61st Symposium Procurement and Logistics

SPECIAL EVENTS

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.

Moderation: Dirk Steffel, Leiter Produktmanagement, BME e.V.

We look forward to welcoming you!

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

Network Exchange – Stronger together: The BME Sourcing Network Exchange

New supply opportunities, up-to-date market information and an engaging exchange among network partners.

Gain inspiration and insights from BME partners in the field of B2B matchmaking and sourcing. Receive a brief update on opportunities and the current situation in Ukraine. Meet our country partners and experts and join the dialogue.

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

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

Auf dem Panel u.a.:
Tanja Heinemann, Head of Procurement / Senior Vice President Procurement, KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG

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

WOMEN IN PROCUREMENT DIALOGUE

PASSION INTO ACTION

Moderation: Mirjam Zeller, Managing Director, BME Marketing GmbH

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

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

Further Executive Circles, among others, with the following partners:

OUR CONFERENCES

Three specialized conferences, three perspectives, one shared goal: making companies future-ready.

Procurement4Future – What must procurement do to remain strategically relevant?
Thought Leaders4Inspiration – How must leaders think and make decisions?
Supply Chain4Excellence – How do we ensure operational excellence and resilience in execution?

• No participant limit
• No prior registration required

PROCUREMENT4FUTURE

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Christoph Bode, Endowed Chair of Procurement, University of Mannheim
Dr. Ruth Schültken, Habilitant, Universität Mannheim

Fireside chat

INSIDE THE MIND OF A PROCUREMENT LEADER

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

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

Serge Van Vooren, CPO, QIAGEN GmbH

TBA
Ferdinand Wieland, Senior Vice President Procurement & Supply Management, thyssenkrupp Automotive

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

Ulrich Bär, VP Global Procurement, PALFINGER

THOUGT LEADERS4INSPIRATION

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

Fireside chat

INSIDE THE MIND OF A THOUGHT LEADER

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.

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

PANEL DISKUSSION

Lead the Future. Not the Function

The Procurement of Tomorrow – Skills, Structures, Mindset

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

Panelists:
Dr. Thomas Germer, CPO, ADAC SE
Alexander Schreiber, CPO, VP Global Procurement, Villeroy & Boch

TBA
Frithjof Karbach, Head of Materials Management SC-M, Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG

SUPPLY CHAIN4EXCELLENCE

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

Fireside chat

INSIDE THE MIND OF A SUPPLY CHAIN LEADER

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

Orchestration of the Global Value Chain in Disruptive Times

Arjun Varma, Group Head - Supply Chain Strategy & Transformation, Apollo Tyres Ltd

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.

PANEL DISCUSSION

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

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

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

Ad-Hoc Risk Management

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

TBA
Svenja Meyer, Head of Procurement, duisport – Duisburger Hafen AG

MIXED ZONES

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

• Start-up Arena: Discover innovative solutions and engage directly with start-ups
• Young Professionals: Opportunities and expectations
• In Conversation: Global Sourcing Reoriented – Lessons from Strategy to Implementation
• Collaboration with Start-ups: How partnerships really work
• Award Winners: Successful projects and the stories behind them
• Women in Procurement: Exchange, networking, and new perspectives

SOLUTION FORUMS

Presentation and in-depth exploration of selected solution concepts.

• Dauer 30 Minuten
• keine Teilnehmerbegrenzung
• ohne Voranmeldung

The Solution Forums feature, among others, the following partners:

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

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

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

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

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 include:
Alexander Schupp, Analyst Raw Material Intelligence Department, ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Yofre Alberto Rodriguez Carlos, Global Procurement & Supply Chain Director, Kirsch Pharma GmbH

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

Transformation - Ongoing

Moderation: Dr. Thomas Germer, CPO, ADAC SE

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

Further Morning Specials include, among others: