Fireside Chat: Rebuilding Human Relationships in an Automated Sourcing World to Get Real Value Beyond the Contract

8:45 am - Wednesday 10th March 2027

A relaxed, conversational discussion on the human side of sourcing: the chair and invited speakers talk through how AI is changing supplier relationships, structured more like a live interview than a formal presentation.

  • Discussing how AI-mediated communication is reshaping supplier negotiations to highlight where the real risk lies
  • Identifying where a human relationship still adds value that automation cannot replace
  • Sharing first-hand examples of relationship breakdowns to set the tone for the rest of the day

Speakers:

Brigid Siegel
Vice President & Head R&D Procurement/ Global Third Party Risk Management
Bristol Myers Squibb
Lindsay Ellinger
Vice President Operations
Recursion
Andy Warlow
Senior Director - Strategic Sourcing - R&D, Data, Technology & Engineering
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Kevinn Harris
Senior Manager, Global Procurement & Kite Pharma Research & Development Business Partner
Gilead Sciences