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S&OP AND IBP GLOBAL CONFERENCE
w/ Fundamentals of S&OP/ IBP Tutorial
Chicago, Illinois, USA
June 11–13, 2025
Register Now
Early Bird Rate – Expires in 27 days 8 hours
(on May 23, 2025).
Why Attend?
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    Why Attend

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    About IBF

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    CPF Certification

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    S&OP Certificate

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    Supply Chain Planning Certificate

This event was very informative and there were great ideas presented that I will be using to improve our forecasting process.
Barbara Thomas, Demand Planning Manager, Ecolab, Inc.

See Attendee List

IBF’s S&OP & IBP Global Conference in Chicago on June 11-13, 2025 is the premier annual event and global gathering of the brightest minds in the industry. It is the most well-known S&OP educational and networking event where leaders come to share knowledge, network, and advance their collaborative planning processes with professionals like you.

Whether you are new to implementing S&OP or looking to take S&OP/IBP to the next level, leaders from top global companies will lead you down two maturity streams that will either help you take your first steps in S&OP or evolve an existing process to best in class:

Track One: Essentials will meet the skills needs for new professionals who want to start implementing S&OP

Track Two: Next Level will be offered to professionals who want to improve on their existing S&OP strategies to take their companies to the top.

The event will feature a pre-conference session, interactive round-table exercises and an exclusive event reception that will provide opportunities expand your network, share best practices and build your confidence to lead efforts at your company.

At the event, you will learn to:

  • Effectively use forecasting and demand planning in your S&OP process
  • Employ integrated business planning techniques
  • Enhance collaboration across sales, marketing, finance and supply chain
  • Extend S&OP outside your organization and throughout the supply chain
  • Manage and mitigate risk
  • Use S&OP to enhance new product launches
  • And so much more

See full conference agenda HERE

Now in its 16th year of hosting the most recognized S&OP/IBP conference in the world, IBF continues to prepare professionals on how to manage change and thrive during times of great uncertainty.

Past Speakers include:

As part of your registration you’ll have the opportunity to complete an online S&OP self assessment, using IBF’s proprietary maturity model. It’ll gauge where you are in your S&OP journey and provides valuable feedback on how to progress to the next level. It includes a one-to-one consultation with a subject matter expert who will review your assessment and provide practical advice to improve.

See What our Participants are Saying
Event Speakers
Christopher Mael
Christopher Mael
Agility Robotics
Director of Planning & Logistics

Christopher currently works as that Director of Planning & Logistics at Agility Robotics. Prior to this, he was the Director of Sales & Operations Planning at Precor Inc., where he held the global responsibility for Master Production Scheduling, Supply Planning, Supplier Scheduling & Purchasing, and Master Data. Throughout his career, he has created and led new planning teams, including training, professional development, implementation of end-to-end planning tools and standard operating procedures. Christopher has had global responsibility for planning teams in Europe, North America, and Asia for more than 15 years, and works regularly with executive leaders to facilitate timely decisions for delivering customer success stories, while making business stakeholders happy.

Vanessa Charbel
Vanessa Charbel
Valent BioSciences
Vice President of Global Supply Chain

Vanessa is a supply chain professional with more than 15 years’ experience leading projects and improvements across planning, supply, demand, procurement, PMO, S&OP/IBP. She started her career as an S&OP specialist at Johnson & Johnson in Brazil, before moving into a supply chain management role. Afterward, she took on the role of Senior S&OP/IBP Manager at Mars before becoming a Supply Chain Manager at Nufarm. Vanessa is now the Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Valent BioSciences where she is responsible for all aspects of supply chain including strategic sourcing, sales and operations planning (S&OP), logistics, customer service, footprint and integrated business planning (IBP). She holds a bachelor’s in international business from FAAP in Brazil, and an MBA from FGV, also in Brazil.

Jeff Tackes
Jeff Tackes
Kraft Heinz
Global Head of Forecasting Data Science

Jeff is the Global Head of Forecasting Data Science for Kraft Heinz, headquartered in Chicago, IL. With over 10 years of industry experience, Jeff has developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of demand forecasting and has successfully built best-in-class demand forecasting systems for leading fortune 500 companies. He has led cross-functional teams in designing and implementing demand forecasting systems that have resulted in significant improvements in forecast accuracy, inventory optimization, and customer satisfaction. Prior to Kraft Heinz, Jeff worked for Stanley Black & Decker and AAR Corporation. He holds Master’s degrees from Northwestern University in Data Science and Northeastern Illinois University in Mathematics.

Eric Wilson, ACPF
Eric Wilson, ACPF
Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning
Director of Thought Leadership

Eric is a predictive analytics and business planning innovator, author, teacher and speaker. As Director of Thought Leadership at IBF, he brings over 20 years of experience, previously leading demand planning at Escalade Sports, Berry Plastics, and Tempur Sealy. Eric is an IBF Advanced Certified Professional Forecaster (ACPF) and received IBF’s Excellence in Business Forecasting & Planning award in 2016. He is a frequent speaker and panelist who has published extensively in The Journal of Business Forecasting and APICS Magazine. Eric is also the author of Cultural Cycles, Predictive Analytics for Business Forecasting & Planning, and Practical Guide to Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP/ IBP).

Patrick Bower
Patrick Bower
Actylis
Sr. Director of Supply Chain
Pat Bower has a wide area of expertise, including S&OP, Demand Planning, Inventory, Network Optimization, and Production Scheduling. A recognized expert on demand planning and S&OP, and a self-professed “S&OP geek” - he was previously Practice Manager of Supply Chain Planning at the consulting firm, Plan4Demand where his client list included Diageo, Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Foster Farms, Cabot Industries and American Girl. Pat’s experience encompasses tenures with Cadbury, Kraft Foods, Unisys, and Snapple. He also worked for the supply chain software company - Numetrix and was Vice President of R&D at Atrion International. Pat was the recipient of IBF’s 2012 award for Excellence in Business Forecasting & Planning.
Jason Breault
Jason Breault
LifeWork Search
Managing Director

Mr. Breault is the Managing Director of LifeWork Search, a Management Recruiting firm. Jason has worked with leading soft goods, hard goods, and food and beverage companies—ranging in size from $50 million to $20 billion—to identify top talent in areas like demand planning, supply planning, operations planning, production planning, and S&OP. He is a board member of the New England chapter of IBF. He has also spoken at several APICS and IBF events and appeared in several SupplyChainBrain.com videos on the subject of Talent Management. Jason spent more than five years at AMR Research in Boston (now Gartner), a leading research and advisory organization focusing on the supply chain best practices and applications being leveraged to help cut costs and increase revenues.

Michael Kennamann, CPF
Michael Kennamann, CPF
Merz Aesthetics
Director of Global Sales & Operations Planning
Michael is a forward-thinking customer focused supply chain executive with extensive experience in end-to-end supply chain strategy, demand planning, supply planning, inventory management, procurement, logistics, manufacturing, warehousing, and S&OP implementation. He currently serves as the Director of Global S&OP at Merz Aesthetics where he was responsible for establishing a Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE) and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, as well as a Supply Chain Planning Center of Excellence for the global business unit. Prior to this, he led the Supply Chain operations at Wilton Brands and Essendant. Michael is an IBF Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF) and the Chicago Chapter President.
Michael Zinkewich
Michael Zinkewich
ITG Brands
Global Head, Americas Integrated Business Planning

Mike has deep experience in CPG, having helped many large CPG companies improve their planning processes to support strategic growth. He is currently the Global Head, Americas Integrated Business Planning at ITG Brands, where he is responsible for analyzing medium and long-term business demand and assessing risk and market opportunities to support the company’s 2030 strategy. As Head of North America S&OP at Suntory Global Spirits, he implemented a 5-stage Global Integrated Planning Process (IBP/S&OP) to establish integrated ways of working from the ground up. At Kellogg’s and Kraft Foods, he developed and led the deployment of IBP, which achieved Class A recognition at Kraft Foods. He has also served in various Senior Director roles at Mondelēz and Cadbury. Mike also sits on the steering committee for the Loyola University AI Business Consortium, holds a degree in Political Science and Economics from Western University, and is a certified CPA.

