The case for attending Amazon Business Reshape 2026

Amazon Business Reshape 2026: A conversation on why procurement leaders are heading to Nashville 

Quick answer: Amazon Business Reshape 2026 is Amazon Business's annual procurement conference, taking place October 27-28, 2026, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. We expect over 1,000 global attendees access nine main stage sessions and more than 35 breakout sessions covering AI, compliance, and procurement strategy.  

Procurement sits at the center of corporate strategy, shaped by AI, economic volatility, and rising expectations from the C-suite. Chief Procurement Officers who once measured success by cost savings alone now answer for resilience, innovation, and competitive advantage. 

That shift is exactly why Amazon Business created Reshape, now in its fifth year. To understand what's driving procurement leaders across industries to register for the October event in Nashville, we sat down with Todd Heimes, VP and General Manager at Amazon Business. 

Here's what he had to say. 

Procurement has always been about efficiency and cost savings, but what has changed, and why does that make an event like Amazon Business Reshape 2026 more relevant than ever? 

"Procurement used to be perceived as the team that could shave cost from a purchase order," Heimes said. "That's no longer the whole story. Today's procurement leaders are managing geopolitical risk, tariffs, and supply chain disruption while also driving innovation and resilience across the organization. That's a fundamentally different job than it was even five years ago." 

According to Deloitte's 2025 Global Chief Procurement Officer Survey, CPOs are making bold moves to modernize procurement, with a strong focus on digital tools and AI investment. Heimes sees that pressure firsthand in conversations with customers. 

"AI and agentic technology are accelerating how fast procurement teams need to move," he said. "Amazon Business Reshape 2026 is built for that moment. It's not a conference about theory; it's where procurement leaders get direct access to the strategies, technology, and peer relationships that help them set the pace." Amazon Business Reshape 2025 drew strong recognition across the procurement industry as a leading event for innovation, and Heimes says this year's program aims to go further. 

AI and agentic technology are everywhere right now. How does Amazon Business Reshape 2026 help leaders cut through the noise and understand what's actually practical for their procurement teams? 

"Of course there's a lot of noise around AI right now, and like others, procurement leaders don't have time to sort hype from substance on their own," Heimes said. "We built the Amazon Business Reshape 2026 agenda specifically to cut through that. Sessions cover agentic B2B procurement, AI-driven analytics, smart approvals, and buying policy compliance monitoring, and every one of them is grounded in practical application." 

Attendees will also get a first look at what Amazon Business is building next during the innovation spotlight main stage session with Doug Gray, VP, Technology, Amazon Business. "That's one of the sessions I hear the most excitement about," Heimes said. "People want to know where the technology is headed, not just where it stands today." 

Last year's event introduced AI-powered tools focused on shifting procurement toward more continuous, automated oversight. IDC, in its analysis of the event, noted that "Reshape 2025 underscored the maturation of the B2B procurement market, where automation, AI, and real-time analytics are transitioning from long-term ambitions to operational imperatives" (IDC, Amazon Business Reshape 2025: AI and Automation Take Center Stage in Seattle, December 2025). "This year goes deeper," Heimes said. "Attendees will hear directly from practitioners who've already implemented these tools, not just vendors describing what's possible." 

With more than 40 sessions across the agenda, how should attendees think about building their Amazon Business Reshape 2026 experience? 

"40-plus sessions can feel like a lot to navigate, so we designed the agenda around seven themes to help people build a path that matches their goals," Heimes said. Those seven themes are AI and agentic technology, data and analytics, procurement strategy, compliance and risk, customer success stories, product innovation, and leadership and workforce. 

The Amazon Business Reshape 2026 agenda also spans multiple session formats, including presentations, panel conversations/Q&A, demos, roundtables, and hands-on workshops. "Some people learn best from a visual presentation, and others want a hands-on workshop where they're collaborating to work through a real problem," Heimes said. "We built tracks for executives, for administrators, for IT teams, and for organizations that are brand new to Amazon Business, so there's a clear path no matter where you’re starting from." 

Heimes encourages early registrants to map out their sessions in advance. "The people who get the most out of Amazon Business Reshape are usually the ones who've already picked their must-attend sessions before they land in Nashville," he said.  

Procurement leaders often say the peer connections at Amazon Business Reshape are just as valuable as the sessions. What makes the networking experience different here? 

"Amazon Business Reshape 2026 brings together procurement, finance, operations, and strategy leaders from across industries, and that mix is where the best learning happens ," Heimes said. "You'll sit next to someone solving the exact same problem you are, just in a different environment." 

The event includes structured networking through a Meetings Hub, peer-to-peer sessions, industry roundtables, and a Connections Hub where attendees can interact with sponsors, partners, and Amazon Business teams. The Women in Procurement Breakfast also returns for its third year, hosted by Rochelle Seguss, Director of Tech & Product at Amazon Business. One attendee from Amazon Business Reshape 2025 summed up the value this way: "Enough time allowed to network one-on-one with attendees to discuss topics specific to my organization." Another attendee described the broader experience: "Amazon Business Reshape is dynamic enough to support different needs and scenarios. I had opportunities to learn, make new connections, understand Amazon Business' value, and realize I'm not alone in this journey." 

"That's exactly the feedback we build the agenda around," Heimes said. "Content is critical, but the relationships people walk away with often outlast any single session." 

The speaker lineup includes Dr. Pippa Malmgren, analysts from leading research firms, and procurement executives from major organizations. What should attendees expect?

"This lineup reflects how broad procurement's responsibilities have become," Heimes said. Dr. Pippa Malmgren, an economist and geopolitical strategist, will connect economics, geopolitics, and technology to procurement decision-making. 

Attendees will hear from research leaders alongside more than 30 contributing organizations sharing real-world case studies, including procurement leaders at Carvana, Carnival, General Motors, DonorsChoose, and Bristol Myers Squibb. "Last year, we had leaders from Jabil and Intuit walk through how they're using AI in procurement, and the response was overwhelming," Heimes said. "People don't just want frameworks. They want to see how another practitioner solved the same problem they're facing." 

What's one thing you want every attendee to walk away with after two days in Nashville? 

"A plan," Heimes said without hesitation. "I want every attendee to leave with something concrete they can bring back to their team and start applying. That means new benchmarks and frameworks for measuring procurement performance, and a clearer sense of where procurement technology is headed." 

He also points to the relationships attendees build. "The peer connections people make at Amazon Business Reshape often become long-term sounding boards," he said. One Amazon Business Reshape 2025 attendee described it this way: "Insights on how to better apply procurement methods that I was previously unaware existed." 

"That's the outcome we're chasing," Heimes said. "Confidence, a clear plan, and a network they can call on long after the event ends." 

Beyond the sessions and networking, what makes the Amazon Business Reshape experience something people remember? 

"There's an energy that comes from being in a room with more than 1,000 procurement leaders who are all wrestling with the same challenges you are," Heimes said. "That's hard to replicate anywhere else." 

Amazon Business Reshape 2026 also includes a performance from Third Eye Blind on opening night, and Nashville itself adds to the experience. "The Gaylord Opryland is a destination in its own right, and Nashville gives attendees a reason to extend the trip and enjoy the city," Heimes said. 

"What makes Amazon Business Reshape stand out is how it brings together strategic content, peer connection, and product innovation under one roof," he added. "People don't just attend Amazon Business Reshape. They leave with something they can act on." 

Closing the event is a conversation that captures where procurement is heading. Journalist Ari Shapiro, who moderated the top-rated closing discussion on artificial intelligence and business impact at Amazon Business Reshape 2025, returns to the stage to lead the final session at Amazon Business Reshape 2026. Shapiro will host a discussion with Céline Vuillequez, VP, Amazon Business EU, and Matt Yanchyshyn, VP, AWS. They’ll explore how AI is turning procurement data into a strategic asset —so teams can act on intelligence sooner. Shapiro will guide a dynamic conversation exploring what procurement teams are doing today, where the technology is heading, and what it means for the function as decision-making becomes faster and more informed. 

Register for Amazon Business Reshape 2026

Two days. More than 40 sessions.  A speaker lineup spanning economics, technology, and procurement leadership. A community of procurement, finance, and business leaders coming together. Amazon Business Reshape 2026 brings all of it to Nashville on October 27-28. 

Explore the full agenda and register to plan your experience. 

_{Source: Patrick Reymann, Amazon Business Reshape 2025: AI and Automation Take Center Stage in Seattle, IDC #lcUS54053025, December 2025.}