Pam Simon, Conference Chair and EVP of Programming at Manifest, reflects on a successful fourth conference and how Manifest Vegas has become one of the hottest events in the supply chain calendar.
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The largest global supply chain and logistics technology event in the world.
Manifest Vegas brings together the most comprehensive ecosystem of those innovating and transforming end-to-end supply chain and logistics. Now in its fourth edition, the 2025 offering was its biggest yet. And it did not disappoint. With over 6,000 attendees coming from more than 50 countries, Manifest Vegas 2025 certainly made some noise.
Bringing the supply chain back to Vegas
Pam Simon is the Conference Chair and EVP of Programming at Manifest. Speaking exclusively to SupplyChain Strategy at the end of this year’s conference, Simon is full of praise for the event her team created. “It’s been an incredible experience,” explains Simon. “Watching the growth of the show and how it is scaling every year has been amazing. From the last time I checked, over 120,000 connections have been made at the show. That’s a lot of new business, investments and partners or potential customers. I feel like anyone who is here is going to walk away with something that they can take back to their business financially and otherwise. It’s been really exciting to see.”
Held for the first time at The Venetian in Las Vegas, having made the move from Caesar’s Forum, one of the biggest advantages was having everything across one large floor. “I am so unbelievably happy to be here at the Venetian. While we had an amazing time at Caesars Forum and the space is great, we’ve been growing and we truly had maxed out every square inch of that building,” she reveals. “From a running around perspective, there are so many different events and activities that are happening and it’s so easy to bump into other speakers and attendees and even by walking around you’re connecting and meeting people. To be able to be at The Venetian and have everything in this vicinity has been a game changer.”
Introducing mentorship
A new exciting element that Manifest introduced this year was mentorship. As part of the invitation to the Manifest Women’s Lunch, conference organisers asked C-suite level attendees whether they would like to be a mentor or mentee. Anyone who showed interest was added to the event networking app for matchmaking before being paired up. Reflecting on the launch, Simon was pleased with its response. “It was received unbelievably well,” she affirms. “When we first sent the email out, we were inundated with people of all different ages, and sizes of companies wanting to be both mentors and mentees. We have so many leaders in this industry who are looking to give back and foster the next generation. It was a natural progression to have it at the show.”
Unique approach
Manifest Vegas is truly unique. Manifest is designed for innovators at the forefront of changing the entire supply chain landscape. The event offers complete visibility over the end-to-end supply chain, which is not typically the case within industry tradeshows. “I believe there is no other show out there that covers the end-to-end of supply chain like we do,” explains Simon.
“Typically you’d have to go to an event for air, road or ocean separately. But here, we have everything in one place. We have over 400 different funds here, so from an investment standpoint you’re able to walk away with a GP or an LP for your fund as well as portfolio companies. We have shippers of all different sizes, and because we are end-to-end, many of these companies are bringing their full executive teams to the show. You’re able to divide and conquer and discover lots of different things that will help a variety of areas within your business – it’s a great place to be. Your partners, vendors and suppliers are all over the place. Getting everyone together in one place and having those in-person meetings is so valuable.”
Meeting supply chain’s challenge
In today’s world, supply chain leaders need to be versatile and agile. The landscape is littered with complexity amid ever-changing geopolitical problems and ‘black swan’ events. The past decade in supply chain has demonstrated the importance of having a ‘just in case’ mindset and operating with a plan B to guard against potential disruptions. “As a Chief Supply Chain Officer, you need to know what’s happening in all aspects of your business,” explains Simon. “It’s not just the warehouse, not just the last mile – you need all of it. For shippers, we have closed round table conversations so they can build a peer-to-peer network with other shippers to understand what they are going through and be able to tackle any of the problems that are being faced as well as prevent any bottlenecks from happening in different parts of the supply chain.”
And organisers are keen to improve and make changes where necessary too, as Simon explains. “We listen to everyone,” she notes. “I try and have conversations with as many people as I possibly can, in order to understand what they are looking for, the problems they are trying to solve and how we can help them do that. It’s about listening to our audience and delivering on what they want.”
Embracing the future
The future of Manifest looks bright with the leadership team already considering plans to expand onto an international stage. The Manifest team hopes to one day host an event in Europe, but there are yet to be confirmed plans for when or where that will happen. However, one thing that has already been revealed is that Manifest Vegas will take place once again at The Venetian on February 9th-11th, 2026. With this in mind and an eye on the future of the sector, Simon is full of optimism about what the next few years for supply chain and logistics could look like. “One of the reasons that I love this industry so much is just because there’s still so much room for transformation and disruption across all areas of it,” she reveals. “It makes it really fun for me personally. The future is very exciting.”
Check out our Manifest Vegas Takeover Edition in SupplyChain Strategy here.
SupplyChain Strategy reflects on one of the world’s leading supply chain and logistics conferences – Manifest Vegas 2025.
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“The future of supply chain and logistics is here” was the tagline of Manifest Vegas 2025. And this year’s event certainly lived up to that billing.
Hosted at The Venetian for the very first time after outgrowing Caesars Forum, over 6,000 attendees arrived from more than 50 countries, with over 400 high-level speakers taking to the stage. Held over three days from February 10-12th, 2025, supply chain leaders, logistics service providers, innovators and investors all gathered to network and learn. Manifest is an event unlike most trade shows – it unites the entire ecosystem and brings everyone together under one roof.
Manifest Vegas 2025
Given the nature of today’s supply chain and logistics environment, a big focus was around data and how the likes of AI and automation are changing the way goods are moved around the world. A short look around the large expo hall would give attendees an insight into everything they needed to know, advanced technologies are beginning to have a real impact on the industry. From Dexory’s 46-foot autonomous robot to drones flying in the air and robotic dogs wandering the floor and everything in between, automation and its capabilities were in full view to excited attendees.
The true spirit of Manifest is its aim to shine a light on the problems of the day and provide advice on how to tackle them. Now in its fourth year, Manifest has grown bigger and bigger. Its 2025 conference offered more than 150 conference sessions which covered a range of aspects within the supply chain ranging from robotics and AI to nearshoring and sustainability. Big names were speaking on stage too with the likes of Patrick Kelleher, CEO of North America at DHL Supply Chain, Sandeep Desai, EVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer (Ice Cream) at Unilever and Gretchen McCarthy, EVP, Chief Supply Chain and Logistics Officer at Target, among many others, all providing world-class insights into the latest topical issues.
Rise of Manifest Vegas
The conference also offered an innovation stage in the expo hall where some 40 companies presented and demonstrated their latest technologies, while a startup area also hosted 100 startups. Overall, the expo hall was filled with something for everyone to enjoy. Indeed, there was a plethora of networking opportunities available at Manifest Vegas 2025. Across the space were coffee bars, a beer garden and a mocktails area. There was a puppy pen where long queues awaited their chance to greet a dog, there were mini golf stands, a blackjack stand and even arcade games to play such as Pac-Man.
It has been quite the rise for an event which was founded during one of supply chain’s most troubling times – COVID-19. Indeed, given the pandemic’s impact, the Manifest leadership team had a two-year wait before they could even host a launch event.
That debut event in January 2022 was the culmination of a significant amount of work by Manifest President Courtney Muller and her team. Indeed, it could have been seen as something of a risk considering the uptake of virtual events in the wake of the pandemic. But fast forward to today and Manifest has become one of the most influential and largest supply chain and logistics events in the world. “It was a blessing in disguise,” Muller told us late last year. “We had a two-year lead up to build the first Manifest. This is very unusual for a conference but it enabled us to penetrate the industry, not just in the United States but globally.”
Setting the standard
Elsewhere this year, a new exciting element that Manifest introduced was mentorship. As part of the invitation to the Manifest Women’s Lunch, conference organisers asked C-suite level attendees whether they would like to be a mentor or mentee. Anyone who showed interest was added to the event networking app for matchmaking before being paired up. Speaking exclusively to SupplyChain Strategy following the conference, Pam Simon, Conference Chair and EVP of Programming at Manifest told us she was pleased with its response. “It was received unbelievably well. When we first sent the email out, we were inundated with people of all different ages, and sizes of companies wanting to be both mentors and mentees. We have so many leaders in this industry who are looking to give back and foster the next generation. It was a natural progression to have it at the show.”
Promising future
And following the action-packed conference, Grammy-nominated and global megastar Flo Rida performed exclusively for Manifest Vegas on the Official After Party stage at the nearby Brooklyn Bowl. Attendees got the opportunity to get up and close with the ‘Low’, ‘Right Round’ and ‘My House’ singer, with some even being invited on stage to perform with the man himself for what was a truly captivating end to a spectacular conference.
And despite such success from 2025’s event, Muller, Simon and co. have no intention of slowing down. The future of Manifest is in a positive place with the leadership team already considering plans to expand onto an international stage. The Manifest team hopes to one day host an event in Europe, but there are yet to be confirmed plans for when or where that will happen. However, one thing that has been decided is that Manifest Vegas will take place once again at The Venetian in Las Vegas on February 9th-11th, 2026. And if 2025’s edition was anything to go by, next year is set to be unmissable.
David Kelly, Executive VP, Global Professional Services at Kinaxis and Rozena Dendy, Global Sales and Operations Planning Manager at ExxonMobil, on the two companies’ business relationship amidst a transformative supply chain landscape.
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A successful partnership thrives on mutual benefit, and Kinaxis and ExxonMobil exemplify this well.
With over 140 years of industry experience under its belt, ExxonMobil is renowned as one of the largest energy companies globally, while Kinaxis brings its market-leading supply chain expertise and digital innovation to the party.
In October 2024, Kinaxis announced a co-development deal with ExxonMobil to create supply chain technology solutions designed specifically for the energy sector. Empowered by the growing demand for energy products that support modern life, the companies are working together to identify supply chain challenges unique to the energy sector and create a potential industry solution to mitigate them.
Kinaxis and ExxonMobil: Inside partnership
Now, Kinaxis and ExxonMobil focus on a supply and demand planning solution for the complex fuel commodities market which has no industry-wide standard and relies heavily on spreadsheets and other manual methods.
The solution enables integrated refinery-to-customer planning with timely data for the most accurate supply/demand planning, balancing and signaling. Some of the benefits include automated data visibility, improved inventory management and terminal replenishment, and enhanced supply scenario planning that are expected to enable arbitrage opportunities and decrease supply costs.
Today, ExxonMobil has centralised its supply chain function across the enterprise. Rozena Dendy, Global Sales and Operations Planning Manager at ExxonMobil, explains that in the past few years, her organisation has made a significant amount of effort to transform businesses and how it views its centralised offering.
“We’re organised with three value chains, so that’s the upstream where we take crude oil out of the ground, product solutions where we have fuels and products we use every day, as well as having our low carbon solutions which are all part of our ambition to net zero,” she explains. “With those three value chains, they provide scale and as well as how we maximise competitive advantage. Where we come into play is our centralised organisation and we are organised to make sure we have those capabilities deployed across those value chains so that we can deliver more value. Ultimately, our supply chain organisation stood up in the last two years to be able to scale and exemplify supply chain excellence and provide additional value to our bottom line.”
Competitive advantage
David Kelly, Executive VP, Global Professional Services at Kinaxis, believes that one of the key differentiators that makes ExxonMobil’s approach unique lies within the freshness of the supply chain team. “A lot of companies we are involved with already have a global team in place. But with ExxonMobil, there were so many different product lines that they were running with their supply chain operations that they decided to bring it all under one umbrella,” he explains.
“We’re working very closely with them to be innovative in coming up with capabilities, mainly in the upstream and in the fuels area to create solutions for the industry that will drive greater value and efficiency across the board. That’s a key differentiator from what we see with many of our other customers on a large-scale basis. Other companies typically had Chief Supply Chain Officers in place for many, many years. This is a little different, it’s very exciting and innovative, especially to be working with a company that has been around for 140 years too. We’re breaking new ground with such an established company in the world.”
David Kelly, Executive VP, Global Professional Services at Kinaxis
ExxonMobil partnership
As ExxonMobil is one of the world’s largest global oil and gas companies and sells multiple products, harnessing agility and efficiency into operations is essential. To achieve this, Dendy explains that supply chain orchestration is a key enabler. “What is nice is how we’re truly organised with having both capabilities and the execution teams all under one umbrella,” she affirms.
“With that, we are organised to have supply chain end-to-end planning, which I actually own. We have logistics excellence, we have materials management, and we have the digital network and advanced analytics, which we call our DNA as far as how we’re applying that across the entire corporation. What’s unique is we’re under one supply chain president who reports to our management committee. Ultimately what we are doing is how we are not only just managing but truly transforming and harmonising the processes and the technology across the entire corporate enterprise. There are spaces where we’re innovating, there are also spaces in which we’re actually deploying. We’re pretty excited and we are also on our transformation journey with upstream as well.”
Change management
Many companies struggle to fully scale supply chain solutions. Dendy believes there are three key factors that are helping ExxonMobil to successfully implement these technologies at scale. “For us, it starts with three things,” she says. “You have to have alignment at the actual leadership level and we have alignment all the way through our management committee to make sure we are focused on delivering the best from the capabilities that the supply chain actually has. Then with the alignment, it also goes into the business line and making sure they are adopting it.
“The second thing is ensuring there is strong change management through your organisation with the changes that you’re trying to adopt. Then it is about how you focus on user adoption. It’s not just about deploying the magic cutting-edge tool of the day, but actually deploying tools that are solving a business problem and making sure that we’re maximising the effort so that we not only demonstrate supply chain excellence but also get the value out of the tool and enhance the user experience as well.”
Kelly adds that one of the special parts of working with ExxonMobil in the upstream and midstream area is that Kinaxis is not replacing existing technologies but instead phone calls and spreadsheets. “What’s interesting about that is that change management and user adoption is even harder than replacing their technology because people are so accustomed to calling someone they know personally to get something done,” discusses Kelly. “This has been one of the biggest drivers for us.”
Technology transformation
Kinaxis Maestro is the only AI-infused end-to-end supply chain orchestration platform for fast, intelligent decision-making. Fusing together multiple proprietary analytical technologies and techniques, Maestro empowers customers to find the right answer at the right time and speed for businesses. This allows for agility and efficiency despite the situation. Maestro infused AI across supply chains in an approachable way to allow for smarter decision-making, faster and at a lower total cost. Kelly explains that while AI is one of the biggest buzzwords in the industry today, it is important to collaborate with companies on how to correctly use the data.
“It’s about figuring out how can we use AI capabilities to make decisions more efficiently and even potentially remove the human element from making a decision,” he explains. “From a supply chain orchestration perspective with ExxonMobil, it’s important that we get the orchestration right first and then we can get a better understanding of where the capabilities are going long-term. AI requires data, so you have to have lots of data for AI to work effectively. It’s not just data within the four walls of ExxonMobil, but external data as well. It could be weather signals, transportation signals or any number of elements like that. That has to be locked in too to make the AI capabilities highly effective.”
Rozena Dendy, Global Sales and Operations Planning Manager at ExxonMobil
Navigating AI’s challenge
For Dendy, the key element to leveraging AI properly is ensuring it isn’t used for the sake of it. Getting people on board to adopt new systems and ways of working is an essential part of any change management journey and is an area that Dendy does not underestimate. “We are working across the enterprise on our AI, not just having our foundation in place, but making sure that we’re truly using it to solve an actual problem,” she discusses. “It’s about finding out what problem are you trying to solve, how you are extracting value, and making sure that you have the data, people and process in place. Enhancing and elevating what humans are doing is important.”
However, despite technology’s draws sometimes the workforce is committed to falling back on familiar legacy systems and processes. But the way to combat this, as Dendy explains, is fostering a process ‘designed to win’ which is the secret sauce to success in any technology transformation journey. “Your culture has to be one about winning or competing to actually win,” she affirms. “It’s not just about winning on its own, it’s about how you win with an actual standard. It’s critically important, you’ve got a process that’s designed to win. Getting the hearts and minds on board is vital because it’s about getting the most out of new tools, changing the way people work to extract the most value and bringing users along that process too.”
Managing the value of AI
Kelly adds that one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding advanced technologies is believing that AI is a magic wand that will hold all the answers. Kelly stresses that organisations should adopt a more strategic and thoughtful approach to leveraging AI for the best results.
“A lot of people want to deploy AI for AI’s sake,” he reveals. “Sometimes they believe it’s going to do so many great things for them, but what they need to understand is you need the specific data signals and data in place normalised to be able to leverage the capabilities that AI has to offer. We are working with a number of companies today, particularly retail or consumer packaged goods who are suppliers to retail, and getting their data signals so they can drive greater forecast accuracy. We’ll be doing the same with ExxonMobil and we will be working with them in the same capacity in AI. But to get that right, you’ve got to have that data and those proper signals in place to be able to have the AI models work effectively.”
With an eye on the future, Kelly has several focus areas on the agenda about how to drive profitability for his organisation, ExxonMobil and the companies it serves. “It’s about looking at how we can drive forecast efficiency, reduce forecast volumes and increase bottom line profitability for the likes of ExxonMobil and our customers,” says Kelly. “While efficiency is good, what most companies and shareholders care about is maximising the profitability of the overall organisation. It’s about how we can focus on that for our customers and drive that efficiency which will be key in the industry moving forward.”
Kirk Knauff, President and Chief Executive Officer at Kaleris, discusses his company’s journey to driving advanced optimisation across the supply chain.
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In today’s fast-paced supply chain landscape, even the slightest delay can become costly bottlenecks, inefficiencies and missed commitments.
Enter Kaleris.
The company’s cutting-edge software allows customers to take control. They streamline critical workflows and harness real-time data to allow for smarter, faster decisions to be made with confidence and keep operations moving forward. And Kaleris can back it up too – the company works with more than 650 organisations in over 80 countries.
Advanced optimisation technology
Kirk Knauff is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Kaleris. Knauff explains that his company’s customers place a high value on software for mission-critical operations. “AI, machine learning, GenAI are part of the next frontier in every industry, but not on their own,” he says.
“What we’ve seen in terms of what our customers ask – driven by what their customers are asking of them – is, ‘What can you do to help us make our operations more efficient, reliable and safer?’ We help our customers execute better through advanced optimisation, which includes components of AI and machine learning, so they can see where bottlenecks and disruptions occur. Tools like AI help them make sense of all the operations data and make informed decisions about how to best use their network and assets. We are always looking for use cases to serve our customers better, even internally with our own operations, so we become more efficient, which allows us to invest more in our customers’ applications.”
Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Kaleris is a leading provider of supply chain execution technology. Many of the world’s largest brands rely on Kaleris to provide mission-critical technology for yard management, transportation management, maintenance and repair operations, terminal operating systems, and ocean carrier and vessel solutions. By consolidating supply chain execution software assets across major nodes and modes, Kaleris addresses the dark spots and data gaps that cause friction and inefficiency in the global supply chain.
Kirk Knauff, President and Chief Executive Officer at Kaleris
Key considerations of new technologies
In addition to being the world’s largest provider of terminal operating systems, Kaleris has been recognised as a global leader in yard management solutions for more than 20 years. Kaleris YMS offers a broad range of solutions that are trusted by leading brands and offer unique capabilities for real-time location systems, automated gate check-in, task automation, and more. Customers are at the forefront of decision-making within Kaleris, with Knauff noting the key is to ensure any new processes are carefully integrated into successful workflows, instead of starting from scratch.
“GenAI or large language models are not a magic button we can press and suddenly all of the industry’s technical challenges are over,” he says. “When employed by companies with our expertise, it can be used to innovate faster. The software and technology in place today are truly mission-critical. It’s about building around what’s working versus replacing for the sake of new trends. We’re excited because we see huge potential ahead for advanced optimisation and how new elements like AI enable it.”
Data challenge
One of the most important aspects to achieve sustained success within the supply chain of 2025 is gathering quality data and managing it properly. Today, how companies collect their data and what they do with that information can ultimately make or break them. Knauff believes advanced technology tools are helping to connect a supply chain landscape full of bespoke single-point solutions.
“Nodes on the supply chain and different ways of moving things from point A to point B are part of the legacy of the industry,” he says. “Consider all the different players in the value chain—when something moves from point A to point B, numerous parties play a role in the process. From the very physical nature of what happens from moving things around to who provides technical solutions, this is where bespoke single-point solutions have come in to try and fix the handover challenges.
“However, everyone is looking at it and saying, ‘We have all these disconnected points across the supply chain, why can’t we have data that’s more integrated and collaborative across the supply chain?’ It’s a big challenge of our time, and there’s a lot of legacy to navigate. We have a lot of providers of technical solutions and not everyone is open to the idea of sharing workflow data and creating interoperable systems.”
Global positioning
Kaleris is quite the powerhouse. Today, it stands among the largest providers of multimodal solutions for transportation, with more than 50% of the world’s cargo managed by Kaleris solutions. According to Knauff, it acts as something of a competitive advantage for the organisation and sets it apart from competitors. “Our scale and footprint are helpful for us,” says Knauff. “What makes us unique is our ability to collaborate with our broad customer base and understand what their challenges are as a group. There’s no other company in the world that has the install base of customers that we have and can innovate with.”
With the AI revolution in full force, the importance of companies learning as quickly as possible what works and what doesn’t is essential to get ahead of the competition. As far as Knauff and Kaleris are concerned though, there is a lot to be excited about. “The inherent challenges in terms of the legacy problems to solve are a big hole to dig out of, and that means opportunities for us and our customers to do even better,” he reveals. “One of my favourite things about this industry is the physical nature of the problems that you’re trying to solve. Until someone tells me otherwise, you still can’t snap your fingers and move something from point A to point B. There are always going to be challenges across the supply chain, and that means more areas for us to help. I am very excited about the future.”
Oana Jinga, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial and Product Officer at Dexory, discusses how owning the world’s tallest autonomous robot sets her organisation apart from others in today’s dynamic and competitive supply chain space.
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Possessing the world’s tallest autonomous robot is quite the accolade.
Standing at a towering 46 feet tall and weighing 1,500 pounds, Dexory’s robot is designed to operate seamlessly across warehouse environments. The robot is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, including high-definition cameras, temperature gauges and humidity monitors which autonomously navigates vast warehouse spaces while scanning more than 100,000 pallets every 24 hours. This efficiency doesn’t just enhance operational speed but also allows for meticulous inventory management.
Indeed, Dexory is on a mission to uncover intelligence via technology that empowers businesses to optimise, predict and grow. The company is revolutionising the warehousing and logistics industry through AI-driven automation and advanced robotics, delivering real-time data intelligence that elevates operational efficiency. Dexory’s digital twin technology is the only platform for autonomous robots that continuously delivers data and insights on warehouse operations in real-time. The company’s robots and data visualisation platform work together to measure, track and locate goods across their supply chain journey within the warehouse.
Oana Jinga, Co-Founder at Dexory
Dexory’s secret sauce
At the heart of Dexory’s journey are the company’s three founders; Andrei Danescu, Adrian Negoita and Oana Jinga. The trio moved to the UK more than a decade ago and worked in several different jobs while living together in a house share. Jinga began her technology career at O2 before spending six years at Google, managing strategic partnerships across EMEA, and being part of the team that launched the first Google Pixel phone. She explains that from her company’s perspective, the company always had the idea of using robotics to do more than the traditional use cases of picking and moving things around warehouses. This mindset has been taken one step further by introducing the record-breaking robot.
“We realised that if we equip them with the right sensors and cameras, then we can capture ridiculous amounts of information on a continuous basis,” Jinga tells us. “This is real-time data from inside warehouses, which was previously unheard of, you would likely need over 10,000 cameras across the entire warehouse to get the same amount of data that we do with one robot.
“The big advantage is that we offer our customers the possibility to know at any point in time exactly what they have and where it is. By being able to scan as fast as we can and capture as much data as we can every single day, then that allows our customers to know in real-time exactly what they have and where. This is instead of manual processes of other technologies which take weeks and months to get that level of data. We do that every single day, which has changed the game for our customers and how they can use that data to operate in real-time.”
Data management
Upon launching the new technology almost two years ago, Dexory’s customers were not prepared for the plethora of data the robot provided. Jinga explains that it took a few months to get used to the vast amount of information that customers now had at their fingertips and efficiency rose significantly. “Their picking became much more efficient and they are utilising the space much better. One of the biggest improvements we were told about was that there were much fewer issues with orders leaving the warehouse,” she says. “We have customers that reduced errors leaving the door from about 50 or 100 errors a week to zero because the correct stock is in the right location. Until you see that data and you start utilising it on site, you likely don’t even realise what you can do with it because it’s never been done before.”
Indeed, the supply chain space is in the midst of a digital transformation filled with exciting and dynamic innovations. While Jinga was speaking to SupplyChain Strategy at Manifest Vegas, Dexory’s robot was in full flow and drew lots of attention to the company’s stand which was located towards the front of the expo hall. Another new advanced technology offering that has captured interest has been the acceleration of generative AI and the potential that large language models offer. “I think we haven’t even scratched the surface of what GenAI can do, especially in the enterprise environment,” she says.
Advanced technologies
“ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini are one thing but being able to make enterprises more efficient and help them be much more proactive rather than reactive to their environments hasn’t even started yet. The sheer amount of data and information that we track every single day is around one million data points from every warehouse. This helps our modules become much better, helps machine learning improve and identifies what we’re looking at. It also gives us the opportunity to build our own language models.
“In order to be able to do that you need this amount of data and information to pile up because it doesn’t currently exist to be able to train the models. The more data you capture then the better it becomes which is why it needs to take a while for that to amount. For example, with ChatGPT, language is something that everyone uses and the amount of information out there is ridiculous, but data from inside warehouses doesn’t exist yet. It’s building up and we are very fortunate to be one of the few out there that has the capacity to capture so much information and then filter it through our models and bring value to the customer at the end.”
Sustainability drive
When it comes to sustainability, no one can go it alone. It is no longer just about what any singular company does, much of it revolves around how green their supply chains are too. Close collaboration is at the heart of making sustainability stick in supply chain and logistics.
“We all have to work together to make it happen because we can do our part but if the next supplier down the line picking up the data from ours doesn’t do it in the right way, then it doesn’t mean anything,” Jinga affirms. “You need to follow it through. I believe we’ve developed a few features for our customers around sustainability that they requested us to help them with. It’s about giving them visibility on the stock that might become waste and flagging it in the correct way with the right team so they can act on it at the appropriate time. It is important to keep our suppliers accountable because we are part of a wider chain of events that needs to happen.”
Meeting global goals
With an eye on keeping aligned with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the importance of balancing cost and sustainability is an important factor for most companies and their supply chains. For Jinga, she insists there are two key sides to the story.
“Firstly, it’s about how we are internally tackling it and about our sustainable supply chain,” she tells us. “We work a lot with our own suppliers to make sure that whatever we put in the robots, how we utilise the robot and recycle the robots is done properly. But the biggest impact we have is with our customers. Going back to the fact that we have all this data, it means we can show them where the leaks are when it comes to their stock.
“We keep track of their goods that might be going out of date or they might be wasting around on the shelves. Being able to reduce that waste in the warehouse is very, very important for our customers. Because we have the capacity to scan the sites every single day, multiple times a day, it highlights things exactly as they happen and it allows them to then pick that pallet, get it out in the system and send it to the stores instead of leaving it there to become waste. It’s about the impact we can have on our customers.”
Future focused
The future of Dexory looks promising. In October 2024, Dexory announced it had successfully closed a $80 million Series B funding round, following a $19 million Series A funding round the year before. Over the past few years, the team has grown from 15 members of staff to 80 employees which demonstrates the company’s drive to scale. Led by Jinga and her two co-founders, Dexory is set to continue to grow, evolve and sustain its impact on the world of supply chain and logistics and beyond.
“The pace of change and technology coming into the sector is absolutely insane,” she discusses. “We started working in logistics just after the pandemic in late 2020. Seeing how things have changed over those past four years is making me extremely excited about what’s coming ahead. Robotics is finally becoming mainstream, and people are not afraid to adopt technology anymore and to understand the benefits of a full return of investment in automation. Then you have all the additional technologies like scanners and sensors and all of those becoming much better and cheaper which then makes our technology easier to implement with customers too. I’m very excited about the years to come.”
Paul Heitlinger, Venture General Manager, and Lisa Mulholland, Vice President of Sales at Sientis, discuss how their organisation is transforming inventory management in supply chain.
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Complete visibility is the key ingredient to success in today’s supply chain.
It is the reason why autonomous drones are becoming increasingly popular in warehouses. Drones allow warehouses to automate inventory counting seven to 10 times or even faster with higher accuracy and increased efficiency than manual counting.
Sientis links computer vision-based localisation, barcode scanning, full autonomy and multi-drone orchestration technology in one seamless warehouse management service. The company’s customers can benefit from detailed, up-to-date inventory analytics that reduces low-value manual labour and transforms productivity and efficiency. Overall, Sientis helps its customers improve overall efficiency with a minimum 40% return on investment over a three-year period.
Inside Sientis
Having originally been part of Nokia Bell Labs and also formerly named Nokia AIMS, the founding of Sientis began by looking at vertical farming and how to automate the analytics of plant health. This work then expanded into the warehouse space and eventually saw Sientis transition into its own autonomous business group.
“We are an internal startup that is being incubated by Nokia,” Paul Heitlinger, Venture General Manager, tells us. “Now, we are focused on providing the best possible solution for the warehouse industry for cycle counting by using our in-house developed autonomy stack for the drone. We do our own analytics and interpret the data. We are essentially a full-stack organisation from the image capture, the drone autonomy, the analytics and the UI – we do it ourselves with a really small team that is both very agile and smart, so we are able to develop these solutions quickly and efficiently.”
Heiltinger adds that his company builds its own products to best meet customer needs. “We’re always advancing, researching and moving the product forward and building the best possible solution for cycle counting,” he adds. “We are part of Nokia, so they are invested in this business. They believe that this is a growth business for the company.”
Lisa Mulholland was recently appointed Vice President of Sales at Sientis. She explains the company’s past few years have been filled with rapid growth and transformation fuelled by advanced technology. “With the tools that have been provided, the technologies have significantly improved analytics, automation, decision-making and are enabling businesses to optimise operations,” she reveals. “With these improvements, our Autonomous Inventory Monitoring Service (AIMS) division is transforming the space.”
Power of data
Data is a big piece of the puzzle for Sientis and its people. According to Heitlinger, one of the biggest advantages of leveraging new, advanced digital tools is the visibility over what customers want to see and what they actually need. “I think one of the powerful things about natural language is that we don’t have to predict what customers want to see,” he explains. “We will have models that are trained on specific kinds of data and they can use natural language queries to find the data they are looking for. It will really open up the reporting to what a customer wants to see.”
As a result, customers will have access to a powerful tool that can mean unprecedented access to Sientis’ data. Heitlinger explains that as long as the information his organisation provides is useful and can be interpreted from LLMs then it doesn’t matter how customers utilise the data.
“The other part is that we want to ensure that customers can access their data quickly too,” he adds. “One of the things that we are working on is digital twins, and we are doing this in conjunction with Bell Labs as well. How do we get customers an overview of their warehouse, where at a glance they can see all the missing inventory? How do we ensure that inventory analysis is provided as quickly as possible to customers so they can come in and find that missing inventory quickly? We are implementing digital twin solutions and natural language queries to ensure that customers get access to the data and how they want it in a really quick and efficient way. It’s not just a simple solution, it becomes a much more powerful solution because the customer decides how they want to see their data.”
Navigating disruptions
Given the nature of the complex world the supply chain faces today, things don’t always go to plan. Over the past half-decade or so, the world has encountered a series of ‘black swan’ events that have caused significant problems to companies and their supply chains. Geopolitical issues such as COVID-19, elections, wars, inflation and more have all had their own effect on global supply chains in one way or another and those that have overcome such challenges have done so by being agile, flexible and ready to respond quickly. Helping Sientis to do that has been through leveraging data analytics.
“The best warehouse operators are the ones that are going to manage their accuracy, their customer service, being able to ship on time and not lose inventory,” explains Heitlinger. “It’s important to let workers, who are a scarce commodity, do the higher value things like picking, shipping and packing, while letting Sientis do the work that no one else wants to do that is only done because of inaccuracies that humans cause. We’ll do it much more accurately, much faster and allow our customers to become the best warehouse operators amongst their peers.”
Mulholland adds that the importance of transitioning from a reactive to a proactive approach cannot be understated and she is already witnessing the seismic shift underway within the industry and beyond. “We’re starting to see the signs of the true value that these technologies hold and the full potential is still unfolding,” she tells us. “Many organisations are in the process of integrating these AI-powered solutions. Like Paul said, it reduces human error, cuts costs and enables data-driven decisions. As adoption increases, we’ll continue to see greater efficiencies, lower operational costs and enhanced supply chain resiliency powered by this technology.”
Setting boundaries
Over the past few years, GenAI and the potential it brings has become the name on most supply chain executives’ lips. This is partly a result of the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT model which has accelerated the topic of large language models and brought it to the forefront of conversations. However, one of the biggest concerns with chatbots is the possibility of hallucinations and how answers that aren’t true could be presented as fact. Fortunately, Sientis hopes to one day have an answer for that. The organisation is training its model on customer data and its technology is learning structured data.
“It’s not something that lends itself to hallucination,” says Heitlinger. “By the time we release it into production, it’s been thoroughly tested and trained. We beta-tested with customers first so nothing’s going out to production that we’re not completely happy with. It would be really bad if we released it and a customer said, ‘Tell me what my most lost product is’ and it was totally wrong. But it’s not dealing with complicated data either so there’s not loads of opportunities for these models to go wrong from my perspective.”
For Mulholland, one of the biggest considerations when introducing new ways of operating is determining what the practical value is. “It is important to have clear business objectives and align them with specific goals like cost reduction, efficiency, real-time visibility,” she explains. “One of the things that myself and my team pride ourselves on is getting to know our customers, the ins and outs of their business, and how our solution is tailored to their direct needs.”
The future
Looking ahead, Heitlinger believes the future of Sientis could go in several different directions. “We have drone autonomy, so there are always new opportunities that we can use our platform for,” he tells us. “The drone ultimately captures the data on the shelf at a customer site and the other half of this is around how we interpret that data and how we present it to the customer. There’s a lot of opportunity in the future.
“For our immediate future, we are going to continue to enhance the service. We really want to make the data as useful as possible for our customers. We are very agile, so we’re always built to what our customers want. One of the things that also differentiates us is that we look at all our customers as a partnership. We’re always trying to learn from our customers and trying to make our product better to help our customers operate their businesses better. We’re only successful if our customers are successful. It’s in our interest to listen to our customers and work with them on making our service to what they want and how they want to use it. The future is bright.”
William (Bill) Wappler, CEO and Executive Chairman at Surgere and David Russler, Senior Manager at Trane Technologies, discuss the partnership between the two companies and how Surgere’s delivery of 99.9% data accuracy acts as a competitive advantage.
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In a world with so much uncertainty, being accurate with your supply chain data is essential.
And when it comes to data accuracy, Surgere is second to none. Surgere is an industry pioneer and leverages IoT technology to revolutionise and reshape the supply chain for the world’s leading automotive, manufacturing, logistics and food and beverage companies. The company’s engineering and operations team work with its customers from day one to plan, test and deploy IoT supply chain solutions that deliver data accuracy and reliability to allow for better decision-making across the entire organisation. Via Interius, Surgere’s SaaS platform, supply chain transactions combine with enterprise tools and systems for complete visibility and accuracy to drive real-time, proactive decision-making.
William (Bill) Wappler is the CEO and Executive Chairman at Surgere. In 2004, the company was actually born at his kitchen table in North Canton, Ohio. Initially, Surgere served as a packaging consultant for major companies such as Timken, Alcoa, and Whirlpool. However, after witnessing significant failures taking place throughout supply chains, Wappler began searching for software to support his existing clients’ needs. But he couldn’t seem to identify a solution that worked. “It was then that I took a leap of faith and recreated Surgere,” he says. “We extended our supply chain expertise into software; directing our team to build highly specialised software that could provide absolute visibility throughout supply chains. This was the first critical step in ending the chaos.”
Today, Surgere is on a mission to save the supply chain. By using the Interius platform, its clients can fully identify supply chain weaknesses. Surgere built its foundation on delivering 99.9% accuracy, valuable insights, proven cost reduction and increased productivity. The company’s clients are moving far beyond identity, location, and insight into ML/AI-directed corrective action. More than 15 billion monthly transactions from IoT sensors moving between more than 2,000 client locations, are made visible 24/7, 365 days a year with Surgere’s technology.
SupplyChain Strategy chatting to William (Bill) Wappler, CEO and Executive Chairman, at Surgere and David Russler, Senior Manager at Trane Technologies
Developing partnerships
Over the past couple of years, Surgere and Trane Technologies have formed a key, strategic partnership. David Russler is the Senior Manager at Trane Technologies. With over 27 years of experience in the automation and automotive industries, Russler possesses a strong background in engineering management, having previously worked as a Product Interface Manager and an Engineering Group Manager at General Motors. Today, as part of his role within Trane Technologies, he leads the development and integration of automation solutions.
Reflecting on how the alliance was born, Russler explains that around two years ago his company decided an area of interest was around material tracking.
“We had a number of solution providers in our plants. We have roughly 40 plants around the globe and different plants had tried a range of solutions without much success to be very honest,” he reveals. “Firstly, we began a competitive analysis to try and understand what the technology actually offers today and what was important to us. Then we found that getting the reliability of the data and the solution that we implemented was the key. We went through very extensive analysis on what technologies were available, and which partners were available out in the space, and that really is a key piece of what we were looking for. We were truly looking for a partner, not just a hardware provider or a software provider.”
And so they found Surgere. With an automotive background, Russler believes long-term and mutually beneficial relationships are more common in that industry. However, he reveals the relationship Trane Technologies has built with Surgere is particularly special. “We wanted a partnership that would allow us to work together to develop solutions that were unique to our applications,” he tells us. “We’re really trying to drive that culture and foster that relationship building so that we can have established relationships, develop solutions, and then move much more quickly as we try to implement solutions within our factories.”
Having completed business with a host of multinational companies such as the likes of Caterpillar, Toyota and Honda, Surgere has seen its fair share. But Wappler is keen to outline that the Trane Technologies alliance is unique.
“Trane is unique in that their commitment by the executive team is not momentary – it lasts throughout the partnership,” he discusses. “Secondly, Trane understands the importance of what governance is all about, how to take two teams and make them into one and that increases the success of technology deployment exponentially. Technology deployments, much like ours, in supply chain, fail about 43% of the time. Think about that. You almost have a 50/50 shot on whether or not it’s actually going to work. The trouble isn’t always the technology that’s in play but in many cases it’s the partnership. As we look down the line, one of the things that we’re certain of is that this project’s going to succeed and it’s going to succeed because of David and his team.”
Russler reveals that when he looks at what Trane had out in its facilities today, the company actually had a much worse than 50/50 chance of the technology succeeding on the legacy equipment that it possessed. “One of the things that was really appealing to us about working with Surgere is a 99.9% reliability rate in ensuring that the data is being read accurately and shared appropriately to the individuals who need it to get the data and make good decisions.”
William (Bill) Wappler, CEO and Executive Chairman, at Surgere
Introducing Sophia
At Manifest Vegas 2025, Surgere introduced a new agentic AI assistant called Sophia. The technology is an intelligent supply chain companion fully integrated into Surgere’s Interius platform. The benefit of Sophia is to make supply chain professionals’ lives easier by delivering real-time analysis and action based on their unique supply chain data.
“Everything is based on accuracy and fidelity. I can’t help David and his team much if I’m not at nearly 100% accurate and that’s at all points across the supply chain,” reveals Wappler. “What built our company is accuracy. That requires a confluence of different technologies. By the time we’re finished, we will have probably deployed anywhere between five and seven different technologies that can give him that accurate data throughout his entire enterprise. That’s a very unique thing. As an example, we’re currently providing our software about 15 billion transactions a month in data relative to ‘Where’s my stuff?’ Our software ingests that. Then we provide that data to people who are running the supply chain operations they begin to synthesise, analyse and think about how to react. And that’s been traditional in the world of software forever.
“However, with 15 billion transactions, David and his team cannot possibly keep up with that kind of transaction volume, let alone synthesise, analyse, and direct their team. It’s overwhelming. So when we started looking at AI, we didn’t look at AI in a large language model to do someone’s homework. What we really needed was a digital coworker that could stand next to our clients and analyse that data for them, prioritise what they should pay attention to, and then tell them how to react. Across their supply chain, billions of transactions are being made gathered by software fed to Sophia and she is standing next to David saying, ‘Here’s what you need to think about and here’s what I would suggest that you do’. She’s a game-changer.”
According to Russler, the introduction of Sophia is a critical piece of the puzzle to ensure the right data at the right time to make the right decisions. “What’s been missing for us is not knowing where our components or finished goods were and that was what was driving waste in our systems that we needed to eliminate. Where Sophia really comes in is helping us to eliminate that waste and to help us to get to the decisions that we need to make more quickly.”
2025 Vision
Russler calls 2025 “the year of execution” for Trane Technologies. Over the past year, his team has dedicated significant time to developing standards and establishing a foundation to streamline its 40+ manufacturing facilities worldwide.
“2025 is about implementing those plans and putting those plans into action. We’ve got a number of projects that we’ve brought online in the last couple of months alone,” he says. “We have a number of other plans that we’re in the process of bringing online this year, and our challenge was to have Bill and his team try to get to as many of our facilities around the globe this year as possible so we can then begin executing those plans more efficiently into our sites. This year and the next couple of years are really going to be exciting for us because now we’re going to start reaping the rewards for all of the technologies that we are actually developing and bringing those efficiencies into our operations.”
With an eye on the future, Wappler is in no uncertain terms optimistic about what lies ahead for his company, the industry and beyond.
“The future is so interesting,” he stresses. “We are under a transformation that has never been seen by technology, much less manufacturing, and that is happening right now. I believe that AI is going to unleash power that we can only begin to imagine. Part of that will knock down the old silos that exist within our clients and it will turn away single point solutions. If you can’t exist in a solution set that embraces an entire enterprise and supports what everyone wants to do at one time, then I think that you’re a dinosaur. We’re being told that we’re just trying to understand it as a society and we are now starting to get a glimpse of what that might mean. I wish that I wasn’t just my children, I wish I was my grandchildren because they’re going to be able to see unimaginable things.
“AI is going to supplant human intervention with data and it’s going to be able to act and think for us in a way that supports this transformation in ways we’re just imagining. I think that if anything, we should all be living in a world of optimism and I’m quite excited by it. I just can’t wait because we’re just getting a glimpse, but it’s coming and it’s coming quicker than we think.”
And it’s a very special one indeed – it is our Manifest Vegas Takeover Edition. Last month, we travelled to Las Vegas to cover Manifest Vegas 2025 which has quickly become one of the world’s leading supply chain and logistics conferences.
Manifest Vegas brings together the most comprehensive ecosystem of those innovating and transforming end-to-end supply chain and logistics. Now in its fourth edition, the 2025 offering was its biggest yet. The event offers complete visibility over the end-to-end supply chain, which is not typically the case within industry trade shows. “I believe there is no other show out there that covers the end-to-end of supply chain like we do,” explains Pam Simon, Conference Chair and EVP of Programming at Manifest. “Typically you’d have to go to an event for air, road or ocean separately. But here, we have everything in one place.”
Throughout these pages, you will find exclusive interviews and articles from Manifest Vegas, featuring global companies, including the likes of Surgere, Sientis, Dexory, Kaleris, Kinaxis and ExxonMobil, among many others.
Elsewhere in the magazine, we speak with Joseph DeMarco and Jamie Bilbrey of ABM, who explore the process of putting relationship management and innovation at the heart of a procurement transformation.
Before you go, be sure to check out a feature with Michael Altman, Head of Global Strategic Initiatives at Kenvue, who talks supply chain transformation, resilience, and learning the lessons of the pandemic.
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Tony Zasimovich, Global Vertical Lead, Retail at DP World, discusses how the supply chain is evolving in a disruptive world.
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DP World is the leading provider of smart logistics and enables the flow of trade across the world.
Beginning in 1972 as a local port operator in Dubai, to evolving into a global logistics powerhouse with operations in more than 78 countries across six continents, it is fair to say that DP World has been on quite the journey over the past half-century.
Global trade creates opportunities and helps improve the quality of life for people across the world. As part of this, DP World’s mission is to simplify the world’s trade flow and transform the possible for customers and communities.
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Tony Zasimovich, Global Vertical Lead, Retail at DP World, speaks to SupplyChain Strategy to explore how supply chains can embrace the chaos and continue to thrive amidst geopolitical challenges and technological optimisation.
Tony Zasimovich, Global Vertical Lead, Retail at DP World
Can you share some background on yourself and the business?
Tony Zasimovich: “With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 114,000 employees, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain fit for the future. We’re rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses — Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades. What’s more, we’re reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we’re at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.
“I am a 30-year senior executive with extensive knowledge in Global Supply Chain Management, having worked for a number of transportation and third-party logistics providers during my career. Part of my experience includes being based in Hong Kong overseeing eight countries and the management teams that provided service for their top international clients as well and directing the effort to build up the network and company-owned infrastructure for China-based activity. This led to taking on a global role, managing the international services for APL Logistics, opening up new services in origin consolidation and domestic warehousing distribution, US-based deconsolidation activity and the ocean, air, customs house brokerage and e-commerce services. I also launched and managed the Global Retail vertical for APL Logistics serving the US, Asia, Europe and Latin America clients leading the team to achieve successful and the most profitable years for the company. Today, I have established my own consulting firm under AMZ Advisors offering a full spectrum of advisory and consulting services for both domestic and international clients needing help in their end-to-end supply chain network capabilities.”
What inspired you to get involved in logistics?
Tony Zasimovich: “I have always been fascinated by the role global logistics plays in making connections more seamless. Whether it was solving complex challenges like operational efficiencies to navigating geopolitical tensions, logistics for me isn’t just about moving goods from A to B, it’s about industry collaboration and working together to enable businesses and communities to receive what they need. Trade creates new and exciting opportunities that drive innovation and over time become the industry standard. I am proud to be a part of a business that plays a critical role in future-proofing supply chains and makes a tangible impact on businesses, communities, technology and the environment.”
What are you most looking forward to at Manifest 2025?
Tony Zasimovich: “Manifest 2025 is set to be one of the premier events in the annual calendar for the supply chain and logistics sector with industry executives, logistics service providers, innovators and investors all in attendance. With over 100 sessions that will focus on the critical challenges and solutions for end-to-end supply chain and logistics, it routinely showcases the best and brightest minds and ideas in the sector. As ever, DP World is looking forward to connecting with our industry peers and engaging with Manifest’s global network of thought leaders for the knowledge sharing and collaboration I believe is so crucial. It will be through insightful discussions and networking opportunities where we will learn more on the latest trends, technologies and strategies that are shaping the future of global supply chains. As the landscape continues to evolve, events and partnerships like Manifest help us to demonstrate in person, our commitment to solving complex challenges and future-proof global supply chains.”
How do you think events like Manifest are contributing to the overall evolution of supply chain and logistics? What makes it so special?
Tony Zasimovich: “It is through business engagement platforms and partnerships with the likes of Manifest that industry professionals play a critical role in driving the evolution of global supply chains forward. Industry events bring together thought leaders, technology providers, end-to-end logistics leaders and supply chain stakeholders to discuss the challenges they face, and exchange insights on how they are working to solve each challenge. Focusing on collaboration, Manifest provides an ideal space to share best practices and gain insights into trends that will continue to shape the future of supply chains. Face-to-face networking opportunities allow for transparent, open conversations on how supply chains will remain agile in an ever-changing landscape.”
What, broadly, do you think 2025 holds for the supply chain space?
Tony Zasimovich: “In 2025, we anticipate global supply chains will continue to be impacted by the changing environment around technological innovations, geopolitical dynamics and rising consumer demand. Supply chain and logistics leaders will continue to integrate artificial intelligence and automation technologies into their operations establishing real-time data to support decision-making, and ultimately streamlining operations end-to-end.
“As we are in an era of fragmentation, we expect geopolitical challenges, and technological optimisation to continue to drive the diversification of supply chains. Defined not only by disruption, but an increasing tendency towards protectionism, logistics and supply chain providers like DP World must prioritise supporting our customers to navigate new technology, legislation and trends like friendshoring, reshoring or nearshoring. We anticipate supply chain workers will become increasingly upskilled in managing automation and digitisation, to allow for supply chains to be smarter, more agile and prepared to navigate rapidly changing global landscapes.
“Whether flooding or droughts, supply chain disruption caused by climate change has become more cyclical, with increasingly severe knock-on effects for global trade in recent years including major trading routes along the Mississippi, Rhine, Yangtze rivers and the Panama Canal. Therefore, sustainability will continue to be a critical driver of evolving supply chains in 2025. Providers will adopt greener practices that reduce carbon footprints, embrace circular economy models and meet the environmental expectations of consumers. Businesses will continue to prioritise agility and work to build resilient supply chains to ensure global trade continues to flow. Overall, we anticipate supply chains to become smarter, more sustainable and agile through advanced technological integration, flexibility and resilience, industry collaboration and advanced workforce skills.”
What does 2025 hold for your business specifically?
Tony Zasimovich: “In 2025 we will continue to prioritise coopetition, adaptability and resilience. This includes shifting our ways of thinking, where collaboration and competition exist side by side, enabling businesses to optimise their operating models and respond to industry challenges more effectively. As an end-to-end logistics leader, we offer a deeply specialised infrastructure and service offering across an ever-expanding global footprint that supports our customers to adapt and grow while remaining resilient. We have end-to-end connectivity across a range of transport modes and will continue to invest in resilient infrastructure and digital tools, that offer integrated supply chain solutions for specific sector verticals to maximise efficiency. Expanding our logistics capabilities will enable us to navigate some of the uncertainties precipitated by geopolitical and supply chain challenges while expanding our offering to customers.
“We have committed to a series of environmental goals as part of our ‘Our World, Our Future’ sustainability strategy. We acknowledge the impact our operations have on the climate therefore we have committed to a reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Throughout 2025, we will continue to mitigate against climate disruptions and work with our stakeholders (consumers, investors and governments) so we have a clear roadmap for 2030.”
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Will Heywood, Chief Customer Officer at DHL Supply Chain, reveals the importance of promoting positive change in the supply chain and beyond.
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DHL Supply Chain needs no introduction.
As the global leader in contract logistics, DHL Supply Chain drives competitive advantage for its customers with tailored logistics solutions, combining globally standardised warehousing, transportation, and integrated services. Leveraging deep sector expertise, vast global reach, and invaluable local insights, DHL Supply Chain expertly manages end-to-end supply chains—covering everything from raw materials and manufacturing to the seamless delivery of finished goods and return services.
In an exclusive interview with SupplyChain Strategy, Will Heywood, Chief Customer Officer at DHL Supply Chain, shares his insights on what’s to come at Manifest Vegas 2025. He sees the event as a perfect match for his organisation, poised to enhance the future of supply chain innovation.
Will Heywood, Chief Customer Officer at DHL Supply Chain
Can you share some background on yourself and the business?
Will Heywood: “I’ve been with DHL Supply Chain for just over 20 years. Prior to being appointed the Chief Customer Officer in 2024, I led the North American strategy, marketing, and product development teams. I also spent about five years in operations excellence, working closely with our frontline teams on things like labor management and operations development. I’ve worked in the technology sector and have led acquisitions and divestiture projects for the company.”
What inspired you to get involved in logistics?
Will Heywood: “Prior to joining Exel, which was acquired by Deutsche Post in 2005, I was a management consultant and worked in financial services, which I didn’t particularly enjoy. However, I also spent some time in manufacturing, which I really enjoyed. The tangible nature of manufacturing and similar kinds of businesses where you could see with your own eyes what was happening was great. I received a consulting project with Exel and I really liked the people. I liked the nature of the service the company provided so that really resonated with me.”
What are you most looking forward to at Manifest 2025?
Will Heywood: “I’ve been to every Manifest since it started, and I’m blown away by how quickly it’s grown. It’s doubled in size every year and I think this year they’re expecting around 6,000 attendees. The team has done a good job to consistently provide quality content. I look forward to hearing the keynotes, and the educational sessions as well as seeing what’s being presented from an innovation standpoint. The conference has a good mix of manufacturers, shippers, third party logistics companies, technology providers, startups, as well as investors. This mix of attendees provides an opportunity to have interesting conversations around what’s happening in the industry from a variety of perspectives.”
How do you think events like Manifest are contributing to the overall evolution of supply chain and logistics? What makes it so special?
Will Heywood: “As industry leaders in supply chain logistics, we at DHL Supply Chain have an obligation to help define the industry and promote what supply chain means and the value it provides overall. Where we have opportunities to do that publicly, we like to lean into that. With Manifest, we saw an organisation focused on doing things differently in the supply chain space. They’re targeting a younger demographic, which fits nicely with our views on how the workforce is evolving and the exciting challenges that can make a career in supply chain even more interesting.”
What, broadly, do you think 2025 holds for the supply chain space?
Will Heywood: “Regardless of the year I think there is always an aspect of unpredictability in our business. Given developments over the last number of years, there are more explicit challenges that industries will have to deal with. At DHL Supply Chain, we spend a lot of time thinking through various scenarios and how we set our stakeholders up to be successful regardless of the things we think we know and the things that will surprise us. So contingency planning, scenario planning, all those things already feature heavily into what our customers are dealing with and how we continue to support them.”
What does 2025 hold for your business specifically?
Will Heywood: “We have been on a growth trajectory over the last decade, and I believe that will continue. We are exploring different areas – industries and services – that historically we haven’t been involved in and that’s exciting for our business and our people. It presents growth opportunities for our associates, and it also exposes us to new customers who are less familiar with outsourcing supply chain and leveraging some of the value-creating technologies that are coming into the market. We’re pretty excited overall with what lies ahead in the next year.”
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Kyle Henderson, CEO of Vizion, discusses the importance of keeping a finger on the pulse and staying ahead of the curve in an ever-changing and transformative world.
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If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that the supply chain is far from straightforward.
Supply chain leaders have had to become agile jugglers, balancing everything from global ‘black swan’ events to digital transformations, sustainability initiatives, and talent management. With so many moving parts, it’s no wonder the challenge can often feel overwhelming.
However, aiming to simplify matters for supply chains is Vizion. Vizion empowers companies to track and monitor individual containers during the container journey and has recently launched capabilities to actively monitor 60% of global trade. TradeView, Vizion’s Global Trade Intelligence platform and dataset is designed to measure and analyse the flow of goods to identify risk and improve supply chain resilience.
Vizion’s container tracking solution seamlessly delivers the most comprehensive, standardised, and detailed container tracking events directly to any software system or spreadsheet. This empowers logistics service providers, shippers, and stakeholders with complete end-to-end visibility into the freight that fuels their business, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve. Too often, outdated data leaves companies in the dark when they need it most. Vizion’s real-time tracking solution provides its customers with instant updates, allowing them to monitor a container’s every move as it happens. Through Vizion, customers stay in control and make informed decisions with data that is fast and responsive.
Speaking exclusively to SupplyChain Strategy ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Kyle Henderson, CEO of Vizion, explains why he thinks the supply chain industry is at a pivotal moment amid a disruptive geopolitical world and a new US administration and the knock-on impacts these events have.
Kyle Henderson, CEO of Vizion
Can you share some background on yourself and the business?
Kyle Henderson: “I am the founder and CEO of Vizion, a leading company in the freight visibility industry. Vizion monitors, maps, and predicts global supply chains live. We provide unparalleled visibility into the flow of goods, enabling businesses and governments to identify risks, optimise logistics, monitor markets, and combat illicit trade. Imagine a world where you can trace the origin of every component in your product, or instantly detect anomalies that could disrupt your supply chain. That’s the power of having Vizion.”
What inspired you to get involved in logistics?
Kyle Henderson: “My career is all about using technology to change industries. I started back in 2015 with ClearMetal, where I realised how important logistics is. It’s how everything we use gets to us. It was important to use tech to make the whole process of moving stuff around the world way more efficient. I call this ‘using bytes to move atoms.’ Since starting Vizion, I have been focused on finding innovative solutions for supply chains and global trade. I am excited about the huge potential for tech to totally transform these areas.”
What are you most looking forward to at Manifest 2025?
Kyle Henderson: “Engaging with our customers and partners in person is a top priority for us. Events like Manifest provide the ideal setting for these valuable face-to-face interactions. Whether it’s on the bustling expo floor or during our dedicated Ion Stage event, these connections are invaluable for understanding the evolving needs of our customers and strengthening our partnerships.
“Furthermore, Manifest is a dynamic event for discovering the next wave of innovation in our industry. We’re always eager to explore emerging companies and groundbreaking technologies that are poised to disrupt the supply chain landscape. Keeping a finger on the pulse of these advancements is essential for us to stay ahead of the curve and continue delivering cutting-edge solutions to our clients.”
How do you think events like Manifest are contributing to the overall evolution of supply chain and logistics? What makes it so special?
Kyle Henderson: “Biggest and broadest. Manifest brings the largest audience of attendees from all over the supply chain space. Whether there to learn, shop for solutions, or reconnect with professional networks Manifest is a wonderful place to discover software, hardware, and people solutions for conquering supply chain challenges.”
What, broadly, do you think 2025 holds for the supply chain space?
Kyle Henderson: “The year 2025 is packed with unknowns: new US administration, deepening geopolitical tensions, the redrawing of supply chain networks to optimise resilience vs. cost. We should see freight rates improve as freight volumes return push past 2010 highs. Needs around supplier risk and compliance will continue to grow as regulation and politics make impacts. We’ll see large corporates begin reorganising to take better advantage of tech, optimise costs, and rethink the geographies they do business in.”
What does 2025 hold for your business specifically?
