Arkestro Optimal is our flagship event focused on all things Predictive Procurement–where sourcing leaders, practitioners, and innovators come together to learn, connect, and get inspired.

What to expect at the event:

• Keynotes & Panels
• Breakout sessions
• Advanced Arkestro user training class
• Negotiation skills class
• Customer success stories
• Peer-to-Peer networking
• News & Announcements

WHY ATTEND?

Join a select group of elite senior procurement professionals to explore how Predictive Procurement is transforming global sourcing strategies at scale.

Gain practical insights, benchmark with peers, and bring back proven approaches to drive measurable business value.

AGENDA

Get ready! Procurement leaders are unlocking major wins with Arkestro's Patented Sciences. Come join us and see how.

Immerse yourself in two days of high-impact discussions, executive panels, and collaborative sessions. Discover innovative ways to accelerate savings, strengthen supplier partnerships, and elevate procurement's influence across the enterprise. 

Date: October 29–30, 2025
Location: Houston, TX 
Venue: Hyatt Regency Downtown (1200 Louisiana St.)
 

Wednesday, October 29, 2025      

Workshop: Arkestro Advanced User Training
(Customers Only*)
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Negotiation Class: "Better Skills, Better Outcomes"
with The Gap Partnership
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM

SIG Workshop: Speaking the CFO’s Language –
Translating Sourcing into Financial Impact
10:30 PM – 1:00 PM

Optimal Registration & Lite Lunch in the Optimal
Partner Pavilion
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Welcome – Stuart Gold, SVP of Marketing, Arkestro
1:30 PM – 1:40 PM

Keynote: Arkestro Vision –
Rob DeSantis, CEO and Co-Founder, Arkestro
1:40 PM – 2:00 PM

Industry Keynote: Nissan -
Mark Kaczynski, SVP, Finance & Information Technology 
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM

Industry Keynote: EMD Electronics
Katherine Dei Cas, Executive Vice President 
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM

Industry Keynote: Koch Engineered Solutions (KES)
Michael Novello, VP of Global Supply Chain
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM       

Break in the Optimal Partner Pavilion    
2:45 PM – 3:05 PM       

Future Forward Executive Visions Panel - Moderated by Stuart Gold 
Panelists:
- Solventum - Magnus Lundgren, CPO
- Zurich - James Bracken, CFO
- Trinity - Mike Shin, CPO 
- Arkestro - Greg Cruz, CCO
3:05 PM – 3:45 PM       

The Pulse of Global Leadership
Panelist:
- Chevron - Joshua Flowers, SCM Advisor, Operations & Digital
- Arkestro - Bill Seagrave, SVP Product Solutions
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM       

The Global Financial Impact Panel
4:15 PM – 4:45 PM       

Keynote: Arkestro Strategy, Edmund Zagorin, CSO and Co-Founder
4:45 PM – 5:05 PM     

Arkestro in Action – Ben Leiken, CTO, and Bob Van Leeuwen, VP Product Management
5:05 PM – 5:30 PM     

Opening Reception in the Optimal Partner Pavilion
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM     

Thursday, October 30, 2025          

Optimal Breakfast in the Optimal Partner Pavilion
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Welcome Back – Stuart Gold
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM 

Panel: Arkestro Across the Industries - Moderated by Greg Cruz 
Panelists:
- Crown Holdings, Inc. - Jim Cuff
- Next Decade - Matt Saunders
8:45 AM – 9:30 AM

Thought Leader Keynote 
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM 

Optimal Breakouts Wave 1 (3 Tracks) 
10:30 AM – 11:15 PM

Optimal Breakouts Wave 2 (3 Tracks) 
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Networking Lunch in the Optimal Partner Pavilion
12:15 AM – 1:30 PM

Optimal Breakouts Wave 3 (3 Tracks) 
1:30 AM – 2:15 PM

Dessert Break in the Optimal Partner Pavilion
2:15 AM – 3:00 PM

Thought Leadership Panel - Moderated by Edmund Zagorin
Panelists:
- The Gap Partnership - Scott Chepow, Partner
- The Hackett Group - Kate Denissova, Sr. Director Procurement & P2P Executive Advisor
- Plug and Play - Kevin Farjallah, Director
- Dell - Thomas Maher, (Former SVP) 
- Director of ASU's Supply Chain Executive Consortium (SCEC)
3:00 AM – 3:45 PM

Special Guest to be announced 
3:45 AM – 4:15 PM

Closing Keynote - Rob DeSantis
4:15 AM – 4:30 PM

VP, Global Supply Chain
Koch Engineered Solutions
(KES)

Executive Vice President
EMD Electronics

SCM Advisor,
Operations & Digital
Chevron

Director, Indirect Sourcing
Crown Holdings Inc.

CSCO
Trinity Rail Industries

Partner
The Gap Partnership 

Sr. Director, Procurement & P2P Advisory | The Hackett Group

Director
Plug and Play

Co-Founder & CEO
Arkestro

Co-Founder & CSO
Arkestro

CTO
Arkestro

CCO
Arkestro

SVP, Marketing
Arkestro

SVP, Product Solutions
Arkestro

VP, Product Management 
Arkestro

TRANSFORMATION

Explore how Arkestro’s Predictive Procurement accelerates enterprise spend transformation by combining AI with Negotiation Science, Supplier Science, and Process Science, enabling teams to unlock trapped savings and strengthen supply chain agility.

MARGIN IMPACT

See how teams influence spend before it's committed—improving pricing, reducing risk, and turning procurement into a margin driver. Using Arkestro’s AI-powered approach and game theory, procurement teams can improve win-rates and secure greater value across a broader portion of spend.

PRODUCTIVITY

Learn how to do more with less by streamlining sourcing workflows, reducing manual effort, and scaling procurement’s impact through automation. Arkestro’s Predictive Procurement enables teams to influence significantly more spend, increasing throughput while freeing resources for higher-value work.

TRANSFORMATION

MARGIN IMPACT

PRODUCTIVITY

TRANSFORMATION

MARGIN IMPACT

PRODUCTIVITY

HYATT REGENCY

HOUSTON
Stay at the heart of the action at the Hyatt Regency Houston Downtown just steps away from the Theatre District, Minute Maid Park, and more. With stylish rooms, a rooftop pool, and skyline views, it's the perfect place to relax, recharge, and explore the best of Houston.