Tariff Volatility, FTZ Complexity, and the Technology Gap

Tariff volatility is no longer episodic. It is a structural operating condition, and Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) programs are increasingly being deployed as the frontline strategic response. But are the systems running those programs actually built for this level of complexity?

QAD partnered with Dimensional Research and AWS to survey more than 300 VP and C-level executives responsible for international trade, supply chain, and compliance at enterprise companies worldwide. This session presents the findings.

Session will cover

• Where audit exposure, system fragmentation, and reporting gaps are creating measurable financial risk and eroding the savings FTZ programs were designed to deliver
• Why outdated FTZ software, built for a more stable trade environment, is struggling to keep pace with today’s geopolitical volatility and multi-zone complexity
• What the data reveals about where AI and modernization efforts are being directed and what conditions are required for them to deliver

Key Takeaways

• A real-time benchmark of where your program stands relative to 300 high-level peers, conducted through live polling during the session
• A clearer picture of where financial exposure is concentrated and what peers are doing in response
• Strategic context for evaluating whether your current systems are equipped for the complexity your program is now expected to absorb

Speakers

• David Gehringer, Principal, Dimensional Research
• Joshua Guy, VP of Global Trade Compliance, QAD