Advice for Emerging Supply Chain Leaders

Operating conditions for supply chains continue to shift faster than most organizations can plan for. Labor pressures, evolving customer expectations, geopolitical uncertainty, and increasingly complex global networks are forcing leaders to rethink how decisions get made and how teams stay aligned when certainty is no longer guaranteed.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton is joined by Mario Morhy, Vice President, Integrated Planning at Sam’s Club, Mike Gomes, Vice President of Supply Chain North America at Perfetti Van Melle, and Rodrigo Alponti, Senior Vice President Global Supply Chain at STADA Group. Together, they reflect on how supply chain leadership has evolved over the past year, moving away from linear optimization toward adaptability, resilience, and closer collaboration with customers and partners.

The panel also explores how AI is accelerating the pace of insight and action, enabling faster scenario planning, stronger visibility, and more empowered teams. Rather than replacing people, AI emerges as a decision-making copilot, freeing leaders to focus on risk, tradeoffs, and long-term value. The conversation closes with practical leadership takeaways on learning faster than competitors, asking better questions, and building cultures that can turn volatility into advantage.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(02:58) Mike Gomes shares supply chain leadership insights

(04:16) Rodrigo Alponti's global supply chain perspective

(06:20) Mario Morhy's role at Sam's Club

(08:18) Supply chain challenges and innovations discussed

(18:05) Customer centricity in the never normal

(25:18) Current challenges in today's supply chain

(30:12) Walmart's AI integration in supply chain

(32:01) AI as a copilot for supply chain employees

(38:07) Transforming volatility into competitive advantage

(43:02) Key questions leaders should ask their teams

Additional Links & Resources:

1. Connect with Mario Morhy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariomorhy/
2. Learn more about Sam’s Club: https://www.samsclub.com/
3. Connect with Mike Gomes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-gomes-282228/
4. Learn more about Perfetti Van Melle: https://www.perfettivanmelle.com/
5. Connect with Rodrigo Alponti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigo-alponti-a9873/
6. Learn more about STADA Group: https://www.stada.com/
7. Connect with Scott Luton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/
8. Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
9. Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
10. Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
11. Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
12. WEBINAR- 2026 Procurement Priorities: What’s Changing (and What You Need to Do First): https://bit.ly/3Yodf0Z
13. WEBINAR- Building the New Manufacturing Workforce: https://bit.ly/4iVb4vl
14. WEBINAR- Building the Foundation for Agentic AI in the Modern Supply Chain: https://bit.ly/4s634vN

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chain-leadership-never-normal-power-panel-supply-chain-leaders-rewriting-rules-1534