Draft agenda
DAY ONE - Tuesday, 17th November 2026
08:00 – 08:45
REGISTRATION, REFRESHMENTS AND NETWORKING
08:45 – 08:55
Chairs Welcome and Opening Scene Setting
Sven Seipp, Senior Manager - Supply Chain & Network Operations, Deloitte
THINK TANKS
Our Think Tanks give you the opportunity to discuss your biggest challenges with senior peers facing the same priorities.
Choose the three topics most relevant to your business and join a focused discussion with a small group of industry leaders. Share experiences, compare approaches, explore practical solutions and leave each session with ideas you can take back to your organisation.
09:00 – 09:25
Think Tank Challenge 1
TABLE ONE:
From Pilot to Plant: Scaling Digital Initiatives Successfully
Explore strategies to transition from pilot projects to full-scale digital implementations.
TABLE TWO:
Building Resilient Operations in a Disruptive Landscape
Learn how to enhance operational agility amidst rapid industry changes.
TABLE THREE:
Enhancing Supply Chain Integration and Security
Discover methods to create connected and secure supply chains.
TABLE FOUR:
Industrial AI: Transforming Manufacturing Processes
Understand the practical applications of AI in manufacturing.
TABLE FIVE:
Digital Twins: Bridging Physical and Digital Worlds
Explore the use of digital twins to optimise manufacturing operations.
TABLE SIX:
Cybersecurity in Smart Manufacturing
Address the growing cybersecurity challenges in digital manufacturing.
TABLE SEVEN:
Data-Driven Decision Making in Manufacturing
Leverage data analytics to inform strategic decisions.
TABLE EIGHT:
Sustainable Manufacturing: Achieving Green Goals
Incorporate sustainability into manufacturing processes.
TABLE NINE:
Workforce Transformation in the Digital Age
Prepare your workforce for the demands of modern manufacturing.
TABLE TEN:
Leveraging IoT for Operational Excellence
Utilise IoT technologies to enhance manufacturing efficiency.
TABLE ELEVEN:
Predictive Maintenance: Minimising Downtime
Implement predictive maintenance strategies to improve reliability.
TABLE TWELVE:
Advanced Robotics and Automation
Explore the integration of robotics into manufacturing workflows.
TABLE THIRTEEN:
Cloud Computing in Manufacturing
Understand the role of cloud technologies in modern manufacturing.
09:30 – 09:55
Think Tank Challenge 2
Think Tanks Challenge topics repeated as above.
10:00 – 10:25
Think Tank Challenge 3
Think Tanks Challenge topics repeated as above.
10:25 – 10:50
NETWORKING AND REFRESHMENTS
10:50 – 11:15
OPENING KEYNOTE
Building the Digital Manufacturing Foundation: Why Better Data Drives Better Decisions
Manufacturers are generating more operational data than ever before, yet many still struggle to turn that information into meaningful business outcomes. Before AI, automation and advanced analytics can deliver value, organisations need reliable, accessible and well-managed data. This opening keynote explores how leading manufacturers are strengthening their digital foundations to improve visibility, support better decision-making and create a platform for long-term transformation.
Key Learnings
- Creating a strong data foundation that supports digital transformation initiatives
Connecting operational and enterprise data to improve visibility across the business - Overcoming common challenges that prevent organisations from making full use of their data
- Building a flexible digital architecture that can evolve alongside future technologies
Meeting session 1
11:20 – 11:45
OT/IT CASE STUDY
Unifying IT/OT systems with seamless edge data integration for an interoperable IIoT infrastructure
Key takeaways:
- Best practices for modernising outdated OT to enable secure and resilient IT/OT convergence.
- How to ensure the integrity and reliability of data streams from integrated legacy and OT systems for accurate insights and automation?
- What proven cybersecurity protocols mitigate escalating risks in interconnected IT/OT environments, considering evolving regulations?
- What network segmentation architectures are critical for a disruption-ready factory, safeguarding converged IT/OT systems?
Shashank Sharma, Senior Product Marketing Manager, HiveMQ
Meeting session 2
11:50 – 12:15
CASE STUDY
Decoupling software from hardware: Building flexible and scalable platform-based control systems for manufacturing through software-defined automation (SDA)
Key takeaways:
- Increasing flexibility, reducing costs, and supporting modern workforce engagement through low-code/no-code environments and digital twin capabilities
- Using SDA to deploy virtualised, adaptable, and interoperable automation systems on versatile computing platforms such as industrial PCs, edge servers, or cloud environments
- Uncovering rapid deployment and reconfiguration of virtual controllers across various hardware, supporting modular system design and reducing downtime
Bruno Capelas, DT Infrastructure Director, Solvay
Meeting session 3
12:20 – 12:45
DATA OPTIMISATION CASE STUDY
The blind spot in your AI strategy: If your factory is built to stop, you won’t get Physical AI to run.
