer Believe Cost-Savings Promises – and What AI Agents Actually Deliver

• 2,500 emails a month – half of them with technical drawings: Upload the drawing, generate the RFQ automatically, and have order confirmations checked by AI
• 360° supplier view – one workspace instead of ten systems: Orders, certificates, risks, and AI-powered communication with suppliers in a single place
• AI Agents in Procurement: Where they create real value, where their limits are, and how to get started successfully without replacing your ERP

Onur Kayir, Managing Director, Chase Prime AI

Guided Buying Next Generation

A best-price process. Under your governance.

Wolfgang Lang, Founder & CEO, Guided Buying AI GmbH

Global Sourcing Reimagined – Practical Insights Between Strategy and Execution

Olaf Holzgrefe, Head of International, BME e.V.
Oliver Palmert, Leiter Supply Chain Management, Gerhard Schubert GmbH
Björn Schäfer, Director Group Procurement und Sustainability, BRAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH

Ask GenZ: the Reality Check for Procurement & Supply Chain

Moderation: Jasmin Möller, Academic Researcher, Professor of Business Administration, specializing in Supply Chain Management (SCM), Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur Leipzig
Carola Rühling, Global Process Owner Supplier Management, Bayer AG

Florian Diermeier, Strategic Purchasing, Thüga AG
Sophia Leykam, Student, Hochschule München
Felix Schulze Beerhorst, Group Procurement, CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA

THURSDAY | 19.11.2026

Award Winners: Successful projects and the stories behind them

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Florian C. Kleemann, Professor for Supply Chain Management, University of Applied Sciences Munich

Logistics Vision 2030

Moderation: Svenja Meyer, Head of Procurement, duisport – Duisburger Hafen AG

Diskutanten u.a.:
Gaby Symonds, Head of Logistics, Nestlé Deutschland AG
Silke Maria Weber, Head of Supply Chain Logistics, Siemens AG

Women Lead the Change: Demonstrating Strength. Shaping the Future

Moderation: Mirjam Zeller, Managing Director, BME Marketing GmbH

Jessica Morris, CPO, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG)
Neeve Perner, Master Student, Hochschule München
Tanja Punnanchira, Senior Procurement Manager Safety and Organization, DZ HYP AG

Europe in the supply chain wars

Tobias Gehrke, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)

SOLUTION FORUMS

Presentation and in-depth exploration of selected solution concepts.

• Dauer 30 Minuten
• keine Teilnehmerbegrenzung
• ohne Voranmeldung

WEDNESDAY | 18.11.2026

SOLUTION FORUM 1
Moderation: Felix Schulze Beerhorst, Group Procurement, CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA

Agents Are Replaceable. Procurement Knowledge Is Not.

How Agentic AI Creates Competitive Advantage and Turns Procurement Knowledge into True Procurement Intelligence

• Why agents alone don’t deliver: Context gets lost, information falls away at every handover, and each agent ultimately builds its own version of the truth. Why a better model alone won’t solve the problem.
• The layer almost no one is building: How a single improvement in the right place can make every agent and every process better at once — and why this is what makes AI work in production, where pilots often fail.
• What this means for scaling: Which processes to start with, how to unlock category knowledge from the minds of experts, and who takes ownership once that knowledge has been captured

Fabian Heinrich, CEO & Co-Founder, Mercanis 

SOLUTION FORUM 2
Moderation: Roald Vink, Lead Buyer Indirects Procurement, BÜFA-Group

Procurement as a Control Tower: Why Integrated Processes + AI Make the Difference

• How an end-to-end, integrated operating model — from demand management to supplier performance — creates true transparency as the foundation for proactive steering rather than pure transaction processing
• Which AI-powered mechanisms help identify opportunities and risks at an early stage (e.g. deviations, bottlenecks, compliance issues) and enable faster prioritization of actions
• Which next steps strategic procurement can take to simultaneously increase efficiency, resilience, and value contribution — without committing to a rigid target-state approach

Bernd Thannheiser, Director Solution Advisory Spend Management, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG

SOLUTION FORUM 3
Moderation: Christian Gegner, Member of the Board, BME-Region Thüringen

How AI Agents Can Orchestrate Procurement End to End: Insights from Practice

• How agentic AI can support the entire procurement process – from reviewing a request and running a tender to negotiation and purchase order creation – while integrating with existing systems
• Finding the right level of autonomy for each task: When can AI agents work independently, and when is human input essential? Examples include evaluating offers, analyzing target costs and optimizing specifications
• Why humans and AI create the greatest value together – and what it takes to make it work: bringing in expert knowledge, building user trust and continuously improving the performance of AI agents

Frank Cappel, Vice President – Solution Design, Software bei GEP Worldwide
Heiko Jahn, Head of Software Sales – DACH, GEP

Changeover Break

SOLUTION FORUM 4
Moderation: Felix Schulze Beerhorst, Group Procurement, CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA

How Sanacorp Is Transforming Demand Planning with AI Forecasting Models from REMIRA

• From vision: What does a modern demand forecasting solution need to deliver today?
• To practical validation of AI technologies: Which concrete use cases could be implemented, and what measurable potential did they unlock?
• To operational use: What technological, data privacy and organisational requirements need to be in place to successfully integrate innovative AI solutions into day-to-day operations?

Silke Rahmani, Supply Chain Planner, Sanacorp Pharmahandel GmbH

SOLUTION FORUM 5
Moderation: Roald Vink, Lead Buyer Indirects Procurement, BÜFA-Group

AgenticOS: Your Procurement Team Is Too Valuable for Routine Work

• Why agentic systems are redefining the procurement stack—and what that means for your procurement workflows
• Let agents handle routine work, so your people can focus on strategy—put your FTEs where they create real value
• Industrial use cases with measurable results you can see as early as next quarter

Wladimir Huwa, Senior PreSales Consultant, JAGGAER

SOLUTION FORUM 6
Moderation: Christian Gegner, Member of the Board, BME-Region Thüringen

THURSDAY | 19.11.2026

SOLUTION FORUM 7
Moderation: Felix Schulze Beerhorst, Group Procurement, CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA

From Risk Management to Strategic Opportunity: How AI-Powered Resilience and Tier-N Transparency Protect Your ROI

• Rethinking Resilience: How AI-driven real-time data transforms procurement and supply chains from reactive risk management into strategic value creation
• Tier-N Transparency as the Foundation: Deep visibility across the supply chain to identify insolvencies, cyber incidents, and supply disruptions before they impact business performance
• Resilience That Pays Off: How AI-powered supply chain intelligence converts risks into measurable ROI - from early warning signals to effective crisis response

Sarah Naber, Product Director, Prewave

SOLUTION FORUM 8
Moderation: Roald Vink, Lead Buyer Indirects Procurement, BÜFA-Group

Rare Earths: Chinese Export Controls as an Opportunity for Growth

• Chinese export controls are creating a need for domestic processing capacities
• A particular bottleneck exists in separation and metallization. Germany can build on its existing expertise in the chemical industry in these areas
• GTAI, together with its partners, is developing a concept for a publicly supported German pilot supply chain. The aim is to demonstrate commercial viability and accelerate market development

Julien Frament, Senior Manager Taskforce Transformation, Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI)
Dr. Verena Schüren, Director Taskforce Transformation, Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI)

SOLUTION FORUM 9
Moderation: Christian Gegner, Member of the Board, BME-Region Thüringen

Premiere: The Agentic Platform for Strategic Procurement – Live!

• Companions live in action: from strategy to contract
• The convergence of “superpowers”: AI agents, company context, expert knowledge, leading methodologies and individual processes
• Give your procurement team a head start: apply for one of three free pilot subscriptions, including implementation

Christian Ruck, Chief Product Office & Operations, Elevatry GmbH
Heiko Schwarz, CEO & Co-Founder, Elevatry GmbH

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DEEP DIVES

Intensive exploration of operational challenges for the joint development of new perspectives.

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Limited participants to enable interactive work
• First come, first served; for industrial companies only

WEDNESDAY | 18.11.2026

DEEP DIVE SESSION 1

Your AI Agents Are Only as Good as Your Spend Data. Is Procurement Really AI-Ready?

• Why do up to 95% of AI pilots in procurement fail to deliver measurable value — and what sets the successful 5% apart?
• Why does “garbage in, garbage out” matter more than ever in AI? We show what data foundation procurement needs to turn AI into measurable savings and unlock the potential of AI agents
• A real-world case study shows how one procurement organization became AI-ready, which data gaps had to be closed, and how AI agents were then deployed in practice to generate measurable savings

Caterina Kiehntopf, Co-Founder und COO, Dexter 

DEEP DIVE SESSION 2

From Contract Archive to System of Record: Building the Foundation for Effective Obligation Management

• What distinguishes a contract archive from a true System of Record — and which questions can help you assess where your organisation stands today
• Which types of obligations — such as payment terms, SLAs, renewal and termination deadlines, or compliance requirements — are most often overlooked or insufficiently managed, and why
• How obligations can be automatically extracted, structured and tracked in a true System of Record. You will also receive a practical checklist to assess whether your existing solution supports automated tracking and AI-powered notifications

Karlyle Fernandes, Senior Director – DACH, Sirion 

DEEP DIVE SESSION 3

Driving Efficiency and Growth in Procurement and Logistics Through Automated Supplier Communication – Beyond the AI Hype

•  How Classic EDI with Managed Services and scalability supports long-term growth
• Automate every supplier in your ERP – with predictable costs and an order confirmation rate of >95%
• EDI, WebEDI, IDP, or Email & Excel: What really works in supplier communication?

