Paul De Swaef

It’s no secret that the medical device industry is in the midst of a period of unprecedented M&A activity and 2016 looks to be continuing the trend with the Abbott-St Jude Medical megamerger already announced this year. In this fluctuating environment, how can you design a supply chain that’s optimal for today’s business yet prepared for tomorrow’s potential disruption? When a merger or acquisition is announced, what are the biggest inherent challenges for supply chain executives and how can they best be tackled?

• What is the outlook for further major M&A activity in the near-medium term?
• In terms of supply chain impact, what are the biggest pitfalls companies should look out for?
• How to successfully integrate new product lines
• Overcoming internal collaboration issues
• How are the people impacted? Managing uncertainty within the team
• Not just a headache: How to take advantage of the supply chain opportunities created by M&A