IBM's Paul Brody to Deliver Keynote Address on "Optimization through Collaboration" at 11th Annual Electronics Supply Chain Association Conference.

IBM Joins Cisco and Solectron as Keynotes at Electronics Supply Chain's Premier Industry Event

SAN DIEGO -- The Electronics Supply Chain Association (ESCA), preeminent networking and knowledge platform for executives in the supply chain, today announced that Paul R. Brody, Partner, IBM Global Business Services and Global Lead, Electronics Industry Strategy Practice, will present the opening keynote at the 11th Annual ESCA Conference & Expo, Oct. 29-31 in Santa Clara, Calif.

Brody will speak on "Optimization through Collaboration: Going it Alone is No Longer an Option," sharing insights on the disruptive trends from both the supply side (cost, complexity, competition, commoditization) and the demand side (convergence, connectedness, consumerization, content) that are reshaping the players and relationships within the electronics industry.

"Proven strategies of the past may guarantee failures in the future. To remain in the game, players in the electronics industry - from material suppliers and component manufacturers to OEMs and distributors - must adapt by becoming more end-user and solution focused," said Brody. According to Brody, collaboration will be a critical differentiator for companies hoping to create end user and shareholder value.

Since 2002, Brody has served as a Partner with IBM Global Business Services and Global Lead, Electronics Industry Strategy Practice, and has led engagements with leading electronics companies in the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Brody has worked extensively with business strategy, supply chain management and product life cycle management, including planning and scheduling, logistics, and procurement solutions.

Prior to IBM, he held senior supply chain executive positions at ClearCross and i2 Technologies. He has also been a consultant with McKinsey & Co., primarily in the high-tech electronics sector in the United States and across the Asia Pacific region. Brody began his career at Mobile Telecommunications Services Ltd., where he developed marketing programs for one of Africa's first mobile cellular systems, turning the company into a national brand name. He holds a B.A. in Economics, and a Certificate in African Studies, from Princeton University.

"Paul has a truly unique global perspective gleaned from his wide-ranging experience. He understands the new complexities in supply-side technologies and how supply chains must cultivate cooperation to bring products to market and to thrive in this highly competitive business," said ESCA Executive Director Dean Strausl.

In addition, Karen Butner, Supply Chain expert and leading member of the IBM Institute for Business Value, and Jane Barrett, research director and analyst with AMR Research's Value Chain Strategies Service, will join other thought leaders at the 11th Annual ESCA Conference to guide an interactive session on Agility and the Globally Integrated Enterprise with a special look at strategies for "Taming China's Dragons: When China is part of your supply chain." Registration for this session can be found at www.electronicssupplychain.org.

Unlike other industry associations, ESCA is dedicated to helping the industry improve time to market and product margins by better managing the entire supply chain. ESCA participants represent the full spectrum of the electronics supply chain including fabless semiconductor companies, assembly houses, foundries, contract manufacturers, distributors, logistics services providers, hardware and software solutions providers and consultants.

The 11th Annual ESCA conference, themed "Optimizing Performance Across the Electronic Supply Chain," will be held October 29-31 at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara, Calif. Keynote presenters also include Beth McKone, vice president of worldwide program management and supply chain solutions at Solectron, and Jim Miller, vice president of product operations, Cisco Systems Inc. For more information and to register, visit www.electronicssupplychain.org.

About ESCA

Since 1997, the Electronics Supply Chain Association (ESCA) has been dedicated to facilitating a robust electronics industry supply chain through thought leadership, best practices and collaboration. ESCA also plays a key role in facilitating information exchange and collaboration efforts within the electronics supply chain through its many educational forums, symposiums, benchmarking, progressive research, industry news, and market intelligence. ESCA is a member of a global network of associations that includes the Association for Services Management International (AFSMI), the Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA) and the Technology Professional Services Associations (TPSA). More information on ESCA can be found at www.electronicssupplychain.org.