Noha Samara, a Gartner senior director analyst and expert in supply chain planning, shares her insights on evolving decision-making processes. She introduces the concept of 'decision shapers' and their three crucial personas: the codebreaker analytically sifting through data, the alchemist translating it into actionable insights, and the storyteller who communicates effectively with diverse audiences. They discuss the pivotal role of AI in enhancing these processes and offer essential recommendations for supply chain leaders aiming to foster robust decision-making.

This episode explores:Supply chain’s role in navigating volatility associated with digital technology, changing customer needs and sustainability. (1:12)How Unilever redesigned its supply chain by fusing it with IT and enterprise services to drive change and address volatility. (5:10)Three real-world Unilever programs that leverage this fusion to build competitive advantage and business growth. (9:14)Practical recommendations for CSCOs who want to undertake similar redesigns in their own supply chains. (15:34)Host Thomas O’Connor explores the ins and outs of Unilever’s supply chain redesign with Reginaldo Ecclissato, Unilever’s Chief Business Operations and Supply Chain Officer. Reggie’s dual title speaks to Unilever’s new approach to its supply chain: transforming supply chain operations into a source of competitive advantage and business growth by combining it with IT and global business services. Thomas and Reggie discuss the key tenets at this redesign’s heart, including an accelerated digitalization effort and a talent-first outlook. The pair close the show with recommendations for CSCOs who want to pursue similar redesigns in their own supply chains.Editorial note: Since the recording of this podcast, Reginaldo Ecclissato has been appointed to the role of president for One Unilever Markets.About the Guest:Reginaldo Ecclissato has been appointed to the role of president for One Unilever Markets. At the time of recording for the December 2024 Supply Chain Podcast, Reginaldo’s role was Chief Business Operations and Supply Chain Officer. He became a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive in January 2022. Reginaldo has a rich history at Unilever spanning more than 30 years with extensive supply chain experience in both developed and emerging markets.

This episode explores: The critical role that transparent, collaboration-focused culture plays in supply chain success at Zoetis. (1:04)How Zoetis empowers supply chain talent to trust in and engage with this culture. (4:08)Qualitative and quantitative business impacts that empowered supply chain talent has made at Zoetis. (8:34)Why providing their staff with access to good data enabled a cultural shift. (15:12)Recommendations for CSCOs seeking to drive business impacts through their supply chain’s culture. (19:18)In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Thomas O’Connor discusses how culture can drive supply chain value with Nick Ashton, Executive Vice President and President, Global Manufacturing and Supply at Zoetis. The pair explore how Zoetis shifted its culture by providing greater access to data and empowering employees with greater decision making. As the organization shifted towards greater transparency and collaboration, measurable business impacts followed. Thomas and Nick close the show with recommendations for CSCOs who want to effect similar transformations in their own organizations.About the GuestNick Ashton is Executive Vice President and President, Global Manufacturing and Supply at Zoetis, the world’s leading animal health company and a member of the Fortune 500. In this role, he oversees the company’s network of approximately 29 Zoetis manufacturing sites and 200 third-party manufacturers around the world. Nick joined Zoetis in 2020 as head of Global External Supply, where he led all aspects of the company’s global external manufacturing network, overseeing 140 contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) to keep pace with customer demand.  

This episode explores:Generative AI’s expected impacts on headcount when GenAI exploded into mainstream news in 2022 (1:32).How GenAI’s impacts on productivity and time savings vary between desk-based and frontline employees (4:54).Measuring whether GenAI “lived up to the hype” in light of research results (11:31).What leaders are doing to resolve GenAI’s “productivity paradox” (12:38).Recommendations for CSCOs driving GenAI projects (15:24).In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Tess Frenzel and guest Sam Berndt, a Gartner senior director of research, discuss generative AI’s (GenAI’s) variable impacts on supply chain employee productivity in both desk-based and frontline roles. Tess and Sam frame the discussion with findings from Gartner’s Supply Chain Executive Report: The GenAI Productivity Paradox to provide details on key differentiators like individual- and team-based time savings, work quality improvements and employee comfort levels. About the GuestSam Berndt is a Gartner Senior Research Director leading long-form studies on chief supply chain officers and their key priorities. He has led studies on risk and supplier due diligence, talent and skill gap myths, last-mile delivery customer preferences, and the impact of generative AI on supply chain employee productivity. Before Gartner, Sam studied the economic impacts of large regulations.

This episode explores:The CSCO Community Outlook Survey’s focus on community sentiment, and how that sentiment manifested in 2024. (1:17)Trends that may have contributed to the survey’s findings. (3:41)CSCOs’ short-term, midterm, and long-term focuses in 2025. (5:01)Survey reports on generative AI’s potential outlook in 2025. (8:06)Recommendations for CSCOs in the coming year. (11:45)On this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Tess Frenzel discusses CSCO priorities for 2025 with Wade McDaniel, a Vice President Distinguished Advisor at Gartner. They draw insights from Gartner’s 2024 CSCO Community Outlook Poll to discuss how CSCOs are feeling as they move into 2025, including their specific goals in the short term, midterm and long term, and the outlook on generative AI. Tess and Wade explore the nuances of these findings, including the trends that may have shaped them, then close the show with actionable recommendations for CSCOs in 2025.About the GuestWade McDaniel is a Gartner Vice President Distinguished Advisor supporting the global CSCO community through events and curated research insights. He brings more than 30 years of supply chain experience to the role.

This episode explores:Strategic misalignment and the impact on the efficacy of traditional supply chain tools. (2:58)The status quo contributes to strategic misalignment for the majority of surveyed supply chain organizations. (4:56)How CSCOs can address the short-term issues at the root of strategic misalignment. (6:59)The counterintuitive organizational design that helps CSCOs create strategic alignment. (11:31)Recommendations for CSCOs to maintain their newly secured strategic alignment. (15:14)In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Lindsay Azim sits down with Gartner Senior Director Analyst Suzie Petrusic to discuss the myriad impacts strategic misalignment has on supply chains. They explore the damage strategic misalignment inflicts on profit margins and supply chain capacity, as well as how CSCOs can approach the issue through counterintuitive organizational design.About the GuestSuzie Petrusic, Ph.D., is the Gartner Senior Director Analyst serving chief supply chain officers in all the areas of supply chain related to strategy leadership and execution. She has authored and co-authored research and case studies on topics such as risk, supply chain maturity, the future of the supply chain, customer enablement, inflation and recession, and supply chain constraints. Suzie also leads Gartner’s research agenda for chief supply chain officers.Learn more about Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit 2024, the premier destination for supply chain planning leaders.Visit Gartner.com to learn more about Gartner for Supply Chain.

Alan O’Keeffe, a Senior Research Director at Gartner, shares his insights on the wave of supply chain reorganization. He reveals that 90% of professionals are currently planning changes to enhance efficiency. O'Keeffe discusses designing supply chains to achieve balance, strength, and speed, while cautioning against common pitfalls like oversimplification and mimicking others. He emphasizes a tailored approach that centers on people and capabilities, ultimately guiding leaders to navigate the complexities of modern supply chains.

