KEYNOTES 2026
Customer Experience Enthusiast / Global keynote speaker / Bestselling author / Entrepreneur
Steven Van Belleghem
Customer Experience Strategy: The Offer You Can’t Refuse
In today’s supply chain industry, great products, reliable delivery, and competitive pricing are no longer differentiators — they are the minimum entry ticket. The same is true for digital convenience. With AI automating planning, forecasting, sourcing and customer interactions, operational excellence will soon be expected by default. So what will truly set companies apart?
In this keynote, Steven Van Belleghem introduces a new growth framework for B2B leaders who want to stay relevant in an AI-driven market. The companies that will win tomorrow are not just efficient suppliers, but strategic partners in their customers’ businesses — organizations that help clients grow, reduce risk, innovate faster and perform better.
And the strongest offers go one step further: they contribute to a more resilient, sustainable and responsible supply chain ecosystem.
The Offer You Can’t Refuse brings together four powerful layers:
best-in-class products and services, frictionless digital experiences, deep partnership value, and positive impact on the broader system. Companies that master all four don’t compete on price — they become indispensable.
Steven Van Belleghem is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading thinkers in the field of customer experience. He shares his ideas through his six bestselling books, his popular social media channels, and his engaging keynote presentations. Steven has inspired world-leading companies such as Disney, Mastercard, Mercedes, Booking.com, Heineken and Salesforce with his visionary approach to customer experience.
Steven believes in combining common sense, new technologies, an empathic human touch, playing the long game and taking social responsibility to win the hearts and business of customers over and over again.
Steven finds his inspiration by visiting companies all over the world. He is the co-founder of Nexxworks, an inspiration agency that organises inspiration tours in all corners of the world to inspire executives to improve their customer experience.
Steven is also an investor in customer experience related companies.
Steven complements his entrepreneurial activities with his work as a part-time marketing professor at Vlerick Business School and guest speaker at London Business School.
Executives in Conversation 2026
Olena Vdovychenko
CEO of Metro Cash & Carry Ukraine
Olena Vdovychenko is CEO of Metro Cash & Carry Ukraine, where she leads an organisation of 26 stores and more than 3,200 employees under the most extraordinary circumstances imaginable. With a deep background in supply chain management, she has guided the company through the chaos of war while keeping people, purpose and performance firmly at the centre.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Olena returned immediately to her country and assumed responsibility not only for business continuity, but for the safety, morale and livelihoods of thousands of employees. With warehouses destroyed, supply routes cut and colleagues called to the front line, she helped keep food flowing to civilians, the hospitality sector and defence forces alike. Under her leadership, Metro Ukraine stabilised rapidly, restored operations and returned to growth and financial resilience.
Olena is a firm believer that leadership in crisis begins with humanity. She champions empowerment, transparency and trust, creating space for people to act, decide and support one another when certainty disappears. Open communication and collaboration — across teams, companies and communities — have been central to the organisation’s strength.
Often describing supply chains as the “veins that keep society alive”, Olena brings a powerful perspective on resilience, responsibility and leadership under pressure. Her story is one of courage, compassion and the belief that even in the darkest moments, empowered people can achieve the impossible.
Moderator Carlos Cordon
IMD Professor of strategy and supply chain
Recordings of previous keynotes
More recordings of previous editions of inNOWvate Supply Chain Event are available on the YouTube channel of Supply Chain Movement: