The Future of Supply Chain
- Épisodes
- 197
- Parution
- hebdomadaire
- Dernier épisode
- 11 Nov 2026
À propos du podcast
The Future of Supply Chain podcast is a show hosted by Richard Howells, Sin To, and Oyku Ilgar. The trio discusses hot topics, best practices, and the latest innovations to deliver a risk-resilient and sustainable supply chain. The show features interviews with experts from the world of supply chain, sustainability, AI and automation, who will address the issues of today and tomorrow. This is an ideal podcast for supply chain, R&D, manufacturing, logistics, and operations executives to learn and share ideas and best practices with their peers.
Épisodes 197
Episode 189: AI-Powered Supply Chain Planning with TCS's Kurtis Carter
TCS's Kurtis Carter joins us to explore how AI is reshaping supply chain planning—from S&OP and demand sensing to inventory optimization, control towers, and agentic AI for real-time …
Notes de l’épisode
TCS's Kurtis Carter joins us to explore how AI is reshaping supply chain planning—from S&OP and demand sensing to inventory optimization, control towers, and agentic AI for real-time decision-making.
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Explore with us:
· How AI is transforming S&OP from a periodic balancing exercise into a real-time decision process
· Demand planning augmented by AI: handling structured and unstructured data with external signals
· Inventory optimization: AI-driven explainability for multi-echelon targets and spare parts
· Agentic AI and the 'three Ws': what happened, why it happened, and what to do next
· Business networks + AI: closing the loop with supplier visibility beyond the four walls
· Control towers and decision intelligence: speeding up planning-to-execution cycles
· TCS's approach: building business cases and deploying AI where it delivers the most value
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Guest 1: Kurtis Carter, Solution Lead Tech S&S ESU, TCS
Kurtis is a TCS supply chain solutions lead focused on helping customers achieve business outcomes using modern consulting and technological approaches. His background includes practitioner planning, enterprise implementations, and solution advisory for complex transformations.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
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[Links]:
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management: www.sap.com/scm
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please rate us and subscribe to stay up to date on future episodes!
Episode 188: Digital Battery Pass: Pain in the Pass or Competitive Edge with SAP's Oleksandra Ostapenko
We are joined by Oleksandra Ostapenko, who explains the EU Digital Product Passport—what it is, who it affects, and why companies should act now. Is it a compliance burden or a competitive edge? We say both …
Notes de l’épisode
We are joined by Oleksandra Ostapenko, who explains the EU Digital Product Passport—what it is, who it affects, and why companies should act now. Is it a compliance burden or a competitive edge? We say both – and it starts with data readiness.
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· What the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is and how it works
· EU Batteries Regulation: February 2027 deadline and which batteries are in scope
· Why DPP has global impact beyond European companies
· How data readiness—not passport generation—is the real challenge
· Turning DPP compliance into a strategic business capability
· DPP's role in reducing greenwashing and enabling transparent supply chains
· SAP's Digital Battery Passport: compliance, supplier collaboration & ERP integration
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Guest 1: Oleksandra Ostapenko, Head of Product Management for Industry Standards and Regulations, SAP
As Head of Product Management with 15+ years of industry experience, Oleksandra defines the product vision, strategy, and roadmap for embedding industry standards, such as the Asset Administration Shell (AAS), and regulatory requirements, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Digital Product Passports (DPP), across SAP's portfolio. She leads initiatives that drive the adoption of both SAP's products and these standards. Her focus is on helping companies prepare for the next wave of regulations while identifying opportunities to create business value from trusted product information.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
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Show Links:
SAP Digital Battery Passport - SAP Community
Digital Product Passport | SAP Help Portal
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management: www.sap.com/scm
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please rate us and subscribe to stay up to date on future episodes!
Episode 187: Across Logistics: The Future of Supply Chain Visibility, AI, and Business Networks
This week, we are joined by Hapag-Lloyd's Karsten Schmidt and SAP's Danilo Angelinetta and Doug DeLuca to explore the future of supply chain visibility —covering IoT-powered containers, AI-driven decisions, and …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, we are joined by Hapag-Lloyd's Karsten Schmidt and SAP's Danilo Angelinetta and Doug DeLuca to explore the future of supply chain visibility —covering IoT-powered containers, AI-driven decisions, and business network collaboration.
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Covered topics:
• Visibility has evolved from operational add-on to board-level strategic priority
• Hapag-Lloyd's IoT-equipped containers enable real-time, granular shipment tracking
• Why data quality is the foundation of AI-driven logistics decisions
• Real-world use cases: FOB origin tracking, warehouse geofencing & supply chain velocity
• How SAP Business Network turns carrier visibility into actionable business outcomes
• AI accelerates disruption response—from detection and impact assessment to orchestration
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Guest 1: Karsten Schmidt, Director Smart Containers, Strategy Office
Hapag-LloydKarsten drives the commercialization of IoT-enabled container visibility solutions, helping customers gain actionable insights and enhance the performance of their supply chains.
Guest 2: Danilo Angelinetta, Network Strategy Director EMEA, SAP
Danilo is responsible for SAP Business Network adoption and growth, expert in Procurement and Logistics and working with the Executives from Customers and Trading Partners to optimize their strategy for the usage of SAP Business Network.
Guest 3: Doug DeLuca, SAP Business Network for Logistics Marketing Manager, SAP
Doug leads marketing for SAP’s logistics collaboration and visibility solutions, including SAP Business Network Freight Collaboration and SAP Business Network Global Track and Trace, working closely with customers and partners to improve efficiency and resilience across global supply chains.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
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Show Links:
HLAG feature story: https://news.sap.com/germany/2026/07/container-tracking-wie-echtzeit-iot-daten-die-supply-chain-optimieren/
Al Dahra on sap.com
LAPP on sap.com
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management: www.sap.com/scm
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode186 : How Conversational and Agentic AI are reshaping supply chain with Lukas Huber, Deloitte
What if your supply chain system didn't just answer questions but took action? In this episode, Lukas Huber from Deloitte explains the real difference between conversational and agentic AI, shares concrete use …
Notes de l’épisode
What if your supply chain system didn't just answer questions but took action? In this episode, Lukas Huber from Deloitte explains the real difference between conversational and agentic AI, shares concrete use cases from shortage mitigation to transport disruption, and makes the case for governance by design.
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What happens when supply chain systems stop waiting to be asked — and start taking action on their own?
In this episode we sit down with Lukas Huber, a Conversational and Agentic AI expert at Deloitte, to unpack what these technologies actually mean for supply chain professionals beyond the hype.
Lukas explains the difference between conversational AI, which understands intent and communicates insights, and agentic AI, which executes goal-driven, multi-step workflows; through examples from damage reporting to detecting shortages, evaluating alternatives, and drafting supplier emails, he shows how AI can support planners and operations teams.
He also highlights the operational and financial risks of errors or hallucinations, making the case for governance by design from day one.
Looking ahead, Lukas envisions a more intelligent, adaptive, and human-centered supply chain in which AI automates processes but also transforms how decisions are made.What You Will Learn:
• What conversational AI means in an enterprise context and why it's broader than most
people think• What are the key difference between a conversational assistant and an agentic AI system
• What are concrete supply chain use cases: S&OP, shortage mitigation, transport disruption
management, shop floor operations• When voice beats chat and when it doesn't
• What are the three types of governance controls every organization deploying agentic AI
needs• Why "governance by design" is the difference between a promising demo and a scalable
enterprise solution• How Deloitte approaches end-to-end AI transformation in supply chain
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Guest 1: Luka Huber, AI & Data Consultant, Deloitte
Lukas Huber is an AI & Data Consultant at Deloitte, focusing on AI transformation, intelligent automation and the adoption of AI in complex business environments. Beyond his consulting work, he is actively engaged in international AI and leadership communities, including the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community and Young AI Leaders under ITU’s AI for Good initiative. He is also a member of the German Data Science Society and the German Forum for Ethical Machine Decision-Making, contributing to initiatives around AI literacy, responsible AI and the practical adoption of emerging technologies.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Sin To
Sin To brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media and technology industry – primarily in marketing, business development, thought leadership, and editorial. At SAP, they ensure that SAP's supply chain solutions are properly visible with a focus on future trends and sustainable innovations as part of the Thought Leadership & Awareness Supply Chain Team.
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Show Links:
SAP Digital Supply Chain: www.sap.com/scm
AI for Good: https://aiforgood.itu.int/
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Lukas Huber
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huberluk/
Richard Howells:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardjhowells
Sin To:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sin-to-5334208
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 185: A Conversation with Kearney: Why is the Supply Chain Moving to the Center of Companies' Strategy?
Kearney's Suketu Gandhi joins us to discuss why the supply chain is now central to corporate strategy—from COO growth optimism and resilience as a competitive weapon to AI industrialization and sustainability's …
Notes de l’épisode
Kearney's Suketu Gandhi joins us to discuss why the supply chain is now central to corporate strategy—from COO growth optimism and resilience as a competitive weapon to AI industrialization and sustainability's renaissance.
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In this episode, we, together with Suketu Gandhi, unpack the Kearney COO Agenda report. Listen in to hear why 70% of COOs expect double-digit growth, how resilience has become an offensive competitive weapon, and why only 10% of companies close the execution gap. Or to examine with us AI's shift from pilots to industrialization, its net-positive effect on supply chain jobs, and how sustainability has moved beyond compliance into a genuine competitive advantage—quietly thriving without the marketing hype.
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Guest 1: Suketu Gandhi, Global Co-Lead and Chair, Operations and Performance, Partner, Kearney
Based in Chicago, Suketu is a recognized industry leader on a wide range of operations topics, with an emphasis on end-to-end supply chains. “I’m strongly focused on the redesign of supply chains for four critical purposes: growth, cost, resilience, and sustainability,” he comments. “The key to maximizing their effectiveness lies in the combination of human intelligence, AI, and automation, underpinned by a deep understanding of how global operations work.” Across three firms, he has built and run innovation centers, bringing emerging tech to supply chains from design through manufacturing.
A Global Leader in Consulting honoree for Excellence in Innovation, Suketu is the founder of the Kearney Supply Chain Institute and has published more than 100 articles on supply chain and AI in outlets such as HBR, MIT Sloan Management Review, and The Wall Street Journal. He is also the co-author of Strong Supply Chains Through Resilient Operationsand is currently working on an HBR Press book titled Intelligent Speed at Scale.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
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Show Links:
Kearney: https://www.kearney.com
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Suketu Gandhi: LinkedIn
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please rate us and subscribe to stay up to date on future episodes!
Episode 184: Beyond the Silos: Why Transportation Planning Is Becoming the Nerve Center of the Modern Supply Chain with CloudPaths and LeverX
Transportation is no longer just a last-mile function. This week we, together with Tushar Bhalla from CloudPaths, and Dmitry Antanovich from LeverX explore how it's becoming the nerve center of modern supply …
Notes de l’épisode
Transportation is no longer just a last-mile function. This week we, together with Tushar Bhalla from CloudPaths, and Dmitry Antanovich from LeverX explore how it's becoming the nerve center of modern supply chains.
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Transportation planning has evolved from a tactical, last-mile activity into the strategic nerve center of the supply chain. In this episode, Tushar Bhalla from CloudPaths and Dmitry Antanovich from LeverX joined us to discuss how organizations can break down planning silos, connect planning with execution, and use solutions such as SAP IBP and SAP TM to gain real-time visibility. They also share practical advice for leaders beginning their integration journey.
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Guest 1: Dmitry Antanovich, Solutions Director, SAP Supply Chain Management, LeverX
Technology and business leader with a strong focus on growth, strategy, and execution in SAP-driven transformation initiatives. As a Solutions Director, I lead solution strategy and customer engagement across complex SAP programs, helping organizations translate business priorities into clear technology roadmaps. I work closely with executive stakeholders, SAP teams, and partners to guide modernization efforts, moving from legacy landscapes to scalable, cloud-enabled architectures built on SAP S/4HANA and SAP BTP.
Guest 2: Tushar Bhalla, CloudPaths
Tushar has been guiding customers through their implementation challenges in Digital Supply Chain Strategy, Planning & Transformations for the last 15 years with expertise in SAP IBP, SAP APO, SAP Ariba and more. Led and delivered projects from planning to stabilization across multiple geographies and industries with more than 25 recognized brands in the Consumer Products, Food, Automotive, Semiconductor, Hi-Tech, Oil & Gas, Chemical sectors.
Tushar previously held roles with Accenture, Intrigo Systems and HPE.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
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Show Links:
LeverX: https://leverx.com/
CloudPaths: https://cloudpaths.com
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please rate us and subscribe to stay up to date on future episodes!
Episode 183: The Autonomous Supply Chain with NTT Data’s Brooks Noonan
Can your supply chain make decisions faster than your competitors? We sit down with Brooks Noonan of NTT DATA to explore the shift from digital visibility to true autonomous execution—and what it actually takes …
Notes de l’épisode
Can your supply chain make decisions faster than your competitors? We sit down with Brooks Noonan of NTT DATA to explore the shift from digital visibility to true autonomous execution—and what it actually takes to get there.
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What if your supply chain could resolve disruptions before your customers ever noticed? We sit down with Brooks Noonan of NTT DATA to unpack what it really means to go autonomous. We dig into which decisions AI can handle right now, why demand sensing is no longer a nice-to-have but the cost of admission, how real-time data minimizes the bullwhip effect—and why measuring ROI means looking at the balance sheet, not soft metrics. Join us as we discuss the fututre os supply chain!
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Guest 1: Brooks Noonan, Vice President, NTT DATA Business Solutions
Brooks Noonan is an executive leader and corporate board member specializing in enterprise modernization and SAP business transformation. Currently serving as Vice President at NTT DATA Business Solutions and as a Board Member for Ben Tire Distributors, he excels at bridging technology strategy with execution to drive sustainable business growth.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
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Show Links:
NTT DATA Business Solutions: https://nttdata-solutions.com/us/
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Brooks Noonan: LinkedIn
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please rate us and subscribe to stay up to date on future episodes!
Episode 182: From Theory to Practice: Implementing Carbon Accounting in Supply Chains with Amy Brachio
In this episode Amy Brachio explains why product-level carbon accounting is reshaping how supply chains buy, invest and compete. And why two factories with identical operations can legally report completely …
Notes de l’épisode
In this episode Amy Brachio explains why product-level carbon accounting is reshaping how supply chains buy, invest and compete. And why two factories with identical operations can legally report completely different carbon figures.
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In this episode, we talk with Amy Brachio, CEO of Carbon Measures and former EY Global Vice Chair for Sustainability. She explains why product-level carbon accounting is fast becoming a core business and procurement issue, from the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to green steel standards and why two factories with identical operations can legally report completely different carbon figures.
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Guest 1: Amy Brachio, CEO of Carbon Measures
Amy Brachio is the CEO of Carbon Measures, a global coalition of businesses committed to reducing carbon emissions by aligning market incentives with the actions needed to drive impact at scale. Amy joined Carbon Measures in September 2025, continuing her leadership at the intersection of climate action, business resilience, and the need for accurate, verifiable data to underpin sound decision-making. Prior to joining Carbon Measures, Amy spent nearly three decades at Ernst & Young (EY), most recently as Partner and Global Vice Chair for Sustainability, where she drove EY's offerings to help global clients achieve their sustainability goals, led the firm's 40% carbon emission reduction by 2025, and established EY as the global leader in sustainability services.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Sin To
Sin To brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media and technology industry – primarily in marketing, business development, thought leadership, and editorial. At SAP, they ensure that SAP's supply chain solutions are properly visible with a focus on future trends and sustainable innovations as part of the Thought Leadership & Awareness Supply Chain Team.
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Show Links:
SAP Digital Supply Chain: www.sap.com/scm
Carbon Measures: Carbon Measures Website
Technical Expert Panel on Carbon Accounting: Technical Expert Panel on Carbon Accounting
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Amy Brachio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybrachio/
Richard Howells:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardjhowells
Sin To:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sin-to-5334208
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 181: The Role of AI Across SAP Business Network with SAP's Atena Reyhani
This week, SAP's Atena Reyhani joins us to explore how agentic AI and SAP Business Network are enabling autonomous supply chains–from cross-enterprise orchestration to data-driven decisions. =====Atena Reyhani …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, SAP's Atena Reyhani joins us to explore how agentic AI and SAP Business Network are enabling autonomous supply chains–from cross-enterprise orchestration to data-driven decisions.
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Atena Reyhani, Head of Product Management for SAP Business Network Core, joins us to unpack how agentic AI is transforming supply chains. We explore real-world use cases like order prioritization, the role of cross-enterprise data in AI decision-making, guardrails for responsible AI adoption, and why the future belongs to autonomous supply chains.
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Guest 1: Atena Reyhani, Head of Product Management for SAP Business Network Core, SAP
In this role, Atena leads the AI strategy for the Network and helps to shape the path forward for our customers in becoming increasingly autonomous enterprises. The world’s largest platform for business-to-business commerce and collaboration, SAP Business Network facilitates over $7.7 trillion in commerce through more than 910 million transactions annually, as of the 12 months ending Q2 2026.
Prior to assuming the role in August 2025, Reyhani served as Chief Product Officer for ContractPodAi, spearheading the development of innovative enterprise and legal solutions – notably including Leah, a leading agentic AI solution for the enterprise legal sector. Renowned for her ability to turn bold ideas into transformative realities, Reyhani leads cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional AI solutions that redefine how enterprise work gets accomplished. Previously, Atena held leadership roles in product management, driving innovation in SaaS products for higher education at Pepperdine University and in the gaming and lottery industries at Diamond Game Enterprises.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
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Show Links:
SAP Business Network: https://www.sap.com/businessnetwork
Atena Reyhani at SAP Connect in Las Vegas Session link
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Atena Reyhani: LinkedIn
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 180: Sustainability as a Built-In KPI: Scope 3, Traceability, and Green Ledger with KPMG's Dominik Ladich
Together with Dominik Ladich from KPMG discuss how organizations can embed sustainability into core ERP and supply chain processes, covering the Green Ledger, Scope 3 emissions, and how AI enables unprecedented …
Notes de l’épisode
Together with Dominik Ladich from KPMG discuss how organizations can embed sustainability into core ERP and supply chain processes, covering the Green Ledger, Scope 3 emissions, and how AI enables unprecedented transparency across global supply chains.
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Dominik Ladich, Director in Advisory at KPMG Austria, joins us to explore how sustainability is moving from standalone reporting projects to embedded KPIs within core ERP and supply chain processes. The conversation covers the drivers behind sustainability initiatives, from CSRD compliance to value creation; how SAP's Green Ledger extends financial accounting into environmental accountability; the data challenges of operationalizing ESG across procurement, manufacturing, and logistics; and how primary data exchange with suppliers can transform Scope 3 emissions management.
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Guest 1: Dominik Ladich, Director, Advisory, KPMG Austria
Dominik Ladich is a Director in Sustainable IT, helping organizations navigate sustainable SAP technology transformations that drive business value.
His expertise lies at the intersection of technology and sustainability, with a focus on automating and implementing regulatory and sustainability requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), EU Taxonomy, and decarbonization initiatives. He also supports the development and implementation of strategic use cases, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Digital Product Passports, and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Through these initiatives, Dominik helps organizations increase transparency and resilience across global supply chains while embedding sustainability as a driver of long-term value creation.
With extensive experience in designing integrated business and reporting processes and modern IT architectures, Dominik also serves as Head of Sustainability Solutions for global KPMG and SAP initiatives. In this role, he drives the integration of sustainability into core business processes and helps organizations translate ESG objectives into measurable outcomes and sustainable business value.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
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Show Links:
Advancing ESG compliance and value with SAP technology
Advance your sustainability agenda with KPMG and SAP
SAP Green Ledger: What Is SAP Green Ledger?
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 179: From Technology Adoption to Value Realization with Exed Consulting’s Renan Guedes
We explore why the real value of supply chain transformation begins after go-live — from measuring outcomes monthly and fixing broken processes to building the digital and data foundations that make AI …
Notes de l’épisode
We explore why the real value of supply chain transformation begins after go-live — from measuring outcomes monthly and fixing broken processes to building the digital and data foundations that make AI deliver.
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Why do so many supply chain transformations stall after go-live? In this episode, we sit down with Renan Guedes, CEO and Founding Partner of Exed Consulting, to unpack why technology adoption rarely equals value realization. Renan shares why the go-live is just the beginning of the relationship, how to measure business outcomes — from inventory levels and forecast accuracy to freight costs and OTIF — every month after launch, and why candid root-cause analysis beats chasing all-green dashboards. Press play to hear how to turn a go-live into lasting value.
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Guest 1: Renan Guedes, CEO & Founding Partner, Exed Consulting
Renan Guedes is the CEO and Founding Partner of Exed Consulting, a global consulting firm with 500+ professionals and offices in São Paulo, Lisbon, Miami, Buenos Aires, and Santiago. He has spent his career at the intersection of technology and supply chain, leading ERP and SCM transformations for enterprises rethinking planning and logistics in an era of AI and constant disruption. He holds a PhD and MSc in Business Administration focused on digital transformation, has authored books and academic research in the field. Renan is part of Harvard Business School's OPM program, leads Exed AppHaus São Paulo as an open innovation hub in Latam, and is a YPO member, angel investor, and startup mentor. He writes on digital transformation and leadership for Exame.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
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Show Links:
Exed Consulting: www.exedconsulting.com
Supply chain article links
From disruption to performance: how supply chains are being tested and transformed in real time — https://exedconsulting.com/supply-chain-disruptions-strait-of-hormuz-ai-planning/
IA no SAP IBP: intelligent supply chain planning — https://exedconsulting.com/insight/ia-no-sap-ibp-planejamento-inteligente-supply-chain/
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Renan Guedes: LinkedIn | Renan Guedes | Exame
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 178: When Robots Become Coworkers with SAP's Lukasz Ostrowski
We explore what happens when robots become coworkers, from embodied AI and humanoid robots in manufacturing and logistics to workforce transformation, robot certifications, and the path toward a more autonomous …
Notes de l’épisode
We explore what happens when robots become coworkers, from embodied AI and humanoid robots in manufacturing and logistics to workforce transformation, robot certifications, and the path toward a more autonomous supply chain.
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What happens when your next coworker isn't human? In this episode, we sit down with SAP’s Dr. Lukasz Ostrowski to explore how embodied AI is stepping off the screen and onto the shop floor. Get a sneak peek at what the factory of the next decade could look like, and why the journey toward an autonomous supply chain is closer and more nuanced than the headlines suggest. Press play if you’re curious about where robotics is heading next, and what it means for the people, processes, and future of supply chain.
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Guest 1: Dr. Lukasz Ostrowski, Development Manager & Head of Embodied AI & Robotics, SAP
Dr. Lukasz Ostrowski is Development Manager & Head of Embodied AI & Robotics at SAP, focusing on bringing innovation into SAP at scale. With 10+ years of leadership experience, he specializes in disruptive innovation in collaboration with line-of-business and industry leaders. He helps enterprises make robots business-aware—grounding physical execution in SAP business context, governance, and outcomes.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
=====
Show Links:
Read: SAP Shares Physical AI Partnerships & New Robotics Pilots
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 177: Why Asset Management Matters More Than Ever in 2026 and Beyond with Accenture’s John Holmes and SAP’s Andy Hancock
John Holmes from Accenture and Andy Hancock from SAP joined us to explore why asset management matters more than ever. The conversation covers EAM and APM convergence, lift-and-shift cloud migration risks, and …
Notes de l’épisode
John Holmes from Accenture and Andy Hancock from SAP joined us to explore why asset management matters more than ever. The conversation covers EAM and APM convergence, lift-and-shift cloud migration risks, and how AI agents, IoT, and digital twins move maintenance from time- and condition-based approaches toward predictive and prescriptive strategies. We also discuss citizen EAM owners, workforce transformation, autonomous asset management, and supply chain resilience
Guest 1: John Holmes, NA Intelligent Asset Management Practice Lead Managing Director
Guest 2: Andy Hancock, Global Vice President, Global Head of Domain Advisory Asset Management and Field Service, SAP
As a seasoned global executive who has held numerous leadership roles during his 19-year tenure at SAP, he has brought quantifiable results to leading global brands through innovation advocacy. Having worked in more than 40 countries and experienced a vast array of cultures, he understands the importance of challenging the status quo to drive business outcomes and create a competitive diUerentiator in turbulent global markets.
Host: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
=====
Show Links:
Accenture: https://www.accenture.com
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 176: The New Era of Field Service and Asset Management with SAP's Ryan Jones
Ryan Jones from SAP discusses the new era of field service and asset management, covering AI agents, autonomous operations, and how integrated asset management drives supply chain …
Notes de l’épisode
Ryan Jones from SAP discusses the new era of field service and asset management, covering AI agents, autonomous operations, and how integrated asset management drives supply chain resilience.
=====
Ryan Jones, Product Marketing Manager at SAP, joins us to explore the evolving landscape of field service and asset management. We talked about the risks of operational fragmentation, the ripple effects of asset downtime, and how AI agents transform maintenance from a cost center into a revenue driver. Ryan also shares success stories and discusses SAP's new unified offering, and outlines the journey toward autonomousoperations.
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Guest 1: Ryan Jones, Product Marketing Manager, Asset Management & Field Service, SAP
Ryan Jones has spent the last 10 years at SAP working across enterprise asset management, field service, and ERP. He has held roles in solution advisory, solution management, and product marketing, helping customers connect business processes with practical technology adoption. Before SAP, Ryan was an operations manager and SAP ERP user, giving him a grounded perspective on what it takes to make enterprise systems and AI work in real operations.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
=====
Show Links:
SAP Field Service and Asset Management: The Next Evolution of SAP FieldService Management. LINKSupply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 175: How COOs Should Rethink Cybersecurity for Resilient Supply Chains
We explore how COOs can rethink supply chain security, from physical risks and open source vulnerabilities to AI threats, data sovereignty, and building a cyber-resilient culture across the business …
Notes de l’épisode
We explore how COOs can rethink supply chain security, from physical risks and open source vulnerabilities to AI threats, data sovereignty, and building a cyber-resilient culture across the business network.
Download the episode transcript
=====
We sit down with a cybersecurity expert to unpack the full scope of supply chain security, from physical risks like truck hijacking and component integrity to emerging digital threats like AI-driven attacks on open source software. We discuss why COOs must evaluate supplier capabilities, embrace data sovereignty, secure AI projects, and foster ecosystem collaboration to build truly resilient supply chains.
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Guest 1: Jay Thoden van Velzen, Technical Advisor in SAP’s Office of the Chief Security Officer
Jay Thoden van Velzen is Technical Advisor in SAP’s Office of the Chief Security Officer, where he covers and supports security process-, product-, and partner management, putting him in the middle of navigating rising security threats, an increasing compliance burden and rapid technology changes, to secure SAP’s cloud platform expansion, Business AI and the Autonomous Enterprise. He previously led SAP’s cloud infrastructure security operations during the Next Generation Cloud Transformation Program running 2020-2022, establishing key cloud security programs that SAP still relies and builds on today. His relationship to Supply Chain Management remains strong, having functioned earlier as its main Security Expert 2015-2019.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
=====
Show Links:
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 174: Logistics 2026: What Supply Chains Must Prepare for Now with PwC
PwC’s Christian Sachse joins us to talk all things logistics. Discover recent trends such as automation, AI, nearshoring, and sustainability.Download the episode transcript===== In this …
Notes de l’épisode
PwC’s Christian Sachse joins us to talk all things logistics. Discover recent trends such as automation, AI, nearshoring, and sustainability.
Download the episode transcript
=====
In this episode, Christian Sachse of PwC Germany shares what supply chain leaders must prepare for in logistics, from automation and AI to sustainability, nearshoring, labor shifts, and resilience. He explains how planning, visibility, and control towers support better execution.
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Guest 1: Christian Sachse, Director, PwC
Christian Sachse is a Director at PwC Germany, where he leads the transportation practice within PwC's global Center of Excellence for Logistics Transformation. With a career spanning over a decade in SAP logistics consulting — progressing from ABAP developer to senior leadership roles at firms including IBM, Deloitte, and PwC — he brings deep expertise in SAP Transportation Management and end-to-end supply chain optimization to global organizations across automotive, manufacturing, retail, chemicals, and beyond. In today's discussion, he shares his perspective on the future of supply chain technology and innovation.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
=====
Show Links:
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
DE Episode 06: Datensouveränität im Cloud-Zeitalter: Wie hybride Systemlandschaften Produktentwicklung, Produktion und Vertrieb verbinden
In dieser Folge sprechen Sin To und Annette Garcia Lorenzo mit Johann Stadler von Hilti und Andreas Madlencnik von SAP über Datensouveränität, hybride Cloud-Landschaften, globale Skalierbarkeit und KI im …
Notes de l’épisode
In dieser Folge sprechen Sin To und Annette Garcia Lorenzo mit Johann Stadler von Hilti und Andreas Madlencnik von SAP über Datensouveränität, hybride Cloud-Landschaften, globale Skalierbarkeit und KI im Supply-Chain-Kontext.
Download the episode transcript
=====
Wie gelingen Datensouveränität, hybride Cloud-Architekturen und globale Skalierbarkeit in der Supply Chain? Sin To und Annette Garcia Lorenzo sprechen mit Johann Stadler (Hilti) und Andreas Madlencnik (SAP) über Private Cloud, Public Cloud, PLM, ERP, Manufacturing Execution und KI, für alle, die Industrie, Daten und End-to-End-Prozesse strategisch weiterdenken.
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Guest 1: Johann Stadler, Head of Large Projects & Manufacturing IT, Hilti Group
Johann Stadler is an experienced leader in Business & IT with a strong background in managing multiple departments across Europe, Asia and America. He plays an active role in shaping Hilti's corporate strategy, oversees the tactical dimension, realization, and operations in Large Projects and Manufacturing IT. He has a proven track record in delivering IT solutions and processes essential for leveraging Hilti's corporate strategy.
Guest 2: Andreas Madlencnik, Business Development Manager PLM | Middle Eastern Europe | Supply Chain Management
Host 1: Sin To
Sin To brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media and technology industry – primarily in marketing, business development, thought leadership, and editorial. At SAP, they ensure that SAP's supply chain solutions are properly visible with a focus on future trends and sustainable innovations as part of the Thought Leadership & Awareness Supply Chain Team.
Host 2: Annette Garcia-Lorenzo
Annette García Lorenzo has been working at SAP since 2001, with over 8 years of experience in the Product Lifecycle Management and Manufacturing space. As Adoption Lead for PLM and SAP IPD, she helps SAP customer and partners make the most of our solutions, while channelling their feedback back to SAP product management. She is an active speaker, blogger, and podcaster on the topics of PLM and Manufacturing.
=====
Show Links:
SAP Digital Supply Chain: www.sap.com/scm
Follow Us on Social Media :
Johann Stadler
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannstadler/
Andreas Madlencnik
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-madlencnik/
Annette Garcia-Lorenzo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-garcia-lorenzo/
Sin To:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sin-to-5334208
SAP Digital Supply Chain:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/showcase/sapdsc/
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro Warum Geschwindigkeit, Qualität und Kostenoptimierung entscheidend werden
00:01:00 Thema der Folge: Datensouveränität im Cloud-Zeitalter
00:02:00 Was ist eine hybride Systemlandschaft?
00:04:00 Vorteile hybrider ERP-Landschaften für Konzernbereiche
00:06:00G eopolitik, Supply Chain und regionale Anforderungen
00:09:00S trategische Vorteile von Public- und Private-Cloud-Kombinationen
00:11:00 Herausforderungen: Integration, Materialstammdaten und SAP BTP
00:13:00 CAD-zentrisches PLM vs. ERP-nahes PLM
00:16:00 Engineering- und Supply-Chain-Perspektiven zusammenbringen
00:19:00 MES als Software-as-a-Service
00:22:00 KI im PLM- und Supply-Chain-Kontext
00:25:00 Context Awareness, Halluzinationen und vernetzte Daten
00:28:00 Blick in die Zukunft der Supply Chain
00:32:00 Fast Five
00:33:36 Outro
Episode 173: Orchestrating the next generation supply chain with KPMG
This week, KPMG’s Hernan De la Torre and Stefan Seitz join us to discuss neural supply chain orchestration, agentic AI, clean core governance, and why ERP remains essential for faster, smarter, more resilient …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, KPMG’s Hernan De la Torre and Stefan Seitz join us to discuss neural supply chain orchestration, agentic AI, clean core governance, and why ERP remains essential for faster, smarter, more resilient supply chains.
Download the episode transcript
=====
In this episode, we speak with KPMG’s Hernan De la Torre and Stefan Seitz about the shift from experimental GenAI to industrial embedded AI. We talk about orchestration, agent-based decision-making, clean core governance, human-in-the-loop control, and how AI is reshaping supply chain roles, execution, and resilience. Sounds interesting? Come join us!
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Guest 1: Hernan De la Torre, Principal, KPMG in the US
Hernan De la Torre is a Principal in Advisory at KPMG, leading SAP-enabled supply chain transformation across consumer, retail, and manufacturing sectors. With more than two decades of experience, he focuses on designing business-led operating models powered by SAP and advanced AI capabilities. He is an architect and recognized voice on Neural Supply Chain Orchestration (NSCO), a framework that embeds AI-driven decision intelligence directly into SAP workflows to strengthen supply chain execution, global operations, and trade responsiveness. Hernan partners with executive leaders to translate enterprise strategy into scalable execution, helping organizations navigate tariffs, geopolitical shifts, and cross-border complexity while driving measurable performance across finance and supply chain ecosystems.
Guest 2: Stefan Seitz, Director, KPMG in Germany
Stefan Seitz is leading KPMG’s global SCM reference model in the SAP space and is at forefront of various digital supply chain transformations in automotive and industrial manufacturing.
As an industrial engineer by trade he maintains a strong business focus in applying the newest technology trends.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
=====
Show Links:
Publication: AI Is Moving Supply Chains from Reactive Execution to Autonomous Orchestration
The IDC recognition: KPMG recognized as a ‘Leader’ in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Supply Chain SAP Ecosystem Services 2025–2026 Vendor Assessment
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Hernan De la Torre: LinkedIn
Stefan Seitz: LinkedIn
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 172: Architecting the Future of Logistics: Accenture’s Michel Roger on AI, Autonomy, and Workforce
Michel Roger of Accenture joins us to discuss how AI, autonomy, robotics, and data governance are reshaping logistics, workforce skills, and supply chain leadership.Download the episode …
Notes de l’épisode
Michel Roger of Accenture joins us to discuss how AI, autonomy, robotics, and data governance are reshaping logistics, workforce skills, and supply chain leadership.
Download the episode transcript
=====
This week, we, together with Michel Roger of Accenture explore the future of logistics, from agentic AI and physical robotics to connected workforce models and real-time digital twins. Come join us to learn how companies can scale AI beyond pilots, reshape warehouse operations, strengthen multi-tier visibility, and prepare talent for a more autonomous, exception-driven supply chain.
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Guest: Michel Roger, Global SAP Supply Chain Leader, Accenture
Throughout his career, Michel has specialized in designing, implementing and deploying SAP solutions for Supply Chain processes for global clients in North America, Latin America and Europe. He has worked mostly for Consumer Goods and Life Sciences clients. Internally to Accenture, he is responsible for developing Supply Chain & Operations capabilities of 5,000+ people specialized around SAP solutions covering planning, distribution, and manufacturing processes.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
=====
Show Links:
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Michel Roger: LinkedIn
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 171: AI in Supply Chain Transformation: Human Decision-Making, Bias, and Trust with Benjamin Bargetzi
What if the key to successful AI in supply chains is not technology, but the human brain? In this episode, Benjamin Bargetzi reveals how AI can sharpen decisions, challenge bias, and help leaders navigate …
Notes de l’épisode
What if the key to successful AI in supply chains is not technology, but the human brain? In this episode, Benjamin Bargetzi reveals how AI can sharpen decisions, challenge bias, and help leaders navigate uncertainty.
Download the episode transcript
=====
What does it really take for AI to transform supply chains successfully? In this episode with Benjamin Bargetzi, neuroscientist and tech entrepreneur, we explore why the answer may lie less in algorithms and more in the human brain. Benjamin shares how AI can become a sparring partner for better decisions, helping leaders challenge bias, build trust, and navigate uncertainty without losing human judgment.
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Guest: Benjamin Bargetzi – Neuroscientist, Author & Tech Pioneer, Founder of Project MindGuard, and former Advisor to the Chairman of the World Economic Forum
Benjamin Bargetzi is one of Europe's most-demanded pioneers on the intersection of artificial intelligence and the human brain. A Swiss neuroscientist, psychologist, bestseller author, and tech entrepreneur, he has held key roles with Google, Amazon, and the World Economic Forum, and studied the human brain in Oxford, London, Zurich, and Singapore. He is the personal advisor to key political figures around the world, and founder of MindGuard, a tech ecosystem combining neuroscience training methods with machine learning to help Ukrainian citizens, hospitals, and veterans deal with extreme stress, PTSD & trauma.
Host: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Sin To
Sin To brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media and technology industry – primarily in marketing, business development, thought leadership, and editorial. At SAP, they ensure that SAP's supply chain solutions are properly visible with a focus on future trends and sustainable innovations as part of the Thought Leadership & Awareness Supply Chain Team.
=====
Show Links:
SAP Digital Supply Chain: www.sap.com/scm
Benjamin Bargetzi Homepage: https://benjaminbargetzi.com/
Book: https://benjaminbargetzi.com/de/das-ende-der-leere/
Book: Nie wieder sinnlos: 42 Impulse, die Dein Leben verändern
Book: The End of Emptiness: 42 thoughts, that will transform your life
Follow Us on Social Media :
Benjamin Bargetzi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-b-bargetzi/
Richard Howells:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardjhowells
Sin To:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sin-to-5334208
SAP Digital Supply Chain:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/showcase/sapdsc/
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:51 Meet Benjamin Bargetzi
00:04:06 Why AI Transformations Fail
00:07:11 AI as Sparring Partner
00:09:13 Three Jobs of ML
00:16:01 Biases Under Uncertainty
00:24:19 Strengthening Decision Muscle
00:28:18 Leading Change That Sticks
00:32:02 Turn Complaints Into Innovation
00:35:20 Dopamine and Meaningful Work
00:36:41 The future of Supply Chain
00:37:54 Outro
Episode 170: Unpacking the Power Triangle: Cloud, Data, and AI in Supply Chain Transformation with CIONET’s Tamara Tomasevic
In this episode with Tamara Tomasevic, Head of Program Development at CIONET Germany, we discuss how cloud, data, and AI are driving digital transformation in supply chains. Tamara shares insights on fostering …
Notes de l’épisode
In this episode with Tamara Tomasevic, Head of Program Development at CIONET Germany, we discuss how cloud, data, and AI are driving digital transformation in supply chains. Tamara shares insights on fostering enterprise intelligence, encouraging cross-functional teamwork, and scaling AI through mindset and skill development. The episode explores leadership strategies and the future of supply chain connectivity and sovereignty.
Download the episode transcript
=====
In this episode Richard and Sin talk with Tamara Tomasevic, Head of Program Development at CIONET Germany, about what really drives digital transformation. From digital sovereignty and exit strategies to re‑architecting processes around enterprise intelligence, Tamara cuts through the hype and gets real about what works.
Learn why data quality makes or breaks AI, why mindset matters more than budget, and how leaders can scale AI with confidence in an increasingly complex supply chain world.
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Guest: Tamara Tomasevic, Head of Program Development at CIONET
Tamara is Head of Program Development at CIONET Germany, connecting CIOs, CDOs, and CTOs across the country. She is passionate about building strong communities in the digital era. Previously, she helped establish the Bavarian State’s AI Network and, as a communication scientist, believes communication is at the heart of digital disruption.
Host: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Sin To
Sin To brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media and technology industry – primarily in marketing, business development, thought leadership, and editorial. At SAP, they ensure that SAP's supply chain solutions are properly visible with a focus on future trends and sustainable innovations as part of the Thought Leadership & Awareness Supply Chain Team.
=====
Show Links:
SAP Digital Supply Chain: www.sap.com/scm
CIONET Germany: https://www.cionet.com/cionet-germany
Follow Us on Social Media :
Tamara Tomasevic
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-tomasevic-community/
Richard Howells:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardjhowells
Sin To:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sin-to-5334208
SAP Digital Supply Chain:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/showcase/sapdsc/
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00 Sovereignty And Resilience
00:00:31 Welcome And Power Triangle
00:01:07 Meet Tamara And CIONET
00:01:59 Digital Leaders Hot Topics
00:05:10 Cloud Strategy In Supply Chain
00:08:03 Data Quality And Ownership
00:09:52 Turning Data Into Assets
00:11:20 AI Misconceptions And Use Cases
00:14:21 Scaling AI Beyond Pilots
00:16:21 Why Networks Matter
00:18:42 People Skills And Culture Shift
00:20:46 90 Day Action Plan
00:22:00 Future Outlook And Wrap Up
Episode 169: Practical GenAI Use Cases in Supply Chain Planning with IBM's Ryan Misquita
This week, Ryan Misquita of IBM shares practical Gen AI use cases in supply chain planning, from exception management and forecasting to clean data foundations, KPI measurement, and avoiding pilot …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Ryan Misquita of IBM shares practical Gen AI use cases in supply chain planning, from exception management and forecasting to clean data foundations, KPI measurement, and avoiding pilot purgatory.
Download the episode transcript
=====
In this episode, IBM's Ryan Misquita joins us to discuss practical Gen AI in supply chain planning, real-world use cases, data governance, integration, KPI measurement, and rollout challenges. The episode also explores how AI can elevate planners and what autonomous, agentic supply chains may look like next.
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Guest 1: Ryan Misquita, Associate Partner, IBM Consulting, IBM
Ryan Misquita is an Associate Partner and the IBM SCM North America Practice Leader. He has over 20 years of experience in business strategy and technology solution design across the Manufacturing, Distribution, Life Science, and Retail industries. A specialist in SAP S/4HANA, Digital Supply Chain and SAP IBP - Integrated Business Planning , Ryan has a proven track record of leading large-scale consulting engagements that transform integrated planning and manufacturing supply chain operations.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
=====
Show Links:
IBM Link
IBM IBV Report : Unified ERP for the agentic enterprise
https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/unified-erp
IBM IBV - The SAP advantage for generative AI https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/sap-generative-ai
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00: Intro
00:00:59: Guest’s Introductions
00:02:13: Top Gen AI pain points in supply chain planning
00:03:37: Practical use cases moving from pilot to production
00:06:03: Building the foundation: clean data, governance, and process rigor
00:07:54: AI as augmentation: elevating planners, not replacing them
00:10:54: KPIs and how to measure Gen AI success
00:12:40: Avoiding pilot purgatory and rollout mistakes
00:17:10: How IBM supports supply chain transformation with AI
00:21:50: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:22:49: Outro
Episode 168: Making AI Work in Demand Sensing: The Six Dogmas for Trustworthy Forecasting with Implement's Mike Weisbjerg
This week, Mike Weisberg of Implement explains how AI is improving sales forecasting through trust, purpose, and accuracy, while reshaping the planner’s role, reducing inventory bias, and separating prediction …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Mike Weisberg of Implement explains how AI is improving sales forecasting through trust, purpose, and accuracy, while reshaping the planner’s role, reducing inventory bias, and separating prediction from human judgment.
Download the episode transcript
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In this episode, Mike Weisberg shares practical guidance on using AI in sales forecasting, including the right data foundation, six implementation dogmas, and explainable models. He also outlines how planners evolve into business partners and why judgment still matters most.
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Guest: Mike Weisbjerg, Partner, Implement Consulting Group
Mike is a Partner at Implement Consulting Group, where he has spent the last decade working at the intersection of supply chain planning and technology. He specialises in demand planning and AI-driven forecasting and decision making. With a focus on implementing demand planning solutions, Mike helps organisations move AI from proof of concept to production - with forecasts that planners actually trust.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
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Show Links:
Implement Consulting Group. Link
Article: Beyond accuracy: Six dogmas for turning AI forecasting into real business value
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:06: Guest’s Introductions
00:02:05: Why traditional forecasting struggles in volatile markets
00:03:25: The three fundamentals: trust, purpose, accuracy
00:07:03: Which data matters most for AI forecasting
00:10:12: Why bad data should not delay AI adoption
00:13:26: The six dogmas for AI forecasting implementation
00:14:38: The evolving role of the demand planner
00:16:54: Measuring success beyond forecast accuracy
00:18:35: How can Implement help companies in this latest AI-infused planning era?
00:19:36: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:20:17: Outro
Episode 167: Leadership Under Pressure: Preventing supply chain failures through grip and accountability with Leroy Roberts
In this episode, we speak with Leroy Roberts about preventing supply chain failures through accountability, leadership under pressure, and the role of AI, clarity, and collaboration in resilient …
Notes de l’épisode
In this episode, we speak with Leroy Roberts about preventing supply chain failures through accountability, leadership under pressure, and the role of AI, clarity, and collaboration in resilient decision-making.
Download the episode transcript
=====
This week, we talked with Leroy Roberts about leadership under pressure, supply chain disruption, and preventing failure through clear accountability. We discussed psychological safety, the balance between firm control and burnout, the value of AI in risk management, and why future supply chains depend on collaboration, partnership, and better decision-making.
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Guest 1: : Leroy Roberts, British Army veteran, Non-Executive Director, and Executive Adviser, Team-Worth Solutions
Leroy Roberts is a British Army veteran, Non-Executive Director, and Executive Adviser specialising in culture and conduct risk in high-pressure, regulated environments. He works with executive risk owners, including CEOs, CROs, COOs, CPOs, and CHROs, to strengthen decision-making, accountability, and truth-telling under pressure. Leroy helps organisations reduce culture and conduct risk signals within 90 days through practical, diagnostic-led interventions that restore operational grip and produce measurable, auditable improvement. Drawing on leadership experience from the British Army and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, alongside board-level governance experience, he brings a grounded perspective on how leadership behaviour under pressure either amplifies or contains organisational risk. He is the author of The Risk Owner’s Reset and a contributing author to the international best-selling series Stand on the Shoulders of Giants.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
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Show Links:
Link to the book: amazon.com/dp/B0GMS2G361
The Culture and conduct scorecard: https://pro.speakerhub.com/speaker-feedback/?qr=e9a16245-4ab1-4c63-81e7-ce225d9e5372
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:00: Guest’s Introductions
00:01:59: Staying in control during disruption without micromanaging
00:04:07: Accountability gaps and early warning signs
00:07:40: Building a safe environment for constructive challenge
00:11:08: Using AI for risk management with human judgment
00:13:26: Accountability without burnout in volatile conditions
00:19:20: Leadership under pressure during COVID logistics
00:22:56: ''The Risk Owners Reset'' book
00:25:55: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:27:12: Outro
Episode 166: Practical GenAI Use Cases in Supply Chain Planning and Execution with PwC's Moritz Kramer
In this episode, PwC’s Moritz Kramer shares practical GenAI use cases in supply chain planning, from decision support and scenario analysis to data harmonization, productivity gains, and guided decision-making …
Notes de l’épisode
In this episode, PwC’s Moritz Kramer shares practical GenAI use cases in supply chain planning, from decision support and scenario analysis to data harmonization, productivity gains, and guided decision-making with humans still in control.
Download the episode transcript
=====
This week, Moritz Kramer of PwC explains how GenAI is moving supply chain planning from static analysis to real-time, decision-centric support. He covers data readiness, black-box transparency, productivity uplift, and why AI will augment planners rather than replace them.
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Guest 1: Moritz Kramer, Director Integrated Business & Financial Planning, PwC GmbH WPG
Moritz is a Director with over 10 years of experience shaping and delivering business‑led supply chain transformations for international organizations. He works across the full transformation journey—from defining strategic direction to translating vision into execution—covering SCM strategy, operating model innovation, organizational and process design, and the implementation of advanced planning solutions, like SAP. His work is driven by the ambition to build resilient, intelligent, and future‑ready supply chains, leveraging digital and AI technologies where they create clear business impact, while keeping a strong focus on value, scalability, and sustainable change.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
=====
Show Links:
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:30: Guest’s Introductions
00:03:04: Real value of GenAI in supply chain planning
00:04:24: Scenario exploration and natural-language responsiveness
00:05:12: Productivity uplift and automation of manual work
00:05:53: Bridging business and IT with GenAI
00:07:45: GenAI as the “black box” explainer
00:09:42: Data readiness for GenAI rollout
00:11:24: AI for data harmonization
00:13:36: AI replacing or augmenting people
00:20:20: Biggest implementation obstacles
00:23:46: Future trends for AI and GenAI
00:27:09: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:28:31: Outro
Episode 165: Why A Business Network Is The Invisible Backbone of Supply Chains With BrainBox’s Adi Sharoff
In this episode, we speak with Adi Sharoff of BrainBox Consulting Digital about why business networks are the invisible backbone of supply chains. We discuss B2B friction, supplier onboarding, touchless …
Notes de l’épisode
In this episode, we speak with Adi Sharoff of BrainBox Consulting Digital about why business networks are the invisible backbone of supply chains. We discuss B2B friction, supplier onboarding, touchless automation, AI, and how procurement teams can move from manual execution to forward-looking value creation.
Guest: Adi Sharoff, Managing Partner, Brainbox Consulting
Adi Sharoff is a seasoned business leader, entrepreneur, and investor with over two decades of experience in digital transformation, procurement, and enterprise technology. As Managing Partner of Brainbox Consulting, he leads global initiatives across SAP Ariba, SAP Business Network, Concur, and BTP-driven automation programs. With a strong track record of delivering large-scale transformation projects across APAC, Europe, and North America, Adi is passionate about helping organizations modernize procurement, enhance operational efficiency, and drive sustainable business growth. He is also actively involved in strategic advisory, practice development, and building high-performing global teams.
Host: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
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Show Links:
Supply Chain Management:
Follow Us on Social Media
Adi Sharoff - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adi-sharoff-a14870187/
Richard Howells - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjhowells/
SAP Digital Supply Chain - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/sapscm/
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
Episode 164: AI, Innovation, and Humanitarian Logistics: Inside the World Food Programme’s Supply Chain with Bernhard Kowatsch
In this episode we sit down with Bernhard Kowatsch, Director of Global Accelerator and Ventures at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to talk about humanitarian logistics and how digital tools and AI are …
Notes de l’épisode
In this episode we sit down with Bernhard Kowatsch, Director of Global Accelerator and Ventures at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to talk about humanitarian logistics and how digital tools and AI are transforming decision-making.
Download the episode transcript
=====
In this episode we sit down with Bernhard Kowatsch, Director of Global Accelerator and Ventures at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to talk about humanitarian logistics and how digital tools and AI are transforming decision-making.
Bernhard explains that acute hunger has risen from 85 million pre-COVID to over 318 million due to conflicts, extreme weather, and economic shocks, increasing supply chain complexity across 120 countries using thousands of trucks, ships, and aircraft.
The WFP uses AI for real-time and forecasted food security, and its Scout optimization tool to balance cost and speed across procurement, warehousing, and routing, saving $6M in 18 months and targeting $25M annually.
He describes responsible AI, human oversight, prioritization by vulnerability, last-mile constraints, and WFP’s Munich Innovation Accelerator model and partnership needs.
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Guest: Bernhard Kowatsch
Bernhard Kowatsch is the Director Global Accelerator and Ventures at the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP). Since he created the Global Accelerator in 2015, it has become one of the Worlds biggest impact startup accelerators, offering 18 annual programmes.
