5 Big Takeaways from the 2024 Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit

The 2024 Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver broke attendance records, with over 1,200 leaders, analysts, and visionaries gathering to address the rapidly evolving supply chain landscape. The sharp increase from last year’s 800 attendees highlights the urgency to make supply chains more adaptive, resilient, and automated amid global disruptions and changing customer demands.

This year’s theme, “Generating Value Together: Beyond Accuracy, Toward Intelligence,” challenged attendees to move past traditional accuracy-driven approaches and embrace intelligent, proactive planning strategies.

Here are the five key takeaways from the event:  

1. Supply Chain Leaders as "Decision Shapers"

A major theme of the summit was the evolving role of supply chain leaders as “decision shapers.” In her keynote, Lindsay Azim emphasized how supply chain leaders must guide critical decisions in an increasingly complex and fast-paced environment. Gartner data revealed:

• 71% of decisions are more complex,

• 57% need to be made faster, and

• 52% are made more frequently.

Azim made it clear: reacting to operational challenges is no longer enough. Supply chain leaders must actively shape the decision-making process by leveraging intelligent tools and data-driven insights to drive confident outcomes.

“The role of the supply chain leader is no longer to simply ensure the smooth running of operations,” Azim noted. “They must now be decision shapers, crafting the foundation for decisions that drive organizational success—whether in resilience, sustainability, or profitability.”

Key takeaway: Supply chain leaders must embrace the role of “decision shapers” to ensure decisions are made with confidence, speed, and accuracy.

2. CSCO Shift from Reactionary to Proactive

A key shift highlighted during the summit was the move from reactionary to proactive planning. This theme was particularly evident in discussions about supporting the Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO). Sessions emphasized the importance of enabling strategic alignment through capabilities that allow organizations to respond proactively to supply chain disruptions.

Lusi Zheng’s presentation, "Enabling Strategic Alignment: A Planning Leader’s Guide to Supporting the CSCO," underscored how proactive planning enables organizations to transition from firefighting disruptions to making strategic, forward-looking decisions.

Key takeaway: Proactive planning equips CSCOs with tools to manage uncertainty and disruptions while driving profitability and strategic alignment.

3. The Growing Importance of Adaptive Supply Chain Planning

The need for adaptability emerged as a central theme. Lindsay Azim reminded attendees that “the success of an organization is nothing but the sum of its decisions.” In today’s volatile environment, adaptive supply chain planning is no longer optional—it’s essential.

Adaptive planning leverages AI, machine learning, and probabilistic modeling to evaluate a range of scenarios and guide faster, smarter decisions. This allows organizations to not only react to disruptions but anticipate and prepare for them—whether caused by geopolitical events, supply shortages, or demand fluctuations.

Adaptive planning shifts the focus from static, outdated processes to dynamic, real-time decision-making, enabling organizations to act with confidence amid uncertainty.

Key takeaway: Adaptive planning empowers organizations to thrive in an unpredictable world by enabling timely, high-quality decisions with confidence.  

4. Range-Based Planning for Uncertainty

The concept of scenario planning has evolved into what Gartner refers to as Range-Based Planning. This approach reflects the next generation of scenario planning by incorporating a probabilistic framework to manage uncertainty. Xiaoshun Sue Grant’s session, "Key Research Insights: Managing Uncertainty with Range-Based Planning," highlighted the limitations of traditional point-based forecasting and emphasized the advantages of range-based methods.

This approach leverages advanced solvers, cloud computing, and real-time data to create resilient plans that guide decision-making through a range of potential outcomes.

Key takeaway: Range-based planning represents a strategic advancement, enabling organizations to navigate uncertainty with confidence and precision.

5. The Next Generation of Supply Chain Planning Systems

Lindsay Azim’s keynote underscored the importance of next-generation planning systems, emphasizing that “the success of an organization is nothing but the sum of its decisions.” These advanced systems enable faster, higher-quality decision-making by integrating real-time data, AI, and machine learning.

Unlike static legacy systems, next-generation platforms foster adaptability and collaboration. They break down silos across functions, enabling a more holistic, proactive approach to planning. Tools like ketteQ empower planners to simulate outcomes, optimize trade-offs, and deliver measurable results.

This evolution supports operational efficiency and strategic foresight, helping organizations move from reactive management to proactive planning. As Azim emphasized, leveraging these systems is essential for driving organizational success.

Key takeaway: Next-generation systems are enablers of transformation, embedding intelligence into every decision and driving better, faster outcomes.

Final Thoughts

The 2024 Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit delivered a clear message: the future of supply chain planning lies in intelligent, adaptive, and proactive strategies. Supply chain leaders must embrace change, overcome resistance, and leverage next-generation systems to make faster, smarter decisions.

As Lindsay Azim highlighted throughout the summit, true value doesn’t come from predicting the future—it comes from preparing for every possibility

‍