New Verdantix Council Unites Manufacturing Operations And Quality Leaders To Navigate Industrial Volatility

London, UK – September 30, 2026. Verdantix has today announced the launch of the Vantage Manufacturing Operations & Quality Council, the latest addition to its portfolio of seven executive communities designed to help leaders navigate a rapidly changing operating environment. Manufacturers are facing a combination of labour shortages, supply chain disruption, energy price volatility, geopolitical uncertainty and accelerating technological change. These pressures are exposing the limitations of operating models that were built for stability rather than resilience and adaptability. As senior leaders seek to reorientate their businesses for current conditions, there is a growing need for more effective peer collaboration and practical guidance.

The Vantage Manufacturing Operations & Quality Council provides a dedicated forum for senior executives to discuss these common challenges, benchmark strategies and identify best practices. By bringing together industry leaders with Verdantix analysts, the Council aims to translate shared experiences into actionable insights that can lead to improved manufacturing performance and quality outcomes.

A key focus of the Council will be addressing the standardization gap that continues to limit operational excellence across many organizations. Production and quality data often remain fragmented across functions, while root cause analysis and decision-making frequently rely on individual expertise rather than standardized, scalable processes. Founding members identified AI-enabled quality inspection, predictive maintenance and digital traceability as some of the most promising opportunities for manufacturers over the next few years. These technologies have the potential to shift organizations from retrospective reporting and reactive management towards real-time operational guidance, empowering frontline teams to take proactive action. Through structured discussion and ongoing research engagement, the Council will explore how these challenges and opportunities can be addressed to drive greater visibility, consistency and agility across manufacturing operations.

Founding members of the Vantage Manufacturing Operations & Quality Council include:

• Alexander Narr, VP Quality & Reliability, Ferroelectric Memory Company
• Ben Tanner, Vice President of Manufacturing, Monogram Foods
• Gulshan Kumar (Saini), Senior Director: Smart Factory, Samsung Electronics
• Hafiz Kashif, Director of Operations, Artistic Milliners
• Hassan Kamal Elrifi, Director of Plant Operations, Savola Group
• Juan Carlos Torres Rodriguez, Manufacturing Excellence Leader, Danone
• Juan Manuel Barcenas, Plant Director, Perfetti Van Melle
• Juliano Silva, Executive Director of Operations, Boehringer Ingelheim
• Oscar Sanchez, Vice President of Manufacturing and Operations, Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Pam Le Ballois, Global Operations & Supply Chain Leader, Teva Pharmaceuticals
• Rajeev Kaushik, Associate Vice President – Manufacturing, Autoliv

The new Council joins Verdantix's wider portfolio of Vantage Councils. These communities bring together senior executives across AI, industrial asset management, safety, sustainability, real estate and risk management to collaborate and inform Verdantix’s research topics and analysis across critical business and operational domains.

 “Manufacturing transformation is moving from isolated digital initiatives towards intelligent, connected operations where AI can strengthen decision-making, quality and operational performance,” said Gulshan Kumar, Senior Director: Smart Factory at Samsung Electronics. “Joining the Council offers a valuable opportunity to learn, share and shape what comes next in manufacturing.”  

"Getting the next generation of people interested in manufacturing means changing how the shop floor looks and feels,” shared Ben Tanner, Vice President of Manufacturing at Monogram Foods. “I want to work with others who can help us get there, and this Council gives us a place to have that conversation with people who understand both the people and technology side of manufacturing."

Verdantix will also explore these industry challenges at the Industrial Agility Summit 2027, taking place on 16 March 2027 at The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria. The event will bring together Council members and other senior leaders from oil and gas, chemicals, and manufacturing to examine how de-globalization, labour shortages, commodity price volatility and industrial automation are reshaping frontline operations. Sessions will cover industrial AI, asset performance management, process safety and workforce modernization. Register for the Industrial Agility Summit 2027 here.