BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//132.216.98.100//NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.20.4// BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260528T192002EDT-2801XF8KB0@132.216.98.100 DTSTAMP:20260528T232002Z DESCRIPTION:Building More Resilient\, Secure & Smarter Supply Chains with A I & Data\n\nIn an era of increasing economic pressures and evolving trade dynamics\, Canadian manufacturers and supply chains must adopt AI and data -driven strategies to ensure long-term resilience and competitiveness. Thi s event will bring together industry leaders\, academics\, and professiona ls to explore practical\, scalable solutions for strengthening supply chai ns through advanced technology.\n\nJoin us to learn how to harness AI and Data to support our Canadian Supply chains during these turbulent times.\n \nEvent Highlights\n\n\n \n Keynote Address by Michael Gardiner\n Panelists\n Agenda\n Interactive Workshop\n 5 à 7 Networking Reception\n Event Summary\n \n\n \n Keynote Address by Michael Gardiner\n\n Director of Digital Engineeri ng at Microsoft\n\n Michael Gardiner leads Microsoft’s digital transformati on\, Industry 4.0\, and artificial intelligence initiatives in the North A merican manufacturing industry. With over 25 years of experience\, he has driven digital engineering\, manufacturing\, services\, and sustainability initiatives across global automotive\, aerospace\, industrial machinery\, high-tech\, consumer goods\, chemical\, pharmaceutical\, resource\, and c onsulting services industries.\n\n Michael is at the forefront of transform ing engineering and product lifecycle management processes through cloud c omputing and AI. He works closely with customers to develop new digital\, data\, and AI capabilities that accelerate time to market\, manage complex ity\, enhance product and service growth\, and improve quality and new pro duct introduction (NPI). Passionate about driving innovation\, he helps or ganizations optimize their products\, manufacturing processes\, and servic e experiences.\n\n By leveraging Microsoft platforms and expertise\, along with a trusted ecosystem of partners and manufacturing specialists\, Micha el ensures customer success in navigating the future of intelligent\, conn ected\, and efficient operations.\n\n Presenter\n\n Michael Gardiner\, Direc tor\, Digital Engineering\, Americas Manufacturing & Mobility\, Microsoft \n\n          \n\n Moderator\n\n Saibal Ray\, James McGill Professor\, Desaut els Faculty of Management\, McGill University\n\n Panelists\n\n Allan Christ ensen\, Vice President Quality\, Pratt & Whitney\n Christine Vucko\, Vice P resident AI Solutions\, Supply Chain\, KPI Digital\n Fiona Zhao\, William D awson Professor\, Faculty of Engineering. McGill University\n \n\n \n Panelis ts\n\n Moderator\n\n Saibal Ray\, James McGill Professor\, Desautels Faculty of Management\, McGill University\n\n Saibal Ray is the James McGill Profe ssor of Supply Chain Management and Vice Dean of Faculty Affairs at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management and a former member of the R oyal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars. An internationally recog nized expert in operations and retail management\, his work combines appli ed AI\, analytics\, and behavioral insights to address challenges in suppl y chains\, risk management\, productivity\, and sustainability.\n\n He has been a driving force behind several pioneering initiatives\, including McG ill’s Retail Innovation Lab and the Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management program in Hangzhou\, China\, developed in partnership with Zhe jiang University. A former Vice-Dean and Founding Director of two major ac ademic centers (Bensadoun School of Retail Management and the DataSphere L ab)\, Professor Ray is deeply committed to connecting research with practi ce\, shaping public discourse\, and advising startups and policymakers.\n \n A widely published scholar and award-winning teacher\, he is known for h is ability to translate complex ideas into practical solutions—mentoring f uture leaders while helping organizations and communities navigate a rapid ly changing world.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n Allan Christensen\, Vice President Quality \, Pratt & Whitney\n\n I offer the leadership skills as a current member of the P&WC president direct reports\, as well as the knowledge from a broad and extensive career in aero engine product and manufacturing process des ign\, development\, manufacturing\, certification\, industrialization\, an d maintenance. I also offer significant background having worked directly with many of P&WC OEM customers\, operators\, partners\, and product and t echnology suppliers throughout the world\, in the United States (including an expat assignment)\, Europe\, South America\, the middle East\, and far East. As well as the P&WC principle regulator – Transport Canada Civil Av iation.\n\n Having been General Manager of four P&WC facilities\, I also of fer extensive experience in direct production management and continuous im provement\, and customer service (P&L responsibility)\, including labor re lations within unionized and management-represented facilities.\n\n A quick \, data-driven leader who works best understanding the details\, to then e mpower and coach the team to deliver results from all levels.