The Share PLM Summit 2026
Human-centric PLM transformation summit in a working sherry bodega
About this event
Held in the unhurried scenery of a grand bodega in Jerez de la Frontera, the SharePLM Summit 2026 brought together over 110 PLM professionals, change makers, and industry experts. The event positioned itself as an alternative to traditional, technology-heavy conferences by prioritising human-centric transformation in Product Lifecycle Management.
Throughout the two-day event, discussions returned to one throughline: successful digital transformation depends on managing organisational change, building trust, and aligning people, not simply upgrading software systems.
Key themes & insights
Trust before tooling
Javier Sánchez (Kerry) presented an inverted org chart from their Sevilla plant — operators at the top, management supporting from below — lifting employee engagement from 24% to 65%. Andreas Wank (Pepperl+Fuchs) tracked a four-year "mood curve," showing transformation is non-linear and requires constant engagement.
More than a dashboard
The digital thread is the governed lifecycle of information required to operate, maintain, and transform an organisation. Henri Syrjäläinen (SSAB) argued industrial AI is blocked by poor lifecycle information, not bad algorithms — and up to 80% of a product's environmental impact is set in early design.
Product memory over automation
AI ran through every conversation, but the consensus held: AI should accelerate execution, not replace judgment. Helena Gutiérrez framed an "enterprise AI harness" that encodes operational DNA; Oleg Shilovitsky argued AI needs "Product Memory" — organised context on what changed, and why.
Sell outcomes, not PLM
Alex Sampedro (SKF) advised attendees to stop "selling PLM" and start selling operational agility and AI readiness to the C-suite. Dennys Gomes (Vestas) shared a case study: optimising data over drawings cut tower documentation from 400 hours to 35 — over €1M saved annually.
Social media & coverage
“Published a synthesis of 25 sessions, highlighting four pillars of successful transformation: PLM as foundation, the digital thread as non-negotiable, AI accelerating execution, and the discipline required to scale.”
“Reflected on the summit's AI workshop — how AI needs "Product Memory," and how that memory inherently depends on people and their relationships. He also raised open questions on data ownership and workflow redesign.”
“Praised the relaxed atmosphere of the bodega setting for fostering genuine connection, recounting sessions on LEAN implementation, PLM strategy, and the future role of humans in an AI-dominated landscape.”
“A recap episode covered the conference's unusual format, the "mood barometer" for change management, practical AI use cases from ASSA ABLOY, and the concept of "cognitive surrender."”
“A pre-event bonus episode with organisers Beatriz González and Jos Voskuil on the value of a relaxed networking environment, and centring people over pure technology.”
“Oleg Shilovitsky returned from Share PLM Summit 2026 in Jerez, Spain still processing what he learned.”
Official hashtags
Used by the organiser on X and LinkedIn. Follow along before, during and after the event.