Digital and AI: industry leaders discuss Supply Chain challenges and the future at the Makeitalia Supply Chain Day

The first edition of the Makeitalia Supply Chain Day was held at Makeitalia’s headquarters in Modena, bringing together managers, experts and companies for a day dedicated to exploring the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in Supply Chain management.

Makeitalia Supply Chain Day: the event

“We did not organize this event to explain or celebrate AI. We organized it to better understand how to use it.” With these words, Francesco Tonolo, Partner at Makeitalia, opened the Makeitalia Supply Chain Day, an event that on October 14 welcomed managers, professionals and international companies to the Modena headquarters to discuss one of the most pressing challenges facing modern industry: how to govern Digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence in the Supply Chain in a practical, responsible and value-driven way.

Created as a platform for dialogue among companies dealing with the growing complexity of supply chains every day, the event aimed to encourage the sharing of real-world experiences and strategic perspectives, focusing not on technology itself, but on its impact on processes, decision-making and people.

Governing Digital and AI in the Supply Chain: the 2026 focus

The 2026 edition, titled “Governing Digital and AI in the Supply Chain”, highlighted the need to transform data, systems and digital tools into concrete enablers of better decision-making, greater resilience and enhanced competitiveness. Achieving this requires effective governance, the right skills and a clear vision of the value to be generated, going far beyond simple technology adoption.

In line with the Makeitalia Supply Chain Day format, which is based on practical experiences and first-hand testimonials, the morning featured presentations from three leading international organizations.

Steve O’Connor, Director of IT at Aston Martin, shared the company’s digital transformation journey and explained how AI is helping convert data visibility into predictive capabilities. Andrea Scaramagli, Director Corporate Purchasing at a major international forklift manufacturer, presented his vision of an increasingly data-driven procurement function, highlighting the potential of artificial intelligence in supplier analysis and the identification of new value opportunities. Finally, Ferdinando Peretto, Group Chief Information Officer at Azimut Benetti, emphasized that every innovation journey must begin with process redesign and high-quality data, both essential prerequisites for the effective use of digital technologies.

One of the key messages that emerged throughout the day was the growing awareness that the success of AI will depend less on technology itself and more on organizations’ ability to build reliable data foundations, robust processes and the right capabilities. This is a challenge that involves organizations, managers and employees alike, all of whom must actively lead change rather than simply react to it.

The event concluded with Francesco Tonolo and Orazio Pulino, Digital Transformation Manager at Makeitalia, who presented and discussed the results of a live survey conducted among participants. The findings revealed strong interest in the opportunities offered by Digital technologies and AI, while also highlighting several shared priorities: improving data quality, integrating systems and transforming experimental initiatives into concrete, scalable projects.

A clear signal of the direction companies are taking as they work to build the Supply Chain of the future.