Diageo named 2025 NextGen Supply Chain Visionary Award Winner

When you think about companies pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in supply chain, Diageo is one that keeps popping up. From using drones to water agave crops in Mexico to reimagining glass bottles through biomimicry, the global leader in premium drinks is finding creative ways to blend technology, sustainability, and innovation.

That’s why it feels only natural that we’ll be recognizing Diageo with the 2025 NextGen Supply Chain Visionary Award at this year’s NextGen Supply Chain Conference, Oct. 22–24 in Nashville, Tennessee, at the W Nashville Hotel. The award celebrates organizations that are not just keeping pace with supply chain change, but actively shaping the future — and Diageo fits that description perfectly.

Sponsored by Diamond Sponsor Zion Solutions Group, The Visionary Award will be presented to Lisa Drane, director of procurement supply innovation, logistics and warehouse, for Diageo, on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 1:45 pm CT as part of the Visionary Keynote Address. 

Now in its seventh year, the NextGen Supply Chain Conference brings together senior executives, thought leaders, and technology innovators to explore the future of supply chain management. With a program featuring keynote presentations, breakout sessions, and the annual NextGen Supply Chain Awards, the event spotlights the technologies and strategies shaping tomorrow’s supply chains.

Early bird conference registration is now open. Shippeo is a Gold Sponsor and Hai Robotics, TGW Logistics, Cycle Labs, Grey Orange, GreyMatter, and AutoScheduler are Silver Sponsors. Bronze Sponsors include Corvus Robotics, Herowear, and enVista. See the full list of sponsors here. 

The W Hotel is extending the discounted group hotel rate for three days before and three days after the event (subject to room availability), allowing attendees the opportunity to explore Nashville at the special conference rate.

Diageo was selected for the Visionary Award in recognition of its bold, forward-looking approach to supply chain transformation. The company has consistently ranked among Gartner’s Top 25 Global Supply Chains and was a finalist in two categories of Gartner’s 2025 Power of the Profession Awards. Diageo is advancing autonomous operations by harnessing digital technologies, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, resilience, and customer experience across its supply chain.

At the same time, Diageo is pairing innovation with sustainability. Through initiatives such as drones to optimize agave farming in Mexico, water stewardship programs that replenish more water than used in stressed regions, and the use of biomimicry to reinvent glass manufacturing for lighter, more durable, and lower-carbon packaging, Diageo is setting new standards for how a consumer goods company can drive environmental and social impact at scale. These efforts are guided by its Society 2030: Spirit of Progress roadmap, which sets ambitious sustainability and community goals for the decade ahead.

“The Visionary Award recognizes companies that don’t just adapt to the future of supply chain but actively shape it,” said Brian Straight, editor in chief of Supply Chain Management Review. “Diageo is doing exactly that by demonstrating how digital transformation, innovation, and sustainability can come together to build supply chains that are not only efficient, but also responsible and resilient.”

The NextGen Supply Chain Conference will also feature awards recognizing end users across multiple industries and solution providers that are pushing the boundaries of technology adoption.

Keynotes set the stage

The conference opens with Val Marchevsky, EVP & CTO of Uber Freight, delivering the Thursday morning keynote, “Reimagining Logistics with AI: Turning Intelligence into Action.” Marchevsky will detail how AI is transforming logistics. On Friday, Todd Stillwell and Kimberly Galante of Dole Packaged Foods will deliver a joint keynote presentation, sharing how the company is scaling its mid-size CPG supply chain for innovation and growth by leveraging flexible manufacturing, streamlined logistics, and data-driven forecasting.

Attendees will hear from leaders at companies including Walmart, FedEx Supply Chain, Johnson & Johnson, GNC, Kenco, Kohler, Maersk, Medline and more.

Breakout sessions with real-world impact

For the first time, the NextGen Supply Chain Conference will present breakout sessions. This year, these sessions will be presented in five 90-minute blocks on Thursday morning, with the sessions duplicated in the afternoon so all attendees have the chance to attend as many sessions as possible.

To register, visit NextGen Supply Chain Conference

Across the themed breakout sessions, attendees can explore topics ranging from AI integration and freight market strategies to food regulation, warehouse automation, tariff mitigation, and management strategies. Some of the highlights include:

• C.H. Robinson CTO Mike Neill on AI delivering tangible business results.
• Rosemary Coates of the Reshoring Institute on evolving reshoring strategies.
• Medline’s Dave Kordik on AI-powered healthcare supply chains.
• Moody’s Andrei Quinn Barabanov on tackling global risk factors.
• Steven Melnyk, University of Michigan, on integrating supply chain leadership throughout the business through balanced, integrated strategies
• Tom Cook, Blue Tiger International, on 20 proven solutions to build supply chain resilience

For more information on the conference and to register, visit www.nextgensupplychainconference.com.

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