The supply chain field has never been more relevant. From the pandemic, to major logistical disruptions, to shortages due to increased demand, it’s hard to turn on any popular press or social media channel and not hear a comment about the supply chain. In this session, meet Kinaxis executives John Sicard, CEO, and Dr. Anne Robinson, CSO, and hear their stories from the front lines of the supply chain. They’ll cover how companies are looking to navigate their supply chain challenges in new and innovative ways, and the relevant skills required to be successful.

Anne Robinson bio: As Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Anne is responsible for accelerating Kinaxis strategic development to add further value to customers. She and her team collaborate closely with customers, external stakeholders, and the rest of the senior executive team to drive the strategic roadmap, thought leadership, and to identify emerging technologies and new industry opportunities.
A proven leader in analytics and digital transformation, with expertise in operations, supply chain, and strategy, Anne has extensive experience managing supply chains for complex, global organizations. As Executive Director of, Global Supply Chain Strategy, Analytics, and Systems at Verizon, Anne was responsible for the strategic vision of the company’s global end-to-end supply chain, driving excellence through world-class data analytics, process innovation, and employee empowerment. Before Verizon, Anne spent several years at Cisco, where she was responsible for managing advanced analytics, business intelligence, and performance management teams.
Anne is a past president of INFORMS (the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences), a seasoned industry speaker, and has served on several advisory boards. She is the recipient of the 2020 Martin K. Starr Excellence in Production and Operations Management Practice Award as well as a Supply & Demand Chain Executive 2020 Pros to Know. Originally from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Anne has a BScH from Acadia University, MASc from the University of Waterloo, and an MSc and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University.

John Sicard bio: John assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kinaxis in Jan. 2016. With over 25 years’ tenure at Kinaxis, John first started at the company as a key contributor to the architecture and development of Kinaxis’ supply chain management solutions in early 1994 and has since held a number of senior management roles in development, professional services, business consulting, sales, marketing, and customer support. Prior to his current appointment, John was Chief Products Officer (CPO), overseeing all aspects of the product life cycle, including product vision and strategy, design and development, product management, and quality assurance. Before joining Kinaxis, John held senior software architect and management positions in research and development at FastMAN Software Systems Inc. (also known as Promira before being purchased by Manugistics) and Monaco Agra. John earned a Bachelor of Computer Science, from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, with a strong focus on software architecture and UI Design. John is also a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.