Steffen Heinzmann, Head of Field Sales Business Process Solutions, retarus GmbH 
Nathalie Mann, Account Director, retarus GmbH

THURSDAY | 19.11.2026

DEEP DIVE SESSION 5

China’s New Five-Year Plan – An Evolving Economic Model and Implications for Procurement Strategies

• Key strategic insights and relevance for procurement
• Resilience over pure cost efficiency: Why cost and quality alone are no longer sufficient
• Supply chains as strategic assets

Riccardo Kurto, Head of Strategy and Office Coordination, BME China, BME e.V.

DEEP DIVE SESSION 6

Rethinking Procurement: Value Creation “Beyond just Savings”

• Stakeholder-Centricity as a Strategic Perspective for Procurement
• Procurement marketing: new communication approaches for a new role of procurement within the organisation
• Growth, revenue & beyond: innovative procurement value contributions that extend beyond cost savings and supply security

Prof. Dr. Florian C. Kleemann, Professor for Supply Chain Management, University of Applied Sciences Munich

DEEP DIVE SESSION 7

Digital Transformation in Indirect Procurement: Redesigning Source-to-Pay

• Challenges and optimization potential in indirect procurement
• Cost-efficient automation of the Source-to-Pay process
• Greater transparency and efficiency for procurement

Franziska Prüger, Head of Procurement, A.S. Creation Tapeten AG

MORNING SPECIALS

Discussion of current topics in a relaxed atmosphere to help take your company to the next level.

• Duration: 45 minutes
• No participant limit
• No prior registration required

THURSDAY | 19.11.2026

MORNING SPECIAL 1

Sourcing Intelligence: From Human Capacity to Machine Scale – How AI Agents Scale Competitive Advantage and Secure Better Prices

Josias Zimber, Head of Product, Tacto

MORNING SPECIAL 2

PANEL DISCUSSION

Risk and Resilience Strategies in Procurement

Moderation: Martin Klett, SME Representative, BME e.V.

Panelists include:
Marcel Strohmenger, Head of Purchasing, Ypsomed AG
Klaus Stölken, Senior Segment Lead Supply Chain Management, MENCK GmbH
Klaus Warmbrunn, Executive Vice President | Director of Purchasing, Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG

MORNING SPECIAL 3

The “Dark Room” in Demand Management

• Along the flow of goods, procurement is often perfectly set up to optimize the supply chain from the supplier all the way to the customer and to achieve savings targets.
• However, to go the extra mile, up-to-date data on internal planned consumption is often missing. While planning data does exist, it typically contains hidden “buffers” that lead to unused inventory.
• Changes in planning, shifts in demand, shutdowns, etc. are often not reflected in procurement processes. Potential: X €?
• Is AI capable of delivering this data “just in time” and providing actionable recommendations?

TBA

MORNING SPECIAL 4

Humans vs. AI Agents: Who Will Be Driving Procurement in 2026?

• What leading technology providers need from procurement to ensure AI agents deliver real business value
• Humans vs. machines: What AI agents can do today, where they’re headed, and how they will collaborate with procurement professionals
• What really works and what doesn’t: Practical insights from global rollouts across 150+ companies, with solutions already used daily by more than 1 million users

Vladimir Keil, CEO und Co-Founder, Lio

MORNING SPECIAL 5

Expert Talk with Oliver Leisse, presented by American Express

Future. Accelerated.

AI and Future Technologies: What Will Really Matter and How Companies Should Prepare Now

Heike Hilf, Director Business Development & Corporate, American Express Germany
Oliver Leisse, Speaker, Author, Podcaster and Founder, SEE MORE, Future Research & Development

MORNING SPECIAL 6

Supply Chain Resilience with AI Agents: Real-World Examples of How AI Is Transforming Supply Chains – from Material Procurement and Logistics to Planning

CLOSING PLENARY

Buyer’s way of managing talent flow in a dynamic shared ownership model

Karin Guemmer, Vice President Head of Procurement Strategy and Transformation, Bayer

The Next Game Starts Now

On leadership, pressure, decision-making and the power of a team

In conversation with Marie-Louise Eta, Head Coach of Women’s Professional Football at 1. FC Union Berlin

The future doesn't just happen –  we create it

Max Thinius, Futurologist

Closing Words from the Moderator

Sabrina Winter, VP Direct Procurement, Lufthansa Group

Simultaneous translation of all plenary sessions
German : English
English : German