Cost-to-Serve as a Planning Discipline: Making Trade-Offs Explicit in Every Decision

How can AI genuinely improve planning decisions without undermining trust and control?

Apr 14, 2026 11:00

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12:00

GMT

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Online (MS Teams)

Register interest

For senior supply chain leaders only

How this meeting works

Practitioner-led working session
No pitches
Small-group, facilitated discussion
Works best when you can engage actively
Chatham House Rule
Limited places to preserve quality

Why this session exists

AI adoption often stalls because planners don’t trust the outputs or can’t see how recommendations are generated. This session focuses on practical adoption — where AI adds value, where it doesn’t, and how peers are integrating it into existing planning processes.

What you'll leave with

A grounded understanding of where AI improves planning outcomes
Insight into adoption barriers from organisations already experimenting
Practical considerations for introducing AI without losing planner confidence

Suggested Discussion Points

Where AI adds the most value in planning today
Trust, explainability, and human override
Lessons from early adopters and stalled pilots

Discussion Host(s)

Confirmed

Uzair

Bawany

Chief Executive Officer

Oii.ai

SP / Consultant

Discussion Co-Host(s)

Confirmed

Jack

Dibben

Supply Chain Director

VADO

Practitioner

Moderator(s)

To be confirmed.

How the online session works

Each session is designed as an online equivalent of a small, in-room roundtable discussion — not a passive, webinar-style presentation.

The format adapts to the topic and the experience in the room:

Where participants already have strong knowledge, we typically start by inviting individuals to expand on specific points they have shared in advance. This helps surface real-world context quickly and anchors the discussion in practical experience.
Where the topic is less familiar or more specialised, we may begin with a short explainer to establish a shared baseline before opening up the discussion.

To support productive dialogue, we often invite a subject-matter expert to join the session. This may be someone from a vendor, consultancy, or independent background — sometimes from within the community, sometimes external.

Their role is not to pitch or present a solution. Instead, they listen carefully to the discussion and reflect back:

how similar challenges have been approached in comparable organisations
what has worked (and what hasn’t) in practice
concrete examples that help translate discussion into action

This balance is deliberate. Without it, sessions can drift into abstract debate or problem-sharing. With it, discussions stay grounded and participants leave with tangible ideas they can apply in their own context.

The emphasis throughout is on shared learning, practical insight, and forward progress, rather than polished presentations or predetermined answers.

Who this meeting is for

This meeting is designed for people working through real operational and innovation decisions, rather than those seeking presentations or general inspiration.

Who for

Planning leaders exploring or piloting AI
Supply chain leaders assessing next-stage planning capability

Who not for

Teams looking for:

Fully automated “hands-off” planning visions
Experimental AI research discussions

Anyone expecting a more passive, webinar-like experience.

What happens next

Participation is confirmed through a short, staged process designed to ensure a good fit and a productive discussion for everyone in the room.

Step 1: Register interest

You start by entering your details. This helps us understand your background and what you are hoping to get from the session.

Step 2: We sense-check fit and composition

We may follow up to clarify a few details. This isn’t gatekeeping — it’s about making sure the discussion works for everyone. We design sessions so participants are from broadly similar organisations and are working through comparable challenges.

Step 3: We manage sensitivities and conflicts

We take care to avoid competitive conflicts or situations where participants might feel constrained about what they can share. The goal is open, practical discussion without awkwardness.

Step 4: You receive a personal invitation

Once confirmed, you’ll receive a personal invitation with:

The session agenda
Who else will be joining
Clear joining instructions

You’ll know who is in the room well in advance — no surprises.

Step 5: The session itself

Sessions are interactive and roundtable-based, focused on real experiences and what actually works in practice.
To get discussion started, we may invite a participant, partner, or subject-matter expert to offer a short provocation or perspective.

Costs and commitments