Brenda Morales
Brenda Morales
Dunlop Sports
Production Scheduling and Data Management Manager

Brenda Morales is currently the Production Scheduling and Data Management Manager at Dunlop Sports, which she joined in 2007. Having worked in multiple data, account and customer service roles of increasing responsibility, she now leads the Data Management and Planning teams, focusing on Master Data and integrated data lakes. She holds an MBA from Western Governors University.

Kylie Vennemann
Kylie Vennemann
Newell Brands
Senior Manager, Global S&OP Excellence

Kylie Vennemann is the Senior Manager of Global S&OP Excellence at Newell Brands. She is known for her exceptional leadership, ability to drive results, and skill in collaborating across functions such as marketing, sales, finance, and supply chain. Throughout her career, she has specialized in end-to-end planning, serving as a program manager at Masco Corporation, Nutrilite, and adidas. Kylie holds an MBA from Michigan State University and Bachelor of Science degrees from Indiana University.

Aaron Lewis
Aaron Lewis
Lubrizol
Global IBP COE Manager
Aaron Lewis is a seasoned operations leader with deep expertise in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and business transformation. With over a decade of experience in process design, change management, and cross-functional execution, he helps organizations take their first critical steps in S&OP. Aaron has led enterprise-wide planning initiatives, aligned sales and portfolio strategies, and built frameworks that drive agility and growth. A former U.S. Marine Corps Tank Commander, he brings discipline, strategic focus, and adaptability to complex challenges. Aaron is passionate about empowering teams and equips businesses with the tools and roadmaps to turn vision into execution.
Benjamin Crawford
Benjamin Crawford
Essex Solutions
Director of Materials

Benjamin Crawford is the Director of Materials at Essex Solutions, where he has worked for 14 years, overseeing forecasting, logistics, scheduling, and inventory planning across North America. His team manages freight operations for seven factories and twelve warehouses throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. With 30 years of experience in supply chain management, Benjamin holds an MBA from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University. He is an APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), has chaired the APICS Instructor Development Program, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Transportation and Logistics Council as well as the Advisory Board for the IVY Tech College Supply Chain program.

Talitha Hampton
Talitha Hampton
Revolution Medicines
Senior Director Commercial Supply Chain
Event Speakers
Christopher Mael
Christopher Mael
Agility Robotics
Director of Planning & Logistics
Vanessa Charbel
Vanessa Charbel
Valent BioSciences
Vice President of Global Supply Chain
Jeff Tackes
Jeff Tackes
Kraft Heinz
Global Head of Forecasting Data Science
Conference Schedule
  • Pre-Conference Fundamentals of S&OP/IBP Tutorial
    Jun 11, 2025
  • Conference Day 1
    Jun 12, 2025
  • Conference Day 2
    Jun 13, 2025
1:15 PM - 4:30 PM
Fundamentals of S&OP/IBP Tutorial (IBF Members Only)
1. S&OP/IBP ESSENTIALS
  • IBP/S&OP Process Overview
  • Maturity model & barriers to advancement
  • Cross-functional involvement

2. EMERGING PROCESS QUICK START GUIDE
  • Gaining Buy-in to the process from key stakeholders
  • Tools to measure and improve for more effective S&OP process meetings
  • Building the bench for a sustainable process in the future

3. NEXT LEVEL S&OP PLANNING REVIEWS
  • Meeting overview, agenda and outcomes
  • Who needs to be involved and when
  • Key inputs and outs of every step

4. PERFORMANCE METRICS
  • Importance of measurement and analysis
  • Monitoring, reducing, and cost of error
  • Introduction to key performance indicators you need

5. VANGUARD PRACTICES IN S&OP/IBP
  • Formalizing the process to create sustainability for the future
  • Incorporating continuous improvement tools into IBP & S&OP
  • Participant feedback mechanism to strengthen the overall process
Speaker photo
Eric Wilson, ACPF
Institute of Business Forecasting & PlanningDirector of Thought Leadership
Pricing
Early Bird Rate
(Expires in 27 days 8 hours)
SILVER PACKAGE
$2,099.00
$1,999

Member’s discount: -$100

GOLD PACKAGE
$2,374.00
$2,274
4th FREE - GOLD GROUP
Best Value (Group) (4 persons for price of 3)
$7,122.00
$6,822
GOLD CPF CERTIFICATION PACKAGE
Best Value (+CPF Certification)
$3,774.00
$3,674
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: Fundamentals of S&OP/ IBP
(IBF MEMBERS ONLY)
Sign In or Register
ADD-ON: Certificate in S&OP/ IBP
$899.00
$899
ADD-ON: Certificate In Supply Chain Planning
$899.00
$899
S&OP AND IBP GLOBAL CONFERENCE
JUNE 11-13, 2025
EVENING COCKTAIL RECEPTION
JUNE 12, 2025
FUNDAMENTALS OF S&OP/ IBP TUTORIAL
JUNE 11, 2025 (ACTIVE IBF MEMBERS ONLY)
BREAKFAST & LUNCH
IBF MEMBERSHIP
(1 YEAR)
CPF CERTIFICATION EXAMS
3 EXAMS
BOOK: FUNDAMENTALS OF DEMAND PLANNING & FORECASTING
(FREE SHIPPING)
CERTIFICATE: S&OP/ IBP - INCLUDES EXAM FOR KNOWLEDGE-CHECK
CERTIFICATE: SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING - INCLUDES EXAM FOR KNOWLEDGE-CHECK

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Put the IBF to Work for You!

Become an IBF Member and Start Improving Your Forecasting & Planning Performance Today.

The IBF Advantage:

IBF members include well-known company professionals that span a broad array of business sectors. By joining our organization, you can make certain that your company sets up the right forecasting & planning process and uses the best techniques available. Moreover, you can be sure that your forecasting and demand planning staff has the proper knowledge and skill set for success.

As an IBF member you receive:

  • A subscription to the Journal of Business Forecasting, which is primarily written by and geared toward practitioners.
  • Our Research Reports which include valuable benchmarking information and provide you with eye opening information on various topics in Business Forecasting and Planning.
  • Special discounts on our Conferences, Workshops, Training Seminars, Certification Program, as well as on any new products and services we will offer in the future.
  • Access to Journal of Business Forecasting Past Articles (FREE)Access to our growing online Knowledge section & Action Templates
  • Complimentary 1-day Tutorials at select Global events ($1000 USD Value)
Upcoming Events & Trainings
May 7, 12, 14, 22, 28, 30, June 4, 2025
Online
Preserve cash, achieve new product forecasting success, optimize Inventory & supply chain efficiency and more....
April 30 - May 2, 2025
Scottsdale, Arizona USA
w/ Forecasting & Planning Workshop...
Event Location
Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel & Conference Center
+1.877.337.5793
5440 North River Road
Chicago, Illinois
60018 USA
info@ibf.org
+1.847.671.6350
Hotel Room Rate: $165/ night + tax
Group Code: IBF
Mention IBF Conference when calling in
To maximize your experience, we encourage you to book your stay at our host hotel. Being just steps away from sessions and all scheduled and impromptu networking opportunities will save you time and enhance your connections with fellow participants.

If additional rooms or room nights are required outside the meeting dates, please contact info@ibf.org for assistance.
Book My Accomodation