Kyle Henderson: “For Vizion, 2025 is about expanding on our customers’ success with the TradeView platform. We continuously monitor 99% of the container freight assets and have unprecedented visibility into what is being shipped worldwide. This intelligence is used to help logistics operators, supply chain planners, and market analysts understand and predict live trade at unprecedented detail and scope. Logistics Visibility, Supply Chain Risk, and Trade Forecasting are at the heart of Vizion’s 2025.”
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Paul Heitlinger, General Manager, Autonomous Inventory Monitoring Service (AIMS), at Nokia, discusses how his organisation is boosting accuracy, efficiency and cost savings in the supply chain through tech innovation.
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Nokia is changing the game.
In the pursuit of streamlined, customer-centric, and cost-effective operations, warehouse managers are presented with a difficult choice.
They can either pour sizable resources into costly labour to oversee vast inventories, or they can accept the inevitable losses from shrinkage — the theft, misplacement, or damage of goods within expansive warehouse spaces. According to Nokia, this can lead to large annual inventory losses, not only inflating operational expenses but also jeopardising the timely shipment of products to customers.
This is where Nokia has stepped in. The company has solved this dilemma via the revolutionary launch of its Autonomous Industrial Monitoring Service (AIMS). Cutting-edge autonomous drones navigate warehouses with ease, scanning inventory in real-time and providing managers with near-continuous, accurate updates. The result? A significant boost in accuracy, efficiency, and cost savings.
Paul Heitlinger is the General Manager, Nokia AIMS. In an exclusive interview with SupplyChain Strategy ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Heitlinger fills us in on the moves his company is making within the space and why 2025 is set to bring even further transformation.
Paul Heitlinger, General Manager, Nokia AIMS
Can you share some background on yourself and the business?
Paul Heitlinger: “Hello all. I am an entrepreneurial leader with extensive experience in corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. In my current and most exciting venture to date, I am leading AIMS, a Nokia startup that uses autonomous drones, computer vision and AI to automate warehouse inventory cycle counting. The venture originated as a Nokia Bell Labs research project, progressed to a commercial launch and is now in an accelerated growth stage. Previously, I have held senior positions in companies such as Avis Budget Group, Verizon, Citigroup, Capgemini, and various startups, in varied roles including CEO, venture capital, corporate innovation, product management and strategy consulting.”
What inspired you to get involved in logistics?
Paul Heitlinger: “Logistics is an industry with vast efficiency improvement possibilities – there are a hundred thousand warehouses around the world that still operate manually with limited automation. The industry holds multiple opportunities for true innovation that improves logistics performance, efficiency, customer satisfaction and ultimately the bottom line. This is such an exciting space to be building a new service right now.”
What are you most looking forward to at Manifest 2025?
Paul Heitlinger: “The team and I are looking forward to interesting discussions around warehousing automation possibilities. I’m not just there to pitch the value of AIMS to prospective customers, but also to learn from my peers and thought leaders. It’s an amazing opportunity when the brightest minds in the industry come together in one place to learn from each other, network and have fun. Manifest isn’t too large or too small, it’s just the right size to sell, learn and create new relationships.”
How do you think events like Manifest are contributing to the overall evolution of supply chain and logistics? What makes it so special?
Paul Heitlinger: “It is a perfect opportunity to meet a lot of experts in the field, learn from them and share future visions. Attendees can explore a lot of innovative solutions and can bring back concrete, ready-to-go solutions already in the market for immediate implementation. Everyone, both customers and vendors, have something to contribute to the event.”
What, broadly, do you think 2025 holds for the supply chain space?
Paul Heitlinger: “In 2025, more and more companies will evaluate their operations on a detailed level. There are more opportunities for automation and analytics. 2025 will be an exciting year as we see more AI and ML solutions to help warehouse operators manage operations, sales and workforces. Add in uncertainty around tariffs and trade, and I think this will be an amazing year for both logistics companies and vendors working with them.”
What does 2025 hold for your business specifically?
Paul Heitlinger: “2025 will definitely be a growth year for Nokia AIMS! We have gone through the start-up phase and are now expanding rapidly. The need for this kind of solution is evident and our capability enables warehouses to automate inventory counting 7-10 times faster and with higher accuracy and increased efficiency than manual counting. Nokia AIMS has a proven 30-40 % ROI over a three-year period, therefore it is truly a no-brainer to our customers. As a result, employees can concentrate on more value-adding tasks, and thus companies can increase employee satisfaction and decrease employee turnover. We look forward to working with our customers and making the product better than ever and helping our customers operate best-in-class warehouses.”
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Adam Ulfers, VP of Sales at Meter, reveals how his organisation is aiming to save customers time and money via its end-to-end network solution.
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In the fast-moving logistics industry where speed and efficiency are everything, fast and high-performance internet and Wi-Fi are essential to getting shipments out the door on time and keeping customers satisfied.
Network downtime isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a costly disruption that can throw off delivery schedules and damage a company’s reputation.
Enter Meter, the innovative solution driving change in the world of logistics. Founded in 2015, Meter’s mission is to build enterprise-grade networks that are faster, more reliable, and more secure. With a full-stack approach that seamlessly integrates Meter’s own hardware, software, and operations, they ensure that companies can run smoothly on a modern, reliable network—no matter their size or sector.
Speaking exclusively to SupplyChain Strategy ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025 is Adam Ulfers, VP of Sales at Meter. He explains the seismic shift from experimentation to the widespread implementation of transformative technologies within the supply chain.
Adam Ulfers, VP of Sales at Meter
Can you share some background on yourself and the business?
Adam Ulfers: “Today, I run the global sales team at Meter. I’ve been in the industry for over a decade, most recently building and leading the global sales teams at Cisco Meraki.
“Meter provides internet infrastructure for the enterprise. Alongside our partners, we handle everything needed to get great internet, networking, Wi-Fi, and cell coverage in any space. We’ve spent the last decade building a unified network stack: enterprise hardware, intuitive software, and operational support delivered to our customers for one, predictable monthly fee. Today, hundreds of customers,from growing startups to the largest hedge fund in the world, trust Meter to run their networks.”
What inspired you to get involved in logistics?
Adam Ulfers: “The logistics industry relies on fast and highly performant internet and Wi-Fi to get shipments out the door to meet delivery schedules and maintain customer satisfaction. Network downtime can be disruptive and extremely costly to businesses, so leaders in logistics are turning to modern networking solutions, like Meter’s, to ensure their devices remain connected. Logistics companies like Go Bolt, Stord, Veho, and others use Meter to scale their warehouse and shipping operations. With Meter, they can reduce their total cost of ownership, increase operational efficiency, avoid heavy upfront hardware costs, and always have the latest technology in their spaces.”
What are you most looking forward to at Manifest 2025?
Adam Ulfers: “We’re really looking forward to connecting with leading logistics companies to demonstrate how they can save time and money with Meter’s end-to-end network solution. Today, warehouses have robust networks with numerous Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Robotic pickers, scanners and cloud-based software stacks require a reliable, secure, and scalable solution. Meter can provide a streamlined solution and management support to enable IT teams to focus on more high-leverage tasks for their business. We’re excited to showcase Meter’s solutions to this audience, building meaningful relationships along the way.”
How do you think events like Manifest are contributing to the overall evolution of supply chain and logistics? What makes it so special?
Adam Ulfers: “Events like Manifest play a critical role in driving the evolution of supply chain and logistics by fostering innovation, collaboration, and thought leadership across the industry. Supply chain challenges are increasingly complex and can really benefit from cutting-edge technology and cross-industry partnerships. Manifest helps bring these elements together in one place, creating a unique environment for progress.”
What, broadly, do you think 2025 holds for the supply chain space?
Adam Ulfers: “The adoption of new technologies in the supply chain space is accelerating, driven by the need for greater efficiency, resilience, and adaptability. In 2025, I expect to see a significant shift from experimentation to widespread implementation of AI and ML, IoT and sensor technologies. It will be imperative to have a network that supports this influx of new technologies to ensure each component stays online and productive.”
What does 2025 hold for your business specifically?
Adam Ulfers: “We’re growing quickly, serving hundreds of customers today across the US, Canada, and the UK. Into 2025, we’ll continue acquiring new distributed spaces as enterprises look for a solution that makes their life easier. We’re excited to grow our business in the shipping and warehouse space–Meter was purpose built for it. All we need is an address and a floor plan, and we can take care of the rest. From ISP procurement to network design, configuration, installation, and management, and finally, ongoing support and upgrades we work with and for our customers along the way.” Learn more about Meter here.
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Lance Malesh, president and CEO of MODE Global, shares his excitement for the conference and what it means for his organisation.
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When it comes to logistics challenges, there isn’t one that MODE Global can’t overcome.
MODE, a leading multi-brand 3PL platform, excels at overcoming challenges to meet customer needs. Backed by its family of brands and expert teams, MODE delivers reliable, scalable services tailored to each business’s unique requirements. Its advanced technology solutions offer the choice and control needed to manage shipping and supply chain operations effectively via the use of supply chain data to deliver predictive analytics and container visibility for its customers. With a range of land, sea, and air shipping solutions at its disposal, MODE leverages its data ecosystem to customise its network.
Speaking exclusively to SupplyChain Strategy, Lance Malesh, president and CEO of MODE Global, reveals his organisation’s direction of travel ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025 which is set to be one of the most highly anticipated supply chain events of the year.
Lance Malesh, president and CEO of MODE Global
Can you share some background on yourself and the business?
Lance Malesh: “My name is Lance Malesh, and I am the president and CEO of MODE Global since 2020. Prior to joining MODE, I was Chief Commercial Officer for BDP International and president and CEO of BridgeNet Solutions.
“MODE is a multi-billion, multi-brand, 3PL platform and one of the world’s leading logistics companies. We are a top ten truckload freight brokerage and the largest non-asset intermodal provider in the United States. Our family of brands includes Avenger Logistics, MODE Transportation and SUNTECKtts.”
What inspired you to get involved in logistics?
Lance Malesh: “Like so many others in our industry, I fell into it by happenstance. I had started out at a concrete manufacturing company and a job opportunity led me into transportation. I look back on my 25+ years in logistics and can’t believe it has been that long, but this industry has been good to me. I’m so excited to see where the future takes us.”
What are you most looking forward to at Manifest 2025?
Lance Malesh: “MODE is co-sponsoring the opening night festivities, which should be a fantastic way to start off the conference. And of course, I am looking forward to my speaking session on Optimizing Supply Chain Decision-Making through Automation with a fantastic panel of experts alongside me. Overall, MODE is excited to be a sponsor and exhibitor at the conference.”
How do you think events like Manifest are contributing to the overall evolution of supply chain and logistics? What makes it so special?
Lance Malesh: “This is our first time attending Manifest, but we have seen and felt the influence of this conference in the industry. It had tremendous buzz after the 2024 show, and we knew we wanted to be a part of the excitement in 2025. The energy and growth of Manifest is exactly a fit for where MODE is going in the future.”
What, broadly, do you think 2025 holds for the supply chain space?
Lance Malesh: “From a macroeconomic perspective all indicators point to a resurgence for the logistics space. Following several down years, I do believe the turning point is in sight, which is exciting for us and the industry overall. We know the first of the year will be all about the potential for another ILA strike, and we’re all watching the new administration to see how any new tariffs will affect trade. But overall, I am optimistic for what’s to come in 2025.”
What does 2025 hold for your business specifically?
Lance Malesh: “MODE Global has persevered through the inevitable down cycles that come in logistics, just like this one, and has always come out stronger on the other side. In fact, as evidenced by our recent acquisition of the Jillamy Freight Brokerage business, we are bigger and better than before. So, I expect more growth and expansion of the MODE Global family of brands and a continuous focus on technology to enable our business to run faster and more efficiently for our customers and carriers alike.”
Ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Vignan Velivela, co-founder and CEO of fleet payments platform AtoB, explores how this year is set to be a defining year in digital transformation.
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AtoB is changing the game.
The trucking and logistics industry is the backbone of the economy, but its payments infrastructure is outdated and flawed. Current payment tools are hard to use, vulnerable to fraud, and burdened with unclear fees. Existing providers often fail to address the economic and practical needs of industry users.
Solving this problem is AtoB. The company is modernising the payments infrastructure for trucking and logistics. Supply chains rely on the timely movement of capital to function efficiently with AtoB’s mission being a world in which that capital movement occurs reliably, instantly and fairly.
Speaking exclusively to SupplyChain Strategy ahead of Manifest Vegas 2025, Vignan Velivela, co-founder and CEO of AtoB, shares what the supply chain space looks like moving forward and where his organisation fits into the equation.
Vignan Velivela, co-founder and CEO of AtoB
Can you share some background on yourself and the business?
Vignan Velivela: “I’m Vignan Velivela, co-founder and CEO of fleet payments platform AtoB. My background is in building financial tools, which gave me a deep appreciation for how innovative technology can address systemic inefficiencies. AtoB was founded to bring modern, tech-driven solutions to the trucking industry, starting with fleet payments. Today, we’re on a mission to empower fleets with tools that simplify operations, improve cash flow, and help businesses of all sizes thrive.”
What inspired you to get involved in logistics?
Vignan Velivela: “Logistics is the backbone of the economy, yet it remains one of the most underserved industries when it comes to technology and financial innovation. I saw an opportunity to apply my experience in building financial tools to solve challenges that fleets and drivers face every day—like outdated payment systems, limited access to credit, and operational inefficiencies. By addressing these pain points, we can make logistics not just more efficient but also more equitable for everyone involved.”
What are you most looking forward to at Manifest 2025?
Vignan Velivela: “Manifest is a unique opportunity to connect with forward-thinkers who are shaping the future of supply chain and logistics. I’m especially looking forward to conversations about how technology is driving real-world change—whether it’s making fleets more efficient, improving driver experiences, or enabling businesses to scale sustainably.”
How do you think events like Manifest are contributing to the overall evolution of supply chain and logistics? What makes it so special?
Vignan Velivela: “These events are great for fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the industry. They bring together leaders, innovators, and operators who might not otherwise cross paths, creating a space to exchange ideas and build partnerships. What makes Manifest special is it’s not just about discussing trends, but about showcasing tangible solutions that are shaping the future of logistics.”
What, broadly, do you think 2025 holds for the supply chain space?
Vignan Velivela: “2025 will be a defining year for digital transformation in the supply chain industry. The focus will shift toward making supply chains more agile and responsive, leveraging data to optimise operations in real time. This evolution will demand robust payment systems and innovative tools, ensuring small to midsize businesses can stay competitive in an increasingly fast-paced and digital-first environment.”
What does 2025 hold for your business specifically?
Vignan Velivela: “For AtoB, 2025 represents a year of expanding our impact through digital transformation in the trucking industry. We’ll continue to enhance our platform, FuelMap, and Digital Wallet, making it easier for fleets to access the tools they need to streamline operations and improve cash flow. We’re deepening partnerships and expanding our capabilities to meet the growing demands of the industry. It’s an exciting time as we work to shape the future of logistics with innovative financial solutions.”
Executives at Manifest Vegas preview one of the hottest events in the supply chain calendar and why 2025 will be the conference’s biggest yet.
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2020 was a year to forget for lots of people.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruption in almost all walks of life and shook the world to its very core.
However, in amongst that chaos was also opportunity as Courtney Muller discovered.
Today, she serves as President at Manifest Vegas as well as Chief Corporate Development Officer at Connectiv. Manifest brings together the most comprehensive ecosystem of those innovating and transforming end-to-end supply chain and logistics. It is a must-attend for those looking to discover how technology is transforming the way goods are moved around the world.
As a result of the pandemic’s impact, Muller and her team had a long wait before Manifest could launch its first event in 2022. But, according to Muller, that actually acted as an advantage. “It was a blessing in disguise,” she tells us. “We had a two-year lead up to build the first Manifest. This is very unusual for a conference but it enabled us to penetrate the industry, not just in the United States but globally.”
And it has quickly become one of the most hotly anticipated events in the supply chain calendar. With 6,000+ total attendees arriving from over 50 countries, there will be more than 1,500 shippers, 1,200 startups and investors and over 300 world-class speakers at the three-day event. Set to be hosted at The Venetian for the first time, Manifest showcases a unique combination of a global audience with an all-star line-up of speakers, exhibitors and networking all blended to make Manifest an unmissable experience.
Early beginnings
That launch event in January 2022 was the culmination of a significant amount of work by Muller and her team. Indeed, it could have been seen as something of a risk considering the uptake of virtual events in the wake of the pandemic. However, Muller was determined to make Manifest a success. “When we launched the event, the Omicron wave was in full force,” she reveals. “I can’t tell you how many conversations we had with people to reassure them we were still holding the show. It’s funny to look back now because everyone wore a mask that first year and that’s an important part of the journey. But you can’t beat in-person communication. It’s the best way to build relationships and network.”
Katie Date, SVP, Industry Relations and Strategic Initiatives at Manifest, has been with the organisation for a little over a year. Date has 20 years of experience bridging businesses, research, and education in various supply chain roles. Currently, she leads efforts to build strategic partnerships, drive innovation, and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the industry. She also founded the Women in Supply Chain Initiative at MIT, a pioneering project that expands knowledge and resources to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
People-focused
Her journey to Manifest is an interesting one as she was recruited by Muller after delivering a keynote speech at the Women in Supply Chain Lunch at Manifest in 2023. “I was on stage talking about the topic of diversity and inclusion which is close to my heart and Courtney and I had a very short conversation backstage which really set the wheels in motion,” she explains. “I got to see the magic that was Manifest, meet the team and see first-hand what they were creating. A year and a half later, we’re still creating that magic.”
Muller adds that recruiting Date was one of the most important moves her company has made so far due to the qualities she brings to the table. “Katie’s background and expertise is so important, and we both really care about DEI and gender diversity,” explains Muller. “It is a topic we connected on together. I had seen Katie quoted in a Wall Street Journal article which is how I came to know about her. I reached out to her LinkedIn, and I remember not hearing from her for a while so when I finally did, I was so excited and she ended up giving one of the best speeches we’ve ever had at the Women’s Lunch.”
Innovation
A new exciting element that Manifest is introducing is mentorship. As part of the invitation to the Manifest Women’s Lunch, conference organisers ask the C-suite level attendees whether they would like to be a mentor or mentee. Anyone who shows interest will be added to the event networking app for matchmaking before being paired up.
“We are suggesting that these people can meet at the Women’s Lunch but they would obviously be able to meet before that if they would like,” says Muller. “Katie is going to talk about how to be a great mentor and how as a mentee you can get the most out of the relationship. We are hoping that at the end of the lunch, there are going to be lots of people hanging around who are meeting for the first time, potentially in a new mentor-mentee relationship, and that they will have been matched up by the Manifest technology. We are really excited about this.”
Muller adds that one of the great things about the Manifest Women’s Lunch is that a significant number of men also attend. “Often when you go to women’s events, it is 95% women, but this event attracts an even spread and we have a lot of men asking questions at the end and really engaging to learn more,” she reveals. “It’s just such a great thing to see and I feel that many people walk out of that lunch learning something that they didn’t know before and adopt a new practice around gender diversity.”
Navigating the supply chain
Given the disruptive nature of the supply chain in recent years following a barrage of issues ranging from COVID-19 to geopolitical tensions, Manifest aims to shine a light on the problems of the day and advice on how to tackle them. “I’m really proud that at Manifest we have sessions focusing on cutting-edge technologies like AI, visibility and autonomous vehicles, but we’re also looking at things like organisational design and change management,” explains Date. “Also by popular demand, we are expanding our shipper round tables. For shippers particularly, this is a great opportunity because shippers in a small group setting get to talk about the issues that are top of mind and walk away with some new connections and some real tangible solutions that can be applied in the supply chain.”
Date’s primary area of focus is recruiting shippers to Manifest. With more than 6,000 supply chain leaders in attendance, Manifest is certainly creating quite the buzz in the space. “My aim is to attract more shippers to the event. With so many on stage bringing their larger teams to the event, it’s a great signal to the industry that this is truly the place to be with your peers,” explains Date. “A lot of people consider Manifest a little mini supply chain reunion because there are so many people from lots of different companies there. And we love it because we do the business at Manifest, but we also like to have fun with things to make it a truly immersive experience at every corner of the event.”
Why Manifest?
Manifest certainly offers something for everyone. With more than 150 conference sessions covering a range of aspects within the supply chain ranging from robotics and AI to nearshoring and sustainability, attendees will be spoilt for choice. The conference will offer an innovation stage on the expo hall where some 40 companies will present and demo their latest technologies and there will also be a startup area that will host up to 100 startups.
“Our expo floor is unique because it offers so many opportunities to network and have fun with peers,” explains Muller. “We keep our audiences well hydrated with coffee bars, we have a beer garden and if you don’t like alcohol, we’ve got a mocktails area too. You can pet a puppy, swing a golf club, or even play an arcade game on the Manifest Expo floor while browsing the latest technologies. It’s an event that focuses on innovation, content, networking, and an incredible show experience. We invest in the things that make it a better experience for our audience.”
After Party
And following a packed three-day agenda at Manifest, Grammy-nominated and global megastar Flo Rida will perform exclusively for the conference on the Official After Party stage. With international hits such as ‘Low’, ‘Right Round’ and ‘My House’, Flo Rida has sold more than 80 million records worldwide. “The response has been great. Everyone knows Flo Rida and his music is extremely upbeat so we’re all really excited about this booking,” affirms Muller. “Every year, we try to get a great performer and I truly feel like Flo Rida has resonated with our audience.”
Previous years has seen the likes of Ludacris, Nelly and Neo all perform at Manifest’s After Party. Date adds that the advantage of booking headliners is the close setting. “These parties are pretty small and you can get quite close to the performers,” she explains. “It’s a great opportunity to let your hair down and have a great time. It’s truly a celebration of everything that we’ve put into planning the event, but everything that the industry has put into making the content so rich.”
Future plans
Despite so much planned for 2025’s event, Muller and her team have no intention of slowing down. With more countries set to be represented than ever before at approximately 50+, Manifest is driven to go international. “In the 2024 show, we had 44 countries represented, and the year before it was about 35. We keep growing every year and we are now seeing people from all five continents attend our conference. We truly are a global event.”
As part of that, the team’s long-term plan is to host an event in Europe, however, there are no firm plans for when or where this will be yet. “For now, our focus is on getting companies from outside the US to participate in Manifest,” reveals Muller. “About 15% to 20% of our speakers are from outside the United States and this past year we actually hired a European representative called Babs Baxter. We hired her from Logistics Business Magazine in the UK, and she’s helping us bring more European companies and get the word out in Europe about Manifest. This will be a constant drumbeat for us and we will continue to be global to ensure that our attendance is representative of people all over the world.”
Targeting Europe
Date adds that bringing Manifest to Europe where lots of multinational companies have headquarters will provide the additional ability to attract leaders who can’t necessarily bring their whole team to the United States. “Instead, they could bring their team to a regional European show and it’ll give us the opportunity to really expand on content and some of those intricacies in the supply chain,” she discusses. “What I’ve learned about travelling throughout the world is that almost everyone has a common goal to make the supply chain run smoothly. There are so many lessons that can be learned across fences, and I think that’s what Manifest does really well. It’s about bringing people together.”
Welcome to the latest issue of SupplyChain Strategy!
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This month’s cover of SupplyChain Strategy features Schneider Electric’s Cassie Crossley who discusses cybersecurity leadership, securing the product lifecycle supply chain for software, hardware, and firmware, and protecting critical infrastructure.
For a global industrial technology leader like Schneider Electric, which provides energy and digital automation and industrial IoT solutions for customers in homes, buildings, industries, and critical infrastructure, there are few more important considerations. The company serves 16 critical sectors and has a vast digital footprint spanning the globe, presenting a complex and ever-evolving risk landscape and attack surface. As a result, cybersecurity, product security and data protection, and a robust and protected end-to-end supply chain for software, hardware, and firmware are fundamental to its business.
Overcoming supply chain challenges
“For us, supply chain security means taking a holistic approach and considering every aspect from the beginning to the end of the entire product lifecycle,” she explains of her core activities. “That means product lifecycle security – we build and manufacture our own products, but also use third parties components so are responsible for the upstream supply chain as well. It also involves SBOM, source code governance, the security and risk management of the manufacturing process and facilities we use, the security of our products that become part of larger systems, and the ongoing work we do with customers through our field service engineers. Transversely, we also consider vulnerability management, cyber defence, incident response, and the various policy work I carry out with government organisations.”
Elsewhere, Adriano Garibotto, Co-founder and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Creactives SpA, discusses the generation of enormous benefits for CPOs and supply chain chiefs through a unique brand of AI. Plus, we speak with executives at Manifest Vegas to look ahead to one of the hottest events in the supply chain calendar and uncover why 2025 will be the conference’s biggest meet yet.
Today, companies have more information at their fingertips than ever before. In the world of 2024, good data is critical…
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Today, companies have more information at their fingertips than ever before.
In the world of 2024, good data is critical to making the right decisions. It quite often sits at the base of a productive and responsive supply chain and is a key component to whether an organisation succeeds or not. Data doesn’t just provide insights, it encourages teams to eliminate manual work to deliver efficiency and accuracy which is also being amplified through the likes of generative AI. Truthfully, the supply chain space has never seen so much transformation before and the real winners will be the ones who steer into this technological evolution and are open to embracing new solutions quickly.
Following the recent ASCM CONNECT, Matt McKinney, Co-founder and CEO of Loop spoke to CPOstrategy, to discuss the importance of using AI to access better data, automate processes, and uncover insights in order to enable supply chain teams to maximise their people and performance.
Would you be able to give me a brief introduction to your role and the company you work for?
Matt McKinney: “I’m Matt McKinney, Co-founder and CEO of Loop. Loop is on a mission to unlock profit trapped in the supply chain and lower costs for consumers. Bad data and inefficient workflows create friction that limits working capital and raises costs for every supply chain stakeholder. Loop’s logistics-AI centralises and standardises supply chain and financial data to automate workflows and surface strategic insights. We improve visibility so companies can control costs, uplevel decisions, and power profit.”
ASCM CONNECT 2024
What is the value of events like ASCM CONNECT 2024: North America? How important is this conference in the supply chain calendar?
Matt McKinney: “ASCM is an incredible watering hole for an industry that is spread out. There is no one region that houses all of the supply chain companies so having the opportunity to come together and share insights and learn is really powerful.
“Because the supply chain is a connected network of networks – your success relies on the performance of your partners. Collaboration, trust, and transparency are paramount. Getting together at ASCM fosters all three and gives people the chance to understand innovation in the space.”
Global supply chain
Given the backdrop of the global disruption over the past few years (COVID, wars, inflation etc), how would you sum up where the supply chain space finds itself today?
Matt McKinney: “The logistics industry is in the midst of a major shake-up, driven by the rapid pace of technological change. As nearshoring, shifting customer expectations, regulatory changes, and a soft freight market weigh on businesses, companies are under pressure to keep up. Many leaders are turning to AI to revolutionise their supply chains. The challenge right now is that those that fail to adapt to these modern times risk falling behind.”
What do you feel are the biggest lessons supply chains have learnt over the past few years and how well equipped is the modern day supply chain now to deal with ‘black swan’ events like the ones we’ve seen recently?
Matt McKinney: “The disruptions over the last few years, especially COVID, exposed the companies that hadn’t invested in their people, processes, and technology. We’ve spoken to several teams who were stuck at home, unable to execute work without physically being in the office, because they hadn’t invested in software. Simultaneously, several teams were left in a lurch without great data to make informed decisions on how to best manage disruptions.
“As supply chains continue to get faster and more complex, teams need great data and automated processes so they can keep up and start maximising their personnel. Your people make your company. When people are struck processing, they cannot strategise and collaborate. Processing work hurts performance and often morale. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to give our people the tools to perform at their highest potential.
“AI is powering this transition. Sure, it’s not a magic wand, but it allows for a better understanding of your business and gets your people out of soul-sucking work that’s not strategic. This frees you to start thinking outside of your four walls and be more dynamic to optimise for any potential disruption.”
Where are generative and conversational AI having the biggest impact in the supply chain? What types of supply chain and procurement decisions are now possible, or much easier to make, with the rise of AI and LLMs? How does this compare to just a couple of years ago?
Matt McKinney: “Generative AI foundation models, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc, have propelled AI into the mainstream. The reality is that AI has been around for a while but there has been incredible progress in two model types – Large Language Models and Computer Vision models that are at the forefront of transforming the AI ecosystem.
“The supply chain has struggled with the digital transformation because of its complexity and scale. The typical heuristics – ‘if this then that’ rules– of SaaS software can’t accurately handle the complexity, scale, and fragmentation of supply chain data. It’s a bad problem for people and legacy software but an incredible problem for AI.
“But the most important step is matching the right AI to the right problem. There are two core types of AI applications available today and which one you leverage will be dependent on the problem you’re trying to solve: General foundation models and domain-specific models.
“Now, general models like ChatGPT – GPT actually stands for General Processing Technology – are incredibly versatile. They’re our well-rounded models. They have a wide breadth of knowledge from history to pop culture to basic science. But that breadth is a double-edged sword when it comes to specialised business contexts.
