ASCM names keynote panels for CHAINge 2026

ASCM has announced the keynote panels for CHAINge 2026, its flagship supply chain conference set for Sept. 29-30 in Long Beach, California. The program will focus on trade volatility, AI, resilience and the people-and-process changes companies need to turn disruption into advantage.

Why it matters: - Supply chain leaders are facing trade shifts, cost pressure and rapid technology change at the same time. - ASCM is positioning CHAINge 2026 as a forum for practical strategies that help companies build more resilient and agile operations. - The event is aimed at showing how organizations can turn disruption into competitive advantage.

What happened: - The Association for Supply Chain Management announced the keynote panels for CHAINge 2026 on June 17, 2026. - CHAINge 2026 will take place Sept. 29-30 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. - The conference theme is “Turning complexity into capability.” - The keynote program will bring together executives, policymakers and industry leaders.

The details: - “The New Rules of Global Trade: Navigating Volatility, Geopolitics, and Competitive Advantage” will be moderated by Nick Vyas of USC Marshall School of Business. - Panelists for that session include Pete Mento of Baker Tilly YS, Salvador Minarro of Darnel Group and Gene Seroka of the Port of Los Angeles. - “The Human Advantage: The Skills & The Leaders Need in Age of AI” will also be moderated by Nick Vyas. - That panel includes Carita Hibben of C.H. Robinson, Mark Price of St. Thomas University, Jena Zangs of the University of St. Thomas and Marko Kovacevic of the Digital Supply Chain Institute. - “From Resilience to Readiness: Designing Supply Chains for a World That Never Stabilizes” will be moderated by Liz Young of The Wall Street Journal. - Panelists for that session include Loredana Di Salvio of L’Oreal, Anand Lai of Grainger and Sanjay Shah of Starbucks. - “Technology is Not the Strategy: People & Processes are Critical” will be moderated by Peter Tirschwell of Journal of Commerce. - Panelists for that session include Bill Briggs of Deloitte, Gerald Jackson of Oracle and Janet Sherlock of OrgWorks. - ASCM CEO Abe Eshkenazi said leaders need perspective they can act on, not more theory. - Nick Vyas said organizations are rethinking how supply chains operate. - ASCM said CHAINge is its premier global event for supply chain transformation grounded in real-world application and proven standards. - ASCM said more information and the full agenda are available here.

Between the lines: - The panel lineup shows ASCM emphasizing execution over abstract strategy. - The mix of speakers from academia, logistics, retail, consulting and technology suggests the conference is trying to cover supply chain disruption from multiple angles. - The program also reflects a broader shift in supply chain thinking: technology matters, but people, process and readiness remain central.

What's next: - ASCM will release the full conference agenda as CHAINge 2026 approaches. - The event will convene in late September in Long Beach with sessions focused on trade, AI, resilience and operational performance. - Organizers are likely to use the keynote program to frame the broader conference discussion around practical responses to volatility.