José Manuel Velarde

Recent years have proved how important it is to have a flexible and resilient supply chain to offer alternative sourcing options, mitigate risks and ensuring business continuity, and increasingly, companies are looking at supplier diversity as a way to create a more agility and resilience. Dive into an insightful exploration with our expert panelists as they delve into supplier diversity and its implications on both innovation and the bottom line. We will not only dissect the impact but also furnish practical tips for discerning and effectively engaging with diverse suppliers. Participants are guaranteed to depart with: 

• A heightened comprehension of the strategic advantages that supplier diversity can offer 
• Invaluable best practices to seamlessly integrate and implement successful supplier diversity programs 
• Tips for embarking on the initial stages of your supplier diversity journey or seeking to elevate existing efforts, this session promises to equip you with transformative insights and guidance that transcend experience levels. Don't miss this opportunity to fortify your understanding  
• Good change management and stakeholder practices to catalyze positive behavior within your organization's stakeholders 

The procurement profession grapples with a talent shortage – some due to limited educational offerings and a lack of awareness, some due to evolving skill requirements that the industry itself is not always able to clearly define. Join José Manuel Velarde, Sr., Purchasing Sourcing Manager at Huntsman Corporation and Professor of Supply Chain and Logistics Technology at the University of Houston, for a compelling presentation on ensuring an up-to-date and practical skillset for new procurement professionals. In this session, José will address the gap in practical and robust skillsets observed in emerging procurement professionals and propose strategies to bridge this divide. By offering insights from both industry and academia, José will explore avenues for providing hands-on experience to new procurement and supply chain professionals before and during their transition into the workforce. Attendees can expect to gain actionable takeaways on:

• Understanding common gaps in practical skillsets among new procurement professionals
• Exploring strategies for providing hands-on experience to new procurement and supply chain professionals, enhancing their readiness for the workforce identifying
• Developing skillsets within their procurement teams, ensuring they remain competitive in today's dynamic marketplace