Essity: Building Agile Global Supply Chains
Disruptions continue to challenge global supply chains, putting pressure on logistics systems and operations.
Nearly 94% of companies continue to report revenue losses due to these disruptions, which can account for around 8% of total annual revenue.
At Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London 2025, a keynote session will examine how businesses respond with agility and resilience, ensuring their planning and logistics functions remain effective in unpredictable conditions.
Ilham Smaali, Global VP of Planning & Logistics at Essity, will share how to build agile supply chains that can handle this disruption
Ilham brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail, beauty and health, and now leads end-to-end supply chain transformation at the multinational hygiene and health company.
The keynote, titled Orchestrating Resilience: Building Agile Planning & Logistics at Global Scale, will take place on the Supply Chain Stage from 10:10 to 10:45 on 24 September.
To secure your tickets, click here.
Why resilience in planning and logistics remains essential
Disruptions average at more than one month in duration and occur about every 3.7 years, making preparation and agility vital.
Almost 80% of organisations report at least one disruption in the past year alone. The risks affecting supply chains extend beyond economic volatility - climate change impacts 63% of firms, while geopolitical tension reaches 56%.
Cybersecurity concerns are also rising sharply as supply chain-related cyber attacks have increased more than 400% in recent years, adding urgency to resilience-focused transformation strategies.
At the same time, companies still grapple with operational weaknesses. Talent shortages present ongoing problems, with 90% of supply chain leaders citing a lack of skills for digitisation efforts. A further 57% point to limited visibility as a core issue, particularly across global networks.
Delivery times remain 25% longer than before the pandemic, creating further strain on logistics systems.
Against this backdrop, building agile and technology-enabled supply chains becomes an operational priority.
Inside Ilham Smaali’s supply chain approach
At Essity, Ilham leads the company’s global transformation strategy for planning and logistics.
Her focus is on agile, customer-focused and digitally connected supply chains. With a track record across well-known multinationals such as Procter & Gamble, Nike and The Estée Lauder Companies, Ilham brings operational insight across manufacturing, fulfilment and integrated planning.
Since joining Essity in July 2023, she takes on the task of steering supply chain transformation that strengthens business alignment and improves operational resilience. Her leadership approach places people at the centre while deploying digital solutions that enhance responsiveness and transparency across logistics functions.
Ilham combines experience in manufacturing excellence with a strong understanding of how to design systems that absorb disruption. Her keynote will offer insights into the tools and practices businesses can adopt to manage risk across complex, distributed operations.
Attendees will gain a practical perspective on how to reduce delays, improve supply reliability and adapt in real-time to changes in demand or transport availability.
About Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE London 2025
Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE is returning to the Business Design Centre in London for its annual Global Summit on 23-24 September.
This unmissable event is aimed at facilitating knowledge sharing and connections among the world's procurement and supply chain leaders.
Those attending can enjoy inspiring keynotes, engaging panels and exclusive workshops covering a diverse range of topics, including supply chain transformation, procurement technology, sustainability and ESG, AI, finance, logistics and supplier relationship management.
To secure your tickets, click here.
