7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships and 4 Olympic gold medals only tell part of her story. Venus Williams is without a doubt one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports, but she has also had a transformative impact as an author, entrepreneur and steadfast advocate for gender equality.

Always staying true to her creative, bold spirit, Williams has parlayed her fine-tuned business acumen and entrepreneurial side into multiple successful roles as founder of V Starr, a full-service commercial and residential design firm, Chief Brand Officer to Asutra, and founder of plant-based protein company Happy Viking.

In 2009, Williams and sister Serena became the first female African Americans to have a stake in an NFL franchise after joining the ownership group of the Miami Dolphins. The following year, Venus published her motivational book, Come to Win, which reached No. 5 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

In 2006, UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural organization, named her as the first “Promoter of Gender Equality.’ In 2007 it was her unwavering fight that led Wimbledon to award women players the same pay as their male counterparts. Most recently, she launched an awareness initiative called the #PrivilegeTax to bring attention to wage inequality and unveiled a platform of resources to inspire young women and address the issue on a grassroots level.

Williams has been honored as part of Variety’s annual “Power of Women,” Forbes’ ‘Celebrity 100’ and Glamour Magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year,’ and she has been awarded the CARE Impact Award for Gender Equality, ESPN’s ‘WTA Player of the Year’ and many others.

Photo: Laura Metzler

Ethan Mollick is an Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies and teaches innovation and entrepreneurship, and also examines the effects of artificial intelligence on work and education. His papers have been published in top journals and his book on AI, Co-Intelligence, is a New York Times bestseller. His research is highly cited by other academics, and has been covered by CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and other leading publications.

In addition to his research and teaching, Ethan also leads Wharton Interactive, an effort to democratize education using games, simulations, and AI. Prior to his time in academia, Ethan co-founded a startup company, and he advises numerous organizations.

Mollick received his PhD and MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.

Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018 and recipient of the 2015 National Humanities Medal, José Andrés is an internationally recognized culinary innovator, author, educator, humanitarian and Founder and Executive Chairman of José Andrés Group.

A pioneer of Spanish tapas in the United States, he is also known for his groundbreaking avant-garde cuisine and his award-winning group of nearly three dozen restaurants located throughout the country and beyond. José Andrés Group’s concepts include the two Michelin-starred minibar by José Andrés in Washington, DC, the acclaimed NYC food hall Mercado Little Spain, and multiple locations of the Bazaar by José Andrés. José has received the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef” and "Humanitarian of the Year" awards.

Andrés is a committed advocate of food and hunger issues and is known for championing the role of chefs in the national debate on food policy. In 2010, Andrés formed World Central Kitchen, a non-profit specializing in delivering food relief in the wake of natural and humanitarian disasters. Since serving nearly 4 million meals to the people of Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria, World Central Kitchen has responded to dozens of disasters worldwide, distributing tens of millions of meals in the process. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has partnered with restaurants, small farms, and community leaders around the country to combat food insecurity.

A naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Spain, Andrés has been a tireless advocate for immigration reform and on July 4, 2014 was named by President Barack Obama as that year’s “Outstanding American by Choice.”

Photo: Josh Telles

Susan Caminiti is a writer and editor whose work covers a wide range of business and social topics, including corporate profiles, health care, work/life issues, technology, governance, sustainability and personal finance. Her writing appears in Fortune, NYSE, Time, and Money magazines, as well as NYSE’s Big Stage digital site and CNBC Digital. Susan is a former staff writer for Fortune. During her 13 years there, she developed the magazine’s award-winning coverage of the retailing industry. You can follow her on Twitter @SusanCaminiti.

Under Subhash’s leadership, GEP has become a leading provider of supply chain solutions to global enterprises worldwide, as well as one of the fastest-growing firms in the industry. Subhash founded GEP in New Jersey in 1999, and the firm now has approximately 6,000 employees in offices and operations centers around the world. Media outlets, industry analysts and technology research firms regularly recognize GEP as one of the most innovative companies in the supply chain software and services sector. The firm is guided by core values of customer-centricity and caring for its employees, with an increasing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. GEP is proud of its recognition as a Great Place to Work^® across its operations worldwide.