“On the flip side, we have domain-specific models. These are our specialists, the experts in their field. In the supply chain world, we’re talking about models that are trained specifically on supply chain data, documents, and industry-specific terms.
“Now, why does this matter for supply chain? Well, imagine you’re trying to optimise your shipping routes or calculate complex transportation charges. General AI might give you a plausible-sounding answer, but it could be way off base. It simply doesn’t have the depth of knowledge required. That’s where our verticalised models come in.
“Verticalised models are built from the ground up to understand the nuances of supply chain language, operations, and context. They’re not just pulling from a general pool of internet knowledge. They’re working with curated, industry-specific data and ideally are trained on your data. This is logistics-AI.
“Supply chains generate vast amounts of data from diverse sources such as suppliers, customers, carriers, logistics service providers (LSPs), and internal systems. There is no ‘source of truth’ in the supply chain because each of these stakeholders has multiple systems with different IDs that track a component of their value delivery.
“Ask for a reference number on a shipment and you might get a number of different responses. Will you get the shipment ID? The purchase order (PO) number? Maybe it’ll be the carrier pro number? Or an invoice or order number?
“True logistics-AI is built to handle this unstructured data to create a unified view of your data from any source. At Loop, we use our models to wrangle and standardise supply chain data’s different taxonomies, terminologies, and discrepancies. So that we can improve visibility so companies can control costs, automate workflows, and uncover insights to power profit.
“The highest impact for AI in the supply chain will be on specialised AI that’s built for the supply chain. LLMs are language-based. The supply chain has its own language. To take advantage of AI, you need AI trained on logistics data, documents, and contracts. The beauty of a well-trained model is that it never stops learning and improving because it is constantly contextualising the inputs and outputs it can access. The more you use it, the more accurate and tailored to your business it becomes over time.
“Don’t get me wrong – general AI models have their place. They’re great for broad applications and simple tasks. But when it comes to the nitty-gritty use cases required in many use cases in the supply chain, domain-specific models are absolutely crucial. They’re the ones that can really drive efficiency, accuracy, and innovation in our industry.
What should CSCOs out there do first? What needs to be considered before starting the gen AI journey?
Matt McKinney: “Choosing the right AI provider is about more than just selecting a vendor. It’s about applying the right AI to the right challenges AND finding a true partner who will grow with you and support your strategic goals. These are the key things that I would look for before bringing on AI:
“You need to understand if you need a generic or a specialised model. The more nuanced your problem or the more mission-critical it is (i.e. managing financial data), the more you’ll need AI that understands the context of your domain. We actually put together some questions you can ask to understand if a technology vendor offers generic or specialised AI, you can find them on our website: 10 Questions to Validate Logistics-AI.
“You should pick a partner, not a vendor. Select a provider who understands your business challenges and shares your vision for the future. This alignment is crucial for fostering innovation and ensuring that the provider can evolve alongside your business.
“You have to prioritize account support; you don’t want someone who is just going to leave it up to you after the sale or after the implementation. Partner with a team that is going to treat you as a top priority and deliver white glove support.
“Finally, you must assess viability. There are a lot of companies pitching AI solutions. Assess their long-term viability by looking at their growth, existing customers, and financial viability. Again, check out our great guide that dives deep into how to assess if an AI partner is the right fit for your supply chain needs.”
AI challenges
What are the biggest challenges or hesitations you’re seeing companies have around AI? What should organisations look for in technology to hedge against these concerns?
Matt McKinney: “Companies need to be very prescriptive about why they’re choosing AI. It’s a mistake to get the AI solution because it sounds good or seems like the right choice. Companies have sold ‘automation’ to everyone, but it comes in various forms. Automation can be a simple and rigid ‘if this, then that’ statements, it can be manual work executed by outsourced labor, or it can be true AI that is dynamic, flexible, and autonomously executing workflows…while continually learning, of course.
“The AI you need will be different based on the problem you’re trying to solve. Many supply chain problems require supply chain context. Generic AI models will not have the depth of knowledge or context needed to make high-quality decisions around the nuances of many supply chain use cases.
“Think about it, how contextual is your supply chain compared to your competitors or someone in a different industry? Your AI solution should be able to handle that because it’s trained only on your industry’s data, not trained on all of the data on the internet. That introduces a lot of risks you cannot control.
“I would recommend that the team be very clear about what their needs are before they start their research process. Then you need to ask very specific questions about how the provider’s AI works to understand what drives answers – an offshore team or actual models. Grill the providers a little bit. How do they train their AI, what data is it trained on, what is the rate of improvement, and what failsafes do they have to prevent hallucinations? All of these things are critical to ensure that the AI actually will provide the value the provider is claiming.”
What are the underlying issues in how companies are currently storing and looking at their supply chain data? Why is this a problem and how can they overcome those challenges with generative AI and knowledge graphs?
Matt McKinney: “Supply chains are drowning in data and it’s a mess—unstructured, fragmented, and disconnected. Legacy systems and outdated processes only make things worse. You’ve got rigid, siloed software—or no software at all, and people are handling data manually. You’ve also got a mixture of legacy documents (think paper invoices and photos of bills of ladings) and old-school filing systems that hurt decision quality. Combine that with the supply chain’s complexity, and it’s hard to get a complete view of the drivers that impact your profit. This locks up liquidity, slows down operations, and creates inefficiencies that no one can afford.
“But, AI thrives on messy, unstructured data. It turns this chaos into a powerful asset. In a world where manual processes and outdated tech are dragging you down, AI can boost efficiency, cut costs, and ramp up productivity. Logistics-AI makes data usable, it automates workflows and provides powerful analytics to improve margin. But again, AI is not a magic wand. It can certainly feel like one if you map the right AI to the right problem.”
Talent management
People are a company’s greatest asset but can also be a hurdle to overcome when it comes to innovation. How do you manage the people challenge and get them on board with change?
Matt McKinney: “Absolutely, people are a company’s greatest asset. You need to set your team up for success with the right technology, processes, and work. Historically, mind-numbing processing work has trapped people. They’re sitting at their desks sifting through papers trying to find what they need. They’re number crunching in spreadsheets, and they’re manually entering data into rigid software. It’s brutal. People don’t want to do this work anymore. As a result, companies cannot fill these roles. So many of our customers have turned to us to replace a retiring workforce that they cannot backfill.
“The great thing is that AI takes this soul-sucking work off of people’s plates. One of our customers, Jeff Toman, a finance exec at Great Dane said it best, ‘Loop has turned my team from processors to analysts.’ Everyone wants to be an analyst. No one wants to be a processor. Jeff is empowering his teams to ask meaningful questions and make better decisions with high-quality data. This level of work elevates morale and builds confidence. Employees can see the impact of their work because it’s no longer just an operational slog. You get buy-in by showing them how their work will evolve and what else they’ll get to focus on with AI as their partner.”
Future
What about the future? How exciting a future does the supply chain space have?
Matt McKinney: “The supply chain is constantly changing. That’s why people like it because it keeps them on their toes. This is the most exciting time to be in the supply chain for two reasons. AI is helping customers accelerate their transformations so they can evolve from one phase of sophistication to another. We consistently help companies jump from Supply Chain 1.0 to 3.0, they completely bypass the challenges and investments required to get to 2.0. The rate of innovation has never been faster and it’s building a more transparent, collaborative, and performant supply chain.”
Jason Davis and Jason Payton, both partners at ScottMadden, discuss how supply chain leaders should lean into digital transformation, resilience, and sustainability.
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As a general management consultancy, ScottMadden seeks to provide high-quality, objective advice and support to help clients solve challenging problems. The company is renowned for the quality of its services, as well as the integrity of its relationships.
To ScottMadden, clients are at the heart of its strategy. In supply chain, the team simplifies enterprise strategy for supply chain management while identifying opportunities to reduce costs through improved category and inventory management. A recent project that showcases ScottMadden’s supply chain intent was its work with a large, midwestern investor-owned utility needed to improve its supply chain organisation’s strategy, governance, and operations.
ScottMadden
It was revealed that costs were high and the organisation could not provide the strategic direction needed for efficient planning, sourcing, and materials management across the company. This is where ScottMadden came in. ScottMadden were engaged to help articulate one clear enterprise strategy for supply chain management which senior executives could support, drive, and monitor.
Given the disruption that recent global events have caused, it has become clearer than ever before how easily supply chains can be disrupted. Through ScottMadden’s five-step approach, they can partner with companies to develop a supply chain business intelligence tool to ensure its customers have the data-driven insights needed to safeguard their supply chain.
Amidst ASCM CONNECT 2024, ScottMadden partners Jason Davis and Jason Payton reveal ScottMadden’s approach to supply chain management in the middle of technological change and digital disruption.
Would you be able to give me a brief introduction to your role and the company you work for?
ScottMadden: “We are partners with ScottMadden, a general management consulting firm with over 40 years of experience. ScottMadden delivers a broad array of consulting services ranging from strategic planning through implementation across many industries, business units, and functions. In supply chain, we have assisted our clients with improving their operating models and transforming functions in procurement, materials management, and logistics.”
Jason Payton
ASCM CONNECT 2024
What is the value of events like ASCM CONNECT 2024: North America? How important is this conference in the supply chain calendar?
ScottMadden: “ASCM CONNECT provides a valuable forum for supply chain professionals to gather and discuss challenges and solutions. One of the many benefits is the ability to learn from organisations and solution providers of all sizes and focus areas. For ScottMadden, ASCM CONNECT is a very important event and will continue to be a focus for us in the future.”
Global supply chain
Given the backdrop of the global disruption over the past few years (COVID, wars, inflation etc.), how would you sum up where the supply chain space finds itself today?
ScottMadden: “It’s well documented that today’s supply chain landscape is marked by increased complexity and uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global supply chains, revealing vulnerabilities in just-in-time inventory models and overreliance on single-source suppliers, particularly in critical industries like healthcare and technology. Geopolitical tensions, such as wars and trade disputes, exacerbated these disruptions, leading to increased protectionism and the reshoring of some manufacturing activities.
“Inflation and price volatility have further complicated supply chain management by impacting the cost of raw materials, transportation, and labour. These trends have put pressure on profit margins, forcing companies to rethink pricing strategies and cost management. Additionally, climate change and other sustainability priorities have prompted businesses to seek more resilient and environmentally friendly supply chain practices, although these initiatives often come with their own hurdles.”
“Despite this environment, executives and stakeholders recognise that supply chain is a strategic lever for companies. Meeting ever-increasing customer and stakeholder demands in this challenging environment requires supply chain organisations to consider new strategies and practices. Companies are evaluating emerging solutions (e.g., generative AI, advanced analytics), implementing strategies to strengthen supplier diversity, risk management, and supplier relationships, and redesigning processes to improve visibility, agility, and resilience. These improvements will help ensure success and a promising future for supply chain.”
Sustainability
Sustainability is an important item on most Chief Supply Chain Officers’ agenda. Amid government legislation and changing customer demands, is a sustainable supply a non-negotiable in today’s world?
ScottMadden: “Regulations and increasing consumer demand for ethical and environmentally friendly products are major drivers for sustainability. Sustainability is less of an option and more of a fundamental requirement in today’s business environment.”
“Global regulations are increasingly mandating sustainable practices, with regulations targeting carbon emissions, waste management, and resource usage. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to significant financial penalties, reputational damage, or worse.”
“Customers are increasingly prioritising sustainability in their purchasing decisions. Consideration of sustainability may be more weighted when procuring certain types of materials, services, or for end-users. For example, in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, customers may be more sensitive to the consideration of sustainability of product ingredients. This shift includes B2B relationships, where businesses scrutinise their suppliers’ environmental and ethical standards. Sustainable supply chains are indeed becoming non-negotiable. In addition to the required compliance with regulations, this transition feeds brand loyalty and, when executed effectively, operational efficiencies.”
Jason Davis
Digital transformation
What should CSCOs out there do first? What needs to be considered before starting the gen AI journey?
ScottMadden: “First, ScottMadden recommends clarifying the business problem that could be solved with generative AI. All organisations have a list of improvement opportunities that can be refined into specific use cases. Supply chain organisations should evaluate and prioritise these use cases based on data availability, quality, and business context. Identifying one or two high-value use cases for a pilot is a good way to begin the generative AI journey.”
“Executing the pilot involves forming the right team, selecting the best-fit technology solution, transforming the data, and iterating the solution until the desired result is achieved. Companies can use Pilots not only to deliver on the use case but to also build components of the technology and data infrastructure needed for future pilots or use cases. The key benefit of a pilot, in addition to addressing a high-value use case, is the learning that results from the data transformation and technology configuration. These lessons can be applied to additional use cases, setting the foundation for a robust data structure and enabling the delivery of solutions at scale that build on one another.”
Tech challenges
What are the biggest challenges or hesitations you’re seeing companies have around AI? What should organisations look for in technology to hedge against these concerns?
ScottMadden: “The most common challenge related to generative AI is data security. Generative AI enables relatively easy access to many users, which creates risk for organisations.
“Selecting the best-fit technology for investment is another key challenge. In supply chain, as well as other functions, many technology solutions with AI functionality have emerged, raising questions about what to use and how to deploy, manage, and govern these solutions.
“Determining how to implement a scalable data solution is another major hurdle. The issue of data governance has existed for many years. Investing the required time and resources in data integrity and infrastructure has been a daunting task for many organisations, often resulting in deferred or unsuccessful data-related initiatives.
“As described previously, we recommend executing a pilot to address one or two high-value use cases. This approach provides solutions to important business problems and enables learning that can be applied to other improvement opportunities and used to build a scalable data-driven operating model.”
Future
How can the supply chain industry take that next step and what strategies can be implemented to push the industry forward even further?
ScottMadden: “Supply chain leaders should lean into digital transformation, resilience, and sustainability. A solid approach to digital transformation (e.g., data analytics and AI) will enable resilience, sustainability, and effectiveness. By embracing digital changes early and incrementally, supply chain organisations can ensure a ‘seat at the table’ when enterprise strategies are discussed. Similarly, considering data skills to the Supply Chain workforce will help prepare organisations for an increasingly digital future”
Are there any exciting projects that you’re currently working on or any past ones that you’re proud of that you’d like to highlight?
ScottMadden: “Some of our most recent work has involved using data analytics and AI to help shape materials management strategies, resulting in significant opportunities to drive savings and increase agility and scalability. We have been able to leverage proven inventory management methodologies to identify these opportunities more quickly and efficiently, which enables faster implementation for our clients. We have also applied related techniques to warehouse design and network optimisation. The exciting part is that we are just scratching the surface with these solutions.”
On the back of ASCM CONNECT 2024, Suyash Deo, Functional SME Data Analytics and AI at Softweb Solutions, reveals how new technology can unlock numerous opportunities and create significant value for organisations.
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GenAI is a game-changer for procurement.
It has the potential to redefine procurement’s entire operating model and significantly accelerate the function’s efficiency.
To a Chief Procurement Officer, saving both time and money is like music to their ears. However, that’s not to say that GenAI has all the answers and doesn’t come without challenges.
In this exclusive article, Suyash Deo, Functional SME Data Analytics and AI at Softweb Solutions, tells us more about how GenAI and conversational AI represent revolutionary advancements in technology, poised to transform traditional supply chain operations.
Would you be able to give me a brief introduction to your role and the company you work for?
Suyash Deo: “I serve as a Functional SME in AI and Data Analytics at Softweb Solutions. With 13 years at Softweb, I’ve managed key accounts in supply chain and manufacturing, driving their digital transformation.
“Softweb Solutions, an Avnet company, is a global system integrator headquartered in Dallas, with offices in Chicago and a development unit in India. For over two decades, we’ve been bridging technology gaps in digital supply chains through data and AI-driven strategies. We’re closely aligned with Hyperscalers like Microsoft and AWS, and enterprise platforms like Salesforce and SAP.”
Suyash Deo, Functional SME Data Analytics and AI at Softweb Solutions
ASCM CONNECT 2024
What is the value of events like ASCM CONNECT 2024: North America? How important is this conference in the supply chain calendar?
Suyash Deo: “ASCM CONNECT 2024 stands out as a premier event, offering a unique platform for professionals in the supply chain industry to collaborate and connect. While we attend many industry events, the networking opportunities at ASCM CONNECT are truly unmatched.”
What are the biggest takeaways from this year’s ASCM CONNECT for you?
Suyash Deo: “At Softweb, we had the opportunity to showcase our Generative AI framework, Needle, along with our AI agent capabilities. The response from the audience was overwhelmingly positive, particularly in seeing how AI agents can revolutionize traditional operations. Additionally, the event offered valuable networking opportunities and insights from industry experts, making it a highly enriching experience for us.”
Global supply chain
How would you describe where the supply chain space finds itself today?
Suyash Deo: “The supply chain sector has undoubtedly been among the hardest hit by recent global disruptions. These challenges have exposed vulnerabilities and push the industry to rethink its approach.
“We’re now moving away from the traditional, linear supply chains toward more interconnected, technology-driven networks. There’s a strong shift towards data-driven strategies and an ‘AI-first’ mindset, which is rapidly becoming the norm in organisations aiming to future-proof their operations. The focus has shifted to creating smarter, more resilient supply chains that are better equipped to handle the uncertainties of today’s global landscape. This evolution is what we’re now considering the ‘new normal’ for supply chains.”
Digital transformation
Where are generative and conversational AI having the biggest impact in the supply chain? What types of supply chain and procurement decisions are now possible, or much easier to make, with the rise of AI and LLMs? How does this compare to just a couple of years ago?
Suyash Deo: “At ASCM Connect, we showcased our GenAI Framework, Needle. This cutting-edge tool integrates with multiple data sources and enterprise systems through its AI agent. During the demo, we illustrated how Needle can generate a Bill of Materials (BOM) from natural chat conversations with clients. It captures key information—whether it’s an image, web link, or text—and uses that data to determine specific requirements for electronic boards and parts. Additionally, Needle can recommend alternative parts for aging inventory, create new opportunities in Salesforce, notify account managers, and validate parts availability.
“This AI-driven approach has optimised the traditional procurement process by over 40% and significantly improved customer experience. Looking back a few years, procurement involved a cumbersome chain of emails and forms, extensive data exchanges, and a high level of human dependency, all of which increased the risk of errors. Needle modernises and streamlines these processes, delivering greater efficiency and accuracy.”
What should CSCOs out there do first? What needs to be considered before starting the gen AI journey?
Suyash Deo: “GenAI technology has the potential to unlock numerous opportunities and create significant value for organisations when implemented effectively. However, we’ve noticed that many clients begin with proofs of concept (POCs). This is before then abandoning full-scale implementation due to inadequate planning.
“In our Data 360 program, we address this challenge by starting with a thorough data readiness assessment and mapping out all overlapping workflows. While we always adhere to a well-defined AI strategy, our approach ensures that it is tailored to fit each client’s existing ecosystem and use cases.”
Biggest challenges
What are the biggest challenges or hesitations you’re seeing companies have around AI? What should organisations look for in technology to hedge against these concerns?
Suyash Deo: “During our workshops, we encounter various concerns from stakeholders. This is much like the apprehensions someone might have when riding a jet ski for the first time.
“However, one common worry is, ‘We do not want to share our data with the LLM.’
To address this, we implement our Needle framework directly within the client’s cloud environment.
This setup ensures that clients maintain full control over their data sources, user interactions with the AI model, and the resources it generates.
“Additionally, we provide a comprehensive overview of the GenAI thread landscape from an enterprise perspective and explain how Needle integrates within it. We can also discuss specific cases in detail to address any further concerns.”
What are the underlying issues in how companies are currently storing and looking at their supply chain data? Why is this a problem and how can they overcome those challenges with generative AI and knowledge graphs?
Suyash Deo: “We frequently encounter this question during our workshops. As I mentioned earlier, GenAI or even traditional AI should come later in the process. The first and most critical step is building a solid data foundation.
“Many systems operate in silos, a number of applications run on local servers, and it’s not uncommon to find data managed through XLS and CSV files. This fragmented setup makes it difficult to ensure data availability for successful AI implementation.
“We always recommend focusing on strengthening the foundational data layer first. Once that’s in place, companies gain the flexibility to fully explore and leverage the true potential of AI.”
Future
Are there any exciting projects that you’re currently working on or any past ones that you’re proud of that you’d like to highlight?
Suyash Deo: “We’re involved in some exciting projects, especially in the areas of AI, data analytics, and digital transformation. Let me share two examples.
“Recently, we partnered with a leading supply chain company to develop a robust solution called POLAR. It’s a cloud-based web platform specifically designed to manage supply chain operations across different business units in the Asia-Pacific region. POLAR includes modules for planning, operations, logistics, reporting, and analytics, all customised to meet the needs of various roles within each unit.”
Challenges:
“They were facing numerous challenges managing their complex supply chain operations across diverse business units in the Asia-Pacific region. These includes Slow SAP data retrieval, which hindered real-time decision-making, forecasting future operations was also challenging due to the difficulty in analysing historical trends effectively.
Solution
“Our developed web platform designed specifically to manage supply chain operations across diverse business units in the Asia-Pacific region. Built leveraging Azure services, it offers robust features, including modules for planning, operations, logistics, reporting, and analytics.
“This resulted into greater impact in form of;
Improved Operational Efficiency: Automated processes, reducing time and effort in managing supply chain operations.
Enhanced Data Accuracy: Eliminated manual errors, resulting in more accurate reporting and decision-making.
Faster Decision-Making: Real-time SAP access and historical comparisons enabled quicker, informed decisions.
Seamless Integration: Integration with SAP and third-party systems optimized the entire supply chain.
Future Scalability: The cloud-based platform supports long-term growth and adaptability for the business.
Project FSP
“We have also built Full-Service Portal (FSP) to streamline their product service and ordering for end client.
“Portal also covered critical modules, including product listing, order processing, and BOM (Bill of Materials) management, to enhance operational efficiency across regions.
Key Features:
Product Listing and Search: A robust system for listing products with extensive search and filter options, enabling users to find products efficiently.
Quoting System: FSP introduced a quoting module that allowed users to request quotes through multiple channels, track quote progress, and place orders based on quoted products.
BOM (Bill of Materials) Management: The BOM module enabled users to create BOMs through various options, track product availability and pricing, and manage quotes and orders for BOM products seamlessly.
Results and Impact
Improved Efficiency: The system streamlined product listings, order management, and quoting processes, improving response times and customer satisfaction.
Global Reach: The platform’s capabilities supported FSP’s operations across the Americas, APAC, and EMEA, enhancing its global presence.
Enhanced Customer Experience: Customers could easily navigate through product listings, request quotes, and track orders, leading to a better user experience.
BOM Optimisation: The BOM management feature enabled more accurate tracking of product availability and pricing, reducing delays in production and order fulfilment.
“This solution helped FSP rapidly respond to market changes, ensuring greater flexibility and operational agility across its global footprint.”
As the world’s largest specialist sustainability consultancy, ERM partners with clients to operationalise sustainability at pace and scale, deploying a unique combination of strategic transformation and technical delivery capabilities.
This approach helps clients to accelerate the integration of sustainability at every level of their business. With more than 50 years of experience, ERM’s diverse team of 8,000+ experts in 40 countries and territories helps clients create innovative solutions to their sustainability challenges, unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.
Speaking exclusively to SupplyChain Strategy ahead of ASCM CONNECT 2024, Ed Struzik, Partner, Supply Chain at ERM, discusses the current state of play in modern supply chain amidst digital and sustainability transformation.
Ed Struzik, Partner, Supply Chain at ERM
Would you be able to give us a brief introduction to your role and the company you work for?
Ed Struzik: “I am a Partner at ERM, the world’s largest pure play sustainability consulting firm. ERM partners with clients to operationalise sustainability at pace and scale through our unique combination of strategic transformation and technical delivery capabilities. I lead our Sustainable Supply Chain Group in North America.”
ASCM CONNECT 2024
What is the value of events like ASCM CONNECT 2024: North America? How important is this conference in the supply chain calendar?
Ed Struzik: “ASCM Connect provides educational opportunities as well as the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices. This is in addition to bringing the most up-to-date thinking to supply chain practitioners across the globe. For me, this conference is one of the top three must-attend events on my calendar!”
Is there anything that makes this event stand out for you? How is it different from others you’ve attended?
Ed Struzik: “It is the way the sessions are intentionally set up to inform and educate. There is not one opinion, there are, of course, better practices presented, but the objective is an open exchange of ideas, sessions, small and large and workshops which help take away actual knowledge!”
Global supply chain
Given the backdrop of the global disruption over the past few years (COVID, wars, inflation etc), how would you sum up where the supply chain space finds itself today?
Ed Struzik: “The supply chain today is at a VERY important crossroads. You have disruptions—which lead to the need for resiliency, you have regulations, which lead to the need for traceability and you have consumer pressure/sustainability which leads to the need for better design, packaging and less waste. Now, these three do have some overlap and traceability can advance all of these areas rapidly.”
What do you feel are the biggest lessons supply chains have learnt over the past few years and how well equipped is the modern day supply chain now to deal with ‘black swan’ events like the ones we’ve seen recently?
Ed Struzik: “I think supply chains have learned to shy away from ‘just in time’ in favour of buffer inventory in order to offset the impacts of the black swan, this is not a great trend. A smaller movement, but one that will make supply chains less susceptible to black swans is an effort to re-shore/near shore. This also cuts down the number of places to track the material from and can also lead to improved sustainability. There is also a fast-evolving need for good tracking software…. Digital Product Passports, blockchain/digital ledgers should be gaining much more traction than they are.”
Sustainability
Sustainability is an important item on most Chief Supply Chain Officers’ agenda. Amid government legislation and changing customer demands, is a sustainable supply a non-negotiable in today’s world?
Ed Struzik: “Between the traceability requirements of regulations (CSDDD, CSRD, etc.) as well as consumer, board and financial pressures to be better corporate citizens, OEMS/companies are being held accountable for the sustainability practices of their suppliers. It is exactly the right time to collaborate, partner and improve or risk being left behind.”
In what ways have you incorporated sustainability into operations?
Ed Struzik: “As a consultancy, we assist clients every day with their sustainability needs and how to integrate them into operations. Whether that is through improved health and safety policies, responsible sourcing, re-designed, more sustainable packaging, circularity and recycling audits we are a one-stop shop for our clients. ERM’s comprehensive approach to sustainability is embedded in our corporate strategy with a stated purpose: to shape a sustainable future with the world’s leading organisations. ERM strives to operate sustainably in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which we’ve been involved in since the start of their development in 2012.”
Digital transformation
Where are generative and conversational AI having the biggest impact in the supply chain? What types of supply chain and procurement decisions are now possible, or much easier to make, with the rise of AI and LLMs? How does this compare to just a couple of years ago?
Ed Struzik: “While AI and ML have existed, it was only recently that they have taken off. Analysis of routes, lanes, GHG considerations, and when to optimise freight or inventory levels can all be accelerated through the use of AI and ML. In addition, the receiving, billing, tender process, etc. can all be improved and run faster with the use of AI.”
What should CSCOs out there do first? What needs to be considered before starting the gen AI journey?
Ed Struzik: “I would want to get supply chain fully mapped. It is 100% traceability to the commodity. Then we can get more creative. Use of AI for alternates, reduction of bottlenecks, etc. let the AI run the scheduling algorithms and make recommendations faster. Next, I would link all those accepted decisions to a digital ledger, let it keep track of actuals, lots, locations, price, assay, composition, recycled content etc. as it can hold way more information than an ERP system and it is accessible to the next person in the chain as you want it to be!”
Data challenge
What are the biggest challenges or hesitations you’re seeing companies have around AI? What should organisations look for in technology to hedge against these concerns?
Ed Struzik: “Number one is fear of the unknown. No one wants to be the one who took a big swing at running their supply chain with AI and failed. They need to hedge. And they are by implementing AI in pockets, small functions, small products, pilots etc.”
What are the underlying issues in how companies are currently storing and looking at their supply chain data? Why is this a problem and how can they overcome those challenges with generative AI and knowledge graphs?
Ed Struzik: “There are too many systems. As AI improves and companies properly set up digital twins and data lakes they will be able to let AI fill gaps in actuals and then get them presented in a unified, single dashboard—set up for different levels in the organization. This has been a promise of several SCP packages for years, but no one has ever gone all in on any of them.”
Talent management
People are a company’s greatest asset but can also be a hurdle to overcome when it comes to innovation. How do you manage the people challenge and get them on board with change?
Ed Struzik: “As a consultancy we do a lot of supplier education and upskilling, especially around sustainability in the supply chain.”
What about the next generation of talent? What is the key to encouraging more people into a career within the supply chain?
Ed Struzik: “In terms of sustainability, the next generation of supply chain talent is there, they want to make a difference, they do not need motivation for that, they will actually be frustrated with the corporate ‘slowness’ to adopt the change. They need to be educated and lead the charge on alternate sources of supply, new methods of vendor selection, etc.”
Supply chain’s next step
How can the supply chain industry take that next step and what strategies can be implemented to push the industry forward even further?
Ed Struzik: “Regulations will not stop, consumer pressure will not stop, the need for resiliency will not stop. The number one strategy is to figure out how to be traceable, sustainable and resilient. Manually this will not happen. Digital solutions are the only way—mapping and digital ledgers are at the forefront of this movement.”
Are there any exciting projects that you’re currently working on or any past ones that you’re proud of that you’d like to highlight?
Ed Struzik: “ERM has been at the forefront of supplier engagement, especially for decarbonisation. Every one of these has been special to me because they improve our client’s position and help improve the planet. I have also personally developed a lot of the material ERM uses to engage our clients on sustainable supply chain creation and this continues to grow and expand.”
Future
How exciting a future does supply chain and procurement have? Some people say that now is the greatest time to be in the space. Is that true?
Ed Struzik: “The future is on fire for supply chain and procurement. Never in history has it been so talked about and become such a business differentiator. The sheer volume of supply chain regulations and the need for responsible sourcing puts way more power and emphasis on procurement than ever before. The days of getting the cheapest part that meets spec to my door the fastest are long gone. Cost, quality and OTD are only a part of the equation now. Is it sustainable, how recyclable it is, who made it is table stakes now and the new supply chain and procurement professionals need to embrace it.”
Odeta Pine, Product Specialist at Pyplan, reveals how the organisation is meeting technology and sustainability challenges amid a supply chain transformation.
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Pyplan S&OP is a robust platform integrating Python’s computational power and AI-driven insights, designed to enhance organisational resilience in dynamic market environments.
It empowers businesses to adapt swiftly to market shifts and evolving customer demands by offering deep analysis into operational facets like capacity, inventory management, production efficiency, and distribution channels. With Pyplan S&OP, decision-makers can anticipate bottlenecks, identify optimisation opportunities, and devise strategies to capitalise on emerging market trends.
Ahead of ASCM CONNECT 2024, CPOstrategy spoke with Odeta Pine, Product Specialist at Pyplan, to discover how the company is navigating supply chain’s evolving landscape amid the rise of technology and sustainability initiatives.
Would you be able to give me a brief introduction into the company you work for?
Odeta Pine: “The platform fosters cross-functional collaboration by creating a unified business model that transcends departmental silos, ensuring comprehensive strategic planning resonates across the organisation. By enabling stakeholders to contribute insights and perspectives, Pyplan S&OP cultivates a culture of ownership and accountability, driving collective efforts toward shared organisational goals. Notably, industry leaders like Puma, Pirelli, Nestle, and Coca Cola have successfully implemented Pyplan solutions, leveraging its capabilities to streamline decision-making, optimise operations, and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving business landscape.”
ASCM CONNECT 2024
What is the value of events like ASCM CONNECT 2024: North America? How important is this conference in the supply chain calendar?
Odeta Pine: “This event is very important for us to see the latest trends, strategies and innovative technologies within supply chain management. It is an opportunity for us to showcase Pyplan – a new python based GenAI product to the US market. We are excited to network with other peers and big companies we can learn from.”
Is there anything that makes this event stand out for you? How is it different from others you’ve attended?
Odeta Pine: “The great keynote speakers, technology companies and the great well-known companies attending.”
What are the biggest takeaways from this year’s ASCM CONNECT for you?
Odeta Pine: “Networking, education and learning about all the cutting-edge solutions and new tech start-ups.”
Global supply chain
Given the backdrop of the global disruption over the past few years (COVID, wars, inflation etc), how would you sum up where the supply chain space finds itself today?
Odeta Pine: “The supply chain right now is in a state of digital transformation and adaptation to all the disruptions. From what we have seen this year, companies are focusing a lot on resilience over efficiency by having a lot more diverse suppliers and increasing inventory levels to mitigate risks. They are focusing on increasing the EBITDA line by improving cost management given the high inflation rate and fluctuating raw material cost. Risk assessment, scenario management, sustainability and digital transformation have been key.”
What do you feel are the biggest lessons supply chains have learnt over the past few years and how well equipped is the modern-day supply chain now to deal with ‘black swan’ events like the ones we’ve seen recently?
Odeta Pine: “I think the biggest lessons learnt have been the need for agility, diversification of suppliers’, better inventory management and technology. The modern-day supply chain space has improved but it is still vulnerable to the ‘black swan’ events. Today, it is using better technologies to predict and forecast better with Python-based technologies – Python is the new and future business language. I think the most important lesson, is that it has increased awareness at the C-level which means more visibility and therefore faster strategic decision making to any sudden events.”
Sustainability
Sustainability is an important item on most Chief Supply Chain Officers’ agenda. Amid government legislation and changing customer demands, is a sustainable supply a non-negotiable in today’s world?
Odeta Pine: “A sustainable supply is non-negotiable and that is the reason we have seen a lot of new techs emerging such as GenAI tools understanding better consumer insights and trends to be able to tell organizations what is happening and what they should focus on from a demand and therefore supply point.”
In what ways have you incorporated sustainability into operations?
Odeta Pine: “Diversifying suppliers, optimising transportation logistics and real-time KPI tracking for sustainability.”
Digital transformation
Where are generative and conversational AI having the biggest impact in the supply chain? What types of supply chain and procurement decisions are now possible, or much easier to make, with the rise of AI and LLMs? How does this compare to just a couple of years ago?
Odeta Pine: “The biggest impact we see is within logistics and transportation optimisation, inventory management and demand forecasting as well as supplier relationship management. Inventory levels can better be managed to reduce overstock and stockouts. Artificial intelligence can automatically suggest reorder points, dynamic pricing based on real-time data. AI continuously monitors and updates suppliers’ data. AI in transportation and logistics have extremely improved real-time route optimisation and dynamic scheduling.”
What should CSCOs out there do first? What needs to be considered before starting the gen AI journey?
Odeta Pine: “Before a CSCO starts the AI journey, it is important to have a clear objective and use case, good clean data related to the objective and the right skilled team behind the AI projects.”
Tech-driven
What are the biggest challenges or hesitations you’re seeing companies have around AI? What should organisations look for in technology to hedge against these concerns?
Odeta Pine: “The biggest challenge is the good data, data privacy and security – companies should look for AI technologies that have a good handle on data encryption, security compliance and anonymisation.”
What are the underlying issues in how companies are currently storing and looking at their supply chain data? Why is this a problem and how can they overcome those challenges with generative AI and knowledge graphs?
Odeta Pine: “The biggest issue we see is the data quality, storage and inconsistency. Data is siloed and extremely fragmented. For any AI technology to be successful, the data needs to be good, consistent and easy to access. This is an issue because companies never really took supply chain data or any type of data seriously. On top and with the vast amount of data generated from multiple data sources anytime, this data now is so challenging, and it needs a lot of cleansing/ ETLs. Having a great data team to identify the sources, access the data, transform it, clean it and create KPI tracking reports is crucial.”
Talent management
People are a company’s greatest asset but can also be a hurdle to overcome when it comes to innovation. How do you manage the people challenge and get them on board with change?
Odeta Pine: “Communication, transparency and training throughout all teams across all departments.”
What about the next generation of talent? What is the key to encouraging more people into a career within the supply chain?
Odeta Pine: “Education and awareness are key to encouraging the next generation. Teaching young people about the global impact of supply chain in everyday life and how they can help with that is so important. Learning about technology, innovation, the importance of good data and coding languages like Python is key to having more people into a career within the supply chain.”
Future
How can the supply chain industry take that next step and what strategies can be implemented to push the industry forward even further?
Odeta Pine: “The supply chain industry can take the next steps by implementing data-driven decision making using advanced technologies for real-time KPI tracking, predictive analytics, process automation, implement AI for inventory optimisation and demand forecasting.”
Are there any exciting projects that you’re currently working on or any past ones that you’re proud of that you’d like to highlight?
Odeta Pine: “Nestlé Brazil was looking to find a tool that allowed it to automate and optimise the Demand and Production Planning process, so that it would allow users to have complete visibility both in the hierarchy of its large product portfolio (by segment, family, brand, SKU, among others), as well as by logistics points, factories and production lines. We implemented a fully automated DRP Module Distribution, Demand Planning and Production Optimization Module. The benefits achieved from Nestle:
Increased accuracy
Increased reliability of supply
Reduction of stock breaks
Granular visibility of historical data and forecasts
Reduced stock accumulation
Greater product availability
How exciting a future does supply chain and procurement have? Some people say that now is the greatest time to be in the space. Is that true?
Odeta Pine: “Yes because of the many innovations happening within the space! AI/ML, IoT and a lot more!”
We are pleased to announce that SupplyChain Strategy is an official media partner for LogiPharma USA 2024.
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We are pleased to announce that SupplyChain Strategy is an official media partner for LogiPharma USA 2024.
Over the past 20+ years, LogiPharma has become the go-to event for pharma, biotech and medtech supply chain executives since its founding in 2002.
This year’s event will take place at Westin Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts, between September 23rd and 25th.
Advancing Global Supply Chains – Together
Through collaboration with heads of supply chain on both the manufacturing and provider sides, LogiPharma aims to promote deeper collaboration among industry players which leads to more effective and efficient supply chain management.
Today, LogiPharma is a must-attend event for any supply chain executive within the pharmaceutical industry in order to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, enhance knowledge and build vital relationships with peers in the field.
The event will also focus sessions on the role of collaboration and how it protects the United States’ drug supply chain. In this session, panellists from the FDA, ODNI and DoD will meet to discuss how partnerships have helped mitigate risks and share insights gained from addressing evolving challenges in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Speakers include Lucy Alexander, Capabilities Lead, Global Supply Chain Strategy at AstraZeneca, Frank Binder, Global Head of Supply Chain Management at Santen as well as Mario M. Feliciano, PLA Product Director at Novartis, among many others.
LogiPharma – A closer look
Thought-provoking
LogiPharma has become one of the leading pharmaceutical supply chains events in the world and serves as a platform for practitioners to come together and engage in meaningful discussions and thought leadership. Industry-leading speakers and pharma supply chain leaders have collaborated to develop this event specifically for pharma supply chain professionals.
Engaging
LogiPharma goes beyond simply bringing professionals together. The primary aim is to provide a platform for those keen to share their expertise and experience. This event provides the opportunity for industry experts to instruct and inspire their peers by presenting innovative solutions and discussing cutting-edge processes that are set to shape the future of the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Relaxed
Attendees can expect an in-depth programme that features a variety of topics all vital to the pharmaceutical supply chain. From the likes of emerging technologies and digital transformation to regulatory compliance and risk management, LogiPharma aims to cover all aspects that shape the industry’s landscape.
ASCM CONNECT is a dynamic three-day conference dedicated to the latest trends and tactics in end-to-end supply chain SupplyChain Strategy.
As a media partner, SupplyChain Strategy will deliver exclusive content such as articles from some of the event’s speakers and sponsors.
Set to take place between September 9th and 11th in Austin, Texas, innovation is set to shine with sparking collaboration the key to shaping the future of supply chain management. At ASCM CONNECT, attendees are invited to tap into the knowledge and experience of an expert speaker line-up, and dive into education that transcends the ‘what’ to explore the ‘how’ and address the ‘so now what’ of industry advancements.
Attendees to the conference will uncover the latest advancements and trends in:
Stability, resilience and agility
Digital capabilities, technologies and enablers
Talent, leadership and transformation
Sustainability, circularity and climate
Who Should Attend?
Open to all supply chain professionals, ASCM CONNECT delivers value no matter where you are in your supply chain career. Attend and be at the forefront of shaping the future of the industry.
Industry Executives
Engage directly with other top industry leaders and influencers who are driving innovation and transformation in the supply chain profession.
Gain invaluable insights and forge meaningful connections that can catalyse positive change across all sectors of the supply chain.
Make a lasting impact with your presence – your newfound connections and insights have the potential to resonate and drive significant advancements in supply chain practices.
Emerging Supply Chain Leaders
Enhance your skills and knowledge through invaluable insights from industry leaders and experts. Accelerate your career growth and stay ahead in the ever-changing world of supply chain management.
Immerse yourself in keynote presentations, educational sessions, and Connection Cafés designed to address the unique needs and questions of supply chain newcomers.
Expand your professional network, connecting with peers and mentors who can provide guidance and support on your career journey.
Supply Chain Champions
Join a vibrant community of supply chain enthusiasts and novices alike, where collaboration is key. Connect with peers from diverse supply chain backgrounds, exchanging insights, troubleshooting challenges, and sparking innovative ideas together.
Equip yourself with actionable strategies for navigating the complexities of today’s rapidly evolving supply chain landscape. Whether you’re seeking solutions to specific challenges or simply eager to absorb knowledge from industry experts, this conference offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn, grow, and network with fellow professionals, thought leaders, and essential vendors.
Satya Mishra, Director, Product Management at Amazon Business, discusses how CPOs have become an important voice at the table to drive digital transformation and efficient collaboration.
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Harnessing efficiency is at the heart of any digital transformation journey.
Digitalisation should revolve around driving efficiency and achieving cost savings. Otherwise, why do it?
Amazon is no stranger to simplifying shopping for its customers. It is why Amazon has become a global leader in e-commerce. But, business-to-business customers can have different needs than traditional consumers, which is what led to the birth of Amazon Business in 2015. Amazon Business simplifies procurement processes, and one of the key ways it does this is by integrating with third-party systems to drive efficiencies and quickly discover insights.
Satya Mishra, Director, Product Management at Amazon Business, tells us all about how the organisation is helping procurement leaders to integrate their systems to lead to time and money savings.
Many people shop on Amazon. What is Amazon Business, and how is it related to procurement?
Satya Mishra: “More than six million customers around the world tap Amazon Business to access business-only pricing and selection, purchasing system integrations, a curated site experience, Business Prime, single or multi-user business accounts, and dedicated customer support, among other benefits.
“I lead Amazon Business’ integrations tech team, which builds integrations with third-party e-procurement, expense management, e-sourcing and idP systems. We also build APIs for our customers that either they or the third-party system integrators can use to create solutions that meet customers’ procurement needs. Integrations can allow business buyers to create connected buying journeys, which we call smart business buying journeys.
“If a customer does not have existing procurement systems they’d like to integrate, they can take advantage of other native tools, like a Business Analytics dashboard, in the Amazon Business store, so they can monitor their business spend. They can also discover and use some third-party integrated apps in the new Amazon Business App Center.”
Why would a customer choose to integrate their systems? Are CPOs leading the way?
Satya Mishra: “By integrating systems, customers can save time and money, drive compliance, spend visibility, and gain clearer insights. I talk to CPOs frequently to learn about their pain points. I often hear from these leaders that it can be tough for procurement teams to manage or create purchasing policies. This is especially if they have a high volume of purchases coming in from employees across their whole organisation, with a small group of employees, or even one employee, manually reviewing and reconciling. Integrations can automate these processes and help create a more intuitive buying experience across systems.
“Procurement is a strategic business function. It’s data-driven and measurable. CPOs manage the business buying, and the business buying can directly impact an organisation’s bottom line. If procurement tools don’t automatically connect to a source of supply, business buying decisions can become more complex. Properly integrated technology systems can help solve these issues for procurement leaders.”
Beyond process complexity, what other challenges are procurement leaders facing?
Satya Mishra: “In the Amazon Business 2024 State of Procurement Report, other top challenges respondents reported were having access to a wide range of sellers and products that meet their needs, and ensuring compliance with spend policies.
“The report also found that 52% of procurement decision-makers are responsible for making purchases for multiple locations. Of that group, 57% make purchases for multiple countries.
“During my conversations with CPOs, I hear them say that having access to millions of products across many categories through Amazon Business has allowed them to streamline their supplier quantity and reduced time spent going to physical stores or trying to find products they’re looking for from a range of online websites. They’ve also shared that the ability to ship purchases from Amazon Business to multiple addresses has been very helpful in reducing complexity for both spot-buy and planned or recurring purchases. Organisations may need to buy specific products, like copy paper or snacks, in a recurring way. They may need to buy something else, like desks, only once, and in bulk, at that. Amazon Business’ ordering capabilities are agile and can lessen the purchasing complexity.”
How should procurement leaders choose which integrations will help them the most?
Satya Mishra: “At Amazon Business, we work backwards from customer problems to find solutions. I recommend CPOs think about what existing systems their employees may already use, the organisation’s buying needs, and their buyers’ typical purchasing behaviors. The buying experience should be intuitive and delightful.
“Amazon Business integrates with more than 300 systems, like Coupa, SAP Ariba, Okta, Fairmarkit, and Intuit Quickbooks, to name just a handful. With e-procurement integrations like Punchout and Integrated Search, customers start their buying journey in their e-procurement system. With Punch-in, they start on the Amazon Business website, then punch into their e-procurement system. With SSO, customers can use their existing employee credentials. Our collection of APIs can help customers customise their procure-to-pay and source-to-settle operations. This includes automating receipts in expense management systems and track progress toward spending goals.
“My team recently launched an App Center where customers can discover third-party apps spanning Accounting Management, Rewards & Recognition, Expense Management, Integrated Shopping and Inventory Management categories. We’ll continue to add more apps over time to help simplify the integrated app discovery process for customers.
“Some customers choose to stack their integrations, while others stick with one integration that serves their needs. There are many possibilities, and you don’t just have to choose one integration. You can start with Punchout and e-invoicing, for example, and then also integrate with Integrated Search, so your buyers can search the Amazon Business catalog within the e-procurement system your organisation uses.”
Are integrations tech projects?
Satya Mishra: “No, integrations should not be viewed as tech projects to be decided by only an IT team. Integrations open doors to greater data connectivity and business efficiencies across organisations. Instead of having disjointed data streams, you can connect those systems and centralise data, increasing spend visibility. You may be able to spot patterns and identify cost savings that may have gotten lost otherwise.
“It’s not uncommon for me to hear that CPOs, CFOs and CIOs are collaborating on business decisions that will save them all time and meet shared goals, and integrations are in their mix of recommendations.
“One of my team’s key goals has been to simplify integrations and bring in more self-service solutions. In terms of set-up, some integrations like SSO can be self-serviced by the customer. Amazon Business can help customers with the set-up process for integrations as well.”
“It’s not uncommon for me to hear that CPOs, CFOs and CIOs are collaborating on business decisions that will save them all time and meet shared goals, and integrations are in their mix of recommendations.
“One of my team’s key goals has been to simplify integrations and bring in more self-service solutions. In terms of set-up, some integrations like SSO can be self-serviced by the customer. Amazon Business can help customers with the set-up process for integrations as well.”
How has procurement transformed in recent years?
Satya Mishra: “Procurement is no longer viewed as a back-office function. CPOs more commonly have a seat at the table for strategic cross-functional decisions with CFOs and CIOs.
“95% of Amazon Business 2024 State of Procurement Report respondents say the purchases they make mostly fall into managed spend. Managed spending is often planned for months or years ahead of time. This can create a great opportunity to recruit other stakeholders across departments versus outsourcing purchasing responsibilities. Equipping domain experts to support routine purchasing activities allows procurement to uplevel its focus and take on higher priorities across the organisation, while still maintaining oversight of overarching buying patterns. It’s also worth noting that by connecting to e-procurement and expense management systems, integrations provide easy and secure access to products on Amazon Business and help facilitate managed spend.”
What does the future of procurement look like?
Satya Mishra: “Bright! By embracing digital transformation and artificial intelligence to form more agile and strategic operations, CPOs can influence the ways their organisations innovate and adapt to change.”
Anthony Payne, Chief Marketing Officer of HICX, tells us how working collaboratively with suppliers on sustainable procurement practices could act as an organisation’s competitive advantage.
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Sustainability isn’t just a ‘nice to have’ anymore – businesses don’t have much of a choice in the world of 2024.
With ESG regulations now locked in place, organisations must comply or risk significant penalties. In order to achieve sustainability objectives more effectively and efficiently, collaborating with suppliers represents a real opportunity to get there faster.
When businesses work with suppliers to reach sustainability goals, they need access to the most accurate supplier data possible. However, obtaining this data isn’t necessarily straightforward. Ultimately, suppliers own it and need to provide it.
This means it is in a business’s interest to form and maintain a great working relationship with suppliers.
Anthony Payne, Chief Marketing Officer of HICX, the supplier experience platform, discusses the benefits of being supplier-centric and how giving brands a better experience adds value to organisations.
What is the link between businesses collaborating with suppliers, and suppliers being able to give them helpful sustainability information?
Anthony Payne: “There is a direct link. A good supplier experience makes it easier to communicate with suppliers because it allows for collaboration, whereas the opposite can harm communication efforts. For example, when businesses need ESG information, many will survey a broad group of suppliers even though the questions don’t apply to everyone. This is easier for the business. But it means every supplier who receives the survey must investigate whether it applies to them. The experience is more likely to frustrate suppliers than to help them offer the best information.
“Rather, we can help suppliers to help us by communicating better. The way forward is to segment suppliers into groups and send them only relevant requests. This creates a more positive experience in which suppliers are better able to provide helpful information.”
What about their motivation to help sustainability efforts – does this also rely on supplier experience?
Anthony Payne: “Yes, because if the culture of the business-supplier relationship is one in which each party looks out for themselves, then suppliers won’t be terribly motivated to offer the most helpful ESG information. It’s just human nature. Whereas if a business creates an environment in which suppliers can collaborate with them, then they’re more likely to become a customer-of-choice. This is a status worth having. A recent HICX survey showed that while 49% of suppliers would go the extra mile for their biggest customer, as many as 73% would make the effort if this was a customer-of-choice.
“Ultimately, if businesses give their suppliers a good experience, then more suppliers should be willing to provide helpful ESG information – even if it means spending a bit more effort.”
What are some of your most effective strategies and best practices to building a future-proof ESG framework?
Anthony Payne: “Businesses can futureproof their ESG frameworks by viewing suppliers as value-adding partners. This principle suggests three ways to engage suppliers…
“First, have a corporate mindset in which every employee views every supplier as a valued partner. If COVID-19 taught us anything it’s how much we rely on suppliers. When the pandemic hit, non-strategic suppliers such as providers of IT equipment and protective personal equipment suddenly became as central to operations as those who supplied the main ingredients. If we take the view that ‘all suppliers matter’, then it becomes easier to treat them all as partners in the same eco-system and we can work together towards common goals.
“Then, through this lens, we can market to suppliers. In customer marketing, a business would require a certain action from customers – such as getting them to buy a product, read a newsletter or attend an event – and so would motivate this behaviour. Similarly, in procurement, we can appeal to suppliers in a way that encourages them to participate in ESG activities, for instance, by providing helpful carbon emission information.
“One way to encourage the desired behaviour with suppliers is to segment them into the appropriate categories and send them only necessary messages. This is what a marketer would do with customers. By viewing suppliers as partners and introducing supplier marketing and segmentation, you can improve suppliers’ experience and get the most from them.”
What are the biggest barriers that organisations face to delivering more sustainable practices within their organisations?
Anthony Payne: “Once supplier data has been captured, however, the challenge continues because it must be maintained as a golden source of truth. Not having accurate supplier data is a major barrier to delivering sustainable practices because it means that businesses cannot see who all their suppliers are and what they’re doing.
“Thankfully, with robust onboarding and data management in place, businesses can keep their supplier data up-to-date and accurate so that it can inform good sustainability decisions.”
What is the best way for procurement teams to assess and prioritise the suppliers they work with? How do you juggle environmental impact vs value to company?
Anthony Payne: “The best way to assess and prioritise suppliers is to have visibility. Businesses need to know who all their suppliers are and what they’re doing, at any given time. Only once leaders are informed, can they make the best environmental decisions.
“It’s imperative to manage environmental impact with suppliers, regardless of how much value they bring a company. Apart from the moral obligation to protect the environment, businesses also have their reputations to consider. An environmental infringement that gets exposed – no matter how deep in the supply chain it might occur – is very likely to cause reputational damage, which can have a knock-on effect on sales and share price.
“In addition to brand reputation, businesses can also face expensive fines, if their suppliers are found to fall short of environmental regulations.”
What are the challenges and opportunities when it comes to supplier diversity?
Anthony Payne: “The challenge is to source the right suppliers in the first instance and then be able to report on their activity. We know that finding diverse suppliers in the UK can be difficult. While the US market is more mature, supplier diversity is growing here. Considering this, many suppliers that could qualify as “diverse” are not yet certified. Additionally, when diverse suppliers are indeed certified, there is no guarantee that their skillsets will match your needs.
“Thankfully there are ways in which businesses can proactively grow their networks of diverse suppliers. For starters, leaders can equip people within the organisation who work with suppliers, to find diverse suppliers by educating them and putting policies in place. Further, there are practical steps one can follow – such as defining the criteria for what qualifies a supplier as diverse in various territories and then finding the right businesses by searching online directories, desktop research and asking for recommendations.
“Once suppliers that are considered to be diverse are indeed found, they bring much value. Apart from being able to make a positive sustainability impact, the expectations of regulators, shareholders and consumers can be met. The by-product of this is a positive reputation which has economic benefits.
“The opposite logic also applies, and failing to capture supplier diversity value becomes a missed opportunity. For instance, when third-party expectations to support supplier diversity are missed, this can damage brand reputation which hurts sales figures and share price. Also, the unique offerings that diverse suppliers can offer will be missed, and with it the chance to make an impact. Therefore, it’s sensible to make the most of the diverse suppliers that you worked so hard to find.”
Do you have any tips for readers who want to make the most of the diverse suppliers they have sourced?
Anthony Payne: “Yes, you can start by knowing that it’s possible to make the most of the diverse suppliers you find. You can do this by following a stepped approach.
“Start by onboarding new suppliers who are considered ‘diverse’ with processes that reliably capture their information. This way, your diversity programmes can be well-informed. It’s hugely valuable to be able to tell, at the touch of a button, where a particular supplier might be based. Also, what qualifies them as ‘diverse’? And while they might hold diversity status today, how can we be sure it still applies tomorrow?
“With all the right information collected at the start of each relationship, then it’s a good idea to instill processes that drive everyone who works with suppliers to spend more with those who are considered as diverse. As more diverse suppliers join the organisation, then you need to keep their data accurate. Do this by digitally transforming the procurement landscape to make master data a priority. With robust processes, it’s possible to maximise your relationships with all suppliers.”
How optimistic are you about the future of ESG within procurement?
Anthony Payne: “I am very optimistic about the future of ESG within procurement, because, we’re seeing the supplier experience movement grow in the UK and the US. For instance, we’re seeing new job roles come out in this area as the principle is popularised. And we know that having good Supplier Experience Management programmes in place sets up business to procure in the most ESG-friendly way possible.
“And so, with Supplier Experience Management becoming increasingly popular, we believe that the future for sustainability is bright.”
SourceDay has announced a strategic partnership with industry cloud company Infor to deliver supply chain visibility.
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SourceDay has announced a strategic partnership with industry cloud company Infor.
It is expected that the alliance will bridge the gap between ERPs and supplier networks. This will also be while enhancing the efficiency of direct spend purchase order lifecycle management.
Delivering supply chain visibility
As part of the partnership, SourceDay is now an Infor Certified Solution Partner. It will deliver deep, bi-directional technology integration across Infor’s Discrete Manufacturing ERPs. Shared customers can now manage direct material POs proactively and comprehensively from creation to receipt.
SourceDay is a supply chain collaboration platform that integrates with any ERP system to overcome the risks and costs inherent in manual PO lifecycle management processes. It helps manufacturers and distributors achieve supplier on-time delivery rates as high as 96%. This is through providing unmatched visibility and control over inbound supply.
Further, Infor is an official reseller of the SourceDay platform, which validates the SourceDay solution while significantly expanding customer reach.
Strategic partnership
“I’m thrilled to partner with Infor as the supplier collaboration platform of choice for their customers and prospects. This is the culmination of a rigorous process where Infor selected SourceDay based on the quality of our technology and shared commitment to our customers’ success,” said Clint McRee, co-founder of SourceDay. “SourceDay will continue to focus on proactive supplier engagement and data accuracy that today’s supply chain teams require to mitigate risk and unlock next-level business outcomes.”
Mark Humphlett, Industry and Solution Strategy Director at Infor, added: “Infor is focused on creating and sustaining collaborative relationships with partners, such as SourceDay, that have considerable vertical market expertise and are well aligned with our solutions and CloudSuites. This new partnership demonstrates Infor’s continued focus on quality and commitment to its customers.”
Tom Kieley, CEO and co-founder at SourceDay, discusses his company’s secret sauce and how it has risen to the top of the pile, delivering unified supplier collaboration for manufacturing customers.
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Some of the best innovation is born through frustration with existing offerings.
Having built their careers in manufacturing, SourceDay’s founders grew tired of unnecessary costs, increased risk, and wasted time and productivity caused by ineffective supplier communication and incorrect ERP data. This led them to create a solution that would prevent direct materials inventory surprises and unnecessary costs and also rebuild trust between manufacturers, distributors, and their suppliers.
Today, SourceDay is a bi-directionally integrated platform for any ERP where the purchase order (PO) demand is generated. The company delivers 100% of purchase order demand to suppliers through the lifecycle of a PO. This is to ensure that suppliers have no surprises and always have the most real-time, accurate source of truth. An ERP streamlines many of a company’s internal processes, but when it comes to keeping track of critical PO changes in a timely manner, procurement teams are still stuck in manual work, such as spreadsheets, emails, and post-it notes.
By digitising and creating configurable smart rules for PO change management, SourceDay removes up to 80% of the manual procurement work. This is while eliminating the persistent question marks around end-product delivery times and costs. Through seamless integration with a customer’s ERP, SourceDay ensures that every purchase order is delivered to suppliers without fail and allows for true 100% supplier collaboration through a portal, email, or EDI.
With the transformative addition of complete PO visibility, SourceDay doesn’t just enhance existing ERP capabilities. It sets a new bar for PO accuracy and on-time delivery for direct materials procurement. In today’s digital age, embracing such clarity and intelligent use of technology isn’t a luxury; it’s the key to ensuring a business remains agile, robust, and ahead of the curve.
Since its inception, SourceDay has been on a mission to eliminate manual work, production delays, and inbound supply inaccuracies from the procurement lifecycle. In just under a decade, SourceDay went from an idea on a whiteboard in a small office to nearly 300 customers and more than 80,000 suppliers globally who interact through the solution daily.
Tom Kieley, CEO, SourceDay
People are a huge difference-maker
As CEO, Tom Kieley is used to making tough decisions. However, he explains that hiring the best people for the right stage of the journey is the most challenging aspect of the role. Without great team members, a business can’t be successful long-term. While the organisation’s requirements dictate part of the job criteria, finding people who are already equipped with knowledge of the industry and the customer set plays a crucial role in the hiring process.
“We want to deliver value to the customers efficiently and effectively,” he explains. “We’re fortunate we have executives who are visionaries in their fields. They can help carry the business to be the industry-leading solution while disrupting the supply chain technology space.”
Experience across the company
“Hiring people with highly relevant industry experience has been very important. For example, we have former buyers on our sales team. They’ve walked in our customers’ shoes and had to live with the pain that SourceDay solves,” explains Kieley. “We have team members who were manufacturing operators, so they understand the challenges of manufacturing first hand.”
The impact that relying on external suppliers can have on a manufacturer when things aren’t going according to plan is often significant and costly. “A minute, an hour, a day of downtime from a missing part or component drastically impacts the bottom line of manufacturing, which is already a low-margin, highly cash-sensitive organisation.”
Removing the Buyer/Supplier Communication Gap with Unified Supplier Collaboration
A major frustration (and point of risk) in procurement, especially for manufacturers and distributors, is the constant PO line changes impacting production scheduling. Buyers are caught in a nearly no-win situation. They can waste hours they really don’t have manually chasing down and staying on top of changes (hoping they or their supplier didn’t miss something critical) or they can wait until the ERP updates (often the next day) and be behind on time-sensitive decisions.
“There isn’t a manufacturer or distributor who hasn’t felt the painful ripple effect of missing a critical PO change,” says Kieley. “It impacts inventory costs, expedite fees, production and labour schedules, and end-product delivery dates.”
The historical challenge has been the absence of a closed-loop supplier collaboration platform that accounts for supplier workflows as much as buyer workflows. SourceDay has solved this issue with Unified Supplier Collaboration (USC), a simple, yet powerful workflow tool that allows buyers and suppliers to communicate and collaborate through their preferred channel. That can be the SourceDay portal (even without a login or training), an EDI connection, or through normal email communications. The SourceDay solution captures and updates critical PO line changes–in real time–directly into the ERP, retaining a single, accurate source of truth for shipment, demand planning and production scheduling. “With USC, there’s no more supplier surprises, no more guesswork, no more inaccurate ERP procurement data, no more “where’s my part?” and no more ripple effect across the organisation,” Kieley adds.
SourceDay: How everyone benefits
Receive and manage timely PO confirmations and changes from suppliers.
Find MRP inaccuracies with accurate PO data.
Build strong, performance-driven supplier relationships with supplier scorecards.
Robust US-based training, onboarding, and support.
Buyers
Accurate lead time and MRP data to significantly improve on-time delivery.
Increased visibility into KPIs for data-driven decision making: OTD, move-ins/move-out, price changes and more.
Streamlined integration and onboarding for speedy time to value.
Robust implementation and ongoing support.
IT
Quick integration ensures speedy time to value and return on investment.
Lightweight IT integration with any ERP.
Training done by SourceDay’s team to take pressure off IT teams.
Executives
Reduce business risk caused by external suppliers.
Decrease customer SLA penalties.
Lower average inventory on hand to increase inventory turns.
Increase ERP data accuracy for key business decisions.
Increase visibility into repeatable and accurate revenue forecasts through improved demand and scheduling data.
COVID-19 drive
The COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 highlighted many inefficiencies in supply chains. Pre-pandemic, the supply chain technology space was limited and there wasn’t much innovation beyond traditional ERPs. Kieley explains that boardrooms were not yet at the stage to buy technology as a “differentiator” and were instead throwing people at the problem. “When the pandemic hit, it really highlighted challenges that had always just been overcome through brute force and people,” reveals Kieley. “You were forced to send everyone home other than essential workers in the warehouse and shop floor. This significantly impacted visibility and communication with critical suppliers.”
The pandemic exposed the gaps that manufacturers and distributors had in their business model, which created a great deal of risk in operations. Kieley illustrates the stark paradox manufacturers were experiencing with and without SourceDay to help keep the lights on. “We had several hundred customers we were able to get data from that showed their buyers never skipped a beat because of SourceDay,” he reveals. “Many customers were able to tell us they were getting 90, 95% on-time delivery even through Covid. In contrast, companies that weren’t using SourceDay ground to a screeching halt for six to 12 months while many of them were trying to get visibility and communication back with their suppliers. Outside of email, everyone was back at home, lost.”
Choosing the best emerging technology
Indeed, technological transformation is a big part of most organisations’ puzzle. With new technology causing significant waves of interest in procurement and supply chain, there is a rush by technology providers to quickly bring technology advances to market, often before actual value delivery has been vetted out. SourceDay has taken a different approach. The company has bypassed some hotly discussed emerging technologies because of the low impact to customer success.
One area of tech SourceDay has researched and tested extensively is artificial intelligence (AI). Properly utilised, AI has the potential to drive millions of unnecessary manual hours out of the procurement process. “We’ve added strategic experts from supply chain and data science backgrounds to deliver more solution value to customers. This is more proactive visibility, change tracking, and analytics; information that used to live in error-prone spreadsheets and email or was otherwise unusable,” explains Kieley.
Gen AI drive
One of the biggest crazes of the past few years has been generative AI. Since the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT model, leaders have been rushing to find ways to leverage chatbots into their processes. But, it comes with risks attached because large language models are not always reliable and often incorporate made-up data.
In contrast, Kieley explains that SourceDay’s data set solves the accuracy problem with AI. “The problem is that gen AI models are often opinions and points of view that are not always factual,” reveals Kieley. “Our dataset is factual and action-derived. It reflects what has happened in the past on a supplier’s ability to hit on-time delivery, price changes, quality, responsiveness, ability to ship on time in full, and all of the components that happen through those transactions that again, otherwise existed in email or voice that were uncaptured. As a result, our AI is able to use fact-positive historical data to provide insights and recommendations to customers.”
Customer case study: Chatsworth Products (CPI)
Chatsworth was facing a number of supplier-related challenges with their Epicor ERP, all of which centred around how they were managing the process of acquiring parts and raw materials. They predominantly relied upon email, phone calls, faxes, and spreadsheets to manage supplier communication, none of which facilitated visibility or easy tracking.
As a result, before working with SourceDay, Chatsworth’s suppliers were chronically late delivering materials. The manufacturer had to amass significant buffer stock to keep production going. After watching a demo of the SourceDay platform at an Epicor user group, Chatsworth immediately knew they needed this solution to resolve supplier issues.
SourceDay enabled Chatsworth to improve supplier collaboration to such an extent that on time delivery (OTD) went up to 90%. In doing so, the company was able to shift to a just-in-time model and reduce on-hand WIP inventory needs by 66%. This allowed 90% of warehouse space to be freed up and converted to a manufacturing floor.
Chatsworths’ Products Senior Director of Materials and Logistics said: “Three years ago, we were living in chaos. Now, with our hyper-growth and with the new tool, I can’t remember the last time we were short a part.”
Not only did SourceDay help minimise risk impacting Chatsworth’s business, but the benefits allowed them to optimise factory operations to drive more revenue through production.
Eye on the future
Looking ahead, Kieley is optimistic about the upcoming years at SourceDay. Having achieved considerable success in a relatively short time, he is showing no signs of slowing down amid an exciting time for procurement and supply chain. “Our future is bright. We have built strategic partnerships with organisations that are additive to our platform and/or we are additive to their platform,” he says. “It’s vital in helping SourceDay reach a bigger market and start going more global. Today, most of our customers are in North America.
“There’s truly nobody doing this in the way we do it. And explicitly, I think groundbreaking, transformational technology for manufacturers and distribution companies enables them to succeed in otherwise challenging environments. Global conflicts are becoming an increasing challenge to supply chains. If you’re shipping into parts of Europe today, you’re having to spend 25% or 30% more. Technology is here to stay in this space, and there’s not enough awareness of our platform. We’re about the specific supply chain procurement market we’ve created and solved. For us now, it’s about building awareness in the manufacturing and distribution verticals and helping organisations to thrive.”
Since late 2015, N-SIDE has established and built on a strategic partnership with France-based pharmaceutical company Sanofi, aimed at optimising the firm’s clinical trial supply chain. The partnership helped digitalise Sanofi’s clinical supply chain while driving greater performance and waste reduction.
Harnessing efficiency
N-SIDE is a global leader in increasing the efficiency of life sciences and energy industries by providing software and services that optimise the use of natural resources, facilitating the transition to a more sustainable world. Founded in 2000, N-SIDE has built deep industry knowledge and technical expertise to help global pharmaceutical and energy companies anticipate, adapt, and optimise their decisions. In the life sciences industry, N-SIDE reduces waste in clinical trials, leading to more efficient, faster, and more sustainable clinical trials.
Amaury Jeandrain, Vice President Strategy of Life Sciences at N-SIDE, has witnessed first-hand the development of the partnership since he joined the company in January 2016. “Very quickly, the value of risk management and waste reduction was perceived internally and this partnership ended up growing to become one of our largest. Today, Sanofi is the company at the forefront of a lot of the innovation co-created with N-SIDE.”
Amaury Jeandrain, Vice President Strategy of Life Sciences at N-SIDE
Pharmaceutical companies of varying sizes use N-SIDE solutions to avoid supply chain bottlenecks in their clinical trials, decrease risks and waste, control costs, reduce time-to-market and speed up the launch of new trials. N-SIDE’s focus is on four key pillars to bring high levels of efficiency into Sanofi’s clinical supply chain: best-in-class supply chain, people, analytics and innovation.
Charlotte Tannier, Vice President of Life Sciences Services at N-SIDE, adds that the key differentiator is the transparency between her organisation and Sanofi. “We trust each other and know that we can be fully open with them,” she explains. “We like to build new things together and co-develop innovative solutions.”
Charlotte Tannier, Vice President of Life Sciences Services at N-SIDE
Teaming with Sanofi
Having defined a clear route to success through the Sanofi partnership, Amaury is keen to point out that the relationship has acted as something of a catalyst for future business collaborations with other companies. “There are a lot of good practices that were initiated with Sanofi that now became a standard in our industry,” he discusses.
Looking ahead, the future of the partnership looks bright and is showing no signs of slowing down. Charlotte explains that the next step is all about “integration.” “For the moment, we have multiple teams and departments that are using the N-SIDE solutions, and many other software are used as well within the organisation. The focus in the short term will be to enable a unified IT landscape and environment,” she reveals. “The objective will be to be fully integrated and to increase the impact of the data they own. Because we believe, with Sanofi, that the way forward is through data. We are also planning to help Sanofi leverage more of the data that we’re generating together to increase its impact.”
As technology continues to evolve and organisations become even more digitally mature, partnerships built on transparency and trust will be in demand. N-SIDE and Sanofi already have that head start.
Click hereto read more about how Sanofi is driving data-driven performance, resilience, agility and operational excellence within the clinical supply chain.
This month’s cover story sees us speak with Brad Veech, Head of Technology Procurement at Discover Financial Services.
Having been a leader in procurement for more than 25 years, he has been responsible for over $2 billion in spend every year, negotiating software deals ranging from $75 to over $1.5 billion on a single deal. Don’t miss his exclusive insights where he tells us all about the vital importance of expertly procuring software and highlights the hidden pitfalls associated.
“A lot of companies don’t have the resources to have technology procurement experts on staff,” Brad tells us. “I think as time goes on people and companies will realise that the technology portfolio and the spend in that portfolio is increasing so rapidly they have to find a way to manage it. Find a project that doesn’t have software in it. Everything has software embedded within it, so you’re going to have to have procurement experts that understand the unique contracts and negotiation tactics of technology.”
There are also features which include insights from the likes of Jake Kiernan, Manager at KPMG, Ashifa Jumani, Director of Procurement at TELUS and Shaz Khan, CEO and Co-Founder at Vroozi.
We look into the need for a supply chain reset amidst inflation concerns, supply uncertainty, geopolitical issues and sustainability drives.
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Today’s supply chains are under pressure like never before.
Amidst inflation concerns, supply uncertainty, geopolitical issues and sustainability drives, the modern supply chain is having to think twice about the way it operates. It means companies are rethinking their supply chain strategy as well as the materials they source and the suppliers they work with. But such significant change doesn’t come easy and isn’t necessarily cheap either. Indeed, these factors have led to the necessity of a great supply chain reset. But this is no easy fix. It impacts the entire business model, from strategy, marketing and design all the way through packaging, storage and transportation.
Supply Chain Revolution
The first part of a supply chain overhaul is rationalising the portfolio. A major review of the product portfolio could reveal what is profitable to make or sell. In many industries, the combined effect of the rising cost of products, logistics, carbon charges for border crossings and frequent supply disruptions is increasing the cost-to-serve, reducing gross margins and making it unprofitable to hold inventory as a buffer.
Leading companies look for ways to improve communications among the supply chain, leadership, sales, and other commercial teams so that supply chain leaders clearly understand the trade-offs required to win in the market. The most successful companies are also involving other key stakeholders in the supply chain balance equation discussion, including finance, R&D, regulatory, sustainability, and procurement. This ensures everyone understands all the implications of the proposed overhaul, particularly what can actually happen.
COVID-19 disruptions pushed companies to reorient their supply chains around resilience. According to Bain & Company, management at one global apparel firm recognised early on that this would require a transformation that would have ripple effects across other parts of the business. In order to make the correct decision, it pulled together a cross-functional strategy team that included the heads of supply chain, finance, sustainability, consumer insights, and the product’s business unit. The team saw the supply chain redesign as an opening to not only boost resilience but also responsiveness and sustainability. It found reducing reliance on any one location would provide insulation from supply disruptions, and making its products closer to customers would speed up delivery and shrink the supply chain’s carbon footprint.
Design to delivery and beyond
Taking a detailed view of the entire product journey, from design to delivery and beyond, can also help to simplify sourcing, by standardising as many elements as possible, reducing the range and specification of materials used for production and packaging. This means fewer suppliers and components, which lowers the exposure to disruption. Companies should investigate whether it’s possible to use less material and/or more recycled content, and whether this can reduce total cost of manufacture.
Today, chief supply chain officers balance multiple conflicting needs of cost, service, sustainability, agility and resilience. As a result of increasingly international trade complexity and the need to manage a widening range of risks, it’s difficult to determine where products should be manufactured and sold. While the onshoring versus offshoring versus friendshoring debate remains, it is further complicated by issues such as sustainability, trade wars, agility and, increasingly, visibility.
In the era of mass offshoring, manufacturers have enjoyed the huge scale efficiencies of large manufacturing centres in low-wage countries. For a wide range of products, there is a now a considerable and visible shift to get closer to the end customer, to ensure a faster response to changing consumer demands, while avoiding tariffs, cutting logistics costs and reducing carbon footprint.
Looking ahead, supply chain has little choice. It can’t stand still and wait for the next black swan event to unfold – companies must be more resilient and fluid. A great supply chain reset may not just be a “nice to have” anymore.
Dominic Fitch, Head of Creative Change at leadership development specialist Impact International, outlines five forward-looking skills for the next generation of leaders.
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There is no denying that the world of business is evolving at an incredibly fast pace. With the constant launch of new tools and innovative tech, workers are required to embrace a wide range of modern equipment on a regular basis.
As employees continue to up their game, it is only natural that the next generation of leaders will need a set of updated skills too.
Dominic Fitch, Head of Creative Change at leadership development specialist Impact International
Here, with some insights from Dominic Fitch, Head of Creative Change at leadership development specialist Impact International, we take a look at some crucial future requirements that business owners and managers will have to nail to guide their team in an efficient, successful fashion.
1. Technological inclination
In the same way that youngsters jump at the latest technology at the first opportunity, it is important for future leaders to emulate that same drive and curiosity.
The world is becoming increasingly digitalised, and the business sector is no exception. This is why company owners and managers should have a basic understanding of today’s technologies, exploring how modern equipment can actively aid their business. From cloud computing to artificial intelligence and UX development, there are many different tools that can increase your organisation’s chance of success.
Of course, nobody expects you to be an expert in computing coding or programming. But getting precious digital and tech skills under your belt can provide you with more than one ace up your sleeve.
2. Empathy and emotional intelligence
Just like an experienced, Michelin-star chef, future leaders have to juggle and balance several different aspects to create a perfect menu. Yes, technology will play an essential role in developing and driving your company forward. But software and robots have not yet mastered emotional intelligence, which means they cannot help on the more human side of things.
A business owner or manager should always strive to harness their relationship with colleagues and team members. Empathising, sympathising, supporting, and understanding the necessities of your employees is crucial, as this can inspire confidence and a sense of belonging in your people. If workers feel appreciated and cared for, there is a good chance they will go the extra mile to spur the growth of your business.
Hence, taking an interest in your team’s well-being and nurturing a shared feeling of unity is a fundamental attribute to possess.
3. Openness to diversity
One of the most prominent advantages of modern technology is that it’s abating boundaries and favouring connections with people worldwide. Hence, as time goes by, it is becoming more and more important to collaborate with colleagues from all over the globe. This means that, on a daily basis, you are working with teams from different cultures and who may even speak another language.
Engaging with people from all walks of life and with diverse backgrounds can open the doors to endless opportunities. Not only will you benefit from a vast range of experience, knowledge, and expertise, but you will also learn precious lessons on how to enter and succeed in global markets. Therefore, as the world becomes increasingly connected, future managers need to embrace diversity and make the most of its invaluable benefits.
4. Clarity and communication
Clarity and effective communication are timeless features of strong leadership. Managers need to build bridges between their team members and outline the company’s missions in a concise, transparent manner. In this respect, leadership development training is an excellent place to start when it comes to learning how to deliver messages and strategies that are straight to the point.
Future leaders have to be able to identify the right channels to carry this out in a smooth, effective way. With the many digital platforms at our disposal, it is important to choose one that can keep people on the same page at all times. What’s more, as innovations and possibilities arise, future managers need to communicate the essence of the question at hand in a digestible fashion.
Simplifying a complex situation or task is a crucial skill, and it is one that can aid both your team’s productivity and your business’ efficiency.
5. Foresight and adaptability
As technology evolves, artificial intelligence progresses, and the business sector continues to mutate, future leaders need to be flexible. Business owners and managers have to be ready to adapt and make sure they are not fazed by what the future holds. They should monitor trends and look at how to welcome change with a positive attitude.
How can you prepare for upcoming possibilities? One effective way is to run through various scenarios and start outlining all possible outcomes. What’s more, engaging with new circumstances and journeying out of your comfort zone can be an important learning curve. In fact, it will teach you how to deal with unfamiliar situations. If an unexpected opportunity comes about, you will have both the skills and confidence to respond to them with confidence.
To keep in step with the times, business leaders of the future will need to polish their set of skills. From emotional intelligence and adaptability to clear communication and openness to diversity, there are many aspects that will strengthen your leadership. By showing an interest for new software and technological developments, you can make sure your company is expanding its reach and exploring new, successful paths.
In EY’s January 2023 European CEO Outlook Survey, it was discovered European CEOs expect short-term challenges but have reason for optimism.
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Today’s CEO faces unprecedented challenges like never before and is tasked with navigating choppy waters.
Amid global uncertainty caused by a potential recession and on the back of war in Ukraine and disruption caused by COVID-19, it can feel overwhelming for even the most experienced leaders.
A positive horizon?
Despite this, consulting giants EY has discovered reason for optimism in its January 2023 CEO Outlook Pulse survey which includes 390 responses from CEOs across Europe. While the survey found 98% of respondents are indeed expecting a global recession, the majority of European CEOs (52%) anticipate it to be temporary and not a persistent one. These figures are a greater percentage than CEOs worldwide (48%) who point to more long-term optimism for the global economy among European CEOs.
According to the survey, 47% of European respondents believe this recession will be different from previous slowdowns. The recent crisis is more driven by myriad geopolitical challenges and an ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous recessions primarily as a result of financial and credit market factors. Many CEOs are aware of this difference and acknowledge the necessity for new and sustainable approaches that build resilience in uncertain times.
In EY’s last survey in October 2022, ongoing pandemic-related concerns such as supply chain issues were the most important topics. However, since then supply chain pressures have eased to some extent with data from S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) showing improvement. Only 32% of European CEOs now cite supply chains as the key issue which is down from 41% in October. Given inflationary pressures and the upward movement in interest rates, European CEOs are increasingly focusing on the policies and steps they believe European governments should take to help businesses mitigate the downturn.
About 35% of European respondents, in comparison to 32% globally, consider uncertain monetary policy and increasing cost of capital as the biggest challenge to growth. With inflation beginning to decline in November 2022 after 17 months of upward trajectory, CEOs are closely following central bank activity for potential course changes.
A strategy change
In response to the current recession, EU policymakers are considering more dovish economic recovery proposals instead of top-down austerity rules seen during the sovereign debt crises a decade ago. This includes rethinking debt rules to help countries navigate this downturn. Alongside this, EU governments now face pressure on how to handle the discontent of people protesting against the rising cost of living crisis and questions still remain on how extensively they will intervene. In particular, governments are reluctant to pursue austerity measures as a result of protests from the crisis 10 years ago. Meanwhile, for CEOs, financing will continue to be a challenge as a result of increased capital costs that are set to persist which disrupted growth plans.
European CEOs have learned from previous financial crises and recognise that it is essential to think of new and sustainable strategies to capitalise on the opportunities.
What is the way forward?
According to EY, there are five directives which are worth exploring over the next few years.
Investing in operations European CEOs identify investing internally to boost operations as extremely important. Risk isn’t only about extraordinary events; day-to-day operational failures can also lead to losses, regulatory action and reductions in share prices. Operations such as finance, accounting and supply chain have emerged as the top priority area of investment for European CEOs (41%).
Recognising disruption and accelerating digital transformation
Amid ongoing global pressure to embrace new technologies and a digital transformation, COVID-19 further accelerated a trend toward digitalisation. Around 38% of European CEOs (in line with 37% globally) are looking to invest in digital transformation, data and technology to emerge stronger from this downturn.
Developing a strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy
Businesses need to ensure ESG processes are moved to the centre of business strategy. Sustainability, including net zero and other environmental issues, as well as societal priorities, is one of the key areas that European CEOs identify as a need for more investment.
Nurturing talent
Despite the recession, the labour market remains tight in Europe. European CEOs are weighing cost management options, with 37% considering a move to contract employment and 38% planning on reducing learning and development investments. About one third are also considering a restructuring of their workforce compared with global and Americas CEOs (36% and 42%) considering the same approach.
Portfolio transformation
Looking ahead, portfolio rebalancing is expected to be a key theme as CEOs will be compelled to make bold decisions regarding their business portfolio. During a recession, companies must critically assess what their core businesses are, what their focus should be and where they can create value by spinning out or selling non-core assets. Some 93% of European CEOs consider prioritising restructuring opportunities as an important initiative in the next six months.
We explore the transformation of sustainability in procurement & visions of a future where sustainability & procurement are fully integrated.
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Dr Carsten Hansen, Founder of SourcingHaus Research and Consulting Group, explores the transformation of sustainability in procurement and envisions a future where sustainability and procurement are fully integrated and mainstreamed.
Nicolas Walden, The Hackett Group, discusses today’s landscape & what procurement’s future could hold amid a turbulent time for the industry.
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Nicolas Walden, Associate Principal at The Hackett Group, discusses today’s landscape and what procurement’s future could hold amid a turbulent time for the industry.
Mike Randall, CEO at Simply Asset Finance, discusses how to build a people-first strategy that enables growth.
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As the UK economy continues to balance on the edge of a recession, employee retention is quickly being pushed to the top of CEOs’ lists. Over the past couple of years, the job market has shifted dramatically with previously unheard terms such as ‘the great resignation’, ‘quiet quitting’ and ‘hybrid working’ becoming commonplace. People are rightly prioritising their working situation and job satisfaction levels, questioning whether they believe in the organisations they are committing so much time to.
Consequently, there has been a power dynamic shift in favour of the workforce. Reportedly in the third quarter of 2022 businesses witnessed over 365,000 job-to-job resignations across the UK. In similar fashion, the phenomenon of ‘quiet quitting’ – doing the bare minimum required of a job – has become a growing concern but its rise is prompted by a growing number of employees feeling disengaged in their roles.
Against this backdrop of a highly turbulent job market, and increasingly difficult macro-economic pressures, it’s vital for CEOs to prioritise a people-first strategy to ensure healthy growth for their business in 2023. Data from Deloitte has even revealed that experts believe how engaged a workforce feels can directly correlate to overall business output, with 93% of HR and business leaders in agreement that building a sense of belonging is crucial for organisational performance.
Mike Randall, CEO at Simply Asset Finance
However, creating the right environment and recruiting, maintaining and nurturing the right talent to ensure a people first approach can be daunting. With this in mind, here are four learnings CEOs might want to consider when approaching this challenge:
1. Define your beliefs
Before CEOs and founders can hope to attract the right talent, it is critical to first distil and translate the business vision into something that can be understood by employees. Put simply, this means defining the business’ beliefs.
Some business leaders may already refer to this as an ‘employer brand’, and it can be key to not only securing better talent, but also saving a business money in the long-term. Data from LinkedIn for example, recently found that a strong employer brand can help to reduce employee turnover by as much as 28% and cost-per-hire by 50%. Defining these beliefs – or the tenets a business does and doesn’t stand for – is therefore the perfect exercise to put a vision onto paper, and clearly communicate it to its prospective talent.
2. Build a solid culture
Once these beliefs have been defined, they must be reflected, and built into a strong culture. A business’ beliefs should permeate through the whole organisation – from customer communications, to how staff are treated, to how leaders run the business. Culture should essentially be a representation of a business’ beliefs being put into practice.
Building a strong culture in a business, however, is not solely about these beliefs but also extends into how employees are equipped with the tools they need to succeed. Companies that invest in learning and development for example, have been found to benefit from a 24% higher profit margin than those that don’t, according to the Association of Talent Development. Training and development should therefore be seen as a worthwhile and necessary investment that can solidify your culture and ensure profitability, not just an unavoidable cost.
3. Invest in retention
With research from Oxford Economics estimating the average turnover per employee earning £25,000 a year to be £30,000 plus, there is an evident cost to businesses that fail to invest in retention. Tackling this will mean regularly taking the time to truly understand what makes employees tick – and more specifically, understanding their motivations, attitudes, behaviours, strengths and weaknesses.
As the past few years have evidenced, individuals are no longer deciding where they work solely based on salary, but are also thinking about employer values, flexibility, and benefits. To avoid employee churn, businesses should regularly take time to understand what drives their employees and implement retention strategies to address these drivers. Gathering and analysing employee data will play an important role here over the coming years, and should be built into a long-term strategy to optimise employee satisfaction.
4. Build for the future
A common challenge encountered by modern businesses and startups wanting to take a people first approach, can be their ability to stay committed to it. As a business grows in size and becomes successful, it can be all too easy to let external factors dictate its purpose and for it to lose sight of what it initially stood for. The reality is that when this happens, a business is in its most vulnerable state – as its beliefs become increasingly distant, and worse, employees no longer understand what it stands for.
When creating a people-first strategy its therefore important to think long-term. If there are external factors that will potentially put this strategy at risk in future, it’s crucial to identify them, and put in practical steps to mitigate them where possible. The pandemic, for example, is a prime example of an external factor that interrupted the status quo of many businesses – disrupting employees, customers and operations in general. While they can be unpredictable in nature, having a plan to get through these times can help to get you back on track and reassure talent that a solution is in place.
In this economic climate, defining beliefs, building a solid culture, and retention plan should be at the core of every business’ strategy. It’s only when these things are in place that a business can hope to attract and retain talented people that exude the same passion and values built into the heart of a business. As while a business’ growth may be defined by its leaders, it is delivered by its people who are putting that vision into practice.
