Kinexions 2024 was the hottest, most energetic spot in supply chain orchestration this June 17-20!
OK, so the heat wasn’t only emanating from the exciting news dropped on our mainstage (see: Maestro! Read a lot more on that below) – we partied in the steamy locale of Miami, Florida. Under the shadows of palm trees with cool drinks and great cuisine in hand, Kinexions attendees networked, caught up with colleagues and got a taste of the renowned supply chain community Kinaxis is known for.
Whether you couldn’t be there, or you want to relive the memories, here are some highlights from this energizing event with glimpses of the people, parties and music that defined Kinexions 24. Want to watch some of the incredible presentations and sessions for a hit of inspiration to charge your supply chain strategy batteries? Catch some of our on-demand sessions here.
With no further ado, let’s get into the play-by-play of Kinexions 24!
Our partners and sponsors
First, we’d be remiss not to give a big shout-out to the companies and people who helped bring Kinexions to life. Not only did our Kinaxis team knock it out of the park with planning and executing this great event, but we also couldn’t have made Kinexions as vibrant as it was without our awesome sponsors:
Platinum sponsors: Accenture, Capgemini, Genpact
Gold sponsors: 4flow, Cognizant, EY, Google Cloud, Microsoft
Our Kinaxis team also celebrated with our partners (below) during a pre-Kinexions reception:
The orchestra swells and the action begins…
John Sicard, our Kinaxis CEO, took to the mainstage to open Kinexions 24 with his signature energy and passion for bringing cutting-edge supply chain management solutions to life.
With better access than ever to the right tools and data, organizations have an opportunity to unlock new levels of efficiency, resilience, and innovation across the end-to-end supply chain. John (below) delved into the transformative power of supply chain orchestration in his keynote and explained how it can help us become architects of meaningful change in our organizations and beyond.
Next, Kinaxis Chief Product Officer Andrew Bell took the stage for a major announcement.
Building a bold new tomorrow with Maestro
It was the moment we were all waiting for: Andrew Bell, Chief Product Officer at Kinaxis, unveiled the Kinaxis Maestro platform. Maestro is the only end-to-end supply chain orchestration platform that infuses AI to enable faster, smarter supply chains that perform in complete harmony. Andrew explained how Maestro delivers improved transparency, agility, collaboration, and trust and paves the way for a future where efficiency, resilience, and sustainability converge seamlessly.
“You need to make fast decisions at scale. You need visibility and trust, which means you need explainability. The answer to how we do this lies with AI. That is the ingredient that’s going to turn orchestration from an idea into a reality,” said Andrew.
Andrew (pictured below) noted that there’s a lot of hype around AI, which can be overwhelming. How do you separate fact from fiction? AI is more than just generative AI and ChatGPT. It’s also a catalyst for innovation, which Andrew pointed out doesn’t happen on its own. “Innovation happens when you apply AI to a real problem and deliver real results.”
“Kinaxis is an AI company, no doubt about it. The thing is, we’re not just delivering innovation for innovation’s sake, we’re delivering value. Today is another one of those moments,” he said as he introduced Maestro. “Maestro is the AI infused supply chain orchestration platform from Kinaxis, offering a new level of intelligence to make faster, smarter decisions.”
Automate, evaluate, collaborate
To anyone wondering “what happened with RapidResponse,” Andrew explained Maestro is the evolution of RapidResponse, explaining it’s the culmination of everything Kinaxis has built on over last 30-40 years. Fortunately for anyone already using RapidResponse, Maestro uses the same data with the same integration. Maestro allows you to move and adopt these new AI-infused technologies with the same user integration, only enhanced. Essentially Maestro pulls in supply chain data to its enhanced, always-on intelligence engine for real-time insights to show adaptive solutions and scenarios. The result is a conversational, user-friendly experience that anyone (business leaders, planners and more) can use to get highly-visual, accessible planning capabilities.
He shared a story about how a company can avoid a stock-out following a demand surge. In this case, Maestro has already been sensing and conceptualizing data signals with predictive AI and is aware of the factors leading to a spike in demand (Andrew’s example included a celebrity endorsing a product on social media). With Maestro, a user can simply type in the query: “how to avoid a stock out.” Maestro’s generative AI engine then produces a summarized list of ways to prevent a stock out. And then users can dig deeper by asking what the revenue potential is if the situation is resolved. So in a quick, natural way without being a RapidResponse expert, someone can get answers when they need them. Andrew shared the best part: this feature isn’t something that’s “coming soon” – it’s available now. “You upgrade to the most recent version of Maestro, and you’re getting that capability.”
Of course, as RapidResponse has been known for, Maestro is an engine to help develop accurate scorecards, create automation to evaluate different options, and understand their related impacts on decisions across the end-to-end supply chain within minutes.
It’s all about adapting and evolving your supply chain for what’s to come, says Andrew. “Think about the potential this has to accelerate your team’s productivity.”
Andrew’s presentation concluded with a compelling treat for the senses by asking how to visualize orchestration – with the appearance of a cellist. Quickly, she was joined by several other talented musicians, layering in new complexities to build a beautiful musical piece led by a conductor bringing it all together in harmony:
Throughout Kinexions, sessions on topics including forecasting, multi-factor optimization, data network architecture, AI-empowered innovation and more guided attendees through all the capabilities of Maestro. On Wednesday, a Maestro demonstration brought the power of end-to-end intelligence orchestration to life.
How Peloton’s supply chain redefined itself
Next, we pedaled into a firsthand look at how a company used smart orchestration to optimize and build a healthier, stronger supply chain. Andy Rendich, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Peloton (below), gave us an insider’s perspective on the incredible journey Peloton took to transform its supply chain. We learned how the company’s strategic moves improved its unit economics, while staying in sync with the rhythms of its member community.
Day two of Kinexions was just as informative and inspiring as the first day. Not only did attendees hear from a range of supply chain movers and shakers, but they also got to move and shake with a sizzling Community Celebration featuring an exclusive performance by musician FloRida!
Here are some of the day two highlights:
Panel: The new era of supply chain orchestration—journeys of innovation and success
Six supply chain thought leaders from Kinaxis, Jamieson Wellness, Eaton, Kohler, and British American Tobacco shared their experiences navigating the intricacies of implementing new models and advancing organizational maturity swiftly and effectively. Our panelists also provided insights for assessing the current state and implementing strategic measures to propel your business forward.
Why simplifying the complex creates positive progress
How do the most innovative, disruptive brands stay competitive in a world that’s packed with challenging complexity? In her inspiring keynote, Lisa Bodell, founder and CEO of FutureThink, explained how we can unleash the potential in our teams by rethinking the status quo and creating space for innovation.
The key is moving beyond the cycle of busywork and aligning our culture and strategy to eliminate redundancies, kill complexity, and make simplification a habit, according to Lisa (below).
Mars: Taking a 3P’s approach to transformation
According to Forbes, Mars Wrigley has built a recipe for a highly successful supply chain following a Kinaxis-supported digital transformation. In this session, Kristen Daihes, VP of Global Supply Chain for Mars Wrigley (below), shared the company’s journey to re-wire how it does business. She explained Mars’s 3Ps approach guiding this journey from vision to value, along with the holistic change framework that ensures this transformation delivers sustainable impact.
Orchestrating great supply chains. Together.
The Day Two breakout sessions were hotbeds for sharing more detailed supply chain knowledge and real-world experiences. Cardinal Health and Lippert shared their supply chain innovation stories, and leaders discussed in detail how a single platform approach for intelligent supply chain orchestration unlocks real business value.
In addition, attendees learned how multi-enterprise supply chain orchestration enhances supplier collaboration and that it IS possible to thrive with planning and execution under one roof. Kinaxis partners EY, Microsoft, and Cognizant brought the latest supply innovation topics to life and once again, Hands-on Labs offered attendees opportunities to dive into practical exercises to deepen Kinaxis knowledge and sharpen critical supply chain planning strategic thinking.
As you'll see below, our photographers snapped lots of photos throughout Kinexions, capturing the positive energy and friendly vibe everywhere we went. From our receptions, networking opportunities and fun photo op stations, everyone was in a great mood. Having a chance to connect in-person with likeminded colleagues, make new friends and share professional insights is still a main draw for Kinexions attendees, according to the feedback we were told (and overheard)!
Kinexions closes out with an epic Community Celebration!
Once the professional side of Kinexions wrapped, it was time to party. The Community Celebrations at Kinexions are an annual party known for incredible musical guests and 2024 was no exception. This year, we gathered at the Sport of Kings Theatre at Gulfstream Park for our end-of-conference extravaganza. Attendees feasted on fantastic food and drink, networked with fellow conference attendees, and soon the stage was electrified when Flo Rida made his entrance.
Judging by the enthusiastic crowd response, everyone certainly had a (very) “Good Feeling” that night!
Like any successful event, we were sad to see it all come to a close so soon. Overall, the Maestro news made quite an impression on everyone and we at Kinaxis are proud to see our work received so well by the people who bring supply chains of all sizes, in all industries around the world, to life. We can’t wait to see what everyone does with the AI-infused supply chain orchestration at their fingertips.
We know you’ll conduct beautiful, harmonious supply chain symphonies.
Wait! Don’t leave this page without checking out some of our top Kinexions presentations on-demand here.
If you're already excited to attend again or if you missed Kinexions this year, no worries – just mark your calendar for Kinexions 2025, set for March 31-April 2, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
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