Subhash was named Entrepreneur of the Year by EY. As an active member of the World Economic Forum, he is focused on the intersection of digital innovation, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, and sustainability in procurement and global supply chains. He is a strong proponent of and contributor to GEP’s robust program of corporate social responsibility initiatives, undertaken in communities around the world. Subhash and his wife, Roopa, have focused their philanthropy on child poverty, education and women-related issues. Prior to co-founding GEP, Subhash led strategy, supply chain, procurement and global outsourcing engagements at Accenture.

Subhash has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, an M.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Rhode Island and an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) in Mumbai. Subhash also holds an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, where he also serves as a member of its advisory board, the Council on Chicago Booth.

Joe Awad joined Colorado Springs Utilities as the General Manager of Energy Construction Operations and Maintenance (ECOM) Department in 2016. In 2019, he was named General Manager for the Planning and Engineering Department in the System Planning and Projects division. Three years later, he became the General Manager of Engineering and Design. Joe leads a team of talented managers and dedicated individuals engaged in the design of cost-effective engineering solutions that meet the safety, resiliency, quality, and reliability requirements across all four services: electric, gas, water, and wastewater.

To meet the Clean Energy Plan requirements of 80% greenhouse gas reductions by 2030, Joe is currently sponsoring a strategic program to implement the Sustainable Energy Portfolio.

Prior to joining Colorado Springs Utilities, Joe started his career as a mechanical engineer designing coal fired plants at Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and was the Assistant General Manager in Pasadena Water and Power.

Joe has a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Catholic University in Washington D.C. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in California.

Marielle joined Roche in 2012 and has held Procurement roles of increasing responsibility before assuming her role as Head of Global Procurement in January of 2018. Prior to joining Roche, Marielle held a number of Indirect and Direct Procurement roles in the Airline industry and Financial sector, and has significant experience in leading business through Procurement transformations. She holds a Master of Science degree in Geography from the University of Zurich. Marielle is based in Basel.

Where was she before? Zurich Financial Services, E-Gatematrix LLC.

Where can you find her? Basel, Switzerland.

What else should you know? She loves playing The legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and is in a fierce competition with her son to get the master cycle!

Micky Keck is part of the team that advises application leaders on procurement and strategic sourcing applications. This includes helping define and identify technologies across the source-to-pay landscape and creating procurement technology strategy. Mr. Keck helps clients understand the market landscape, prioritize investments, evaluate vendors and determine best-fit, negotiate contracts, and deploy best practices across a variety of market segments including Source-to-Contract (S2C) (spend analysis, supplier management, e-sourcing, and contract life cycle management) and Procure-to-Pay technologies. He also assesses and advises clients on the use of emerging technologies, such as AI, RPA, and advanced analytics, across sourcing and procurement. Additionally, Mr. Keck has a special focus on AP Invoice Automation and Supplier Information Management.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

With a history of senior procurement leadership roles across multiple industries and geographies, Glen has been with NEOM for 2.5 years. As the Director of Procurement Excellence, his mandate is to assist the firm in establishing industry-leading processes and technology.

A recent client, NEOM has started working with GEP to establish an end-to-end source-to-pay platform to service the full NEOM customer base.

Brian O’Conor is a finance and technology Project Manager for D.A. Collins Companies, a multifaceted organization focused on civil construction projects and material deployment. Brian’s work is dedicated to the modernization of D.A. Collins Companies’ financial systems, specifically procurement and payment processing.

Ben Ford is the Senior Director of Procurement for Ameren Corporation, a Fortune 500 leading U.S. utility serving 2.4 million electric and nearly 1 million natural gas customers across Missouri and Illinois. Ben leads the Procurement function for Ameren which includes the Company's Operations Sourcing, Project Procurement Management, Category Management, Contracting and Supplier Relationship Management functions. His organization is responsible for managing over $3 billion of spend for Ameren while focusing on customer affordability and risk mitigation. Additionally, he is responsible for promoting access and development opportunities for diverse suppliers within the sourcing activities for Ameren.

Ben has over 20 years of supply chain experience and prior to joining Ameren in 2019, has held various supply chain leadership roles with Enbridge and Alcoa across Australia and North America. His supply chain roles have been complemented with over 7 years of experience in Operations, Engineering and Project Delivery roles spanning many global locations and has worked in industries such as Oil and Gas, Mining & Metals, Automotive, and Engineered Products. He has a strong commitment to developing supply chain maturity in the renewables field and supporting the growth of Ameren's project execution plans and the application of digital technologies to benefit the organization. He places an emphasis on valuing multiple points of view and is devoted to furthering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in all interactions.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Queensland, Australia and holds a Graduate Diploma in Business from Curtin University in Western Australia.

He resides in St. Louis.

Peter spearheaded category management at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Supply Chain for over a decade. During his tenure, he pioneered the development of one of the initial carbon emissions Scope 3 baselines within the electric utility sector. Peter was instrumental in formulating Supply Chain's carbon reduction plan and implementing key metrics to track progress.

He is an esteemed member of the Construction Industry Institute's (CII) working group dedicated to embodied carbon. Notably, Peter created a groundbreaking solar project carbon estimating model, set to be featured in the team's whitepaper slated for publication in 2025. Recently, Peter transitioned into a new role focusing on solar and battery purchased power origination.

Peter's professional journey began in 1989, encompassing diverse sales and operations positions with various transmission and distribution equipment manufacturers. He has extensively engaged with utilities across Europe, Asia, and Latin America throughout his career.

Peter has a BS and MBA from Cornell University, and lives in Chattanooga, TN.

Mario is the Global Procurement Compliance Director with Grupo Bimbo, the largest bakery company in the world, with more than 100 brands and operations in over 33 countries.

In his role, he works closely with procurement teams to drive sustainable reductions in the cost of goods and services; improve quality, competitiveness and service; and enable continued performance improvement. A passionate advocate for the strategic value of procurement, he brings deep experience in project, program and portfolio management across procurement and IT. Prior to joining Grupo Bimbo, he held a variety of project management and leadership roles for a variety of firms, including Empresas ICA and Scotiabank.

Sopan Shah is the SVP and Global Chief Procurement Officer at IHG® Hotels and Resorts, a leading global hospitality company with 19 hotel brands and over 6,300 open hotels in 100+ countries. IHG^® is committed to providing True Hospitality for Good and offers one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programs, IHG^® One Rewards.

Sopan leads the IHG^® Global Procurement organization. The organization is dedicated to creating value for all stakeholders by being simpler, faster, and better in all activities across the supply chain. By working collaboratively with those who stay, work, and partner with IHG®, the organization delivers breakthrough results. Sopan has had a broad 20-year career in supply management, with leadership roles at Nestlé, NBC Universal, General Mills, and Intel before joining IHG^®. His passion for this field began when he earned his degree in Supply Chain Management from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

Jim Gruwell is the Chief Procurement Officer with Smurfit Westrock, a global leader in sustainable packaging, operating in 40 countries across 500 packaging converting operations and 62 paper mills.

An accomplished and impactful executive with expertise in supply chain transformation, global procurement, strategic sourcing and global operations management, Jim has deep experience in diverse industries, including e-commerce, electronics, retail, automotive, technology and manufacturing.

As CPO with Smurfit Westrock, he champions global procurement operations and leads the orchestration of global transformations to expand the company’s capabilities and optimize value delivery.

Prior to joining Smurfit Westrock, he held various leadership roles for companies such as Dell, Cummins, Chewy and JB Poindexter. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.

Dennis Choi is the Supply Chain Product Manager for the ERP Program at ConocoPhillips. In this role, Dennis is responsible and accountable for the design and ​execution of the Supply Chain scope within the ERP program across both the global function and all Business Units.

Previously, Dennis held a role leading the Crude Oil Tanker Business Unit within the Supply Chain function. Additionally, during his tenure with ConocoPhillips, Dennis has worked in the Global Functions, Category Management and Strategic Sourcing, and the L48 Business Unit.

Prior to joining ConocoPhillips in 2012, Dennis was with Deloitte in Tax Consulting & Advisory positions.

Dennis holds a Masters and Bachelors in Accounting, both from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Texas.

James Gellert, Executive Chairman of RapidRatings, a financial health data and analytics company based in New York City. James is a recognized international authority on corporate counterparty risk management, supply chain risk, the health of public and private businesses, and US rating regulation.

Mr. Gellert began his career in the credit world, working in Debt Capital Markets at multiple global banks. Since entering the technology world, he has run four private companies – three in data, risk, and media, and one, an investment banking boutique focused on raising capital and M&A in the financial information services industry. He sold three of these companies and acquired RapidRatings to focus entirely on financial risk for credit and supply chain risk professionals. RapidRatings has received awards and accolades for risk management in credit and supply chain, and Mr. Gellert has been awarded the “Pros to Know” title in the supply chain industry.

Thomas leads the dynamic Procurement function at Bayer, the global Life Science company. “Health for all, hunger for none" is Bayer’s vision and the guiding principle for Thomas and his leadership team.

Procurement is determined to ignite Bayer’s external partners, to enable profitable and sustainable growth benefiting patients, farmers and consumers around the world. Procurement’s value add is not limited to financials but includes crucial levers like innovation and new business models. Moreover, his team contributes to safeguarding the reputation of Bayer by unconditional adherence to the principles of sustainability, with proactive risk management and by ensuring compliance.

Sustainability is a matter close to Thomas’ heart, inspiring and driving him way beyond his Bayer duties. With the Sustainable Procurement Pledge #SPP, Thomas has privately co-founded this initiative. He strives to activate #SPP Ambassadors around the globe to drive a much-needed change towards responsible behavior and sustainable decision-making across supply chains.

At Bayer, Thomas reports directly to the CFO. His team of around 2,000 professionals manages an annual spend of ~24 billion Euros.

Madhur Aggarwal is Chief Product Officer (CPO) at EcoVadis, a global leader in sustainability and decarbonization solutions. As CPO, Madhur drives portfolio strategy, product management, user experience, pricing, and packaging of the Sustainability Suite and EcoVadis Academy. Prior to joining EcoVadis, Madhur spent more than two decades building and scaling solutions for global companies across Europe and North America. He was General Manager of SAP Digital Commerce, where he expanded the marketplace to more than 120 countries. Madhur also previously served as the CPO of Pearson’s digital business and as SVP Product at Pluralsight. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

In conjunction with his business success, Madhur is passionate about giving back and mentoring young people. He is a Board member at the Center for Ethical and Social Leadership at Michigan State University, the Center for Brand Leadership at Columbia Business School, an active member of the New York technology community, and a frequent speaker at international and academic conferences.

Ali Mansuri serves as the Associate Director of ISV Partnerships and Alliances at Whatfix, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping and managing strategic relationships that fuel the company’s growth. Ali is instrumental in defining and identifying key partnership opportunities, developing collaborative strategies, and optimizing alliances to enhance Whatfix's digital adoption solutions.

Ali's extensive expertise in digital transformation technologies enables him to guide partners effectively, assess market trends, and implement best practices. His role involves leveraging a deep understanding of industry dynamics to foster innovation and ensure alignment with Whatfix’s strategic goals.

With a strong background in partnerships and a proven track record in driving business growth, Ali brings valuable insights into the evolving needs of the digital adoption market. His strategic acumen and commitment to excellence are key to advancing Whatfix's mission of delivering transformative digital solutions and building impactful, long-term partnerships

Dawn Tiura is the President and CEO of Sourcing Industry Group (SIG), the world’s premier membership association representing Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies with a combined spend of $17 trillion USD in sourcing and outsourcing. SIG’s goal is to elevate the strategic impact of these organizations on their company’s top and bottom lines. Dawn is also the President of SIG University, an online and in-person training and education organization that offers certifications in sourcing, governance, risk management and intelligent automation. Dawn has a passion to improve sustainability in global supply chains, she helps organizations to meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as part of SIG’s UN Alliance and is an ambassador to the Sustainable Procurement Pledge.

Dawn has over 30 years of leadership experience, with the past 25 years focused on the sourcing and outsourcing industry. She is a frequent speaker, presenter and writer. Dawn has been featured at global events and in numerous publications, newspapers, magazines, videos and books including Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Fortune. Prior to joining SIG, Dawn held leadership positions as founder and CEO of Denali Group and before that as a partner in a CPA firm, focused on early Silicon Valley enterprises and high wealth individuals. Dawn is the proud mother of six and actively involved on several boards promoting civic, health and children’s issues in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Dawn is a licensed CPA and has a BBA from the University of Michigan and an MS in International Taxation from Golden Gate University.

As president and co-founder, Neha Shah has been a pivotal force in developing GEP from its beginnings into a globally recognized leader in digital supply chain and procurement transformation. A purpose-driven entrepreneur and executive, Neha steers the company's growth strategies, forging and managing strategic relationships at the C-level with clients and spearheading complex transformation engagements.

A constant source of innovation and inspiration, Neha is the key driver of GEP’s sustainability, DEI and social initiatives strategies. Under her guidance, the company prioritizes talent, emphasizing engagement and connecting employees to a higher purpose.