Prior to starting the Accelerator, Bernhard co-founded the award-winning ShareTheMeal app that crowdsources funding for WFP and has delivered over 300 million meals for hungry children worldwide. His previous experience includes creating WFP’s Business Innovation Unit and working as a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Host: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Sin To
Sin brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media and technology industry – primarily in marketing, business development, thought leadership, and editorial. At SAP, they ensure that SAP's supply chain solutions are properly visible with a focus on future trends and sustainable innovations as part of the Thought Leadership & Awareness Supply Chain Team.
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Show Links:
SAP Digital Supply Chain: www.sap.com/scm
World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator: https://innovation.wfp.org/
World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator 2025 Year in Review: https://innovation.wfp.org/year-review-2025
World Food Programme Hunger Map: https://hungermap.wfp.org/food?w=ipc-phase-3Follow Us on Social Media :
Bernhard Kowatsch
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernhardkowatsch/
Richard Howells:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardjhowells
Sin To:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sin-to-5334208
SAP Digital Supply Chain:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/showcase/sapdsc/
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
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Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Future Supply Chains and AI Vision for WFP
00:38 Humanitarian Logistics Intro
01:42 Meet Bernhard Kowatsch
02:35 Crisis Drivers and Hunger Surge
04:46 Scale and Speed in Emergencies
06:16 Planning Under Uncertainty
09:18 Digital Supply Chain and Responsible AI
12:01 Making AI Work Scout Savings
14:34 Prioritization Access and Last Mile Tech
18:43 Innovation Accelerator in Munich
22:30 Partnering with WFP
24:17 Future Supply Chain Wrap Up
Episode 163: Supply Chain Logistics with Westernacher's Rafael Avila
Today, we speak with Rafael Avila, who discusses how AI-powered logistics improves visibility, reduces emissions, and helps companies balance cost, service, and sustainability in transportation …
Notes de l’épisode
Today, we speak with Rafael Avila, who discusses how AI-powered logistics improves visibility, reduces emissions, and helps companies balance cost, service, and sustainability in transportation planning.
Download the episode transcript
=====
In this episode, Rafael Avila of Westernacher joins us to discuss the future of logistics. He explains how AI can make emissions visible earlier, improve mode and carrier decisions, reduce waste, and support better service. The conversation also explores workforce shifts and the importance of end-to-end supply chain visibility.
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Guest: Rafael Avila, Supply Chain and Logistics leader, Westernacher Consulting
Rafael Avila is a Supply Chain and Logistics leader specializing in SAP Transportation Management and end-to-end supply chain transformation at Westernacher Consulting. With over a decade of experience, he has worked across global organizations to design and deliver solutions that improve transportation planning, execution, and visibility across complex networks.
A former IBM consulting leader, Rafael spent years supporting large-scale S/4HANA programs and shaping supply chain strategies across industries including consumer products, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and mining. His work has focused on helping organizations connect transportation with warehousing, trade, and order management to unlock more integrated and resilient supply chains.
Today, Rafael continues to work closely with clients on modern logistics challenges, with a strong focus on simplifying complex topics, driving practical outcomes, and exploring how technologies like AI are reshaping transportation and supply chain decision-making.
Host 1: Richard Howells
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.
=====
Show Links:
Article: Smarter Transportation Management cuts your carbon footprint
Supply Chain Management:
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:22: Guest’s Introductions
00:04:48: Making transportation emissions visible with AI
00:07:39: Why reporting alone does not reduce emissions
00:09:50: Mode selection and carrier choice matter
00:12:33: AI can cut cost, emissions, and service waste together
00:14:27: Biggest sustainability wins in transportation planning
00:18:28: How AI changes the logistics workforce
00:22:33: Common pitfalls in digitizing supply chain
00:25:14: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:26:28: Outro
Episode 162: Circumventing Geopolitics: How Network Intelligence and AI Can Answer Uncertainty with SAP's Ralf Hierzegger
This week, we talk with SAP's Ralf Hierzegger about how network intelligence and AI can assist logistics teams in managing disruptions, enhancing collaboration, and building a more resilient supply …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, we talk with SAP's Ralf Hierzegger about how network intelligence and AI can assist logistics teams in managing disruptions, enhancing collaboration, and building a more resilient supply chain.
Download the episode transcript
=====
In this episode, we speak with SAP’s Ralf Hierzegger about how constant disruption, digital dependencies, and climate and regulatory shifts are reshaping logistics. They explore why supply chains must move beyond company borders, how AI can support real-time decisions, and why trusted network collaboration is essential for better execution, efficiency, and resilience.
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Guest 1: Ralf Hierzegger, Chief Product Owner of SAP BN4L, SAP
Ralf has built his career at the intersection of logistics, consulting, and digital innovation. After starting out as a forwarding agent from 1990 to 1992, he studied economics from 1993 to 1996 before joining SAP in 1996 as a consultant. In 2013, he stepped into the role of Solution Architect at SAP SE Custom Development, focusing on Foreign Trade and Transportation Logistics. Since 2023, he has served as Chief Product Owner of SAP BN4L, helping shape the future of business networks in logistics. He is married and the father of two grown-up children.
Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
=====
Show Links:
Read: Circumventing Geopolitics: How Network Intelligence and AI Can Answer Uncertainty blog
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:22: Guest’s Introductions
00:02:23: Why logistics disruption is harder now
00:06:26: Structural challenges in supply chain and logistics
00:08:02: Using AI to respond to delays and blockages
00:10:51: Why AI alone cannot solve logistics
00:12:36: The value of AI for a business network
00:14:24: How data sharing improves network performance
00:16:27: First steps for adopting network intelligence and AI
00:19:06: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:20:31: Outro
Episode 161: How AI is the Next Paradigm Shift with Arkestro's CEO Rob DeSantis
Arkestro’s CEO, Rob DeSantis, joins us this week for an insightful conversation about why AI is the next major paradigm shift in the supply chain and how it can unlock faster value, better decisions, and …
Notes de l’épisode
Arkestro’s CEO, Rob DeSantis, joins us this week for an insightful conversation about why AI is the next major paradigm shift in the supply chain and how it can unlock faster value, better decisions, and happier teams.
Download the episode transcript
=====
Join us as we explore AI as the next paradigm shift in supply chain. This week, Arkestro CEO Rob DeSantis shares lessons from the internet and cloud, the importance of trust and data quality, how AI is reshaping human work, and why fast time to value matters.
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Guest 1: Rob DeSantis, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Arkestro
Rob DeSantis is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Arkestro. As a former co-founder of Ariba running sales, Rob has deep expertise in the procurement space, having helped propel Ariba from zero to $250 million in revenue in four years and IPO of the year in 1999 before its acquisition by SAP a decade later. In addition to co-founding Ariba, Rob was also an early angel investor and board member of LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional online network.
More recently, Rob served as an investor and advisor to a small portfolio of companies, including Bloom Energy, HiQ Labs, Agiloft, USEND and more. He is also a co-founder of TrueParity. Rob started his career as a mechanical engineer in the aerospace industry and holds a BSME from the University of Rhode Island.Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
=====
Show Links:
Arkestro: https://arkestro.com
Supply Chain Management:
SAP Supply Chain Management
SAP Insights: Supply Chain
Follow Us on Social Media :
Richard Howells: LinkedIn,
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!
=====
Chapters:
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:00: Guest Introductions
00:02:51: The biggest paradigm shifts
00:04:53: Lessons from the internet and cloud for AI adoption
00:07:23: Overcoming laggards and proving value in production
00:08:55: Trusting AI in black-box supply chain planning
00:11:54: How AI changes human roles and skills
00:15:20: The main business benefits of AI
00:19:02: KPIs for measuring AI success
00:20:44: How Arkestro supports the paradigm shift
00:22:38: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:23:19: Outro
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