The Gartner Supply Chain Podcast

In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Thomas O’Connor and guest Marie Robinson, executive vice president and chief supply chain officer at Sysco, explore recommendations and strategic insights for long-range planning (LRP). Marie discusses Sysco’s integrated approach to using LRP analytics and data to serve daily operations. This creates organizationwide utility and trust in the LRP process, and it allows Marie and her teams to iterate on LRP models as needed. Thomas and Marie close the show with recommendations for cleaning and maintaining data inputs that allow supply chain leaders to build more robust LRP plans.

This episode of the Supply Chain Podcast explores:Overcoming the challenge of improving productivity and what’s at the center of it (01:23) Defining individual potential in supply chain organizations (03:54)Unlocking community potential in supply chain organizations (07:08)Technology’s role in unlocking the collective potential of supply chains (10:16)Actionable advice for unlocking the individual, community and technological potential of supply chains (15:00)Host Thomas O’Connor and Caroline Chumakov discuss the keynote for Gartner’s 2023 Supply Chain Symposium: Unlocking the Collective Potential of Supply Chain. They explore the highly complex operating environment CSCOs find themselves in, and the thorny challenge at its heart: the lowest labor-force productivity in decades. Caroline defines the productivity problem and explains how CSCOs contribute to it with an overt focus on technology over people. Caroline then delivers recommendations for how CSCOs can adapt their organizations to unlock greater collective and holistic productivity from both their people and technology.

Supply Chain Podcast host Thomas O’Connor and Danone COO Vikram Agarwal discuss how Danone is transforming its supply chain to align to customer demands rather than bend to industry drivers. Vikram explains Danone’s key transformational drivers and goals, including improved resiliency and greater manufacturing agility and flexibility. Vikram delivers several strategic recommendations for supply chain leaders who want to implement these same principles, and delves into how digital tools can help these leaders achieve their transformation goals.With 35 years’ experience in supply chains around the globe, Danone Chief Operations Officer Vikram Agarwal has worked at leading companies, such as Unilever, Avon, Dole Packaged Foods, and at private equity funds. Besides being well-versed with most disciplines within the supply chain, Vikram possesses a successful track record in supply chain turnaround, digitalization of operations, route to market expansion, procurement strategies, new business development, and M&A projects. He is also an avid advocate of sustainability in operations.This episode explores:An overview of the scale and scope of Danone’s global supply chain operations. (00:43) The need for supply chain transformation at Danone. (2:51) Danone’s major pillars of supply chain transformation. (05:36) Supply chain transformation’s impact on the financial model at Danone. (09:31) Sustainability’s role in supply chain transformation at Danone. (12:00) The key enablers driving Danone’s supply chain transformation. (17:50)

What is a digital twin of the customer? What does it look like and why do we need it? (1:11)Success stories from organizations investing in a digital twin of the customer. (4:40) Recommendations for listeners interested in developing a digital twin of the customer. (14:30)Digital twin of the customer (DToC) remains a nascent technology, and current research is only beginning to uncover its possible use cases, but it has significant potential to change how businesses go to market. In this Supply Chain Podcast, host Caroline Chumakov and guest Beth Coppinger discuss the benefits of employing DToC and how this emerging technology can transform your supply chain by driving growth, improving demand forecasting and enhancing customer experience. This technology can simulate customer behavior and reactions, which will allow supply chain leaders to better sense customer demands and predict the scenarios of how the supply chain should respond to those demands.

Why is British American Tobacco (BAT) trying to act quickly in response to Scope 3 emissions? (1:56)How do we get internal support to drive change and impact on Scope 3 emissions? (03:00)What’s changed in the business environment that has allowed this response/change? (4:52)Examples of what BAT is doing to reduce Scope 3 emissions. (08:20)The role of data in driving Scope 3 emissions across the different ecosystems. (10:15)Advice to supply chain leaders looking to reduce Scope 3 emissions. (13:00)In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Thomas O’Connor and guest John O’Reilly, Group Head of Procurement, Strategy and Sustainability at British American Tobacco (BAT), discuss how supply chain leaders can drive mutually beneficial Scope 3 initiatives in collaboration with suppliers. John offers first-hand guidance from BAT’s experiences with Scope 3 initiatives, including earning stakeholder buy-in, leveraging procurement to evaluate supplier priorities and gaps, and identifying win-win opportunities through data. Thomas and John also discuss  recommendations that supply chain leaders can use to build connected Scope 3 agendas and awareness for both their organization and their suppliers.John O’Reilly joined British American Tobacco (BAT) in 2008. As Group Head of Procurement, Strategy and Sustainability, John integrates sustainability across BAT procurement, driving step changes within its global supplier base. This ensures BAT’s suppliers are aligned in achieving BAT’s corporate ESG goals, including climate, human rights, biodiversity and waste. During his tenure, John has contributed to maintaining operational delivery, cost management and security of supply.

Host Caroline Chumakov and Gartner VP Analyst Simon Bailey share insights from the Supply Chain Executive Report: Realizing the True Potential of Ecosystem Partnerships. Specifically, they explore how chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) can capitalize on the various, interconnected value opportunities supply chain ecosystems present. Simon discusses the benefits of interconnectedness for both individual enterprises and the full ecosystem, such as greater access to innovation and resources as risk is shared among several enterprises. Caroline and Simon also explore recommendations for CSCOs interested in defining and leveraging an ecosystem of their own.Simon Bailey is a VP analyst in Gartner’s CSCO enablement team, supporting CSCOs’ strategy development in areas including ecosystem strategies, customer centricity and sustainability. His published work includes the Leadership Vision for CSCOs and Gartner’s Supply Chain Strategy Predicts. His recent research focuses on the circular economy, the barriers to ecosystem partnerships and the enablement of new operating outcomes, such as greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

Host Thomas O’Connor and Gartner Vice President Sarah Watt discuss how the current energy crisis is affecting sustainability initiatives such as net zero for supply chain leaders. Sarah delves into how supply chain leaders are continuing to advance their sustainability goals by leveraging them to drive business outcomes. She imparts recommendations on how other supply chain leaders can follow suit, and she explores the interlinked future of supply chain and global sustainability initiatives.This episode explores:What supply chain leaders are doing in the space of energy and sustainability to drive business impact (01:05)Three actions everyone can borrow from supply chain leaders (03:11)Emerging issues for supply chain leaders to be aware of (07:49)Why climate change adaptation is needed (13:59) What gives hope for the future ahead of Earth Day 2023 (17:23)

Host Thomas O’Connor and guest Jim Cafone, Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain for Pfizer, discuss how supply chain leaders can take ideas for supply chain innovation from their nascent, early stages into large-scale execution. Jim shares his wealth of innovation experience with Pfizer, including how the organization affects change within its supply chain and the benefits of a “horizontal mindset” for supply chain leaders. He also provides specific examples of these principles in practice, such as Pfizer’s approach to its “An Accord for a Healthier World” initiative.Innovation: Building from ideas to execution at scale. (1:56)Driving innovation at Pfizer through the “An Accord for a Healthier World” initiative. (3:55)What does innovation-related change look like for supply chain operations? (7:43)The importance of sharing successful and valuable innovation across the world of supply chain. (13:48)Advice for supply chain leaders looking to drive more value from innovation programs in their organizations. (17:10)Jim Cafone has been with Pfizer since 2010. In his current role as Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain, he oversees Pfizer’s global demand forecasting, demand and supply planning, worldwide logistics, and inventory management. In his previous role with Pfizer as Vice President of Network Design and Performance, Jim was responsible for business development, supply chain network design, Pfizer’s lean production system, all performance reporting and analytics, innovation, and recognition programs.

This episode explores: Reasons behind the emphasis on frontline workers right now (1:00)How chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) can juggle frontline work challenges and approach redesigning the frontline workforce at their organizations (2:18)How CSCOs design their frontline workforces depending on their appetite for change, and whether they view their workforce as a tool or a cornerstone (5:45)The different futures of the frontline workforce, with insight from real-world examples (7:30)Recommendations for CSCOs on the future of frontline work (20:05) Host Caroline Chumakov and guest Emily Rose McRae discuss the call to action for redesigning frontline work and what the human-technology interface should look like for frontline employees going forward. Many CSCOs recognize the need to augment their frontline workforces and to deal with the frontline talent shortage but are unsure of the right approach to take when redesigning frontline work. Emily Rose walks through four potential futures of frontline work and shares examples of the human-technology relationship in each.Emily Rose McRae leads the Future of Work and Talent Analytics research teams in Gartner’s HR practice. While Emily Rose works across all issues that can lead to the future of work, her core areas of focus include emerging technologies and their impact on work and the workforce, new employment models, market and demographic shifts, and workforce planning to anticipate and prepare for these changes. Prior to joining Gartner, Emily Rose worked in management consulting and international development, providing data science support to U.S. government loan programs and microfinance projects in Fiji and Tonga.

In this podcast, host Thomas O’Connor and guest Eric O’Daffer explore the current state of innovations in supply chain-driven organizations through the lens of Gartner’s 2023 Power of the Profession Supply Chain Awards.They discuss the Power of the Profession winners and highlight the major themes in supply chain innovations, but also focus intently on how small and mid-cap organizations can drive business value from their innovation efforts. Eric advises supply chain leaders on where to begin their innovation journeys, and how to systematize innovation. Eric O’Daffer is a VP Analyst in the Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain group. His concentration is on the end-to-end healthcare supply chain, starting at the point of patient care and looking back. He focuses most of his time with providers, examining how they best manage all the components of their supply chains. This involves both their internal processes, as well as best practices for partnering with their suppliers to optimize patient outcomes at the best-delivered cost possible. 99% Perspiration — Eyewitness to Supply Chain Innovation by Eric O’DafferBlog is front of paywall and accessible to clients/non-clients.