Dr. Sven F. Crone is an expert in forecasting, with over 15 years of expertise in both its theory and practice. As an Assistant Professor at Lancaster University and the Director of the Lancaster Centre for Forecasting (the largest think tank dedicated to business forecasting) he has been published in over 40 scientific publications and has received international awards for developing new forecasting algorithms. He has trained over 500 Demand Planners, and consulted with industry leaders on improving forecasting methods, systems and processes. Sven is a regular speaker at IBF conferences, sharing insights from hands-on consulting projects and the latest research in forecasting for FMCG/CPG, Call Centres and Energy Markets. He was the recipient of the IBF's Dr. Chaman L. Jain Lifetime Achievement in Business Forecasting & Planning Award in 2024.

Eric is a predictive analytics and business planning innovator, author, teacher and speaker. As Director of Thought Leadership at IBF, he brings over 20 years of experience, previously leading demand planning at Escalade Sports, Berry Plastics, and Tempur Sealy. Eric is an IBF Advanced Certified Professional Forecaster (ACPF) and received IBF’s Excellence in Business Forecasting & Planning award in 2016. He is a frequent speaker and panelist who has published extensively in The Journal of Business Forecasting and APICS Magazine. Eric is also the author of Cultural Cycles, Predictive Analytics for Business Forecasting & Planning, and Practical Guide to Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP/ IBP).