Supply Chain Companions

Supply chain directors seem to be struggling to claim their share of available artificial intelligence (AI) budgets. Despite – or perhaps because of – the current struggling economy, executives have freed up budgets for AI, especially the popular variant generative AI (GenAI), e.g. ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. According to a recent global survey by Tata Consultancy Services, 51% of Dutch chief executive officers (CEOs) are looking to artificial intelligence for innovation and revenue growth; in Europe, the figure is as high as 66%. Analyst firm Gartner reported early this year that half of supply chain leaders plan to implement GenAI in the next 12 months. So I guess the wish is the father of the thought. From my many conversations with supply chain executives, I know that they are still eagerly searching for a good application for GenAI. In fact, according to Gartner, 14% are already in an implementation phase, although I have my doubts about this. Our own recent research among 60 Dutch supply chain directors shows that ‘business transformation and digitization’ is near the top of the board’s priority list at 55%, just after ‘operational excellence and cost savings’ at 57%. The question is, however, how companies should negotiate this intended mountain of digitalization. Read the answer to this question here: https://lnkd.in/eJebTnc5 #ai #digitalization #supplychain #transformation #chatgpt Sikko Zoer Marcel Van Rossum Carlos Cordon Tariq Farooq Eric Baudier Zarko Stevic Supply Chain Companions

With ongoing disruptions all around the world, companies are in need for more resilience. Most control towers are domain-specific for procurement, manufacturing or logistics and inadequate for timely response to disruptions. A cross-functional resilience cockpit for the end-to-end supply chain is needed for this purpose. Together with Supply Chain Movement we have developed a roadmap to realize such a resilience cockpit successfully. You can download this (free) roadmap here: https://lnkd.in/e2xUjwA8 #supplychain #controltower #commandcenter #resilience #cockpit Zarko Stevic Eric Baudier Marcel Van Rossum Sikko Zoer Tariq Farooq Carlos Cordon Christian Titze Jamal Chamariq Robert Pekar Richard Oosterhoff Bjoern Neal Kirchner Edwin de Boer Kees-Jan van Wees Frank Vorrath Pierre Mille Abdelaziz Salah Frank Baur Hanno Bruemmer David Prchala David Prinselaar Sami Naffakh Aron Waas Pauline Vink Ivanka J. Lelwyn D’Souza Dr. Arne Flemming Dr. Dirk Holbach

Why do implementations of advanced supply chain solutions fail so often? Not long ago, I had an insightful conversation with the Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) of a major FMCG company. They had recently struggled with a failed implementation of one of the leading advanced planning systems. As the CSCO told the story, it became clear that the root cause wasn’t the system itself but rather the company’s lack of readiness to embrace the change wholeheartedly. A few days later, I stumbled upon a thought-provoking video by author Simon Sinek, where he shared the U.S. Navy SEALs’ perspective on trust versus performance. Sinek presented a four-quadrant model with trust on the x-axis and performance on the y-axis. He explained that for the SEALs, trust represents the “soft skills” or the performance off the battlefield, while performance signifies the “technical skills” or the performance on the battlefield. According to the SEALs, no one wants a low-trust, low-performance individual on their team. Conversely, a high-trust, high-performance teammate is the ideal. Interestingly, they prefer a moderate performer with high trust over a high performer with low trust, whom they consider a “toxic” team member or leader. Read the complete blog here: https://lnkd.in/gdvfRJ22 #supplychain #transformation #systemimplementation #trust Sikko Zoer Zarko Stevic Eric Baudier Tariq Farooq Carlos Cordon Marcel Van Rossum Martijn Lofvers

Why I co-founded Supply Chain Companions I have been working in the supply chain field for over 30 years, in various roles and industries. Over that time I have seen how our supply chains have become increasingly complex, connected and business critical. Requiring greater performance and capability from our supply chains, as we work to serve our customers and stakeholders. An example being the need for increased resilience to supply chain shocks while at the same time reducing our environmental impact. Addressing these needs as a supply chain leader is both exciting and increasingly challenging. Throughout my career I have been privileged to have mentors who guided me along the way, who shared their insights and wisdom, and who supported me in times of difficulty. I consider myself very fortunate to have had such mentors. But I realize that not every supply chain leader has access to mentors or advisors. That's why I decided to co-found Supply Chain Companions. A small team of experienced executives, who can help supply chain leaders to navigate the supply chain landscape and achieve their business and personal objectives. Together we have over 200 years of combined expertise in various supply chain domains, such as: planning, sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, customer service and digital transformation. You might be wondering, why do supply chain leaders need support? Aren't they already experienced and successful in their field? The answer is, yes, they are. But that doesn't mean that they don't face challenges or that they don’t need support and guidance. The more complex and demanding the challenges become, the more they need someone who can help them find the best solutions. Some of the common challenges that supply chain leaders face include: ·        Aligning supply chain strategy with business strategy. ·        Managing multiple stakeholders and expectations. ·        Transforming supply chain performance and capability. ·        Navigating the landscape of possible digital solutions. ·        Enhancing supply chain sustainability and social responsibility. These challenges are not easy to overcome and we all require some degree of support and guidance to: ·        Gain clarity and focus on the business critical goals and priorities. ·        Develop and implement effective action plans and solutions. ·        Expand our on view current best practises and future trends. ·        Overcome obstacles and setbacks. In summary, I co-founded Supply Chain Companions to help accompany supply chain leaders along their transformation journeys: mentoring, advising and guiding the way. Tariq Farooq Co-founder of Supply Chain Companions 

Supply Chain Companions is happy to announce the launch of its pioneering executive advisory firm specializing in strategic supply chain management. In today’s fast paced world, businesses need to navigate an ever evolving landscape of supply chain challenges. Supply chain executives are experiencing near daily disruptions requiring greater resiliency and agility, while at the same time driving for efficiency and sustainability.   Given the need for practical guidance on both developing and delivering on supply chain strategy, seven experts in supply chain management have decided to launch an executive advisory firm: Supply Chain Companions. This new company consists of Eric Baudier, former Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) of Tetra Pak; Carlos Cordon, Professor Strategy and Supply Chain Management at IMD Business School; Tariq Farooq, former CSCO of Sanofi; Martijn Lofvers, CEO of Supply Chain Media; Marcel Van Rossum, former supply chain executive at Johnson & Johnson; Zarko Stevic, former CSCO of Audemars Piguet; and Sikko Zoer, former Vice President Global Supply Chain at Medtronic. This team, brings together over 200 years of combined supply chain expertise, thought leadership and contribution. More information on our new company website: https://lnkd.in/eMbpnPrv #businesstransformation #supplychainstrategy #digitalsupplychain