The CILT Summit - Supply Chain Resilience seminar returned for its third year, this time at the RDS Simmonscourt, co- located with the popular National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Exhibition.
Taking place in a private event space, this CILT members event was sponsored with thanks to Irish Rail Freight.
Darragh Kelly, Regional Director for Amazon UK & Ireland gave the keynote address reflecting on his journey from a family farm to leading Amazon’s final mile delivery operations. Drawing on early lessons in supply chain efficiency, he detailed how Amazon is building resilient, adaptive logistics systems to respond to global disruptions like Brexit, COVID-19, and power outages.
Key themes included:
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Resilience & Innovation: Amazon’s ‘Tiny Red Button’ system and AI-driven infrastructure reroute deliveries instantly during crises, such as the Spanish blackout, ensuring high delivery success rates.
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Automation with Purpose: Automation and robotics, including tools like ErgoPick and the Star Fleet routing algorithm, are designed to enhance human roles, not replace them—leading to improved safety, productivity, and job satisfaction.
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Workforce Development: Through initiatives like Career Choice and partnerships with universities, Amazon invests in upskilling employees and fostering the next generation of tech talent.
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Responsible AI: Emphasis on ethical AI deployment includes safeguards like bias detection, human oversight, and explainability. The Bedrock Guardrails framework ensures generative AI is used safely.
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Future Outlook: Amazon is exploring advanced technologies such as predictive logistics, autonomous transportation, and circular supply chains to drive sustainability and efficiency.
In closing, Darragh praised the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) for its leadership in professional development and its alignment with Amazon’s vision for a collaborative and future-ready logistics industry.
Following Darragh's keynote address, he joined a fireside chat led by CEO of PerformanSC, Lorcan Sheehan, and Defence Analyst of Vedette Consulting, Declan Power. The fireside chat's theme was all around de-risking the supply chain, building resilience and mitigating risk.
Later in the day, Dr Muhammad Saad Memon of Atlantic Technological University launched the newly developed Postgraduate Certificate Program in Applied AI in Supply Chain Management. This programme is designed to equip professionals with practical knowledge of how AI can transform supply chains, enhancing efficiency, resilience, and decision-making in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. During his talk, he highlighted how AI, coupled with cybersecurity awareness, is becoming essential across transport, logistics, and supply chain operations.
The programme will be available this year through the CILT Mobility & Supply Chain Skillnet at a subsidised rate, making it accessible for organisations ready to build future-ready teams.
Following on from a networking break, David McNamara, CEO of cybersecurity firm CommSec, took to the stage to give a a presentation on cybersecurity preparedness, asking the question 'Is your business cyber aware?'
Head of cybersecurity at Irish Rail, Maura Solan joined David and CILT Education Manager James Kearney for a fireside chat, covering the very topical Hybrid Warfare and Business Impacts.
At the Supply Chain Resilience Seminar, industry leaders didn’t mince words: Cybersecurity is no longer optional. As supply chains become increasingly digitised and interconnected, every business—large or small—is now a target.
Our powerhouse panellists — Darragh Kelly (Amazon), Declan Power (Defence Analyst Vedette Consulting), moderator Lorcan Sheehan (PerformanSC Supply Chain), David M. CommSec Cyber Security), and Maura Solan (Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail) — delivered a clear message:
💡 Cybersecurity must be embedded across the business, not siloed in IT.
With AI driving operational gains, it’s also opening up new vulnerabilities. Companies that don’t proactively manage these risks are leaving themselves dangerously exposed. And the human factor? Critical. Every employee must become a line of defence.
🔒 Resilience isn’t a buzzword—it’s a survival strategy.
From AI integration to de-risking playbooks and cyber awareness, the conversation was sharp, practical, and urgent. If you weren’t in the room, you missed powerful insights on how to safeguard your operations in today’s high-stakes digital landscape. Don't miss the next CILT member event, get in touch now!