This plenary session delves into the principles and practices of adaptive systems design, offering participants a front-row seat to strategies that enable organizations to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Through interactive exercises and real-world insights, including a compelling case study of a global transformation, you’ll learn how to:

• Align your organization’s design with strategic goals to drive focus and impact.
• Foster agility to adapt quickly and effectively to changing market demands.
• Implement changes that deliver measurable results and long-term value.
• Gain actionable strategies and tools to help your organization evolve in real time.
• Stay ahead of the curve, whether you’re a leader, consultant, or practitioner navigating complexity.

Rahquel Purcell is a Supply Chain executive with over three decades of experience, known for driving transformative results through consumer-centric innovation. Currently, she serves as L’Oréal’s North America Chief Transformation Officer, where she oversees a vast portfolio of tech-enabled, scaled productivity and digital omni-commerce initiatives across skin, hair, makeup, fragrance and beauty tech categories.

Rahquel’s impressive career includes international work experience in Western Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She has led global teams across the Luxury Beauty, Consumer Products, Food & Beverage, and Automotive industries, always with an eye for transformation and disruptive innovation.

She began her career at the largest consumer products company, Procter & Gamble, with a 23-year tenure marked by groundbreaking achievements in supply chain, manufacturing, purchasing, and packaging. Her strategic leadership approach propelled significant advancements in across the US and Europe, cementing her reputation as a dynamic change-maker and an inspirational figure in the industry.

Joining L’Oréal in January 2016 as the North America Head of Supply Chain, Rahquel’s leadership and strategic acumen quickly paved her appointment to the executive team, ultimately assuming the position of Chief Operations Officer for North America. In this critical role, she transformed the L’Oréal Supply Chain into a consumer-centric engine for growth. Rahquel sat at the frontline of the pandemic, playing a pivotal role in steering the company’s operations through immense uncertainty. Under her leadership, the business grew 2x the market, showcasing her exceptional ability to improve operational efficiency and consumer engagement.

A leader of head and heart, Rahquel is a passionate advocate for workplace diversity and employee empowerment. Her leadership involvement in various ERGs advocating for women and diverse groups in the workplace underscores a commitment to fostering an inclusive and vibrant corporate culture. Beyond her corporate role, she co-founded @KeepYourKookee, a mother-daughter podcast that elevates intergenerational conversations about relationships and womanhood. Her influence also extends to community engagement, including impactful contributions in her previous roles as a member of the Board of Directors for the Cincinnati Urban League and United Way. She also joined the Board of MSC Industrial Supply in 2023.

Rahquel holds a degree from the University of Michigan and honorary degrees from MIT, Harvard, and CEDEP Business School in Paris. In addition to her professional achievements, she is a proud wife, mother of two, and a caregiver.