Shaping the Future of Operational Performance
Operations Connect at World of Volvo brings together senior Operations, Supply Chain and Technology leaders for an exclusive one-day forum at the home of one of the world's most respected industrial brands.
Set against the backdrop of Volvo's legacy of innovation, sustainability and engineering excellence, the forum will explore how manufacturers are navigating a new era of disruption, digital transformation and industrial reinvention. From AI-powered decision-making and supply chain resilience to sustainability, competitiveness and operational excellence, attendees will gain insights into the trends reshaping global industry.
Through a dynamic programme of keynote presentations, executive panel discussions, fireside chats and interactive roundtables, participants will engage with leading manufacturers, industry experts and technology innovators to share ideas, challenge conventional thinking and uncover practical strategies for building more intelligent, agile and future-ready operations.
In Partnership With
Why This Forum Matters
Operations leaders today are under unprecedented pressure:
Navigating Increasingly Unpredictable Business Environments
Learning to Apply AI and Emerging Technologies
Workforce Constraints and Skills Shortages
Developing Actionable Strategies for Long-Term Growth
The Need to Scale Digital Initiatives Beyond Pilots
Operations Connect sits at the intersection of all these challenges.
Topics & Discussions
Operations Connect will explore:
Building Resilient, Competitive Supply Chains in an Era of Disruption
Harnessing AI and Digital Technologies to Drive Operational Excellence
The Future of Manufacturing and Industrial Competitiveness in Europe
From Planning to Execution: Creating Agile, Data-Driven Organisations
Accelerating Sustainable and Scalable Transformation
Expert Speakers & Panelists
(More to be announced)
In Keynotes, interactive Panel Debates and Group Discussions, our expert speakers will share their knowledge, experience and insights.
The Venue
World of Volvo, Gothenburg, Sweden
World of Volvo is Gothenburg’s landmark brand experience and event venue, bringing together innovation, sustainability, Scandinavian design, and Volvo’s heritage in a striking 22,000m² architectural space in the city’s central event district.
Designed to host immersive exhibitions, conferences, cultural events, and executive gatherings, the venue offers a modern and inspiring environment where people, technology, and ideas come together.
Developing Agenda Overview
A compact day of strategic insight, peer exchange, and practical discussion on the future of operational performance across industry.
Thursday October 22nd, 2026
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Speaker: Peter Eklöf, Head of Purchasing - Electronics, Automation, Connectivity and Services - Volvo Construction Equipment
As Head of Purchasing at Volvo Construction Equipment, Peter opens with an introduction to the Volvo Group and the distinct role Volvo CE plays within it, before turning to the pressures reshaping purchasing today: volatile supply chains, rising cost pressure, and the pace of digitalization.
Drawing on lessons learned across the organization, the session moves from strategic conclusions into practical execution - how Volvo CE is building supply chain resilience, becoming a more data-driven organization, adopting digital tools, and balancing local versus global sourcing decisions. The talk closes with a forward look at where purchasing is headed next, offering the audience a grounded, experience-based view of what it takes to turn strategy into results.
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Speaker: Peter Budweiser - Senior Director, Supply Chain - Celonis
A resilient supply chain that delivers financial impact has to look beyond supply chain. One global manufacturer is making contractual on-time delivery a shared measure across engineering, supply chain, finance and customer service, and put AI on the handoffs between them. In this session we will cover the three lessons behind that work:
Results from AI start with a foundation: one view of the order as it moves through planning, purchasing, production, dispatch and invoicing, whatever systems it crosses on the way.
Then aim AI at the constraint. The delay usually sits at a handoff nobody owns, so automating a step inside one function makes that step faster and leaves the delivery date where it was.
The same process view is what makes the return on AI measurable, tying each agent to that on-time delivery number so the investment can be reported in cash.
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With AstraZeneca, Sandvik, MTU Aero Engines & RELEX Solutions - Moderated by Dirk Lembregts.
Global disruption has exposed the limits of optimising supply chain and operations in isolation.This panel brings together senior leaders from across manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and industrial production to explore how organisations are rethinking end-to-end operations, from working capital and production systems to process intelligence and planning, to build businesses that are genuinely resilient, not just reactive.
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The future operationsleader requires system thinking, AI literacy, strategic influence, coaching mindset, psychological safety, embracing technology and people and a business mindedness.
Full details coming soon…
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A chance to connect with fellow operations leaders over lunch,
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Speaker: Roel Van Den Broek, CEO - The Logic Factory
More data, more technology, and more AI than ever. But more doesn't automatically mean better. What matters is whether it leads to better decisions and better operational performance. In this session, we dive into three of the biggest questions facing supply chain leaders today: When is optimization the right goal, and when is protecting flow the better answer? Why do seemingly good plans break down in execution? Should AI capabilities be bought, built, or combined? Expect practical perspectives and clear positions rather than predictions, grounded in what works, what doesn't, and the trade-offs behind each approach.
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With cost pressures mounting and global competition intensifying, European manufacturers face a critical inflection point.
In this candid fireside conversation, senior operations and manufacturing leaders reflect on how they are adapting their production strategies, workforce models and operational infrastructure to stay competitive, and what the next five years will demand of those who want to lead.
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Speaker: Lars Fabricius Kierkegaard, Global Product Innovation Lead - Maersk
The presentation will explore how AI is moving from experimentation into operational processes, customer solutions, and decision support. Rather than focusing on technology or AI hype, the session will address where AI creates tangible value, why promising solutions struggle to scale, and what leaders must do differently to move from talk to action.
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With McKinsey & Company
The gap between industrial leaders and laggards is widening, and the decisions organisations make in the next two to three years will determine which side they land on.
Drawing on McKinsey's latest research and global work with leading manufacturers, this closing keynote looks beyond the current wave of disruption to ask: what will truly high-performing operations look like by 2030?
From AI-enabled decision-making and autonomous production to workforce transformation and sustainable operations, this session sets out a clear-eyed view of the capabilities, investments and strategic choices that will separate the winners from the rest, and leaves delegates with a practical framework for the journey ahead.
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Please register your details below. Once registered, a member of our team will reach out on email.
If you have any questions prior to registering, please email martin@industryconnectgroup.com
If you are an industry practitioner, this is the pass for you.
£0.00 (Free for a limited time only)
Your event pass includes:
✅ A guided tour of the Volvo exhibition
✅ Full access to all keynote sessions, panels and curated discussions
✅ Meals, refreshments, and networking with peers
✅ Access to the Industry Connect Online Community Hub for continued learning and networing with peers
If your organisation provides solutions or services, this is the pass for you.
£499.00 (Plus VAT where applicable)
Your event pass includes:
✅ A guided tour of the Volvo exhibition
✅ Full access to all keynote sessions, panels and curated discussions
✅ Meals, refreshments, and networking with decision-makers and buyers
✅ Access to the Industry Connect Online Community Hub for continued discussions with event attendees