To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of ESCF, we are pleased to invite you to a special, extended edition of our Annual Conference. This milestone event is designed to inspire and equip you to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

On the evening of April 14, futurist Richard van Hooijdonk will take us on a fast-paced journey through three decades of transformation. In his keynote, he will reflect on how the world and, more specifically, supply chain management, logistics, and operations have evolved over the past 30 years. From this retrospective, he will explore future perspectives and translate broad technological and societal shifts into concrete implications for leadership in an era of continuous change. To get a preview of his keynote, you can watch a short teaser video from Richard van Hooijdonk here.

As leadership evolves, transparency in decision-making is becoming increasingly important. With AI giving junior professionals access to advanced analytics, their roles are changing rapidly. Effective leaders not only make sound decisions but also make their thinking visible. By explaining their reasoning, articulating trade-offs, and sharing decisive factors, leaders accelerate the development of judgment within their teams while strengthening trust and collaboration.

Following the keynote, you are warmly invited to join our Network Drinks, where you can exchange ideas with peers and reflect on the insights shared. As the program continues early the next morning, we recommend staying overnight at the hotel.

The following morning, ESCF founding Father Prof. Ton de Kok will take the stage to guide us through 30 years of ESCF and the evolution of supply chain management in practice. Beginning with early strategic foundations, he will revisit the major implementation waves of enterprise systems such as SAP, APS, and later IBP, and reflect on how these shaped operational realities and analytical focus. He will also explore why supply chain collaboration has been attempted many times but succeeded only in select cases, concluding with a set of key challenges for today’s SCM professionals.

After the break, Karl Raats, a dynamic and inspiring strategist, will lead a highly interactive session focused on translating these challenges into personal and practical actions for you. To get a glimpse of his interactive session, you can watch Karl Raats’ teaser video here.

Program:
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
• 20.00-20.30h Arrival of ESCF members
• 20.30-21.30h Keynote: Opening Richard van Hooijdonk / Futurist – Trendwatcher
• 21.30-23.00h Networking drinks

Wednesday, April 15, 2026
• 08.30-09.30h Keynote: 30 Years of ESCF prof.dr. Ton de Kok
• 09.30-10.15h Break-out discussion including break and coffee
• 10.15-12.15h Interactive session led by Karl Raats / Inspirational strategist
• 12.15-13.30h Closure and buffet lunch

Hotel Booking Instructions
Book your room at the special reduced rate of €199 per room per night, including a luxury breakfast buffet.
Please note: availability is limited.
Reservations for April 14, 2026 can only be made via email at: sales@eindhovenbest.valk.nl
Include the following details in your email:
• Reservation number: HEB GF7416
• Full name
• Number of guests
• Email address
• Phone number
Payment will be made upon check in at the hotel. Your booking is guaranteed until 18:00 on the day of arrival.

Join us for two inspiring days of reflection, innovation, and networking as we celebrate this remarkable milestone together!