This episode explores:What it takes to lead a supply chain organization in 2024, and how Dow CSCO Nestor de Mattos’s background helps him do so. (1:08)How CSCOs can help their teams adapt to changing realities around risk and driving business value. (5:08)The impact that evolving talent profiles have on hiring net-new supply chain employees. (7:40)Potential opportunities for CSCOs to hire from new talent pools in the wake of a slowing economy and a softening job market. (10:04)Recommendations for CSCOs to effectively lead their organizations in the face of challenging economic conditions. (12:02)Supply Chain Podcast Host Thomas O’Connor sits down with guest Nestor de Mattos, Corporate Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer of Integrated Supply Chain (ISC) for Dow. The pair leverage Nestor’s non-traditional career background as a lens to discuss best practices for CSCOs leading organizations through challenging times. Topics include leveraging new or unexpected talent pools and profiles, driving upskilling throughout the supply chain and the opportunities that challenging economic conditions can provide. Nestor de Mattos is Corporate Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer of Integrated Supply Chain (ISC) for Dow. He oversees the global end-to-end supply chain, including (but not limited to): planning and scheduling, international trade, sustainability, systems solutions and innovation to advance Dow’s strategic growth. He also co-chairs a team of executive leaders responsible for setting the strategic direction and implementing digital and end-to-end transformation for Dow. In his role, Nestor is responsible for driving an integrated end-to-end customer fulfillment experience across more than 150 countries to more than 35,000 delivery locations, all in coordination with more than 1,800 logistics service providers. Integrated Supply Chain supports Dow’s market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of advanced materials, industrial intermediates and plastics businesses. Together, these functions deliver a broad range of differentiated technology-based products and solutions for customers in high-growth markets that include packaging, infrastructure, and consumer care.Learn more about Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit 2024, the premier destination for supply chain planning leaders.Visit Gartner.com to learn more about Gartner for Supply Chain.

This episode explores:The growing demand for CSCOs to take a proactive approach to risk management. (1:47)Why there’s no perfect answer to how much resilience organizations “really need.” (2:22)How (and why) investments in capabilities like resilience, visibility and agility are failing to provide better proactive mitigation. (6:47)What CSCOs can do to address misalignment and siloing in their risk management activities. (8:08)Key takeaways for CSCOs to apply these practices in their own organizations. (15:45)In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Lindsay Azim and guest Suzie Petrusic, Gartner Senior Director Analyst, discuss the significant misalignment between supply chain’s risk mitigation activities and investments with the ROI they should drive. Suzie’s recent research into the topic revealed how factors like siloed capabilities and general disagreement on mitigation priorities are resulting in wasted time and resources — in some cases creating pure overhead instead of ROI. Lindsay and Suzie explore these challenges’ root causes and impacts, as well as how CSCOs can address them in their own organizations.Suzie Petrusic, Ph.D., is the Gartner Senior Director Analyst serving chief supply chain officers in all the areas of supply chain related to strategy leadership and execution. She has authored and co-authored research and case studies on topics such as risk, supply chain maturity, the future of the supply chain, customer enablement, inflation and recession, and supply chain constraints. She also leads Gartner’s research agenda for chief supply chain officers.Learn more about Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit 2024, the premier destination for supply chain planning leaders.Visit Gartner.com to learn more about Gartner for Supply Chain.

This episode explores:Generative AI’s (genAI’s) impacts from Google’s viewpoint. (1:12)How Google’s products and services, especially its supply chain operations, are evolving with genAI’s influence. (4:46)Key aspects of a strong supply chain organization foundation for genAI. (8:44)Supply chain talent management and upskilling for genAI. (11:10)Recommendations for supply chain leaders to better leverage gen AI in their organizations. (15:07)In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Thomas O’Connor and guest Ana Corrales, COO of Google’s Devices & Services business, discuss Google’s approach to generative AI (genAI) implementation across their various products and services. The discussion also explores how supply chain leaders can develop foundational capabilities like sourcing clean data and upskilling supply chain talent. Ana Corrales is the Chief Operating Officer for Google’s Devices & Services business. As COO, Ana leads the development process for Google hardware products —  Pixel phones with Google’s custom silicon, Google Tensor, Pixel Buds, Nest thermostats, speakers, displays and cameras, Fitbit smartwatches and trackers and more — and manages getting those products into the hands of customers. Ana also drives the end-to-end IT efforts and customer experience work across the Google Devices and Services business. Ana previously led Google Devices and Services’ first party channel growth with the Google Store e-commerce site and the first-ever retail store. Ana holds several leadership positions across Google. She is a member of the Women@Google board and is an executive sponsor for HOLA, Google’s Latinx Employee Resource Group. She also sits on Google’s Advanced Technology Review Council (ATRC) for AI Principles-related topics, and on the Trust & Compliance Steering Committee.Visit Gartner.com to learn more about Gartner for Supply Chain.