Fons Trompenaars confirmed as keynote speaker at inNOWvate

One of the world’s most influential business thinkers, economist Fons Trompenaars, has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at inNOWvate, the interactive supply chain innovation event. by Supply Chain Media on 24 May. The one-day event will help delegates learn how to turn their own ideas into reality.

Taking place at the Rijtuigenloods venue in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, on 24 May, inNOWvate is Supply Chain Media’s brand-new one-day event revolving around innovation. Ten high-potential startups have been carefully selected from all over Europe, each offering innovative supply chain solutions, and they will be presenting themselves during the day. However, it is a widely held misconception that innovation only takes place within startups; some large companies and SMEs are innovating too. It can be even harder to do so in such environments, however, which is why a startup mindset can be particularly beneficial for established companies.

During inNOWvate, supply chain professionals can see the very latest technologies with their own eyes and exchange knowledge with their peers about their own innovation-related experiences. In the interactive break-out sessions, suppliers will update delegates on how innovative solutions are being applied in practice.

In addition, the nominees for the annual Supply Chain Professional Award will be pitching themselves to the public throughout the day, presenting their views on supply chain strategy and the role of innovation and providing details of an innovative supply chain project within their own company. Besides that, previous winners of the Supply Chain Professional Award will share their own innovation-related experiences and participate in a panel discussion on prerequisites for success.

Cultural diversity

Fons Trompenaars will be speaking during the plenary programme. As one of the most popular management consultants on the international conference circuit, he travels the world highlighting the importance of cultural diversity within business in his own light-hearted style. He is the only Dutchman listed in the Thinkers50, a prestigious global ranking of the world’s best management gurus. He has published a range of books in the English language, including Riding the Waves of Culture, Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business.

He was also inspired by comedian John Cleese to write a book called Creativity and Innovation in which he addresses the issue of how to apply the principles of individual personal development to teams and the organization as a whole, in order to contribute to business continuity, harnessing of new talent and motivating all employees.

During inNOWvate, which is expected to attract approximately 250 delegates, Trompenaars will explore the culture of creativity and innovation and what is needed to create a culture in which individual creativity is given room to flourish. Among other things, his keynote speech will touch on paradigms and the necessity of a paradigm shift, the various roles that are needed within a group to create an inventive team, and the steps to successful innovation.