“ How to Design a Forecasting Process and Systemfor Success–Based on Real Life Examples fromDifferent Industries”What matters when designing a forecasting system and process?Who should be involved, what are the necessary approaches togaining support from different forecast stakeholders, as well ashow does one define the proper forecasting tools for each individualtype <strong>of</strong> business? Through an interactive survey and a series<strong>of</strong> exercises, we will facilitate an evaluation <strong>of</strong> your organization’spractices and an assessment <strong>of</strong> opportunities to improve the currentconfiguration. We will help you identify different approachesto forecasting management and measure their impact on theorganization and its structure. We also will show you how toselect the proper toolsand processes.You will learn: How to assess your organization’s practices and opportunitieswith an eye to improving the current processHow to identify proper tools in alignment with your desiredend-resultsHow to sell your plan to the organizationDemand Planning ManagerForecast ManagerPFIZER CONSUMER HEALTHCARE CANADAIII“ How to Synchronize People and Performancewith Consumer Requirements for a HealthierSupply Chain”Consumer Demand in the Food, Beverage, and Retail environmentrequires a Supply Chain to meet challenges that drive these marketareas. A proactive management will make the Supply ChainTeam focus and sustain better business performance. In thisworkshop, we will show you how to work your Supply Chain to bemore responsive to a wide range <strong>of</strong> demand variables. You willlearn how to identify when sales results fall <strong>of</strong>f the mark and whatcorrections should be made. Furthermore, we will examine forecastingperformance aspects <strong>of</strong> Fast Moving Consumer Goods(FMCG) and how these relate to the marketplace and the SupplyChain. Next, we will review Demand Management and how italigns with <strong>of</strong>ten-diverse product ranges and markets, including alook at the Sales Forecasters / Demand Managers and their potentialto improve business. Finally, we will study developing betterSupply Chain performance and its ability to initiate and drive selfimprovementin a dynamic environment.You will learn: How to understand and generate a forecast that incorporatesa “statistical base forecast” with planned promotional lift,marketing programs, store focused activities, and DemandManagement intelligenceHow to incorporate the variability <strong>of</strong> Forecasts and Actual Salesto inventory and operations, including designing a responsivesupply chain that can handle thisHow to align consumer demand and focus business performanceto improve gross margin, market share, and marketgrowthDirectorPEOPLESYNERGY LTDWORKSHOPSKEYNOTE PRESENTATION“The Politics in Forecasting” , CFOLOWES-MANHATTAN PTY LTD“ Firing on All Engines: Building a Value-AddedForecasting System” 1Avnet Technology Solutions (ATS), an operating group <strong>of</strong> Avnet,Inc., represents $4 billion revenue annually with <strong>of</strong>fices in 34countries. As a global technology sales and marketing organization,ATS has dedicated sales divisions focused on specific customersegments including Original Equipment Manufacturers(OEMs), Independent S<strong>of</strong>tware Vendors (ISVs), System Builders,System Integrators, Value-Added Resellers, and End-Usercustomers. Identifying new growth opportunities, maximizingfacility and human resource utilization, and optimizing inventorylevels are increasingly critical to improving pr<strong>of</strong>it margins. Tomeet these challenges, ATS developed a forecasting processand included the results in monthly sales and operationsplanning (S&OP) meetings. We will show you the steps ATSused to build this forecast process and how the results wereincorporated into the S&OP.You will learn: How forecast accuracy can increase your return on investmentin inventory How to identify the stakeholders and forecasting structurethat will work for your organization The best practices used by Avnet/TS to improve forecastingperformanceDirector <strong>of</strong> Finance, ATSAVNET“ Forecasting: An Approach from H.J. Heinz” 2To stay competitive and pr<strong>of</strong>itable, accurate forecasting iscritical for the multi-billion dollar European operation <strong>of</strong> H.J.Heinz, which has 30 plants covering 5 regions. You will learn inthis presentation about the experiences <strong>of</strong> managing Europeanforecasting at H.J. Heinz. We will discuss how forecasting hasmoved from an activity previously ignored by production andfinance to a pivotal tool that now drives their budgeting process.We will outline the fundamental principals and assumptions H.J.Heinz uses to create forecasts and how they have gainedvisibility across their complex European supply chain.You will learn: Why a combination <strong>of</strong> appropriate tools, data hygiene, and trustin your collaborators can lead to effective forecasting How to move forecasting from simple number crunching toan integrated business process ensuring internal collaborationand buy-in from each department4
SESSIONS How to manage the differences between the sales andmarketing view <strong>of</strong> a forecast when incorporating businessknowledge as market intelligence“ Forecasting and Demand Planning Metrics:Five Burning Questions” 4European Demand Planning ManagerSupply Chain & LogisticsH.J. HEINZRRound-Table Discussion: Pharmaceutical/HealthcarePFIZER CONSUMER HEALTHCARE CANADA“ Move Your Sales and Operations Planning(S&OP) from Tactical Supply/Demand 3Volume Balancing to a Full Rolling IntegratedBusiness Management Process”When sales and operations activities are not aligned andintegrated, small problems can quickly escalate into largeissues, which can adversely affect a company’s performance.As each area <strong>of</strong> the firm jostles for position to satisfy its ownpriorities, valuable time and resources are wasted, ultimatelyleading to poor business performance. Many companies areimplementing S&OP and looking for more ways to improve existingpractices. In doing so, they implement a series <strong>of</strong> meetingsor attempt to deploy a forecasting process so Sales will committo the supply chain—<strong>of</strong>ten without much success. In thatenvironment, nearly all will fail to engage management on apermanent basis and, hence, the opportunities for an effectiveprocess disappear. Having originated the term and practice <strong>of</strong>Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) in the early 1980s, wepositioned S&OP as the rolling business management process,now re-branded as ‘Integrated Business Management.’ In thissession, we will show you how to address these concerns byproviding an outline <strong>of</strong> the current best practice model,referencing client examples, and addressing challenges regularlyfaced for achieving success.You will learn: How to gain maximum benefits from using ‘IntegratedBusiness Management/Sales and Operations Planning’ Why all functions in business greet this process with enthusiasmand commitment once they understand the benefits Why the Executive Team can use the process to really managethe business in an integrated mannerRegional President, EAME LLPOLIVER WIGHTThis presentation will explore the answers to five questions onreporting demand planning metrics: (1) Does Mean AbsolutePercent Error (MAPE) provide a realistic score? (2) How doesManagement interpret this measure? (3) How does the metricinfluence behaviour and results? (4) How should demand planningbest utilize this metric? and (5) What is a good score? Thissession will include a discussion on each question presentedby each speaker. This session will include a discussion on eachquestion presented by us. There also will be constructivedialogue about how other companies / participants perceivethe above five questions.You will learn: More about Demand Planning Metrics and their implications Our perspective on the above five burning questions How other companies / participants perceive the five issuesDirector, Demand/Supply PlanningSenior Manager, Demand PlanningDEL MONTE FOODSRound-Table Discussion: TechnologyMICROSOFT“ Forecasting Precision—The Impact <strong>of</strong> RadioFrequency Identification (RFID)” 5With the arrival <strong>of</strong> vast amounts <strong>of</strong> real time RFID data, the forecasterhas access to a large repository <strong>of</strong> information. Thisdata needs to be assessed using a time relevance point <strong>of</strong> viewbecause some data will have immediate use whilst otherpieces may not be applicable for as long as five years. We willlook at what is needed to identify the time relevant informationfrom RFID to provide greater real time precision.You will learn: How to sift RFID data for relevance What sort <strong>of</strong> data is available for a forecaster to use How to implement forecasting agilityEMEA Manufacturing Industry ArchitectMICROSOFT2006 Supply Chain Forecasting Conference | Europe To Register, please call: +1 516 504 7576 or visit: www.ibf.org/0605.cfm5