Service Council has announced the launch of the 2027 Smarter Services Executive Symposium – Europe, scheduled for April 13–14, 2027, in Munich, Germany. This event, themed "Service Without Borders: Closing the Gap to Excellence," aims to help senior leaders align global strategies with consistent regional execution.
MUNICH, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Service Council today announced the launch of the 2027 Smarter Services Executive Symposium – Europe, taking place April 13–14, 2027 at the Hilton Munich City in Munich, Germany.
"This expansion reflects both the demand and the momentum we're seeing across Europe," says Service Council CEO John Carroll. "Service leaders are navigating increasingly complex, cross-border operations, and there is a clear need for a community that brings together shared challenges, proven strategies, and real-world insights."
Centered around the theme "Service Without Borders: Closing the Gap to Excellence," the event will bring together senior service, support and customer experience leaders from across Europe to address one of the most pressing challenges facing organizations today: aligning global strategy with consistent, high-impact execution.
Of the theme, Gerardo Pelayo, Chief Research Officer at Service Council, says, "Service Without Borders is about moving beyond isolated improvements and addressing the systemic gaps that hold organizations back. That means bridging the divide between strategy and execution, unifying fragmented systems, and equipping frontline teams with the tools and insights they need to perform. Ultimately, the organizations that succeed will be those that can align globally while delivering measurable outcomes consistently across regions and functions."
The European Symposium marks a significant milestone in Service Council's continued global expansion and growing investment in the European service leadership community. Over the past year, the organization has accelerated its presence across the region by building a strong network of practitioners and establishing a dedicated European Industry Advisory Board to guide regional priorities and ensure local relevance.
This momentum builds on an already established global foundation; currently over 70% of Service Council's member base is made up of multinational service organizations. As such, the European Industry Advisory Board represents a critical next step in shaping how this global perspective is translated into meaningful, regionally relevant engagement.
Making up the board are:
- Joern Lindstaedt, Senior Vice President Global Service, Rolls-Royce Power Systems
- Caroline Haggstrom, Vice President Vattenfall Customer Service Nordic, Vattenfall
- Andreas Schneider, Vice President Services & Support, Canon
- Patrycja Sobera, SVP & GM of Digital Workplace, Unisys
- Hannes Jantke, SVP Global Service Business & New Installation OPS, TKE
- Mike Hughes, Global Head of Service, PEAK Scientific Instruments Ltd
- Lucas Rigotto, CSO, GEA Group
- Chris Dexter, Vice President, Customer Experience, Cisco Systems, Inc.
- Tony Gattuso, VP and GM, Managed Services, HP Inc.
- Ruud Geelen, Global Vice President, Siemens Smart Infrastructure
- Dragan Budic, VP of Global Data & GM Serbia, NCR Atleos
- Fabio Raffone, SVP Services, Tetra Pak
- Jack Rijnenberg, Director Global Customer Service, Markem-Imaje
- Veronique Metz, Director of the Global Technical Solutions Center, Quidel Ortho
That momentum has been evident through a series of highly successful Service Journey Days hosted at leading organizations across Europe. These events, hosted at Rolls-Royce in Germany and Peak Scientific in Scotland, brought together service leaders for immersive, peer-driven learning experiences, onsite walkthroughs with candid discussions on operational excellence and transformation.
The momentum continues in 2026 with upcoming Service Journey Days hosted by GEA Group in Munich and Unisys in Budapest, further strengthening collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the European service community.
The 2027 European event will build on this foundation, following the same proven model as their annual Smarter Services Executive Symposium in Chicago, with a highly curated experience designed for meaningful engagement.
With a 4:1 ratio of practitioners to sponsors, every conversation is grounded in real-world experience. Attendees can expect peer-led sessions focused on practical outcomes, candid discussions on transformation challenges and wins, and insights shaped by real data, benchmarks, and frontline realities. Additionally, attendance at the European Symposium will be included as part of Service Council membership, reinforcing the organization's commitment to delivering ongoing value through research, insight, and peer connection.
As Service Council continues to expand its footprint, the launch of the European Symposium underscores its commitment to supporting service leaders globally by connecting regions, industries, and perspectives to drive measurable impact.
To learn more about the 2027 Smarter Services Executive Symposium – Europe, click here.
About Service Council
Service Council is a global community of service, support, and customer experience leaders dedicated to advancing service as a strategic driver of growth. Through research, events, and peer collaboration, Service Council helps organizations navigate transformation and achieve operational excellence.
Media Contact
Lauren Wheir Slater, Service Council, 1 2064984929, [email protected], https://servicecouncil.com/
SOURCE Service Council
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