Strategic Planning is process conducted by the highest levels of management.  Its purpose is to allocate resources over the planning period to achieve the company’s goals. Competitive Intelligence contributes particular value during this exercise, with insightful assessment of the current and future external environment in the context of internal strengths, vulnerabilities and culture.

Facilitator:
Martha R. Matteo, PhD
Dr. Matteo was a founder and leader of the Competitive Technical Intelligence function at Boehringer Ingelheim, a global, German-based, family-owned pharmaceutical company.  From 1988 until her retirement in 2006, she was directly involved in strategic planning for the US business unit and global R&D.  She was based in R&D for all but three years, when she reported to the vice president of strategic planning on the marketing side.  Most recently, she reported to the senior vice president of development to build non-product-based strategic alliances with academic, association and government groups of importance to the company.  Dr. Matteo has been on the Board of Directors of the New York Academy of Sciences and is currently President of the 2007 Board of Directors of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP). 

Panelists:

Prof. Dr. Bernd Joers, University Darmstadt
Eduardo Flores Bermudez, Competitive Intelligence Support Management, Bayer Schering Pharma AG
Manjula Nadarajah, Technology Solutions Marketing, Strategic Marketing & Communications Shell Global Solutions International BV

Strategic planning requires
a) knowledge of the company’s status, culture, strengths and vulnerabilities in the current environment,
b) a clear statement of the company’s goals for the planning period,
c) perception of the future external environment and d) an assessment of the company’s options for success in the perceived future environment.

Competitive Intelligence has a role in at least three of these areas (a, c, d). Questions for discussion in this expert session will include:

• "How do I get a seat at the strategy table?"
• "How do I know what to contribute?"
• "What is the role of the internal CI team vis à vis the external consultants often hired by the company to facilitate the process?"

The discussion applies equally to practitioners and consultants involved in the process. It also applies to academics interested in training both management and practitioners for this important function. 

Expert talks are interactive panel discussions, where the facilitator engages the audience with his experts (panellists). Experts are either invitees from the speakers, conference participants or exhibitors. After a short introduction from the facilitator the experts are asked to set the stage with a candid initial statement.

Expert sessions are designed to provide you with an opportunity to exchange experiences with colleagues and to address CI issues not covered in depth during the session presentations! Be prepared to contribute actively and passionately - or simply enjoy the high calibre exchange of CI best practices.