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n Christine Vucko\, Vice President AI Solutions\, Supply Chain\, KPI Digit al\n\n Christine Vucko is a strategic leader with over 20 years of experien ce in supply chain optimization\, data analytics\, and cost takeout strate gies. She has helped clients reduce operational costs\, unlock new markets \, and drive revenue growth. Christine is passionate about empowering team s to innovate and improve supply chain efficiency. At KPI Digital\, she le ads a dynamic team focused on leveraging AI and advanced modeling techniqu es to build agile\, data-driven supply chain processes that optimize decis ion-making\, drive cost takeout\, and ensure operational excellence in a c omplex marketplace.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n Fiona Zhao\, Willam Dawson Professor\, Fa culty of Engerineering\, McGill University\n\n Dr. Yaoyao Fiona Zhao is a P rofessor\, William Dawson Scholar\, and Ram Panda Faculty Scholar in Susta inable Engineering & Design at the Department of Mechanical Engineering in McGill University\, in Montreal\, Canada. Dr. Zhao’s lab – the Additive D esign and Manufacturing Laboratory (ADML) - is one of the leading research laboratories in additive manufacturing and sustainable manufacturing fiel d. Her research expertise lies in the general field of design and manufact uring including the exploration of new design methods\, developing efficie nt numerical simulation method for additive manufacturing processes\, manu facturing informatics\, application of machine learning in design and manu facturing\, sustainable product development and intelligent manufacturing. Dr. Zhao is currently a member of the editorial board of Virtual and Phys ical Prototyping. She has received multiple Best/Outstanding paper awards in major design and manufacturing journals and conferences. Other major aw ards she received include the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Co uncil of Canada Discovery Accelerator Supplement award in 2018\, ASME Jour nal of Mechanical Design “Associate Editor Award” in 2019\, 2020\, and 202 4.\n \n\n \n Agenda\n\n \n \n \n Time   \n Activity\n \n \n \n \n 13:00–14:00 \n Event R egistration\n \n \n 14:00–14:15\n Opening Remarks\n \n \n 14:15–14:35\n Keynote Pr esentation\n Michael Gardiner\n \n \n 14:35–14:55\n AI Channels\n How to build y our AI pipeline\n \n Industry Insights “Where to Start” - KPI Digital\n Innov ation Spotlight – McGill DataSphere Lab\n \n \n \n \n 14:55–15:10\n Break\n \n \n 1 5:10–16:25\n Hands on\n AI Use Case Ideation Workshops\n \n \n 16:25–16:55\n Gro up Panel\n Application of AI Insights\n \n Moderator: Saibal Ray\n Panelists: Allan Christensen\, Christine Vucko\, Fiona Zhao\n \n \n \n \n 16:55–17:15\n Wor kshop Readout\n \n \n 17:15–19:00\n Networking\n Cocktail Reception\n \n \n \n \n\n \n Interactive Workshop\n\n A cross-industry knowledge exchange where attend ees actively contribute ideas and strategies for AI-driven supply chain re silience\n\n In addition to keynote addresses and expert panel discussions\ , the event will feature a workshop designed to go beyond research and the ory. Attendees will engage in collaborative problem-solving and cross-indu stry knowledge exchange\, sharing insights on AI implementation\, challeng es\, and best practices. This session is structured to foster meaningful d iscussions between professionals from various sectors\, ensuring that inno vative AI and data-driven strategies can be applied across industries to s trengthen and secure supply chains. The insights generated will contribute to a broader conversation on the practical adoption of AI in supply chain management. \n \n\n \n 5 à 7 Networking Reception\n\n Opportunities for profe ssional engagement\, collaboration\, and continued discussion\n \n\n \n Event Summary\n\n A comprehensive event summary will be published following the event for all attendees and the wider community. This document will compil e key insights from keynote presentations\, workshop discussions\, and att endee contributions\, with actionable recommendations for securing and str engthening supply chains through AI and data. The summary will be shared w ith attendees and made publicly available to support ongoing innovation an d development in Canadian supply chains.\n \n\n\nThis event serves as a str ategic forum for advancing AI-driven solutions in Canadian supply chains a nd fostering collaboration among key stakeholders. We invite executives\, engineers\, researchers\, and industry professionals to participate in thi s knowledge-sharing initiative and contribute to the development of resili ent\, secure\, and intelligent supply chain systems.\n\nJoin us on April 9 th at McGill University to be a part of this critical discussion on the fu ture of AI in supply chain management.\n\nRegister now\n\n\n\n\n \n This eve nt is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).\n\n DTSTART:20250409T180000Z DTEND:20250409T230000Z LOCATION:Rooms 365/370\, Donald E. Armstrong Building\, CA\, QC\, Montreal\ , H3A 3L1\, 3420 rue McTavish SUMMARY:Building More Resilient\, Secure & Smarter Supply Chains with AI & Data URL:https://www.mcgill.ca/bensadoun-school/channels/event/building-more-res ilient-secure-smarter-supply-chains-ai-data-363742 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR