2023 Ivalua NOW Nashville: Recap + Photos!

by Sara Omer

They say city lights got nothin’ on country nights—and well–they ain’t wrong! We can’t recreate Ivalua NOW 2023 Nashville–but we’ll always have the memories! 

From the sessions and keynotes to the electrifying nighttime events–we want to extend a heartfelt thanks to all our customers, sponsors, partners, attendees, and team for making Ivalua NOW “Breaking New Ground” a huge success. We could not have done it without you.

Below, we captured this year’s highlights with a summary, photos, and video reels–and as always, there will be more to share! Stay “tuned”. 

Partner Day

We officially kicked off #ivaluanow with our incredible Partners! After some coffee and mingling, we dove right into workshop sessions and a rooftop reception.

Taking inspiration from each other, this year we broke new ground to create strategic transformation and more impactful change. Collaboration is key to a successful solution and we are able to achieve this with innovative partnerships. This year, we’d like to extend a thank you to our sponsors: CGI, MPC Consulting, WNS Denali, C2FO, Nitor Partners, KPMG, OJC Conseil, Consus Global, Optis Consulting, Fluxym, and The Shelby Group.

A round of applause to our Partners and special thanks to our speakers: Gabriel Giret, Alexander Rembecki, Laura Smith, Ari Stone, Laurence Mechali, Vishal Patel, Stephen Carter, Doug Keeley, Jarrod McAdoo, and Nicolas Lievain.

Day 1

The Country Music Hall of Fame was buzzing with energy, excitement, and some rockin’ pink Ivalua sweatshirts! After catching up with colleagues and acquainting ourselves with some new faces, we dove into solution breakout sessions.

This year, our discussions covered Invoice Automation, Scope 3 Emissions, Contract Management, Supply Chain Collaboration, Indirect/Services Procurement, and Supplier Management–Customer of Choice.

Thank you to our guest speakers, Solution Consultants, and the Product Marketing team! Sammy Hureau, Jamie Bizup, Camille Ortega, Imran Shaikh, Michael Elam, Patrick Conquet, Vishal Patel, Stephen Carter, Jarrod McAdoo, Axel Cieslar, Doug Keeley, Sundar Kamakshisundaram, Arnaud Malardé

Grand Ole Opry

As the sun set, we then stepped into a century-long legacy of musical greatness at the Grand Ole Opry! After our lively cocktail hour, we gathered at the the main Opry for the Customer Award Ceremony. 

Recognizing Leading Voices in Procurement

This year, we recognized customers who made significant strides in their procurement journey over the past year. 2023 Winners:

• Procurement Community Team Spirit: Best Advocate – Fannie Mae
• Technology Innovation and Excellence Award – CACI International Inc
• Procurement Trailblazer – Making a Difference – Colorado Judicial Branch
• Best New Deployment – Manulife

Day 2

Alex Saric and Franck Lheureux kicked off Day 2 with an introduction and inspiring words before handing the stage to David Khuat-Duy, Ivalua’s visionary Founder & CEO.

David led with a message of redefining progress–sharing an exciting glimpse into the future. Organizations can leverage collaboration as a potent force to fuel digital transformation and unlock exciting new growth opportunities.

“Everything is moving much faster these days, and to successfully navigate your increasingly complex value chain networks, you need technology-enabled collaboration, both within your organizations and with your suppliers. With the support of technology, procurement is well-positioned to help organizations adapt to today’s uncertain world,” he added.

With its strategic advantage, procurement is poised to be the driving engine in our collective journey towards success!

Guest Keynotes

Nadia Malek,CPA, Desjardins delivered an incredible presentation, explaining that as procurement shifts from its cost-driven origins to a more strategic function, timing becomes a crucial factor. “As procurement evolves from its historical focus on cost to a more strategic role, it is not just the range of objectives that change. Timing does as well,” said Malek, “Success requires a more proactive approach, with greater analysis and engagement of the business and suppliers.”

We then heard from “Move Beyond the Ordinary – Raising the Bar for Procurement” with Teledyne Technologies Incorporated’s Paul DeLaRosa, who discussed raising the bar for procurement– “Technology is moving exponentially and we need to find a better way to bridge technology and business, which is why we selected Ivalua.”

Finally, Archie Mekonnen and Brent Graves, Applied Materials delivered “Managing Supply Chains in the Age of Volatility” to address the future of supply chain management. 

New products, more progress, endless possibilities…

Pascal Bensoussan introduced Ivalua’s Trends & Vision before Vishal Patel took the stage for our Innovation Showcase. He was joined by Arnaud Malardé, Patrick Conquet, Stephen Carter, Katie Rodgers, and Axel Cieslar. Taking the path less traveled, pushing boundaries, and challenging existing norms; that is what it means to break new ground!

Solution Breakouts

Our solution breakout sessions were an opportunity for us to review our progress and look at the bigger picture of how we can work towards meeting our customers’ needs. We came away with valuable insights that allow us to dream up exciting new possibilities!

2023 Topics: Procurement Agility with Bill Mertz, CACI International Inc, Data and Emissions with Manpreet Singh, KPMG US, Supplier Collaboration with Geoffrey Gates, Cleveland Clinic, Public Procurement with Shane Caudill, and Pete Stamps, eVA, Virginia’s eProcurement Program, Supply Chain Resilience with Gokul Nair and Alvaro Muñoz Aburto, Whirlpool Corporation, The Financial Data Transparency Act with Dustin Lanier, Civic Initiatives, LLC

Thank you to our Customers and Product Marketing team!

Closing Keynote

Our final keynote welcomed James ‘JC’ Curleigh–a brand-building expert who has crafted uniquely tailored solutions for Levi Strauss & Co., KEEN,  Salomon, and Gibson Brands, Inc.

JC started with Newton’s Law of Motion. The key to a successful idea lies in the momentum that fuels it; these ideas require the perfect balance of patience and proactivity. Keep this in mind, and your goals can take off in ways you never thought possible.

One simple pivot, a change in energy can be the catalyst for breaking new ground and turning those moments into momentum.

Thank you for the inspiring and thoughtful words, JC! And finally–a surprise musical performance by Svet, an internationally recognized Electro Violinist and one of a kind talent previously featured on America’s Got Talent!

Until next time Y’all! Closing Event: Gibson Garage

This year’s final evening event left no guitar strings unstruck as we rocked out to live country music, enjoyed some guitar demos, and even got access to an exclusive backstage experience.  It was the perfect way to end an unforgettable Nashville Ivalua NOW! 

What’s next? Events, content, exciting product updates, and so much more!

Upcoming Ivalua Events                                        Paris Recap