The Gartner Supply Chain Podcast

This episode explores:Henkel’s multiyear journey to merge two of its distinct consumer business units. (1:15)An overview of the strategic drivers behind Henkel’s business transformation. (2:44)The critical role supply chain leadership plays in driving supply chain change management. (4:52)Concrete steps that Henkel took during its transformation journey, including real-world examples. (8:40)Recommendations for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) driving large-scale change management in their own organizations. (12:26)Host Thomas O’Connor discusses Henkel Consumer Brands’ business transformation journey with Dr. Dirk Holbach, the organization’s CSCO. The pair explore the drivers that motivated the transformation, such as Henkel’s concept of “volume to value.” They provide insight into four broad steps that Henkel took as part of its transformation, and close the show with recommendations for CSCOs that find themselves driving similar transformations.Gartner clients interested in finding out more about this topic can access the following: Reorganize by Integrating and Differentiating Supply Chain ActivitiesSupply Chain Executive Report: Radically Rethinking ReorganizationAbout the GuestDr. Dirk Holbach has been leading the end-to-end (E2E) supply chain and operations for Henkel's Consumer Brands division since 2022, with net sales around €10.5 billion. He collaborates with approximately 10,000 associates in 36 factories and 88 logistics centers around the world. As one global team, Henkel not only delivers daily on the classic triangle “cost,” “cash” and “service,” but also drives a holistic transformation journey along multiple dimensions creating significant business impact. Henkel’s aim is to continuously increase the value delivery, agility and resilience of its global supply chain with the ultimate goal to drive value growth and serve its consumers and customers at its best.This goal is supported by three strategic priorities:People and culture: Henkel puts its people at the center of everything it does. The pandemic has clearly underlined the value of strong individuals collaborating in empowered teams, and Henkel enables strong value creation and business performance via its significant investment into team effectiveness and individual leadership capabilities.Digitalization: Continuously accelerating digital transformation at Henkel started in 2013, with migration toward a fully connected, real-time and integrated digital ecosystem and toward an autonomous, self-driving and touchless supply chain. This work is supported by highly qualified associates and Henkel is the proud owner of four World Economic Forum (WEF) Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Digital LighthousesSustainability: Part of Dr. Holbach’s personal agenda and part of the DNA at Henkel, the company drives sustainable progress leveraging digitalization (e.g., reducing its CO2 footprint by more than 70% since 2005), with 14 sites becoming fully climate-positive (electrical and thermal energy), making the company’s entire mature region footprint carbon-neutral.When not at work, Dr. Holbach enjoys spending time with his family, or on a race or mountain bike. He has also been listed several times in the Top 28 Supply Chain Executives in Europe, being No. 1 in 2020.

This episode explores:An overview of this year’s Power of the Profession award categories and the connecting themes that its submissions shared. (1:43)Notable differences in the content of this year’s submissions. (4:09)Winners in each of the four categories. (5:15)Advice for innovating in organizations that are “just trying to keep the lights on.” (11:50)Host Lindsay Azim and Gartner VP analyst Maria Nieradka discuss this year’s Power of the Profession Supply Chain Awards, including its winners, standout entrants and prevailing themes. They explore the supply chain industry’s greater focus on people-centric investments this year, smaller organizations driving innovation and how manufacturing prevailed across topics and categories. Lindsay and Maria close the show with recommendations for supply chain leaders using innovation as a means to meet enterprise goals.About the GuestMaria Nieradka is a vice president, analyst in Gartner’s supply chain practice, providing research insights, advice and thought leadership to life sciences clients. Her research coverage includes supply chain strategy, environmental, social and governance (ESG), risk management, mergers and acquisitions and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Based on previous experience as a chief supply chain officer, she provides expertise in end-to-end supply chain practices with deep knowledge in planning, procurement, manufacturing and distribution. Maria leads Gartner’s Power of the Profession program. She served on Gartner Supply Chain’s Executive Advisory Board through 2021.

In this engaging discussion, guests Brian Whitlock and Cori Masters from Gartner share critical updates on U.S. tariffs and their implications for chief supply chain officers. Brian, with over 30 years of experience in logistics, and Cori, a specialist in high-tech supply chains, cover the administration’s motivations behind the tariffs and the challenges of reshoring. They also explore strategies for CSCOs to prepare for volatility and the significance of scenario planning. Listeners gain actionable insights to navigate the evolving landscape of trade policies.

This episode explores: Lenovo’s strategic investments in future-proofing its supply chain operations. (1:26)How Lenovo delivers its supply chain strategy centered on “global reach with local excellence.” (2:47) Challenges that Lenovo faces in executing its supply chain strategy. (6:46)The role of digital transformation and AI in future-proofing Lenovo’s supply chain. (13:09)Recommendations for CSCOs planning to future-proof their own supply chains. (15:19)In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Thomas O’Connor discusses Lenovo’s attempts to future-proof its operations with Che Min (Jammi) Tu, senior vice president and group operations officer at Lenovo. The pair explore the benefits and challenges associated with Lenovo’s “global-local” approach to managing its supply chain’s global footprint: They dive into how this strategy enables Lenovo to future-proof its operations, as well as how the organization’s long-standing use of AI and other digital transformation tools contributes to this effort. Thomas and Jammi close the show with actionable advice for CSCOs embarking on similar efforts to future-proof their supply chains.Che Min (Jammi) Tu is Senior Vice President and Group Operations Officer of Lenovo, which consists of teams spanning Global Supply Chain, Digital Transformation, Total Experience, Sales Operations, and Strategic Alliances. This diverse organization serves a global group of internal and external stakeholders with the mission of driving Lenovo’s operational excellence, the companywide digital transformation and harmonizing end-to-end business processes and tools across all Lenovo operations to deliver the best end-to-end customer experience. He is also a member of Lenovo’s Executive Committee. Jammi joined Lenovo in 2012 as chief financial officer for the EMEA region. Most recently, he led the finance team as the CFO for the Personal Computing & Smart Devices (PCSD) Group, e-commerce, and Global Accounts organizations and was the chief operating officer of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group (IDG), playing a crucial role in leading that organization to record performance.   

In this discussion, Simon Bailey, VP analyst at Gartner and expert on supply chain strategy, shares insights on the evolving role of Chief Supply Chain Officers (CSCOs) in driving short-term profitable growth. He explores how AI is reshaping workforce dynamics and emphasizes the importance of customer-centric metrics. The conversation also tackles long-term sustainability goals, particularly around greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging CSCOs to leverage research as a foundation for future-proofing their strategies.

Kathy Wengel, Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Operations and Risk Officer at Johnson & Johnson, shares insights from her 30+ years in healthcare and operations. She discusses J&J's strategic responses to escalating geopolitical complexities, emphasizing resilience through innovative technologies like digital twins. Kathy also addresses the evolving regulatory landscape in healthcare and the importance of proactive scenario planning for supply chain leaders. Her actionable recommendations provide valuable guidance for navigating today’s turbulent environment.

Explore the reactions of supply chain leaders to escalating U.S. tariffs and the uncertainty they create. Discover how organizations are adapting their strategies to mitigate risks and manage inventory effectively. Learn about the evolution of trade volatility between past and current administrations. The significance of scenario planning in navigating tariff challenges is also highlighted. This conversation emphasizes the need for both short-term tactics and long-term strategies in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

Pierfrancesco Manenti, Gartner's research vice president for supply chain strategy, shares his expertise in future trends impacting supply chains. He discusses the importance of scenario modeling and the challenges posed by AI advancements, ESG regulations, and geopolitical tensions. Listeners learn about essential capabilities for chief supply chain officers and explore four strategic pathways—design, durability, deferment, and decision—to achieve long-term success. Manenti emphasizes the need for strategic transformation and digitalization in a rapidly changing landscape.

Helen Davis, Senior VP at Kraft Heinz with over 27 years in global supply chain management, dives into the company's journey towards a fully autonomous supply chain. She discusses the importance of mastering manual processes before integrating digital tools. Helen emphasizes servant leadership in overcoming barriers for digital projects and shares innovative use cases for generative AI that enhance efficiency. Lastly, she offers valuable insights for chief supply chain officers aiming to drive their own digital transformations.

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.