Operational advantage no longer comes from just having AI; it comes from how quickly leaders can connect systems and embed new tools into daily work

From 13 April to 17 April, The Consumer Goods Forum’s Data-Driven Value Chain (DDVC) held two regional events in China and Panama. These sessions aimed to help members move toward digital maturity.

In China, members engaged with organisations at the forefront of retail, logistics, and automation. Meanwhile in Panama, leaders from across Latin America gathered to discuss ways to improve operational efficiency and supply chain readiness.

While markets move at different speeds, the priorities remain the same: the need for stronger data foundations, connected operations, and more practical paths to scale.

What connected execution looks like

The China retail innovation tour showed what is possible when data and operations are integrated. At Zhiyuan Robotics, members saw how embodied intelligence moves into industrial environments. This technology helps translate digital decisions into physical execution.

At Bailian Group, discussions focused on how retailers evolve through new formats. Members explored how to enhance consumer experiences through digital tools. 

A key highlight was the AI Retail Spark Conference in Hangzhou. Leaders explored practical uses in forecasting, pricing, and digital twins. The message was clear: value grows when you embed advanced capabilities into core workflows rather than carry out isolated pilots.

Visits to Alibaba, Cainiao, and Hanshow Technology highlighted the infrastructure behind modern commerce. These platforms and intelligent logistics enable faster, more agile execution. When systems connect and decisions move quickly, execution becomes a structural advantage.

Building the foundations for scale

While China highlighted mature deployment, the DDVC SpringBoard and Steering Committee gathering in Panama City focused on the tools needed to speed up progress in Latin America.

Leaders from more than 15 companies joined two days of peer-to-peer learning. Tech providers showed new ways to optimise the supply chain by focusing on performance and practical innovation. 

A recurring theme was speed as a management metric. Alongside cost, organisations now consider Return on Time. This is the value created when decisions happen faster and friction disappears from operations.

The Panama SpringBoard showed that scaling begins with the right foundations: connected data and a clear path to execution.

The leadership call

Fragmented operations are now a constraint on growth. The challenge for leadership is how quickly they can turn new technologies into a measurable advantage.

Those who connect decisions and scale with discipline will lead the next era of growth.

To learn more about ongoing initiatives supporting digital transformation across the value chain, contact the DDVC Team.