Diana Monterrubio, Procurement Global Strategic Leader, Teleperformance talks with us about the way forward for women in procurement roles.
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Diana Monterrubio, Procurement Global Strategic Leader at Teleperformance talks with The CPOstrategy Podcast about her opinions on technology, AI and the way forward for women in procurement roles.
Mark Weil, CEO at TMF Group, discusses the rise of staff attrition in the industry
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At the start of 2023 many companies are still struggling to find employees. The job market favours the applicant far more than before Covid-19 across many sectors. Higher interest rates and lower economic growth so far haven’t reduced the pressure on labour availability.
High staff turnover isn’t just a matter of the cost it creates. The disruption from running with a lot of open roles and with less experienced staff can disrupt client service, increase error rates and lead to more serious compliance and reputation damage.
Mark Weil, CEO at TMF Group
Examining the data
A lot of commentary on the situation has been based on surveys of employees’ intentions rather than their actual decisions. By managing our clients’ financial, legal and employee administration we have access to large volumes of data. This provides insight on the overall recruitment and resignation levels across workforces, from several hundred thousand employees, covering a broad range of sectors and job levels in more than 90 countries.
As a starting point, the data tells us that there was indeed a significant global increase in staff resignation during and after the pandemic. Across the 90 countries, average company staff attrition rose from around 15% annually in mid-2020 to 25% at the end of 2021. That’s a dramatic 67% increase in just 18 months.
Global annualised employee attrition trend
Digging deeper reveals a much more nuanced picture by company and country. In 2021, staff attrition averaged around 20% across the 90 countries but was below 10% in a small number, with Argentina the lowest at 6%. Of those above 20%, India, the UK and Poland topped the list with a rate of 26%. Both India and Poland are now major destinations for companies establishing regional service centres – locations that are supposed to be low cost, stable hubs that support many other countries. So rising staff turnover there will be particularly painful.
2021 average employee attrition by country
When examining the data at company level, annual attrition levels vary even more widely, from a low of around 5% to a high of 40%. Some of that will be a result of challenges in specific industries and companies. Some will arise from the underlying attrition in the labour market of the countries they operate in. To disentangle how much is company versus country, we compare in the chart below the attrition a firm is seeing with the average attrition it should be seeing given the mix of countries where it operates. The wide spread in the data shows that that country averages matter far less than individual company factors. For example, looking at companies whose country mix should give them expected attrition of around 15-20%, we see many at 30%-40% and others at just 5%-10% attrition.
Company actual 2021 attrition versus average for the countries where they operate
Staff attrition is a problem at any time, but becomes a significant threat to a business if it gets too high. How high is a matter of judgement and depends on the particular company. In professional services, for example, when staff attrition is above 20% it starts to impact client service and above 30% it can pose a risk to regulatory and reputational integrity.
The rise in global staff attrition, coupled with big spikes by country and company means that multinational firms will have an increased number of locations where attrition is high and potentially well beyond manageable levels. From 2020 to 2021 the number of employees in company locations experiencing more than 20% attrition nearly doubled, from around 15% to 27%. Looking at where the levels were highest, employees in countries experiencing more than 35% attrition rose from 1% to 7%. That means there’s an increasing number of hotspots, where extremely high staff attrition means companies need to intervene quickly to avoid staff resignations spiralling due to increased workload.
Factoring in country complexity
An important additional factor is the complexity of a particular country to operate in. Many countries have onerous business rules which are enforced vigorously. High staff turnover in complex countries is particularly dangerous because of the added risk of compliance breaches.
We can look at country complexity using TMF Group’s Global Business Complexity Index. It ranks countries annually based on 292 criteria, covering the fiscal, legal and employment environments for doing business in each location.
Jolyon Bennett, CEO of Juice, discusses how sustainability has moved to the forefront of his organisation’s operations
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A green approach is quickly transitioning away something that is ‘nice to have’ to an essential component of a company’s strategy.
To Jolyon Bennett, who heads up UK tech accessories manufacturer Juice, being environmentally friendly is non-negotiable. Bennett has transformed the mobile phone accessories sector, having consistently introduced a series of quality, vibrant and consumer-focused products to market, ranging from portable power banks through to super-fast chargers.
He takes us under the bonnet of his firm’s sustainability drive.
You have recently removed all single-use plastic from your entire product range – why?
Jolyon Bennett (JB): “Why wouldn’t you? Single-use plastic is one of the biggest polluters in manufacturing – it uses 3% of the entire planet’s oil consumption. This year, it’s forecast that there will be 50kg of plastic waste for every single one of the eight billion human beings on planet earth – that’s a lot! Consumers, manufacturers and brand owners like myself all need to get on board with the fact that we’re going to need to use and re-use plastic packaging to make different things.
“Why have we done it? Because it’s totally the right thing to do. We need to stop making so much plastic and we need start reusing what we’ve already got. We need to stop cutting down trees in order to make paper and cardboard – let the trees grow and re-use what we’ve got. It just makes sense on a planetary level to stop consuming quite so much and start being just a bit more content with what we’ve got. Why do we need to make ‘new new new’ all the time?”
What have you used instead of virgin plastic?
JB: “We’re reusing, reusing, reusing. Did you know that recycled plastic – depending on its quality and density – can be recycled and re-used between seven and 200 times. Isn’t that unbelievable? It’s such an amazing material. Plastic is a vibe, and we should be re-using it. Juice is using post-consumer waste such as Evian bottles to make speakers, old milk cartons to make power banks and so much more!”
Why do you love plastic?
JB: “I just think we’ve got a lot of it so why not reuse it? I admire the material because it’s so durable – it’s an incredible scientific breakthrough to be able to make something that’s not only waterproof and heatproof but lasts for up to 3,000 years. There are so many different elements that make plastic a great material. I would prefer it if we didn’t have any, but that’s not going to solve the current (and ever-growing) problem of plastic waste finding its way into our oceans, and burying it isn’t the answer either. The problem is with us humans is that we just shy away from the truth – l don’t want to shy away, I want to face these problems head on and meet the challenge.”
Has Juice taken a financial hit to make this happen?
JB: “As an example, we sell around three million cables a year (based on last year’s figures) and each piece of packaging that we are making using post-consumer waste costs us between $0.15 and $0.25 more, so as a minimum, our increased cost for doing this is almost half a million dollars. But I still think it’s the right thing to do. Money is made up – the world could end and money would no longer matter, so let’s stop making decisions based purely on money and let’s start making decisions based on the right thing to do.”
How do you rate the overall quality of the ‘Eco’ products compared to the ones they have superseded?
JB: “There is absolutely no difference whatsoever, so I rate them just as highly.”
Do customers really want these eco products or is this more for your own conscience?
JB: “I don’t suffer from guilt so in that respect I don’t feel driven by my conscience to do this – doing the right thing has its own gravity and its own way of whisking you forward. Generally, I believe that people and businesses that do the right things will prosper. I’m a firm believer in the philosophy of ‘do the right thing and good things will happen’ so it’s a strategic choice to do something that has a positive impact because positive things attract positive things. While not every consumer or every retailer is especially interested in our sustainability drive, I do think this is shifting slightly. Maybe I do have a conscience, but the reality is that it’s the right thing to do, and the right thing gets rewarded in the end.”
Are retailers keen to stock them?
JB: “We haven’t given them a choice! We changed all of our products because we wanted to and we are adamant that even though the materials we are using are different, our products still perform just as well, if not better.”
Should other tech brands follow suit?
JB: “Of course they should, and we would happily help them do so. We’re willing to introduce other tech brands to our suppliers and guide them through the same process we’ve taken, sharing our knowledge – including the hurdles we’ve overcome – because it’s the right thing to do. I don’t understand why any brand would want to continue producing virgin plastic when they don’t have to, it just doesn’t make any sense to me.”
What advice would you give to other brands wanting to embark on this process of removing single-use plastic from their products?
JB: “Do it. Stop messing about – get on with it and do it. Although it may cost you a bit more in the short term, we’ve proven that consumers do generally buy more of your products if you are making the right decisions towards the environment, so you will reap this extra cost back whilst also doing the right thing.”
What is next for Juice?
JB: “I want Juice to be a brand that limits its impact. We’re currently doing this with our manufacturing and through our supply chain and the way that we conduct ourselves in general. I want to start releasing products that have a positive impact on humans as well as the planet – I’m a firm believer that everyone can win. There will always be a demand for technology, so I don’t believe that we should be fighting against it, however, I would very much like to see people taking their technology off grid.
“My dream is to be able to take every mobile phone on planet earth off grid and start generating our own personal electricity. I want to create products that link to your activity – imagine if you could run 5k and the kinetic activity could generate enough energy to a charge a device such as a phone or a laptop while you do it? I’m interested in organic solutions to current chemical problems such as organic battery cells using salt water and algae as a storage method of electricity – so much so that we’re currently in discussions with a photosynthesis harvesting electronics brand about using photosynthesis as a charging capability!
“I want to get more connected with nature and I think you can have it all – I think we can still enjoy modern technology as well as the beautiful world around us. If we can utilise our intelligence in the right way, we can all live in a perfectly harmonious symbiotic relationship with amazing technology products and a sustainable environment for all wildlife.”
Procurement is in a state of flux. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, the procurement landscape is volatile and requires…
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Procurement is in a state of flux.
Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, the procurement landscape is volatile and requires agility to navigate turbulent waters. But, despite significant disruption could there still be opportunity?
Simon Whatson, Vice President of Efficio Consulting, is optimistic about the future of digital procurement and despite a challenging few years he is confident of a successful bounce back. He gives us the lowdown on the direction of travel for digital procurement in 2023.
As an executive with considerable experience in the space, we’d love to learn more about your background and how you ended up in procurement. Why was this the specialism for you and how did you get involved to begin with?
Simon Whatson (SW): “I think the one-word answer of how I came into procurement was accidental. I studied maths at university, with a year in France, before I began looking for different roles to apply for.
“Eventually, I was offered a position with a big plumbing and heating merchant with global operations. I worked in that supply chain team for two and a half years. Although it was called supply chain, a lot of the work was procurement, which involved negotiating with suppliers. It was after that stint there, that I discovered consulting and joined a boutique procurement consultancy. Now I am onto my third consultancy and I’m very happy here!
“In terms of why I’ve stayed, one of the success factors in procurement is being able to work cross-functionally. Procurement doesn’t own any of the spending that it is responsible for helping to optimise. It must work with other functions and the spend owners. I quite like the people side of that, building relationships, almost selling internally to bring teams together. That really appeals to me and is a key reason why I’ve been very happy in procurement.”
As we move into exploring procurement today in 2023. The space is filled with challenges and complexities. You only need to look at the last few years. Covid, war in Ukraine, inflation – how would you describe the world’s recent challenges and their effect on the industry and what do you feel CPOs and leaders can do to combat these issues?
SW: “I would flip it around and say that these are not so much challenges but rather opportunities for procurement. When I started my career 18 years ago, procurement was often fighting to get a voice and there were complaints that procurement was not represented at the top table, but the war in Ukraine, inflation, COVID and ESG, these are things which are now on the C-suite agenda and procurement is ideally positioned to help companies face those challenges. If you think about COVID and the war in Ukraine, procurement is in a privileged position to help with this.
“I see some procurement functions that prefer to do what they know, which focuses on the process and transactional side. However, there are also many forward-thinking CPOs and procurement professionals out there, that have really seized this opportunity of being on the C-suite agenda and drive the thinking and the solutions to some of these big challenges we’re seeing.”
Although new technology in procurement has been around for well over a decade, digitalisation has become so much more of an important topic. How would you sum up where procurement and supply chain are in terms of digital transformation today?
SW: “It’s a bit laggard, but digital transformation is difficult, and we have to recognise there are some real trailblazers. There are some firms doing some fantastic things in digital to produce better outcomes. If you contrast your experience when you’re buying something in your private life, it’s much easier than 20 years ago. You can get access to a wealth of pre-sourced things, whether it’s food, a holiday, a car, or a book. You can see reviews of what other people think of these things.
“But when you go into your workplace as a business user and you want to buy something, it doesn’t quite work like that yet. You often have to fill in a form, send it off and wait for them to come back to you. They might come back a little bit later than you were hoping and might tell you that they don’t have that part on the supply frameworks. I think people sometimes get confused about how it can be so easy to buy something as large as a car or a holiday on their sofa at home, but when they want to buy something at work, it seems to be quite cumbersome. Digital can help a lot with that, but it is incumbent on organisations and procurement functions to figure out how to recreate that customer experience that we’ve become accustomed to in our private lives.”
With a new generation of leaders growing up with technology, some might say that it could be a key driver in helping to speed the adoption in procurement along. Is this something you would agree with or what would you point to as a key driver?
SW: “I do think that it will act as one of the catalysts for further digital transformation in organisations, because if procurement doesn’t manage to recreate that customer experience that the new generation expects, then they won’t use procurement going forward and will look to bypass it.
“The analogy that I’ve used previously in this case is one of travel agents. I remember as a child, my parents were able to take us on holiday and I remember the whole process. We would walk into town to the travel agent, and look at some of the brochures of options. They often then had to phone the various airlines or resorts on our behalf. They might not be able to get through, so we’d have to come back the next day. I remember as a child being quite excited by the whole process but actually, thinking back, it was quite cumbersome. You compare that to now, with being able to review online, and you can get instant answers to your questions. It’s not a coincidence that travel agents don’t really exist anymore.”
How much of a challenge is it to not get caught leveraging technology for technologies sake? How important is it to stay true to your approach and be strategic?
SW: “We conducted a study of many procurement leaders and CPOs a few years ago, and one of the things that we found was that about 50% of procurement leaders admitted to having bought technology just on the basis of a fear of missing out, without any real understanding of the benefits that technology was going to bring. That was a real shock and a revealing find because technology is not cheap, and its implementation is quite disruptive. If you’re purchasing a system because everybody else is using it, then there could be some pretty costly mistakes. It is really important to make sure that when buying technology, it is because the benefits are fully understood.
“My advice to companies when looking to digitalise is own your data, visualise that data, and manage your knowledge. If you can focus on getting those things right in that order, and make your technology decisions to support that goal, then that’s a much better way of thinking about it rather than just jumping in and buying a piece of technology.”
It’s clear that the procurement space is an exciting, but challenging, place to be. What do you think will play a key role in the next 12 months to push the digital conversation further to take procurement to the next level?
SW: “Looking forward, one thing that procurement needs to do and continue to do is attract the best people. Ultimately, people are what makes an organisation, and it is what makes a function successful. I think procurement has often not looked for the right skills in the people that it employs. Traditionally, it’s looked for people with procurement experience and while they are valuable and required, we also need leadership potential. People who think a bit more outside the box and aren’t so process driven. A lot of what procurement has done in previous years has been process driven, so if you’re just limiting your search of people to those that have had procurement experience, you’re inevitably going to end up with a lot of people who are process driven.
“I think being bolder and recruiting people from different backgrounds with different skill sets is the way to go. If procurement can ‘own’ the ESG space, that will help with the younger generation see procurement make a difference. I think that’s one thing that will be key to success going forward.”
Check out the latest issue of CPOstrategy Magazine here.
Paul Farrow, Vice President of Hilton Hotels’ Supply Management, sits down with us to discuss how his organisation’s procurement function has evolved amid disruption on a global scale
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The hospitality industry has endured a rough ride over the past few years.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic which stopped the world in its tracks and now with millions facing a cost-of-living crisis, it’s been a period of unprecedented disruption for those involved in the space and beyond.
But it’s a challenge met head-on by Paul Farrow, Vice President of Supply Management at Hilton Hotels, and his team who have been forced to respond as the world continues to shift before their eyes.
Farrow gives us a closer look into the inner workings of his firm’s procurement function and how he has led the charge during his time with Hilton Hotels.
Could we start with you introducing yourself and talking a little about your role at Hilton Hotels?
Paul Farrow (PF): “I’m the Vice President of Hilton’s Supply Management, or HSM as we call it. I’ve been with Hilton Hotels for 12 and a half years, and my role is to head the supply chain function for our hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“Over the past few years, Hilton has grown rapidly and has now got 7,000 hotels in over 125 countries globally. What is really exciting is Hilton Supply Management doesn’t just supply Hilton Hotels and the Hilton Engine because we also now supply our franchisees and competitive flags. While we have 7,000 hotels globally, Hilton Supply Management actually supplies close to 13,000 hotels. That’s an interesting business development for us, and a profit earner too.”
You’re greatly experienced, I bet you’ve seen supply chain management and procurement change a lot in recent years?
PF: “The past two to three years have been tremendously challenging on so many industries but I’d argue that hospitality got hit more than most as a result of the Covid pandemic. Here at Hilton, supply management was really important just to keep the business operational throughout that tough time, but I’m delighted to say we’re fully recovered now.
“Looking back, it was undoubtedly difficult, and you only have to look at the media to see that we’re now going through a period of truly unprecedented inflation. On top of the normal day job, it’s certainly been a very busy time.”
Hospitality must have been under an awful lot of pressure during the pandemic…
PF: “Most of our teams as a business and all functions have worked together far more collaboratively than ever before through the use of technology and things like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Trying to work remotely as effectively as possible changed the way we all had to think and the way we had to do. Now we’re back in the workplace and in our offices, we’re actually looking to take advantage of that new approach.”
Inflation, rising costs, energy shortages, as well as drives towards a circular economy means it’s quite a challenging time for CSCOs and CPOs right now, isn’t it?
PF: “Those headwinds have caused and created challenges of the like that we’ve not seen before. The war in Ukraine and Russia has meant significant supply chain disruption and supply shortages of some key ingredients and raw materials. China is a significant source of materials and they’re still having real challenges to get their production to keep up with demand.
“All the local and short-term challenges are around energy and fuel pricing, so throughout the supply chain that’s been a major factor to what we’ve had to deal with. On top of that is the labour shortages. We rely heavily throughout the supply chain and within our business to utilise labour from around the world. In my region, particularly from say Eastern Europe as well as other businesses all fighting for a smaller labour pool than we had before. We are fighting with the likes of the supermarkets, Amazon’s, not just other hotel companies to capture the labour pool we need both in our properties but also within our supply chain supplies themselves.
Hilton operates a rather unique procurement function, doesn’t it?
PF: “We trade off the Hilton name because our brand strength is something that we are able to utilise and we’re very proud of, but we’ve also got additional leverage by having that group procurement model.
“We’ve got essentially two clients. We’ve got our managed estate which is when an owner chooses to partner with Hilton, they’re signing a management agreement because they want the benefit and value of the Hilton engine. That could be revenue management, how we manage onboarding clients and customers through advertising, as well as the other support we give in terms of finance, HR, marketing and sales as well as procurement.”
HSM is a profit centre and revenue driver through its group procurement model but how does this work?
PF: “Our secret sauce is our culture. It’s our people and that filters across all of our team members and indeed all of our functions. The key strategic pillars are the same for health and supply management around culture, maximising performance and so on as they are across the overall global business.
“Across our 7,000 plus hotels, the majority are actually franchised hotels because that’s the legacy of what still is the model in the US. When I joined Hilton 12 and a half years ago, the reverse is true where nearly all of our hotels in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and indeed in Asia Pacific, were and are managed. In the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions right now we’re building up close to a 50/50 split between managed, leased and franchised.”
What has pleased you most about the roll-out of the HSM?
PF: “It’s certainly not been easy because we’ve got 70 countries that sit within our region here in EMEA and Hilton’s penetration in those individual countries is very different. We may have 100 hotels in one of those markets and only one or two in specific countries. Our scale and our ability to get logistics solutions is different by market.
“Getting everyone on board to what we want to achieve to our guests and to our owners means we have to pull different levers. We have very effective brand standards. If you’re signing up to Hilton, you’re signing up to delivering against those brand standards that we believe are right for our organisation.”
What kind of feedback have you had from your clients?
PF: “Integrity is in our DNA, and we work very closely with our suppliers who we value as partners. These are long-term relationships, and we work hand in hand because we have to see that they’re successful so that we can be successful – it’s really important to what we do and we constantly look for feedback.
“With our internal and our external customers, we’ll have quarterly business reviews and so we’ll get that feedback through surveys where we are asking them to tell us what we do well and what we could do better. Our partners are now asking what additional value can you do to bring support to our organisation through ESG? So that’s what’s on the table now when it wasn’t before. But it’s not just that – it’s about the security of supply competitiveness, competitiveness of pricing, and a whole bunch of other very important things as well.”
Looking to the future, what’s on the agenda for the next few years?
PF: “We’re out there meeting and greeting people in person and there’s always new opportunities that make things exciting in what we do and how we work. Innovation’s very high on our agenda and we’re very proud of what we do in food and beverage. In non-food categories, it’s about how we support our owners and our hotel general managers to find that competitive edge and do the next big thing ahead of our competitors.”
Anything else important to know?
PF: “One thing we’ve been able to take full advantage of is how we’ve been able to grow our business by bolting on new customers. I think it’s fantastic that our competitors choose to use Hilton Supply Management because they benchmarked what our capabilities are and how competitive we are.
“Another key part of the agenda is environmental, social and governance (ESG) sustainability. Responsible sourcing and everything that sits within that is front and centre of what we do. Within that you’ve got human rights, animal welfare, single use plastics as well as general responsible sourcing like managing food waste. The list is very long, but they’re all very important.”
Check out the latest issue of CPOstrategy Magazine here.
Here are 10 of the most important leadership skills that CEOs need to demonstrate in 2023.
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In today’s world, a CEO needs to be lots of things to different people. The importance of having the leadership skill to being able to lead through unprecedented disruption was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and helped to define what makes a good CEO.
Here are 10 of the most important leadership skills that CEOs need to demonstrate in 2023.
1. Clear communication
Communicating effectively with employees is one of the most vital skills any leader can have. By adopting a transparent mindset, it leaves little room for miscommunication or misunderstandings. But rather than just being eloquent, CEOs should deliver meaningful content too. A CEO needs to be able to communicate the essence of the business strategy and the methodology for achieving it.
2. Strong talent management strategy
People are the most important component of all businesses. CEOs who are able to recruit and retain key employees have a greater chance of increasing productivity and efficiency. After recruiting good people, the key to retaining them is by harnessing a positive work environment that empowers employees to succeed.
3. Decision-making
As a leader, thinking strategically to make effective decisions is vital to the success of an organisation. Making decisions is a key part of leadership as well as having the conviction to stand by decisions or agility to adapt when those decisions don’t have the required outcome. While all decisions might not be favourable, making unpopular but necessary calls are important characteristics of a good leader.
4. Negotiation
Negotiation is a fundamental part of being a CEO. In a top leadership position, almost every business conversation will be a negotiation. Good negotiations are important to an organisation because they will ultimately result in better relationships, both with staff inside the company and externally. An effective leader will also help find the best long-term solution by finding the right balance and offering value where both parties feel like they ‘win’.
5. Creativity and innovation
Being quick-thinking and ready to explore new options are great skills of a CEO. Creative leadership can lead to finding innovative solutions in the face of challenging and changing situations. It means in the midst of disruption, of which it has been increasingly prevalent, leaders can still find answers for their teams. Creative CEOs are those who take risks and empower employees to drop outdated and overused practices to innovate and try new things that could lead to greater efficiency.
6. Agility
Without agility over the past few years, businesses would have failed. CEOs were forced to embrace remote working following the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic whether they liked it or not. Now, faced against a potential recession, these macroeconomic events are unavoidable and have to be managed carefully. Effective leaders will have their fingers on the pulse and ready to respond to changes.
7. Strategic forecasting
Creating a clear path forward is essential to achieving uninterrupted success. The ability to look into the future and identify trends and issues to then react to is vital. Good CEOs are able to plan strategically and make informed decisions to set goals and plan for the future easily.
8. Delegation
CEOs can’t do everything. A leader tends to be pulled in a number of different ways every day and it is impossible to be on top of everything. This means the importance of bringing in a team of people who are trusted and skilled in their respective areas of expertise. Successful CEOs are expert delegators because they recognise the value of teamwork and elevating those around them.
9. Approachability
An approachable CEO who welcomes conversation and is an active listener will help employees feel at ease raising issues or concerns. This approach will help build strong relationships with staff and customers and encourage a healthy culture which is beneficial to employee retention. Leaders with strong, trusting and authentic relationships with their teams know that investing time in building these bonds which makes them more effective as a leader and creates a foundation for success.
10. Growth mindset
If a CEO arms themselves with a growth mindset it allows them to meet challenges head-on and evolve. This shines a light on improving through effort, learning and persistence. As others may back down in the face of adversity and upheaval, successful CEOs will strive to move forward with confidence. Those with a growth mindset are unlikely to be swayed as they have the tools needed to reframe challenges as opportunities to grow.
In McKinsey’s latest report ‘Actions the best CEOs are taking in 2023’, we examine three of the biggest trends on the c-level agenda
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Anyone can sail a ship when things are going well. But it takes a strong, robust and characterful CEO to steer a business through choppy waters and out the other side.
In McKinsey’s latest report ‘Actions the best CEOs are taking in 2023’, the research and advisory firm uncovered which trends are set to have the biggest impact on how CEOs lead their business throughout the year.
McKinsey’s CEO Excellence Survey surveyed 200 of the best corporate CEOs of the past 15 years. This was completed by whittling down a list of all the current and former CEOs of the 1,000 largest public companies during that timeframe. The list was subsequently filtered based on tenure, including only those who had completed at least six years in the role. From there, the CEOs were continuously shortlisted until the best 200 were determined.
Each CEO was asked to identify the top three trends that are set to determine how leaders tackle the future. Here is an insight into those findings.
1. Actions to deal with digital disruption
CEOs are targeting digital trends in three key ways: developing advanced analytics, enhancing cybersecurity and automating work. OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT has accelerated the demand of companies looking to embrace advanced analytics for a competitive advantage. Improving cybersecurity is another key action for CEOs with the importance of guarding against external threats paramount amid strengthening and more mature cyberattacks. Lastly, automating work is another key priority to scale efficiency and eliminate boring and manual tasks which free up people’s time.
2. Actions to deal with the risk of high inflation and economic downturn
One CEO who is worried about economic uncertainty told McKinsey: “Act early to lower costs and protect the balance sheet so that you are stronger and leaner when the economy begins to turn more favourably.” McKinsey found that companies that outperformed the 2008 financial crisis cut operating costs by 1% before the downturn while the others expanded costs by the same percentage. The best performers reduced their debt by $1 for every $1 of book capital before the downturn. This can be done by reducing operating expenses, redesigning products and services as well as reassessing strategic and economic assumptions.
3. Actions to deal with the escalation of geopolitical risk
According to McKinsey, there are three actions to help manage the escalation of global and national crises. CEOs are targeting building robust compliance capabilities, creating resilience in supplier networks and investing in monitoring and response capabilities. These actions come following the challenges presented by COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and now inflation concerns. Many firms are choosing to build their trade compliance organisations and improve how they screen different customers and companies. While a defensive approach is the way forward for many, some companies see the turbulent times as an opportunity.
How Minted is leveraging digital technology to make investment in precious metals, accessible, affordable and simple
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Shahid Munir, co-founder of Minted, discusses how his firm is competing with larger banks for a spot at the top table of investment in fintech.
Few industries have boomed like the fintech space over the past few years. With a plethora of new technology at consumer fingertips like never before, banks are being properly challenged by upcoming startups offering an alternative solution. Among these is Minted, aiming to make the buying, selling, transferring and delivery of physical precious metals simple through flexible monthly plans and one-time purchases. The company was founded in 2018 by three close friends – Shahid Munir, Hamzah Almasyabi and Haroon Siddiq – with a shared passion for entrepreneurship, technology and the opportunities the financial industry presented. Their combined drive led to the creation of Minted.
Shahir Munir, Co-Founder, Minted
The rise of Minted
Munir, co-founder of Minted, admits the journey has been a “rollercoaster” since the trio decided to launch their venture. “It’s certainly been exciting,” he explains. “It’s been a great learning curve and was a case of taking an industry where so many people were so used to doing it one way and offering something new. This has been challenging because we have a great product, but no one understood it. We’ve had to go out and educate people first in what has been a journey of growth, but it’s a constant journey.”
A decade ago, financial technology was considered by many as ring-fenced by bigger banks. But Munir stresses he has tried to change that narrative and offer competition which provides tremendous value. “Previously, a bank was the only way you could provide financial products,” he says. “Technology has allowed more innovative and creative solutions to launch and test the bigger banks and what they became bad at which was the customer experience. Now you see bigger banks adopt a lot of the technology and some of the practices used by challenger banks which can only be a good thing. Being in London has also helped because it is one of the leading hubs for fintechs and really supports the financial technology industry.”
Armed with different skillsets, the three co-founders complement each other with a diverse range of experience. With Almasyabi bringing an operations background and Siddiq bringing business strategy, Munir completes the line-up with finance and technology know-how. “I think it’s what sets us apart and makes us different,” he says. “Our backgrounds mean we’re not tunnel visioned and can see clearly when things aren’t working. We have a great thinktank within the business which helps us come up with ideas.”
