This educational webinar will explain why executive support for a PLM initiative is not optional; it’s essential.
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, USA 17 July 2025—CIMdata, Inc., the leading global research, consulting, and education firm specializing in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and the Digital Transformation it enables, announces an upcoming free educational webinar, “Executive Support; Does it Really Matter to Drive a Successful PLM Program?” The webinar will take place on Thursday, 14 August 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (EDT) and last for one hour.
Driving a successful PLM program, like any enterprise software or IT initiative, is fundamentally about leadership.
Like all major enterprise software initiatives, PLM demands clear, strong, and active executive sponsorship. Many enterprise software projects, including PLM, struggle to achieve their initial business objectives, often failing to deliver on their original corporate vision. CIMdata has observed this trend repeatedly in global PLM deployments. However, a powerful common thread through CIMdata’s involvement in multiple global PLM deployments is that when clear, strong, and ongoing executive sponsorship—including a dedicated Executive PLM Champion—is present, successful, business-driven deployments are achieved, and a strategic program is established that focuses on phased deployments that consistently deliver on defined business objectives.
This webinar will share CIMdata’s recommendations, drawn from years of strategic consulting, on how executives can drive the success of their PLM programs. Topics include forming effective executive steering committees, selecting the leaders to involve, the benefits of a dedicated Executive PLM Champion, aligning PLM capabilities with business goals during ongoing PLM phased deployments, and other strategies for maximizing business value through active and consistent executive sponsorship.
This webinar will help attendees:
- Identify the core concepts for deploying a successful PLM program.
- Articulate the specific roles and responsibilities of Executive Sponsors, Executive PLM Champions, and Executive Steering Committees in mitigating risks and accelerating PLM success.
- Apply practical insights and real-world approaches from leading global industrial organizations, demonstrating the critical impact of executive sponsorship on driving successful PLM initiatives.
According to Alan Mendel, CIMdata’s Chief Strategy & Operations Officer and the host for this webinar, “Executive sponsorship is an important factor in driving successful PLM initiatives, which cannot be understated. We have seen many cases where PLM initiatives with active and consistent executive sponsorship have achieved their intended business benefits and objectives.”
With over 35 years of experience in IT solutions across various industries, Alan Mendel has a deep background in PLM and digital transformation initiatives, including strategy, implementation, and market development. Before CIMdata, Alan held leadership roles at Aras Corporation, where he focused on business development and North American operations, and co-founded LeverX, an SAP PLM solutions integrator. His extensive career also includes earlier work at CIMdata, where he led global consulting services and developed PLM education programs.
This webinar will be helpful for anyone committed to driving a successful PLM program. Those involved in defining, leading, or supporting product lifecycle initiatives will gain invaluable insights. Specifically, this webinar is designed for PLM Program Leaders, including Executive Sponsors, PLM Champions, Steering Committee Members, and Core Program Leaders; Corporate Executives, including VPs, Directors, and C-level leaders in Engineering, Product Development, Manufacturing, Quality, IT, and Innovation; PLM Management & Strategy Leaders, including Program Managers, Project Managers, Planners, and Solution Architects; and PLM Practitioners & Analysts, including Business Analysts, Process Owners, and key users seeking to optimize PLM value.
During the webinar, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about the topics discussed. To find out more, visit: https://www.cimdata.com/en/education/educational-webinars/webinar-executive-support-does-it-really-matter-to-drive-a-successful-plm-program. To register for this webinar, please visit https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1012440645931178838.
