The Consumer Goods Business & Technology Leadership Conference

This past October, consumer goods business and IT executives gathered at The Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Fla., for the 11th annual Consumer Goods Business and Technology Leadership Conference. There, they explored this year's theme of effective collaboration through various networking opportunities and insightful peer presentations. Here is a snapshot of some of the event's many highlights:

• In his opening keynote presentation, Professor Robert C. Wolcott, founder and executive director of the Kellogg Innovation Network (KIN) at the Kellogg School of Management, examined how established companies are applying new models of innovation for creating new businesses, not just new products. "Innovation is the most important thing you can do. If you make the same decision over and over again, eventually you won't have a company," he advised.
  
• In today's market, the route to consumers for branded manufacturers is more fractured than ever. Alice.com CEO and Co-Founder Brian Wiegand caused a buzz among the audience when he shared a very unique model for selling products directly to consumers that is very different from traditional retail. "Retailers are starting to become manufacturers; I think manufacturers will start becoming retailers," he said.
  
• Always lively panel, Simon Ellis led a discussion around the findings of the annual Shared Strategy Report, conducted by CGT, RIS News, IDC Manufacturing Insights and IDC Retail Insights. Consumer goods executives, including Nick Andromidas, executive director of Sales at Sony Pictures Entertainment, John Kittle, vice president / Business Development at Marcal Manufacturing LLC, and Kirsten Krantz, COE - Global Demand Management at Kraft Foods, came together and talked about the state of collaboration.