On 25–26 September, the Institute for Manufacturing's (IfM) Centre for International Manufacturing hosted the 29th Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium. This annual event brought together leading academics and industry professionals to explore “Reconfiguring manufacturing supply chain footprints in a new era of harsh geo-strategic competition.”

Manufacturing took centre stage with sessions on geopolitical supply chain response strategies, scaling circularity to recover rare earths, implementing AI into operations, and building supply chain agility.

This year’s Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium featured an outstanding line-up of keynote speakers from across industry and academia. Industry leaders included:

• Sven Jooss, Head of Supply Chain Management at ZEISS Microscopy
• Mitsuru Kato, Senior Director, Head of Social Innovation Business at DENSO Corporation
• Milan Kumar, Chief Information Officer at ZF Commercial Vehicles
• Vicky Cuthbert, Chief Product Supply Chain Officer at Unilever

Sven Jooss presenting his keynote lecture, "Does "de-risking China" make sense?"

Academic perspectives were offered by Professor Jagjit Singh Srai, IfM, University of Cambridge; Professor Mike Yearworth, University of Exeter; Professor Shardul Phadnis, Asia School of Business; and Professor Tim Minshall, IfM, University of Cambridge, creating a rich dialogue on the future of manufacturing, supply chains, and innovation. A full list of industrial and academic speakers is available on the event website.

Interactive workshops and research sessions added further depth, tackling digital supply chain transformation, cascade risks in international supply chains , and circularity for sustainable transformation and rare-earths capture. Hands-on activities explored risk propagation in the UK food system, adaptive supply chains, and supply chain resilience-building through the RiSC+ initiative.

Reflecting on the event, Jag, who is Professor of Research in the Department of Engineering & Head of the Centre for International Manufacturing, noted: “Manufacturing and supply chain leaders are facing increasingly complex decisions - shaped by geo-strategic shifts, regulatory pressures, and sustainability demands. The Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium offered a space to step back, share insights, and learn from those leading transformation across sectors and regions,” he said. “I want to extend a big thank you to all speakers, delegates, and contributors who helped shape the rich outputs that will inform our forward research and knowledge exchange agenda.”

Delegates echoed this sentiment. “It was a great event with an excellent balance of practitioner and academic participants. It provided a valuable platform to share the latest research with industry leaders while gaining real insights into current challenges and opportunities. A very enriching experience for knowledge exchange and collaboration,” said Hamid Moradiou, University of Warwick. “Year after year, the Institute for Manufacturing delivers an exceptional forum for thought-provoking discussions on the future of manufacturing.”

"Reconfiguring manufacturing supply chain footprints in a new era of harsh geo-strategic competition- a highly relevant theme for the 29th Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium. It was a great opportunity to share my perspectives on a holistic, long-term approach to business in China with leaders from academia and industry. I learned a lot, got inspired, and hopefully delivered meaningful advice for implementable strategic measures,” said Sven Jooss, ZEISS Microscopy

As Isabel Duarte de Almeida, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, summed up:

“What an inspiring two days at the 29th Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium! The Centre for International Manufacturing curated an exceptional programme. It was truly a world-class forum for sustainability, innovation and resilience.”

The 29th Symposium reinforced Cambridge’s role as a global platform where academia and industry meet to shape the future of manufacturing.

We’re excited to announce that the 30th Cambridge International Manufacturing Symposium will take place on 10–11 September 2026. Join us as we mark three decades of convening world-leading voices in manufacturing and supply chains. Expect milestone discussions, new collaborations, and a forward-looking agenda that builds on the legacy of innovation and impact.

Register your interest: https://engage-events.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/CIMsymposium#/registerinterest2026 

Members of the Centre for International Manufacturing group.

Photos courtesy of Xinyan Li