Future Insights Network

?? This week’s episode of The Buzz is now out! ?? Join Scott Luton & Marty Parker as they chat with Maria Villablanca, CEO of Future Insights Network, about workforce challenges, growth strategies, and supply chain transformation. They dive into the Canadian Postal Workers strike, Unilever’s growth in personal care, and Krispy Kreme’s search for a delivery partner. Tune in for valuable insights on navigating today’s supply chain and workforce dynamics! ??: https://bit.ly/3V5Tn1o #SupplyChain #WorkforceDevelopment #GrowthStrategies #LaborShortage #TheBuzz

Great discussions around Supply Chain Transformation at the #tfest24 event in Berlin, Germany today. Main Learnings so far: 1) Companies still struggle to connect with Suppliers and Customers beyond Tier1 2) Sustainability and ESG topics are still underrepresented in companies 3) Using spreadsheets does not mean companies are working digital… For a Connected Supply Chain you need a Network! Come and meet us at #tfest24 to discuss how #e2open can help in Transforming your Supply Chains. #e2open #MovingAsOne #tfest24

Last week we attended and presented at #TFEST24: The Destination for Supply Chain Transformation in Berlin! Our expert Linda Kannenberg shared valuable insights and steps that you can take to build a climate-ready, resilient supply chain: ? Measure your impact: Map your supply chains, gather emissions data, and assess climate risks to establish a clear overview. ? Develop a strategy: Identify key suppliers, segment them, and work together to develop decarbonisation roadmaps. ? Build capacity: Communicate your decarbonisation strategy, engage suppliers, and provide training to ensure successful implementation. ? Take action: Implement renewable energy solutions, support insetting projects, and help suppliers set targets to reduce their emissions. ? Track progress: Monitor and report on your progress in line with industry standards (e.g. CDP, SBTi) and share results with both internal and external stakeholders. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with so many passionate individuals and organisations dedicated to building a more sustainable future. We’re thrilled to continue supporting businesses in embedding climate targets and developing sustainable, future-proof supply chains! Thank you to Future Insights Network, fellow speakers and keynote attendees, and everyone who visited our booth to chat with our experts: Linda Kannenberg, Livia D'Ambrosio, Kai Eisenhardt and Eduardo Cancino! Let’s keep collaborating and driving meaningful change together ??? #SupplyChainTransformation #Decarbonisation #Sustainability #SupplierEngagement

?? In the face of seismic global supply chain disruptions, the critical question for global leaders remains: How can we secure our companies, customers, and societies in a more resilient and sustainable way? Last week, I had the privilege of joining nearly 1,000 global supply chain leaders to discuss strategies and best practices at #TFEST24 in Berlin. Our conversations revolved around the challenges and opportunities ahead, culminating in three key insights: ?? Supply Chain Strategy = Business Strategy. Mourad TAMOUD CSCOO from Schneider Electric shared with us "IMPACT SCM" strategy. ?? Supply Chains Must Mirror Customer Expectations. Deliver like a preferred product: Available, Affordable, at exceptional Quality and Sustainability. Expressed by Vineet Khanna SVPGHSC from Nestlé. ?? AI Revolution Requires Cross-Company and Societal Strategies. I had the privilege of participating in a panel discussion on "Revolutionizing Integrated Business Planning: The Power of Human-AI Collaboration." Alongside Nada Sanders, Distinguished Professor of SCM Northeastern University and Stuart Whiting, SVP GSC L&P from Schneider Electric, we were guided by Knut Alicke from McKinsey & Company. What we think are critical elements of success? ?? Leadership Beyond Cost-Cutting. Leaders must position AI-human collaboration as a catalyst for growth, resilience, and customer service—not merely a cost-cutting tool. Companies investing in team upskilling and advanced technologies are reaping the benefits of a balanced approach. ?? Role Modelling Collaboration. Effective leaders foster environments where AI and human expertise complement each other. AI excels at processing vast datasets, while humans bring strategic thinking, bias mitigation, and cross-functional collaboration. ?? Master Data as a Foundation. Actionable insights hinge on high-quality data. Master data management enables AI to deliver meaningful outcomes, while human intervention refines these results for business impact ? “Keeping the TRUST of our CUSTOMERS while at the same time OPTYMISING our OPERATIONS is an essential objective of Data Driven Planning”. ?? Continuous Improvement as a Cornerstone. To sustain innovation and achieve lasting results, leaders must embed learning and iterative improvements into their organizational culture. Our examples showed how by embedding AI in planning and operations, companies not only meet evolving CUSTOMER DEMANDs but also drive SUSTAINABILITY, ?? WASTE & strengthen their COMPETITIVE EDGE in a dynamic global market ?? ? Our session was possible thanks to leadership of Maria Villablanca, Andrew Brown, Alex Huskinson and Future Insights Network! THANK YOU! Thank you to everyone who engaged with me in the personal talks. Its amazing that together we join forces to drive SUSTAINABLE CHANGE & INNOVATION across our organizations & societies! #TFEST24 #SupplyChain #Leadership #Resilience #Sustainability

It has been a week since our supply chain transformation summit, #TFEST24 kicked off! We are reflecting back on what a momentous occasion it was, bringing together 600+ senior supply chain leaders and professionals within the end-to-end supply chain ecosystem. Key Takeaways: ? Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraging data is crucial for timely and accurate decision-making in rapidly changing market conditions. ? Supply Chain Challenges: Supply chain planning faces significant hurdles like fluctuating demand, long lead times, and resource constraints. ? Sustainability and Transparency: Consumer demand for sustainable and transparent supply chains is driving industry change. ? Adapting to Disruptions: Businesses must adapt to ongoing challenges and prepare for future economic shifts. ? Digital Transformation: Investing in digital technologies is essential to enhance supply chain planning and decision-making. We’re grateful to everyone who attended, spoke, and contributed to the success of this event. Looking to attend #TFEST25 next year, which will be returning to the Colosseum Kino Event location in Berlin on 11th-13th November? Full agenda and speaker line-up to be released early 2025. Grab your early bird tickets here: https://lnkd.in/ecnBS8Sa ?? Credit to Nicolas Det #TFEST24 #supplychaintransformation #supplychainsummit #supplychaininnovation #supplychaininsights #supplychainevent #berlin

This week I had the pleasure of sharing Unilever’s transformation and how we’ve built a more resilient and agile supply chain with leaders at #TFEST24 in Berlin. In conversation with Maria Villablanca, we discussed how Unilever Business Operations, which encompasses our enterprise technology and supply chain organisation and capabilities,?is unlocking massive value for both our company and our customers. And is setting a new industry standard. Our ultimate ambition? A fully digitized end-to-end value chain. This is of course only possible through intensified partnerships. Together, we must explore new ways of working, harness the latest digital technologies, and increase data-sharing. Here’s an example of how we’re using AI to optimise our end-to-end supply chain: https://lnkd.in/eEiEy5ZQ Maria and I also discussed the importance of?people?in every transformation journey. Equipping our teams to see the opportunities change brings and ensuring we provide continuous learning programmes so that colleagues are empowered to shape their own career adventure, are the keys to our success. A big thank you to Maria and the Future Insights Network team for giving me the opportunity to share our journey. #TFEST24 #SupplyChainTransformation #FutureOfSupplyChain #DigitalSupplyChain TFEST24 Europe: The Destination for Senior Supply Chain Leaders

#Tfest24 is more than just #Europe’s largest #Supply #Chain #Summit —it’s the heartbeat of what’s next for the #industry. The moment I walked in, I could feel the excitement. Imagine being in a room buzzing with world-class executives, where every session, each fireside chat pulses with insights that are actively reshaping our industry. Visionaries and Tech Pioneers, Supply Chain Experts from across the #globe have gathered here, not just to share their #vision, but to bring next-gen solutions to life. #AI-driven advancements, cloud innovations, and breakthrough strategies are no longer distant concepts—they’re being built, discussed, and applied right here, right now. ?? The atmosphere? Electric. This isn’t about ideas on paper; it’s a collaborative powerhouse where real-world solutions are taking shape. The energy here is unmatched. People are rolling up their sleeves and building solutions that will impact industries, careers, and even the way we interact with technology. The best part? Watching global minds connect, ideate, and collaborate, driving digital transformation from strategy into action. The AI Economy isn’t something we’re waiting for—it’s being built in real-time, right here in #Berlin. ???? Grateful to be a part of this journey, and a big thank you to the #FutureInsightsNetwork , Maria Villablanca, and Andrew Brown for the invitation. It’s an incredible moment to be part of this movement! #SupplyChain #DigitalTransformation #AI #Future Maria VillablancaAndrew BrownBram DesmetEmre Safg?nülGabriel WernerAnna ChristmannAgnieszka (Aga) RomaniukJames HillEdward GallawaySascha WiebersShaun JoughinAudrey MacnabMike KrugDr. Wolfgang M. PartschAmit KhoslaBjoern Neal KirchnerEdgar PeetPascal EijkelenberghPierre MilleErika BiggadikeBeth WalkerRobert AuffrayMohana OpeshThomas ZieglerAradhana KukrejaMaciej KaniowskiGoksen Tore Sancak Vineet KhannaFilip CoumansJ. Chris White

"Supply chain officers are the new chief risk officers" – or, "the difference between complicated and complex." So many powerful insights shared over the last days during #Tfest24 on Supply chain transformation. Here are some of the top takeaways for my fellow industry colleagues and supply chain enthusiasts : ?? Not just a background function anymore Supply chains have evolved from being "just" operational functions (or "the dark-matter") to becoming the critical backbone of business continuity. In a world where disruptions are weekly occurrences, #suplychain leaders must anticipate, adapt, and build for #resilience. Planning ahead and expecting the unexpected is now the standard—because sooner or later, it will happen (and many have shared that they learnt it the hard way) ?? Today’s investment is tomorrow’s saving The push for sustainable, digital transformation is no longer just about cost; it’s about long-term security. Let’s stop cutting pennies now only to face bigger losses later. Over the past 2 days, (almost) all leaders shared how they’ll look back with pride on efforts for fair working conditions and GHG emissions reduction, not on short-term savings or squeezed suppliers. ?? Supply Chain Talent: Attract and Engage The SC role has never been more dynamic nor critical. Like Eric Enselme rightfully shared, to adapt to constant change, we need digitally-savvy, curious minds ready to learn and unlearn. But attracting this talent requires sincerity in pursuing meaningful transformation, not just window-dressing (read : no green-washing). ?? Regional: Not Global or Local. Resilience means rethinking global models; it’s not about being purely local but regionally focused. Real continuity arises when we map our supply chains deeply, cultivate non-transactional relationships, and work collaboratively—even with competitors—to drive systemic change (Siemens Digital Logistics) ?? AI in supply chain is not optional Of course we talked about AI and how it can enhance everything from real-time tracking to risk management. All seemed to agree that the future of SC is digital (next to organizational changes), and #AI is set to be one of its strongest pillars. Last but not least ?? Sustainability: the new business as usual Building sustainable supply chains is non-negotiable today, as integral to operations as safety around manufacturing. CDP data highlights that companies embedding sustainability directly into their supply chains, without seeking ROI, have seen by now significant savings, they boosted resilience and revenues. As Schneider Electric aptly noted, “Working with purpose-driven companies is like eating your broccoli—not always fun, but you know it's healthy and absolutely essential.” Thanks to TFEST24 Europe: The Destination for Senior Supply Chain Leaders + Future Insights Network organizers and you Mélissa de Roquebrune, for the opportunity to participate!

And that's a wrap of Day 2 of #TFEST24! ?? Gunter Dr. Beitinger, Senior Vice President Manufacturing, Head of Factory Digitalization?at Siemens discussed the key role technologies play in meeting the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. ?? Satendra Singh, the CEO of Syrma SGS Technology Limited discussed how to de-risk supply chain and leveraging the Indian ecosystem with the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. ??Matthias John, Quality & Supply Chain Lead CEE at Haleon discussed how the supply chain has evolved from a crisis response to becoming a key business drive and how to nurture a resilient and agile mindset. ?? Breakthrough Thinking for Breakthrough Supply Chains: A Fireside Chat with Dr. Wolfgang M. Partsch and Maria Villablanca on how to master the art of agility and resilience, data-driven decision making and building socially responsible supply chains. ??Moving from Risks to Opportunities with SAP's Synchronized Supply Chains with Anna Linden, Vice President, Global Head of Supply Chain Planning?at SAP and Benjamin Endres, Solution Advisory Manager Digital Supply Chain, SAP discussing SAP's synchronised supply chains can help companies drive a profitable and sustainable future. ?? Leadership and Strategy Techniques for the Supply Chain Practitioners Panel with Olga Borodina, Former Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain, AngloGold Ashanti, Goksen Tore Sancak, Former Executive Vice President, Material Planning & Logistics, Ford Motor Company?and Baris Ozman, Director, Supply Chain & Logistics Europe?at AUTO1 Group on customer personalisation. ?? Digital Twins in Manufacturing with Andrea Rapetti, Vice President, Smart Factory, Datwyler Group, Harry McCarney, Founder & Managing Director of Hack and Craft and Jalal Hammari, Global Lead Solution Advisory & Architecture OEM Industry, Siemens, on the implementation of 4IR technologies. ?? Mastering Distribution Networks: Optimization with Prescriptive Analytics with Verena Lenzen, Senior Analytics Consultant, OPTANO GmbH and Yenal Ersen, Product Manager?on harnessing the power of mathematical optimisation. ?? Closing Remarks with Maria Villablanca and Koray K?se A huge thank you to our speakers, sponsors and attendees! Hack and Craft, Blue Yonder, CDP, o9 Solutions, Inc., e2open, Dexory, OPTANO GmbH, ICRON | Planning and Optimization Solutions, Kinaxis, TüV Rheinland Group, Krause Bell Group, Lytica, Penta Search Group, PALLITE? Group, tulanā Logility Capgemini South Pole SAP