Throughout her career, Neha has been recognized for her leadership and dedication. Among her recent recognitions, Neha received the Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s Women in Supply Chain award, ISM Women & Leadership Diamond Award and TiE Entrepreneur of the Year award. In 2022, Neha was named a winner of the prestigious Henry Crown Fellowships within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.

In 2023, Neha's innovative spirit and dynamic leadership were further recognized as she was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for New Jersey. This award celebrates visionaries who are leading successful and ambitious businesses.

Neha’s work as a liaison between non-profit organizations, the public sector and corporations is a testament to her dedication to human rights. Her role includes raising awareness, inspiring others and providing actionable steps to combat child labor and other related human rights abuses in global supply chains. She is currently the vice-chair of Pratham USA, a leading global education non-profit, working closely with other board leaders on governance, brand and marketing, and acting as an ambassador for Pratham's work across India and its expansion into Africa and Latin America.

She is also an advisory board member of Sakhi for South Asian Women — an organization committed to supporting survivors of gender-based violence. And she advises the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, supporting its efforts to eliminate child labor in supply chains worldwide. Recently, Neha and Satyarthi led a discussion on this topic at the World Procurement Congress 2023.

In the past, Neha advised the founders of Princeton Choose, an initiative that focuses on racial literacy and understanding. She is also an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization.

She is an art and music enthusiast and serves as a board member of McCarter Theatre in New Jersey.

Neha earned a Bachelor of Arts in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts and Sciences. She also received a Bachelor of Science in economics and an MBA in entrepreneurial management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. All of her degrees were granted with the highest honors and distinctions.

Neha resides in Princeton, New Jersey, with her husband, Dr. Shalin Shah, and their three children.

Amy joined Bitsight Technologies as the Global Director of Procurement in 2022. Bitsight is a global cyber risk management leader transforming how companies manage exposure, performance, and risk for themselves and their third parties. In her current role, Amy is responsible for developing and implementing procurement processes, aligning sourcing efforts with business goals, and negotiating complex contracts for cost-effective sourcing.

With over 20 years of expertise in indirect procurement, Amy is an experienced professional recognized for her strategic acumen and deep knowledge of the procurement landscape. She successfully executes strategic sourcing strategies and implements best practices to significantly reduce costs while enhancing performance, improving supplier quality, and reducing company risk.

Prior to her time at Bitsight, Amy held procurement leadership roles at KeyBank and Michael Baker International.

Roopa Gandhi is the president and founder of GEP. She founded GEP to build a beautiful company that positively and sustainably impacts employees, clients and communities.

Roopa is passionate about supporting women, from ensuring access to education and healthcare to creating an organization that attracts, supports and advances women in the workplace. She actively supports multiple not-for-profit organizations working to promote women's education, upliftment and guidance.

She advocates a sustainable employee culture and is actively involved in daily employee management of GEP. She spearheads many initiatives within the company that foster holistic employee growth and advancement.

As an extension of GEP’s CSR efforts, Roopa serves on the board of directors for the Akshaya Patra USA, a nonprofit organization with a vision that no child in India is deprived of education because of hunger.

Roopa's journey has taken her to global platforms such as the World Economic Forum where she has participated in panel discussion on “Reinventing Globalization.” She has been an invited speaker at numerous events including Booth Women Connect Conference, Deshpande Development Dialogue and the Dale Carnegie for Executives panel. Roopa's achievements include being recognized as one of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies by the Women Presidents Organization, being a finalist for E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year, and winning both the NJBiz Best 50 Women in Business and SDCE Women in Supply Chain Award. Furthermore, Roopa is a council member of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Roopa holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, an MS with highest honors in industrial pharmacy from Long Island University and a BS in pharmacy from Mumbai University.

As Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of GEP, Jagadish "JT" Turimella leads the consulting practice and oversees the company's operations. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a leading procurement and supply chain consulting, outsourcing and technology firm that has won many industry accolades for growth and great client work.

JT was named a Global Leader in Consulting by Consulting Magazine for his leadership within GEP, impact on clients and influence in the consulting profession. He was also named as one of the "Pros to Know," a list of top industry professionals, by Supply & Demand Chain Executive.

Prior to joining GEP, JT held various leadership positions at A.T. Kearney, Option Clearing Corporation and Intergraph Corporation. At Intergraph, he was responsible for new product development and go-to-market strategies.

JT received his MBA with high honors from the University of Chicago — Booth School of Business. He also holds an M.S. in Computer Science from Clemson University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University.

