Explore the Agenda
8:00 am Check In & Coffee
8:25 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Optimizing Sourcing Models to Maximize Supplier Value for Long-Term Partnerships
8:30 am Redefining Supplier Value to Build Partnerships That Deliver Beyond Cost Savings
- Expanding value metrics to include innovation, speed, quality, and scientific contribution
- Understanding how leading pharma and biotech firms are quantifying “total value” across multi-year relationships
- Embedding supplier performance insights into strategic planning to ensure sustainable mutual growth
9:00 am The Agentic Crew Has Entered The Lab
AI agents have entered the lab – and one agent can'd do it all. So we built a crew. Specialized agents that move fast, stay in their lane, and leave a clean trail behind every decision. If you're in pharma procurement, R&D ops, or scientific sourcing, this is the conversation to be in the room for.
9:30 am Strengthening Collaborative Supplier Ecosystems to Accelerate R&D Outcomes
- Building co-innovation frameworks that enable suppliers to contribute scientific and operational breakthroughs
- Creating transparent feedback loops and shared KPIs to enhance accountability and trust across the partnership lifecycle
- Leveraging long-term supplier engagement to improve agility, knowledge transfer, and R&D delivery timelines
10:00 am Good Deal or Bad Deal? Negotiation Intelligence for R&D Sourcing
- Weigh in live on four real R&D contracts spanning CRO, lab, CDMO, and clinical tech spend
- See how widely expert judgment varies on the same deal, and what that gap quietly costs across a portfolio
- Learn how negotiation intelligence shows you what a deal should cost and where your leverage sits, turning one-off calls into a repeatable negotiating edge
10:30 am Morning Break & Networking
Driving Visibility & Control Through Standardised R&D Procurement Workflows
11:30 am Standardizing Purchase Order Workflows to Enhance Visibility, Accuracy & Spend Control Across R&D Procurement
- Implementing harmonized PO processes to reduce errors and cycle times in complex R&D environments
- Leveraging data and automation to track spending at project, category, and supplier levels
- Integrating PO governance with finance and project management systems for seamless reporting
12:00 pm Catalyzing Innovative & Sustainable Transformation within Small Businesses
- Creating structured frameworks to engage small, niche, and other specialized suppliers
- Measuring the tangible value of small-business sourcing beyond compliance
- Collaborating across procurement and R&D functions to embed inclusiveness and bring innovation into sourcing strategy
- Mentoring/coaching small businesses to accelerate innovation while supporting our sustainability initiatives.
12:30 pm Creating Cost Efficiencies Through Strategic R&D Procurement & Vendor Management
- Integrating procurement earlier in the R&D value chain to identify savings opportunities without compromising scientific innovation
- Streamlining vendor selection and management processes to reduce duplication, improve agility, and strengthen operational alignment
- Embedding long-term performance metrics and collaborative governance models to ensure sustained value from CRO, CMO, and technology partnerships
1:00 pm Lunch
Redefining Procurement’s Role to Drive Strategic Value & R&D Impact
2:00 pm Panel: Evolving the Identity of Procurement to Deliver Strategic Value & Shape R&D Success
- Examining the evolving role of procurement from cost control to strategic enabler
- Exploring how procurement can influence innovation, compliance, and risk management
- Sharing lessons from pharma, biotech, and CRO leaders on building high-impact procurement functions
2:30 pm Building the Next-Generation Procurement Organization to Drive Transformation, Agility, & Growth
- Developing the right skills, culture, and leadership to navigate complex R&D environments
- Structuring teams to manage global supplier networks and emerging categories effectively
- Embedding agile practices and continuous improvement to deliver measurable strategic impact
3:00 pm Embedding Long-Term Supplier Relationship Management to Ensure Reliability, Quality, & Strategic Agility
- Building SRM frameworks that balance operational oversight with relationship development
- Using supplier segmentation to tailor engagement approaches across critical, niche, and strategic vendors
- Applying performance analytics to proactively identify risks and opportunities in long-term partnerships