- Most factories in 2026 must halt production to deploy a configuration change, an integration or an AI model. This can cost up to $2 million per stop.
- Physical AI raises the stakes: it consumes live machine state, in real time and bidirectionally. Physical AI cannot run on an architecture that needs maintenance windows.
- With the right data foundation, manufacturing leaders like Porsche and Miele continuously improve their production – tested, versioned, zero downtime.
Peter Sorowka, CEO Cybus GmbH
Meeting session 4
12:45 – 13:45
NETWORKING LUNCH
13:45 – 14:10
OPENING AFTERNOON KEYNOTE
How digitalisation can drive sustainable manufacturing practices
Key takeaways:
Regulatory initiatives like the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act are pushing companies to align with low-carbon goals. Technologies such as green hydrogen, closed-loop recycling, and energy-efficient production systems are being deployed at scale. So how can digital transformation drive sustainable, profitable manufacturing?
- Utilising IoT technology, advanced energy management systems, and predictive analytics to drastically cut energy usage and emissions
- Understanding the role of data optimisation in demand planning and sustainable manufacturing supply chains to create cost efficiencies
Harman Maan, AI & Smart Factory Digital Platform Leader, Mars
Meeting session 5
14:15 – 14:40
INDUSTRIAL AI CASE STUDY
Industrial AI in Practice: Lessons from Scaling AI Across Global Manufacturing Operations
The competition for skilled workforces is increasing, especially as manufacturers invest in advanced digital tools and smart manufacturing facilities
The primary concern for more than a third of 600 manufacturing executives in a 2025 Deloitte survey was “equipping workers with the skills and knowledge they need to maximize the potential of smart manufacturing and operations”
Learn how following a “build, buy, or borrow” framework for workforce planning could help manufacturers remain agile while continuing to build and strengthen their workforce for the future
Key Learnings
- Creating a single source of truth for engineering and operational information
Improving document governance, traceability and compliance - Making trusted information readily available to support AI and digital initiatives
- Reducing time spent searching for information while improving collaboration across the organisation
Dr. Majid Mortazavi, Senior Expert in AI & Industrial IoT, Siemens
Meeting session 6
14:45 – 15:10
CASE STUDY
Human + AI: Preparing the Manufacturing Workforce for the Next Generation of Operations
Digital transformation is changing not only how factories operate, but how people work within them. As AI becomes more widely adopted across manufacturing, organisations are investing in new skills, new ways of working and stronger collaboration between people and technology. This session explores how manufacturers are preparing their workforce to embrace AI while ensuring operational knowledge and human expertise remain central to decision-making.
Key Learnings
- Preparing engineering and operations teams to work confidently alongside AI
- Building the skills needed for increasingly digital manufacturing environments
- Managing organisational change while introducing new technologies
- Encouraging adoption by combining digital innovation with practical operational expertise
Meeting session 7
15:10 – 15:35
AFTERNOON NETWORKING AND REFRESHMENTS
15:35 – 16:00
CASE STUDY
Connectivity is Critical: Building Real-Time Data Collection, Automation and Scalable Network Expansion
Reliable, secure connectivity is the backbone of every successful smart manufacturing programme. As organisations deploy more connected assets, edge devices and industrial applications, they need network infrastructure that can scale without compromising performance or security. This session explores how manufacturers are building resilient connectivity to enable real-time decision-making and support future digital initiatives.
Key Learnings
- Creating reliable connectivity that supports real-time operational visibility across manufacturing sites
- Enabling secure communication between connected assets, edge devices and enterprise systems
- Building scalable network infrastructure that supports future automation and AI initiatives
- Strengthening operational resilience by improving network performance, availability and security
Meeting session 8
16:05 – 16:30
CASE STUDY
From factory floor to cloud: Enabling scalable interoperability through OPC UA
- Discover how OPC UA enables seamless IT/OT integration and supports scalable digital manufacturing architectures.
- Learn how the new OPC UA Cloud Initiative connects factory floor data with major cloud platforms and analytics tools.
- Explore real-world use cases showing OPC UA in action for digital twins, predictive maintenance, and edge-to-cloud deployments.
- Understand the role of open standards in modernizing legacy systems and unlocking long-term interoperability.
Stefan Hoppe, President, OPC Foundation
Meeting session 9
16:35 – 17:15
PANEL DISCUSSION
From Pilot to Enterprise: What Separates Manufacturers That Scale Digital Successfully from Those That Don't?
Discussion Points
- Why do some digital transformation programmes scale successfully while others remain stuck in the pilot phase?
- What role do leadership, governance and organisational culture play in driving enterprise-wide adoption?
- How important are strong data foundations in supporting AI, automation and digital transformation?
- How can manufacturers successfully scale digital initiatives across multiple plants while maintaining operational consistency?
- What are the biggest lessons learnt from delivering digital transformation at scale?
- Where should manufacturers focus investment over the next 24 months to achieve the greatest operational impact?
17:15 - 17:20
CHAIR'S DAY ONE SUMMARY AND CLOSING REMARKS
Sven Seipp, Senior Manager - Supply Chain & Network Operations, Deloitte
17:20 - 18:20
NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION
DAY TWO – Wednesday, 18th November 2026
08:00 – 08:45
REGISTRATION, REFRESHMENTS AND NETWORKING
08:45 – 08:55
Chair’s Day Two Welcome and Opening Remarks
Sven Seipp, Senior Manager - Supply Chain & Network Operations, Deloitte
09:00 – 09:45
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
Small group discussions tackling your most critical challenges
ROUNDTABLES:
- Integrating AI into Legacy Systems
- Strategies for Effective Change Management
- Enhancing Supplier Collaboration through Technology
- Implementing Digital Twins for Quality Control
- Cybersecurity Best Practices for Manufacturing
- Optimising Supply Chain Visibility
- Leveraging Data Analytics for Forecasting
- Developing a Roadmap for Digital Transformation
- Sustainable Practices in Manufacturing Operations
- Training, Retaining & Upskilling a Digitally Skilled Workforce
09:50 – 10:15
OPENING KEYNOTE
Driving Operational Excellence with Real-Time Manufacturing Intelligence
Leading manufacturers are using live production data to optimise operations, improve quality and respond faster to changing conditions on the factory floor. This session explores how real-time manufacturing intelligence is helping organisations move from reactive decision-making to continuous operational improvement, delivering measurable gains in efficiency, reliability and performance.
Key Learnings
- Improving production performance through real-time operational visibility
- Using live manufacturing data to optimise quality, throughput and efficiency
- Enabling faster, more informed decisions across plant operations
- Turning operational intelligence into continuous improvement across multiple manufacturing sites
Meeting session 10
10:20 – 10:45
CASE STUDY
Applying Agentic AI for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) in Smart Manufacturing
Key Takeaways:
- Applying effective MRO lifecycle data in optimising hardware and technology performance across the manufacturing sector
- How are data quality issues undermining real-time asset management and maintenance workflows in manufacturing operations
- Uncovering agentic AI-driven tools which resolve reliability data gaps and improve margin gains
Sounavo Dey, Sr Solutions Architect Manufacturing, AWS Industry
Meeting session 11
10:45 – 11:10
REFRESHMENTS AND NETWORKING
11:10 – 11:35
CYBERSECURITY CASE STUDY
Manufacturing in the Crosshairs: Lessons from Cyberattacks on the World's Most Targeted Industry Sector
Key Learnings
- Understanding the evolving cyber threats facing modern manufacturing and connected industrial environments
- Strengthening security as IT and OT systems become increasingly integrated
- Reducing operational risk by securing remote access, third-party connectivity and critical production assets
- Building cyber resilience to minimise disruption and maintain business continuity during security incidents
Meeting session 12
11:40 – 12:05
TECHNOLOGY CASE STUDY
Manufacturing Knowledge Without the Chaos: Creating Trusted Information for Faster Decisions, Compliance and AI
Engineering drawings, quality records, operating procedures and compliance documentation are often stored across multiple systems, making it difficult to locate trusted information when it’s needed most. As manufacturers accelerate digital transformation, effective information management has become critical to supporting AI, improving collaboration and maintaining compliance.
Key Learnings
- Creating a single source of truth for engineering and operational information
- Improving governance, traceability and regulatory compliance
- Making trusted information readily available to support AI and automation initiatives
- Reducing time spent searching for information while improving collaboration across the organisation
Meeting session 13
12:10 – 12:35
PILOT TO PLANT CASE STUDY
Scaling Industrial AI: From Successful Pilots to Enterprise-Wide Adoption
Many manufacturers have demonstrated the value of AI through individual projects, but expanding those successes across multiple sites presents new challenges. This session explores the practical steps organisations are taking to standardise deployment, establish governance and demonstrate measurable business value as AI becomes part of everyday manufacturing operations.
Key Learnings
- Understanding why successful AI pilots often fail to scale
- Establishing governance that supports innovation and operational consistency
- Standardising AI deployment across multiple manufacturing facilities
- Demonstrating business value to secure continued investment
Meeting session 14
12:40 – 13:20
FUTURE FACING PANEL DISCUSSION
From Data to Decisions: The Next Phase of Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
Discussion points:
- Where are manufacturers seeing the greatest return from digital transformation investments today?
- How can organisations build a trusted data foundation that supports long-term innovation and operational excellence?
- What organisational and cultural changes are needed to sustain transformation beyond individual technology projects?
- How are manufacturers balancing innovation with resilience, security and regulatory requirements?
- Looking ahead, what will define the next generation of digitally mature manufacturing organisations?
13:20 – 13:25
Chair’s Summary and Closing Remarks
Sven Seipp, Senior Manager - Supply Chain & Network Operations, Deloitte
13:25 -14:25
FAREWELL LUNCH
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