Nicky Gray is the Senior Director, GBS Global Process Owner – Source to Pay, Kellanova, a global leader in the food and beverage industry, with a diverse portfolio of iconic brands and numerous operations around the world.

Prior to her current role, she was Director of Indirect Procurement, Europe at Kellanova, where she was responsible for overseeing the strategic sourcing, management and optimization of materials and services, including contract negotiation and process improvement.

With expertise in cross-functional team leadership, supply chain management and change management, Nicky drives innovative procurement strategies to enhance operational efficiency and deliver value across Kellanova.

Santosh is responsible for GEP's customer growth strategy across procurement and supply chain platforms. Previously, he led GEP's professional services organization, deploying GEP's platforms to clients globally and enabling value from ongoing customer success.

He has 20 years of experience in driving digital transformation for global organizations, shaping strategy, and driving execution across cloud ecosystems, best-practice S2P processes, data management, platform deployment, change management, and ongoing digital innovation.

Santosh holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering.

Pam Heminger is a senior vice president of Caterpillar Inc. with responsibility for the Strategic Procurement & Planning Division. In this position, she leads a team responsible for designing, developing, and connecting world-class capabilities to create value across the entire ecosystem – from the supply base through our manufacturing process – to connect with our dealers and customers.

Prior to joining Caterpillar in 2020, Pam held a series of roles with increasing responsibilities in procurement and business operations during her 24-year career at Honda of America including vice president of Honda North America Purchasing. Before joining Honda of America, she held various supply chain and materials management roles with Lennox International.

Pam is a board member of the Center for Advanced Procurement Strategies and the National Minority Supplier Development Council. In 2023, Pam was honored as a Power50 award recipient by the National Diversity Council for contributions to initiatives that serve to address the gender gap in executive management. In 2015, Automotive News selected Pam as one of “100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry,” a recognition awarded every 5 years. She also serves as executive sponsor for Caterpillar’s Abled and Disabled Employees Partnering Together (ADEPT) employee resource group which supports employees with disabilities and those impacted by disabilities and works to enhance business results and Caterpillar's recognition as a supportive and developed workplace.

Pam graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Procurement & Materials Management and Production & Operations Management. She received her MBA from Capital University in 1994. In addition, Pam is an active member of World50, an organization for leaders of the world’s most respected companies to collaborate and learn from one another.

Bob Cohen has 20 years’ experience working with companies to solve their B2B payment challenges. In his current role, Bob is responsible for supporting partnerships and looking at new ways to create embedded user experiences that bring about industry wide transformative change to the B2B and payments industry.

Sameer Aggarwal has 15 years’ experience working with companies on their payment challenges. In his current role, Sameer partners with top Procure to Pay / business spend management players in the market to enhance the user experience in B2B spend to make it similar to the user experience we have gotten used to on the consumer side.

Jason Shirazi is part of the Procurement practice at PwC focusing on technology and helping clients manage large scale implementations. He has recently spent time working with ConocoPhillips on their journey with GEP and upgrading their overall technology landscape.

Peter Domanko is part of the Procurement & Supply Chain practice at PwC and focuses on helping clients achieve operational and financial improvement, particularly through the use of technology. He has recently spent time working with ConocoPhillips on their journey with GEP and upgrading their overall technology landscape.

Kay Burns is an accomplished executive leader in procurement transformation and strategic sourcing, with over three decades of experience driving organizational excellence across global Fortune 500 companies in industries such as food & beverage, healthcare technology, and B2B distribution.

Known for her strategic expertise in supplier relationship management, cost modeling, and procurement operations, Kay has consistently delivered significant business value through innovative procurement strategies and operational excellence, establishing herself as a recognized thought leader in the field.

Currently, Kay serves as the Chief Procurement Officer at 3A Composites, a global leader in manufacturing and distributing innovative materials for architecture, display, and transportation. At 3A Composites, she is spearheading the implementation of AI-enabled technology to optimize process efficiency and enhance supplier collaboration, with a particular focus on direct materials for manufacturing and distribution operations.

Before joining 3A Composites, Kay held leadership roles in engineering, manufacturing management, and global procurement at prominent companies such as Frito-Lay, Nabisco, Mondelez, and Veritiv. She earned her B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

As one of the key members of the Consulting team, Binayak is responsible for large-scale strategic engagements, delivering sustainable cost savings and process improvement across various industries. He has extensive experience working with many Fortune 500 corporations. He is a seasoned professional in the field of supply chain and indirect spend management and is a recognized leader in procurement transformation, change management, and people development. Bin is based out of Clark, New Jersey. Prior to joining GEP, he was a Market Maker in the transportation and corporate services verticals at FreeMarkets Inc., where he focused on strategic client engagements in the US and in Europe. Before FreeMarkets Inc, he worked at Smith Barney. He was recently selected as a "2009 Pro to Know" by Supply and Demand Chain Executive magazine for demonstrating leadership during times of economic crisis. Bin has earned his B.A. in Economics from Franklin and Marshall College.

As a vice president of consulting, Joel is responsible for leading global teams and building strategic relationships with GEP’s Fortune 500 and Global 2000 clients. Joel brings over a decade of global, cross-sector leadership experience focused on procurement and supply chain strategy. He has been at the forefront of the design and implementation of some of the largest procurement transformation programs of the past decade. As part of these engagements, Joel has helped senior executives enhance their organizational structures, build resilient processes and enable sustainable value creation.

Joel is passionate about people and takes great pride in leading high-performing GEP teams across 20+ countries. He has lived and worked in the United States, Latin America and Europe.

Joel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in international business and finance from Georgetown University.

Rakhi is involved in architecting cutting-edge digital solutions at GEP and supporting our clients in their digital transformation journey for procurement and supply chain. She also leads the digitization and automation of GEP’s managed services to provide our clients best-in-class user experience and higher value in our partnerships.

Rakhi brings over 30 years of diverse procurement and supply chain experience across several industries and categories. Prior to GEP, Rakhi worked with Infosys, where she led the domain consulting group for several sectors, and with the Aditya Birla Group.

She has received several recognitions for contributions to the field of supply chain management. In 2023, Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive honored her with the Women in Supply Chain award. This accolade celebrates female leaders in supply chain for their achievements and mentorship efforts. This year, Supply & Demand Chain Executive named her a recipient of the 2024 Pros to Know award, in the Lifetime Achievement category. The award recognizes executives whose accomplishments offer a road map for other leaders looking to leverage supply chain for competitive advantage.

Rakhi holds a postgraduate diploma in materials management from the Indian Institute of Materials Management. Outside work, her passion is dance, which she continues to practice.

Vinayak leads the product team for supply chain and direct business solutions. He brings more than 20 years of experience in cloud solutions and product management.

Before joining GEP, he led product teams at major supply chain companies. He has successfully designed and delivered solutions to enterprises in the U.S., Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, the Netherlands and Mexico.

Vinayak holds a bachelor’s degree in technology from the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai and a master’s degree from The Ohio State University, where he worked on a NASA project.

Aavni brings 8+ years of experience spearheading procurement and supply chain transformation to embed ESG practices across North American and European companies. She has led projects focused on GHG inventories and decarbonization strategy development, circularity and waste management, as well as supplier diversity. With teams focused on gap assessments, process redesign and digitalization, Aavni has helped clients enhance supplier collaboration, improve ESG data management and drive greater transparency for sustainability initiatives across the supply chain.

Colleen Zupan is a seasoned professional and dedicated Director of Business Development at GEP. With over a decade of experience, she has honed her expertise in transforming and optimizing the ways in which Global 2000 organizations leverage people, process, and technology to drive business success.

In her current position, Colleen plays a crucial role in collaborating with clients in the Energy & Utility sector to develop corporate strategies specific to the industry, deliver cost reductions and successfully manage projects tailored to their unique needs. Her understanding of the energy and utility landscape enables her to provide strategic guidance that addresses the specific challenges and opportunities within these industries.

Paul Blake is Senior Director of Engagement at GEP. He has worked in the business technology space for over 35 years, the last twelve at GEP, and has been involved in the development of business software since before the advent of the internet. He has long-term experience of the trends, developments and impacts that technology has on all aspects of our lives.

Paul has been the showrunner and MC of GEP INNOVATE since its inception in 2015.

Julia Salant is the General Manager of Carbon at EcoVadis. In this role, she leads the strategy and implementation of Carbon Solutions that help EcoVadis customers engage partners in climate action and emissions reporting at scale. Prior to joining EcoVadis in 2014, Julia worked across public and private sectors on renewable energy projects, custom energy efficiency solutions and led sustainability analysis of complex supply chains worldwide.