Making precious metals accessible, affordable and simple
“I recall seeing a meme about how the price of a Freddo chocolate had changed over the years, no longer being its trademark 10p, it was now 200% more expensive and also smaller in size. This led me down rabbit-hole of trying to understand why most items go up in price as years pass and rarely come back down again. I became fascinated with how the government increases the money supply and the concept of inflation – my money buys me less in the future than it does today.
“I met with the other two founders that same night and the thoughts extended from my mind into an intense conversation about quantitative easing, Brexit, cost of living – snacks were being consumed faster than the rate of government borrowing. Where could we park our money, what was better than money? That was when the penny-dropped (pardon the pun). Hamzah proclaimed: ‘What about gold, guys?’”
Digital disruption
Through Minted, customers will have full legal ownership over their gold and can also request to have their gold delivered to a verified address. The gold and silver are stored in a grade 10 vault in the UK with the highest level of security possible. The products are fully insured by Lloyds of London at the current value while in vaulted storage as well as when being transported.
As a digital disrupter, one of the biggest challenges Minted continues to face is a lack of understanding. Customer assurance is an important priority, and the organisation has established several initiatives to gain trust. Minted is registered and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which means the firm operates to the highest financial standards and guidelines as determined by the FCA. “I feel like we need to go that extra mile,” stresses Munir. “What I think we underestimated at first was the extent to which people needed to ask questions until we launched a live chat facility on the website. This function helps build our knowledge base and allows us to hold the customer’s hand throughout the process. We’ve also found success when we’ve attended face to face exhibition events and had one-on-one interactions. It’s been brilliant to see first-hand the customer perception and look at what we can do better to meet their needs.”
Munir says he has noticed a trend of people starting with a “flutter” to test the water and check out the process. “I think it’s important that people build their confidence and recognise the value in what we offer,” he explains. “Once this is done, we often see those same customers make larger transactions. We know our difference can be a challenge for some people to accept which is why education is such an important topic to us. We have to keep doing explainer videos, use social media and hold community sessions to be there for customers.”
Scaling up
Minted recently launched its own app which offers customers an even easier way to manage their gold and silver, as well as introducing a tool to partner with businesses called Minted Connect. Munir believes the move has helped showcase an advanced, modern way for people to own physical items. “I love the app as it just makes things so much easier for customers via the platform,” he explains. “It’s been fantastic, a one-stop solution that helps stores the precious metals for free and allows them to be delivered at any time. In a world where everything is so digitally enabled it is nice to offer something physical – people don’t even buy cars anymore. Hopefully via customer feedback we can make improvements to the app that will help us develop new features.”
Munir believes gold is increasingly being seen as an alternative for savings and affirms global pressures like the threat of inflation amid economic uncertainty has helped people to realise the full potential of Minted’s offering. “In the past if you wanted to save money, you simply open a saver account and start adding money but with gold it was often a little trickier,” he says. “But with Minted we’ve simplified the process and tried to make it as automated as possible. Gold is a great alternative which has stood the test of time.”
Looking ahead, Minted is showing no signs of slowing down and is expanding into different territories. Munir remains positive for the next few years and what comes next for his organisation. “We’re working towards expanding the team because I feel like we’re at the stage now where each of our departments needs its own team of people to run each department,” he explains. “We’re scaling up and branching into new markets such as Turkey, and focusing in on developing the business to business side too.”
Sanja Cancar-Todorovic, eMBA, MM., discusses gender imbalance in procurement and the benefits of organisations reaching parity in the industry.
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Sanja Cancar-Todorovic, eMBA, MM., Head of Enterprise Procurement, Outsourcing and Third-Party Risk Management Leader, discusses gender imbalance in procurement and the benefits of organisations reaching parity in the industry.
If you enjoyed our podcast and would like to read or hear more from Sanja, her new book ‘BE BOLD and Brilliant: Unlocking your Personal and Professional Potential’ is available to purchase from Amazon in both Kindle and paperback format.
We look into the supply chain production process of Easter Eggs and the journey to their final destinations in supermarkets
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Chocolate is arguably the world’s most popular sweet treat. Depending on who you ask, of course.
After, perhaps Christmas, it is the most common time for people to indulge in chocolate if they don’t do so anyway throughout the year.
And synonymous with Easter are the eggs themselves which are loved by children and adults alike all over the world.
The journey to Easter Eggs
The supply chain process is split into eight stages of production: cultivating, harvesting, splitting, fermentation, drying, winnowing, roasting and grinding. Following production, the supply chain process is extended further with logistics which is the final step to providing customers with their favourite seasonal sweet treat.
The journey actually begins with cocoa tree plantations being established which is done by scattering young cocoa trees amongst new shade trees or by planting the cocoa trees between established trees. These are planted in humid tropical climates, with temperatures between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius. This is consistent rainfall periods and a short dry season because these conditions provide good quality cocoa.
Each tree produces 20-30 cocoa pods a year which grows straight from the tree’s trunk and main branches. With this tree also yielding fruit, the crop is carefully pruned, and as a result, it is easier to harvest the cocoa pods. The next step is the labour-intensive task of harvesting the crop.
The harvest is a whole community affair on small West African farms. Large knives are then used to detach the pods from the trees and placed in large baskets on workers’ heads. The pods are then manually split open to remove the beans so they are ready for the two-step curing process. Each pod consists of between 20-40 purple cocoa beans.
The curing process consists of fermenting and drying the beans to develop the chocolate flavour. There are several fermentation methods but the most traditional is the heap method. This requires placing mounds of wet cocoa beans in between layers of banana leaves on the ground for between five to six days. Following this, the drying stage begins. This involves the wet bunch of beans being spread out in the sun or using a more advanced method of special dying equipment.
From plant to factory
Often, a lot of large chocolate brands then buy the cocoa through intermediaries. The beans are then packed into sacks ready to be exported to the brands processing facilities in other locations globally.
After arrival, the beans are cleaned and quality inspected before the winnowing stage takes place. The dried beans are cracked to separate the shell from the nib which is where the small chunks are used to produce chocolate. Afterwards, the roasting phase begins in which the nibs are baked at high temperatures reaching 120 degrees Celsius in special ovens. This is where the colour and flavour is acquired.
Subsequently, the next stage is grinding which creates the basis of all chocolate products. The roasted nibs are grounded in stone mills until a thick liquid chocolate consistency is achieved.
Chocolate to egg
The final step is creating the chocolate egg masterpiece by using highly efficient computer-operated technology which has been used since the mid-20th century. The molten chocolate is placed in heated egg molds which are rotated so there is an even thickness. Following this, the eggs are left to cool and then removed from the molds. Once cooled, the eggs are wrapped in coloured foil and packaged into individual boxes before being sent out for retail. The transportation and exportation throughout the various supply chain stages is vital being a seasonal product. This means they are heavily relied upon for their timings to deliver to large supermarkets and independent stores.
What does today’s CEO need to do to accelerate an organisation’s digital transformation journey?
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Digital transformation journeys are no one-size-suits-all. There is no singular way to welcome a new wave of technology into operations.
Since the turn of the century, digitalisation has had an increasingly influential impact on the way CEOs make decisions. Today’s world is full of disruption and potential risk. And with technology growing in complexity it can be challenging to lead such a revolution against a backdrop of economic uncertainty.
Embracing digital
According to KPMG 2022 CEO Outlook, which draws on the perspectives of 1,325 global CEOs across 11 markets, 72% of CEOs agree they have an aggressive digital investment strategy intended to secure first-mover or fast-follower status.
Advancing digitalisation and connectivity across the business is tied (along with attracting and retaining talent) as the top operational priority to achieve growth over the next three years. This digital transformation focus could be driven as a result of increasingly flexible working conditions and greater focus on cybersecurity threats.
However, the prospect of recession is threatening to halt digital transformation in the short-term. KPMG research found that four out of five CEOs note their businesses are pausing or reducing their digital transformation strategies to prepare for the anticipated recession.
This is reinforced further when 70% say they need to be quicker to shift investment to digital opportunities and divest in those areas where they face digital obsolescence.
When a company’s digital transformation ambition is mismatched to its readiness, it is the CEO’s responsibility to close the gap. According to Deloitte, in order to do this successfully, the CEO must assess the current level of organisational readiness for change.
This covers four key pillars that are mixed together to work out an organisation’s overall readiness: leadership, culture, structure and capabilities.
How CEOs can close the gap
Leadership: CEOs need to ensure their c-suite and other key executives are motivated and equipped to execute the vision. CEOs interviewed by Deloitte in a recent study emphasised the importance of the leadership team supporting the transformation vision and having a positive attitude and willingness to transform.
Culture: A large potential barrier to readiness in the organisation is down to culture. Low cultural readiness takes the form of bureaucratic, reactive and risk-averse ways of working that are at against the collaborative, proactive learning mindset needed for ambitious transformation.
Structure: If a company hopes to operate differently, it could mean the need for organising in an alternative way. CEOs will often need to lead the reorganisation of teams, assignment of new roles, revision of incentives, strategies to collapse organisational hierarchies or layers to increase agility.
Capabilities: CEOs need to equip their organisation with four key capabilities to harness digital for a superior capacity for change. These are nimbleness, scalability, stability and optionality which are often enabled or supercharged by digital technologies which are critical factors for competing in an increasingly disrupted world.
For now, one of the CEOs most important roles when steering the ship through disruption is to be ahead of the latest trends and tackle change head-on. By embracing a new digital future that will provide the company with long-lasting benefits, it will help create a brighter and future-proofed firm for years to come even after the CEO is gone.
Here are five of the best procurement schools in Europe.
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As procurement becomes an increasingly vital and strategic function within many organisations, people are beginning to realise the full potential of turning it into a career for themselves.
This has subsequently led to many universities noticing the demand in the industry and offering courses which equip students with the relevant qualifications and skills needed to succeed in the supply chain space.
With this in mind, here are five of the best procurement schools in Europe.
1. CIPS
Course: Various Where: Across England
Run by Oxford College of Procurement and Supply, there are 10 Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply centres in England offering several different qualification levels to choose from. The courses are recognised throughout the world as harnessing leading edge thinking and professionalism across the procurement and supply chain management space.
CIPS offers courses such as level three, four, five and six in procurement and supply with each qualification created to reflect current, emerging and best practice in procurement and supply chain management. Classes focus on exploring legacy purchasing and supply methods as well as techniques and theory to the application in a business environment.
CIPS doesn’t just offer in-person studying as courses are designed to suit individual lifestyles with virtual classrooms, part-time and weekend options to choose from.
2. Politecnico di Milano
Course: MSc in Supply Chain and Procurement Management Where: Milan, Italy
Renowned as being one of the best scientific and technological universities in the world, Politecnico di Milano offers an extensive portfolio of programmes in a variety of different spaces. Its supply chain master’s degree is a 12-month course aimed at equipping students with vital knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the industry.
The course also includes a number of practical activities in the programme such as lessons with international lectures, workshops on soft skills, company presentations, projects with companies, company visits and an international study tour in Rotterdam.
According to Politecnico di Milano, 86% of students were employed three months after graduation while 55% were also working abroad during the same period.
The course was ranked third in the TOP 2021 Eduniversal Best Masters Ranking (Global) and eighth in the QS Supply Chain Management Masters Rankings for 2023.
3. SKEMA Business School
Course: MSc (and MS) Supply Chain Management and Purchasing Where: Lille and Paris, France
Skema offers two supply chain management (SCM) and procurement masters: The premium international MSc Global Supply Chain Management in Lille taught in English, and the MS in SCM and Purchasing in Paris and Lille mainly taught in French. France’s highly-rated supply chain and procurement program has been designed with a progressive shift from theory to practice. The degree covers the entirety of supply chain activities from planning, purchasing, receiving, production, storage to delivery through nine compulsory and six elective courses.
The global MSc has a new cooperation with the leading prestigious business school, MIT in the US, plus another cooperation with Politechnico from Milano. The MSc master’s degree provides soft skills in supply chain and purchasing management as well as going into future trends in digitalisation, AI, sustainability, ethics, globalisation, risk management and agility. The course’s primary goal is to find future leaders who are seeking to make a positive impact on the world of supply chain management and procurement. The MSc is a full time program, complemented by paid internships in the area of the student’s choice, while the MS alternates weeks of classes with professionals at the forefront of their fields.
4. Audencia Business School
Course: MSc in Supply Chain and Purchasing Management Where: Nantes, France
Created in 2009, Audencia Business School’s programme will cover topics such as procurement, global sourcing and supply chain strategies. Other topics to feature includes green logistics, Big Data, digital transformation, negotiation and commercial law. The course will provide expertise from industry insiders as business executives visit and share professional insights during the programme.
The school works closely with the corporate world and is recognised for its responsible management practices. Audencia is triple-accredited, highly ranked and internationally oriented and according to its website, 79% of course graduates are employed before graduation. The course is available as a one-year or two-year master’s programme.
In autumn 2024, the course is set to be renamed to the MSc in Responsible Procurement and Supply Chain Management.
5. Cranfield School of Management
Course: MSc in Procurement and Supply Chain Management Where: Cranfield, United Kingdom
Cranfield School of Management provides students with specialist knowledge and skills in procurement needed to progress their careers
Cranfield’s Procurement and Supply Chain Management course has been co-designed with senior industry executives. This purchasing postgraduate course provides students with specialist knowledge and skills in procurement needed to progress their careers. Possessing one of the largest facilities in Europe, the course places considerable emphasis on how to overcome real-world challenges.
Students will gain an in-depth understanding of supply chain strategy and sustainability, procurement strategy, supplier selection and evaluation, negotiation and contact management. They will also be taught how to use data, models and software to solve problems and inform decisions, inventory and operations management and how to design effective supply chain operations.
Students will have the opportunity to attend a study tour and experience a different supply chain perspective elsewhere in Europe.
The course was ranked 11th in the world on the QS Supply Chain Management Masters Rankings for 2023.
Expert analysis of the tech trends set to make waves this year
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Digital transformation is a continuing journey of change with no set final destination. This makes predicting tomorrow a challenge when no one has a crystal ball to hand.
After a difficult few years for most businesses following a disruptive pandemic and now battling a cost-of-living crisis, many enterprises are increasingly leveraging new types of technology to gain an edge in a disruptive world.
With this in mind, here are what experts predict for the next 12 months…
1. Process Mining
Sam Attias, Director of Product Marketing at Celonis, expects to see a rise in the adoption of process mining as it evolves to incorporate automation capabilities. He says process mining has traditionally been “a data science done in isolation” which helps companies identify hidden inefficiencies by extracting data and visually representing it.
“It is now evolving to become more prescriptive than descriptive and will empower businesses to simulate new methods and processes in order to estimate success and error rates, as well as recommend actions before issues actually occur,” says Attias. “It will fix inefficiencies in real-time through automation and execution management.”
2. The evolution of social robots
Gabriel Aguiar Noury, Robotics Product Manager at Canonical, anticipates social robots to return this year. After companies such as Sony introduced robots like Poiq, Aguiar Noury believes it “sets the stage” for a new wave of social robots.
“Powered by natural language generation models like GPT-3, robots can create new dialogue systems,” he says. “This will improve the robot’s interactivity with humans, allowing robots to answer any question.
“Social robots will also build narratives and rich personalities, making interaction with users more meaningful. GPT-3 also powers Dall-E, an image generator. Combined, these types of technologies will enable robots not only to tell but show dynamic stories.”
3. The rebirth of new data-powered business applications
Christian Kleinerman, Senior Vice President of Product at Snowflake, says there is the beginning of a “renaissance” in software development. He believes developers will bring their applications to central combined sources of data instead of the “traditional approach” of copying data into applications.
“Every single application category, whether it’s horizontal or specific to an industry vertical, will be reinvented by the emergence of new data-powered applications,” affirms Kleinerman. “This rise of data-powered applications will represent massive opportunities for all different types of developers, whether they’re working on a brand-new idea for an application and a business based on that app, or they’re looking for how to expand their existing software operations.”
4. Application development will become a two-way conversation
Adrien Treuille, Head of Streamlit at Snowflake, believes application development will become a two-way conversation between producers and consumers. It is his belief that the advent of easy-to-use low-code or no-code platforms are already “simplifying the building” and sharing of interactive applications for tech-savvy and business users.
“Based on that foundation, the next emerging shift will be a blurring of the lines between two previously distinct roles — the application producer and the consumer of that software.”
He adds that application development will become a collaborative workflow where consumers can weigh in on the work producers are doing in real-time. “Taking this one step further, we’re heading towards a future where app development platforms have mechanisms to gather app requirements from consumers before the producer has even started creating that software.”
5. The Metaverse
Paul Hardy, EMEA Innovation Officer at ServiceNow, says he expects business leaders to adopt technologies such as the metaverse in 2023. The aim of this is to help cultivate and maintain employee engagement as businesses continue working in hybrid environments, in an increasingly challenging macro environment.
“Given the current economic climate, adoption of the metaverse may be slow, but in the future, a network of 3D virtual worlds will be used to foster meaningful social connections, creating new experiences for employees and reinforcing positive culture within organisations,” he says. “Hybrid work has made employee engagement more challenging, as it can be difficult to communicate when employees are not together in the same room.
“Leaders have begun to see the benefit of hosting traditional training and development sessions using VR and AI-enhanced coaching. In the next few years, we will see more workplaces go a step beyond this, for example, offering employees the chance to earn recognition in the form of tokens they can spend in the real or virtual world, gamifying the experience.”
6. The year of ESG?
Cathy Mauzaize, Vice President, EMEA South, at ServiceNow, believes 2023 could be the year that environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) is vital to every company’s strategy.
“Failure to engage appropriate investment in ESG strategies could plunge any organisation into a crisis,” she says. “Legislation must be respected and so must the expectations of employees, investors and your ecosystem of partners and customers.
“ESG is not just a tick box, one and done, it’s a new way of business that will see us through 2023 and beyond.”
7. Macro Trends and Redeploying Budgets for Efficiency
Ulrik Nehammer, President, EMEA at ServiceNow, says organisations are facing an incredibly complex and volatile macro environment. Nehammer explains as the world is gripped by soaring inflation, intelligent digital investments can be a huge deflationary force.
“Business leaders are already shifting investment focus to technologies that will deliver outcomes faster,” he says. “Going into 2023, technology will become increasingly central to business success – in fact, 95% of CEOs are already pursuing a digital-first strategy according to IDC’s CEO survey, as digital companies deliver revenue growth far faster than non-digital ones.”
8. Organisations will have adopted a NaaS strategy
David Hughes, Aruba’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, believes that by the end of 2023, 20% of organisations will have adopted a network-as-a-service (NaaS) strategy.
“With tightening economic conditions, IT requires flexibility in how network infrastructure is acquired, deployed, and operated to enable network teams to deliver business outcomes rather than just managing devices,” he says. “Migration to a NaaS framework enables IT to accelerate network modernisation yet stay within budget, IT resource, and schedule constraints.
“In addition, adopting a NaaS strategy will help organisations meet sustainability objectives since leading NaaS suppliers have adopted carbon-neutral and recycling manufacturing strategies.”
9. Think like a seasonal business
According to Patrick Bossman, Product Manager at MariaDB corporation, he anticipates 2023 to be the year that the ability to “scale out on command” is going to be at the fore of companies’ thoughts.
“Organisations will need the infrastructure in place to grow on command and scale back once demand lowers,” he says. “The winners in 2023 will be those who understand that all business is seasonal, and all companies need to be ready for fluctuating demand.”
10. Digital platforms need to adapt to avoid falling victim to subscription fatigue
Demed L’Her, Chief Technology Officer at DigitalRoute, suggests what the subscription market is going to look like in 2023 and how businesses can avoid falling victim to ‘subscription fatigue’. L’Her says there has been a significant drop in demand since the pandemic.
“Insider’s latest research shows that as of August, nearly a third (30%) of people reported cancelling an online subscription service in the past six months,” he reveals. “This is largely due to the rising cost of living experienced globally that is leaving households with reduced budgets for luxuries like digital subscriptions. Despite this, the subscription market is far from dead, with most people retaining some despite tightened budgets.
“However, considering the ongoing economic challenges, businesses need to consider adapting if they are to be retained by customers in the long term. The key to this is ensuring that the product adds value to the life of the customer.”
11. Waking up to browser security
Jonathan Lee, Senior Product Manager at Menlo Security, points to the web browser being the biggest attack surface and suggests the industry is “waking up” to the fact of where people spend the most time.
“Vendors are now looking at ways to add security controls directly inside the browser,” explains Lee. “Traditionally, this was done either as a separate endpoint agent or at the network edge, using a firewall or secure web gateway. The big players, Google and Microsoft, are also in on the act, providing built-in controls inside Chrome and Edge to secure at a browser level rather than the network edge.
“But browser attacks are increasing, with attackers exploiting new and old vulnerabilities, and developing new attack methods like HTML Smuggling. Remote browser isolation is becoming one of the key principles of Zero Trust security where no device or user – not even the browser – can be trusted.”
12. The year of quantum-readiness
Tim Callan, Chief Experience Officer at Sectigo, predicts that 2023 will be the year of quantum-readiness. He believes that as a result of the standardisation of new quantum-safe algorithms expected to be in place by 2024, this year will be a year of action for government bodies, technology vendors, and enterprise IT leaders to prepare for the deployment.
“In 2022, the US National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) selected a set of post-quantum algorithms for the industry to standardise on as we move toward our quantum-safe future,” says Callan.
“In 2023, standards bodies like the IETF and many others must work to incorporate these algorithms into their own guidelines to enable secure functional interoperability across broad sets of software, hardware, and digital services. Providers of these hardware, software, and service products must follow the relevant guidelines as they are developed and begin preparing their technology, manufacturing, delivery, and service models to accommodate updated standards and the new algorithms.”
13. AI: fewer keywords, greater understanding
AI expert Dr Pieter Buteneers, Director of AI and Machine Learning at Sinch, expects artificial intelligence to continue to transition away from keywords and move towards an increased level of understanding.
“Language-agnostic AI, already existent within certain AI and chatbot platforms, will understand hundreds of languages — and even interchange them within a single search or conversation — because it’s not learning language like you or I would,” he says. “This advanced AI instead focuses on meaning, and attaches code to words accordingly, so language is more of a finishing touch than the crux of a conversation or search query.
“Language-agnostic AI will power stronger search results — both from external (the internet) and internal (a company database) sources — and less robotic chatbot conversations, enabling companies to lean on automation to reduce resources and strain on staff and truly trust their AI.”
14. Rise in digital twin technology in the enterprise
John Hill, CEO and Founder of Silico, recognises the growing influence digital twin technology is having in the market. Hill predicts that in the next 20 years, there will be a digital twin of every complex enterprise in the world and anticipates the next generation of decision-makers will routinely use forward-looking simulations and scenario analytics to plan and optimise their business outcomes.
“Digital twin technology is one of the fastest-growing facets of industry 4.0 and while we’re still at the dawn of digital twin technology,” he explains. “Digital twins will have huge implications for unlocking our ability to plan and manage the complex organisations so crucial for our continued economic progress and underpin the next generation of Intelligent Enterprise Automation.”
15. Broader tech security
With an exponential amount of data at companies’ fingertips, Tricentis CEO, Kevin Thompson says the need for investment in secure solutions is paramount.
“The general public has become more aware of the access companies have to their personal data, leading to the impending end of third-party cookies, and other similar restrictions on data sharing,” he explains. “However, security issues still persist. The persisting influx of new data across channels and servers introduces greater risk of infiltration by bad actors, especially for enterprise software organisations that have applications in need of consistent testing and updates. The potential for damage increases as iterations are being made with the expanding attack surface.
“Now, the reality is a matter of when, not if, your organisation will be the target of an attack. To combat this rising security concern, organisations will need to integrate security within the development process from the very beginning. Integrating security and compliance testing at the upfront will greatly reduce risk and prevent disruptions.”
16. Increased cyber resilience
Michael Adams, CISO at Zoom, expects an increased focus on cyber resilience over the next 12 months. “While protecting organisations against cyber threats will always be a core focus area for security programs, we can expect an increased focus on cyber resilience, which expands beyond protection to include recovery and continuity in the event of a cyber incident,” explains Adams.
“It’s not only investing resources in protecting against cyber threats; it’s investing in the people, processes, and technology to mitigate impact and continue operations in the event of a cyber incident.”
17. Ransomware threats
As data leaks become increasingly common place in the industry, companies face a very real threat of ransomware. Michal Salat, Threat Intelligence Director at Avast, believes the time is now for businesses to protect themselves or face recovery fees costing millions of dollars.
“Ransomware attacks themselves are already an individual’s and businesses’ nightmare. This year, we saw cybergangs threatening to publicly publish their targets’ data if a ransom isn’t paid, and we expect this trend to only grow in 2023,” says Salat. “This puts people’s personal memories at risk and poses a double risk for businesses. Both the loss of sensitive files, plus a data breach, can have severe consequences for their business and reputation.”
18. Intensified supply chain attacks
Dirk Schrader, VP of security research at Netwrix, believes supply chain attacks are set to increase in the coming year. “Modern organisations rely on complex supply chains, including small and medium businesses (SMBs) and managed service providers (MSPs),” he says.
“Adversaries will increasingly target these suppliers rather than the larger enterprises knowing that they provide a path into multiple partners and customers. To address this threat, organisations of all sizes, while conducting a risk assessment, need to take into account the vulnerabilities of all third-party software or firmware.”
19. A greater need to manage volatility
Paul Milloy, Business Consultant at Intradiem, stresses the importance of managing volatility in an ever-moving market. Milloy believes bosses can utilise data through automation to foresee potential problems before they become issues.
“No one likes surprises. Whilst Ben Franklin suggested nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes, businesses will want to automate as many of their processes as possible to help manage volatility in 2023,” he explains. “Data breeds intelligence, and intelligence breeds insight. Managers can use the data available from workforce automation tools to help them manage peaks and troughs better to avoid unexpected resource bottlenecks.”
20. A human AI co-pilot will still be needed
Artem Kroupenev, VP of Strategy at Augury, predicts that within the next few years, every profession will be enhanced with hybrid intelligence, and have an AI co-pilot which will operate alongside human workers to deliver more accurate and nuanced work at a much faster pace.
“These co-pilots are already being deployed with clear use cases in mind to support specific roles and operational needs, like AI-driven solutions that enable reliability engineers to ensure production uptime, safety and sustainability through predictive maintenance,” he says. “However, in 2023, we will see these co-pilots become more accurate, more trusted and more ingrained across the enterprise.
“Executives will better understand the value of AI co-pilots to make critical business decisions, and as a key competitive differentiator, and will drive faster implementation across their operations. The AI co-pilot technology will be more widespread next year, and trust and acceptance will increase as people see the benefits unfold.”
21. Building the right workplace culture
Harnessing a positive workplace culture is no easy task but in 2023 with remote and hybrid working now the norm, it brings with it new challenges. Tony McCandless, Chief Technology Officer at SS&C Blue Prism, is well aware of the role organisational culture can play in any digital transformation journey.
“Workers are the heart of an organisation, so without their buy in, no digital transformation initiative stands a chance of success,” explains McCandless. “Workers drive home business objectives, and when it comes to digital transformation, they are the ones using, implementing, and sometimes building automations. Curiosity, innovation, and the willingness to take risks are essential ingredients to transformative digitalisation.
“Businesses are increasingly recognising that their workers play an instrumental role in determining whether digitalisation initiatives are successful. Fostering the right work environment will be a key focus point for the year ahead – not only to cultivate buy-in but also to improve talent retention and acquisition, as labor supply issues are predicted to continue into 2023 and beyond.”
22. Cloud cover to soften recession concerns
Amid a cost-of-living crisis and concerns over any potential recession as a result, Daniel Thomasson, VP of Engineering and R&D at Keysight Technologies, says more companies will shift data intensive tasks to the cloud to reduce infrastructure and operational costs.
“Moving applications to the cloud will also help organisations deliver greater data-driven customer experiences,” he affirms. “For example, advanced simulation and test data management capabilities such as real-time feature extraction and encryption will enable use of a secure cloud-based data mesh that will accelerate and deepen customer insights through new algorithms operating on a richer data set. In the year ahead, expect the cloud to be a surprising boom for companies as they navigate economic uncertainty.”
23. IoT devices to scale globally
Dr Raullen Chai, CEO and Co-Founder of IoTeX, recognises a growing trend in the usage of IoT devices worldwide and believes connectivity will increase significantly.
“For decades, Big Tech has monopolised user data, but with the advent of Web3, we will see more and more businesses and smart device makers beginning to integrate blockchain for device connectivity as it enables people to also monetise their data in many different ways, including in marketing data pools, medical research pools and more,” he explains. “We will see a growth in decentralised applications that allow users to earn a modest additional revenue from everyday activities, such as walking, sleeping, riding a bike or taking the bus instead of driving, or driving safely in exchange for rewards.
“Living healthy lifestyles will also become more popular via decentralised applications for smart devices, especially smart watches and other health wearables.”
