hebusinessworldiscontinuouslyadoptingnew
Tstrategiesaligningwithmoreuniquewaysto implementtechnologiesinvariousdomains,and theSupplyChainindustryistheonetostayahead.Withthe incorporationofwomenintomanagement-levelpositions, therecomesanewperspectiveoneffectivelyhandlingthe areas.Ibelievethisyearhasabrightprospectinstorefor womenmanagingthesupplychainadministrativepositions. Theintroductionofnaïvestrategiesandframeworkshas scaledupthelevelofcompetition,andwomenarenot afraidtotryoutthesetobringoutthebestintheir respectivecompanies.
Today,automationtopsthelotasithasbecomeanutmost necessity.ERPsoftwarecanbeusedtoautomatepurchase ordersthatreducetheruntimeofthecycleandcanalsobe programmedtoautomaticallyplaceorderswithvendors wheninventorylevelsdropbelowthedesiredlevel.The essentialpartofanysupplychainstrategyismaintaining quickinventorylevels.Automatingtheprocessreduces humanerrorandfreesupcriticalemployeehoursforother importanttasks.
StandardizingtheprocessofSCMclearsoutabunchof inventoryproblems.Settingastandardlevelofworksaves timeandmoneyandensuresequalworkingconditions. Standardizingtheprocesstobeautomatedallowsfora transparentsysteminthecompany.Parameterslike inventorycount,unitallocation,andworkerpunchescannot bemanipulatedifafoolproofmethodexists.Increasing internalSCMtransparencyisvitaltoreducingunexplained inventoryandfinanciallosses.
Modernsoftwareoffersinventoryfeaturesthatproviderealtimesupplyandoutputlevelsvisibility.Moderntechniques
includedesignsthatenableflexibilitythatmatches businessrequirementsanduniqueneeds.Theproper supplychaindependsonstellarvendorperformance. Vendorperformancescanbemonitoredthrough robusttechniquesonERPsystems.Real-time inventoryalsoallowstimelyreceivinganddelivery oforderswhichisawin-winsituation.The punctualityofwomenhasawide-scaleimplication forthewaysupplychainsystemsoflargecompanies work,makingthesystemsmooth,flexible,andfast.
InsightsSuccessvoyageworldwidetofindthenew generationofwomenleadersthataretaking progressivestepsinthedirectionofpositiveimpact initsedition, “The 10 Most Influential Women in Supply Chain 2022.”
Whilegoingthroughtheremarkablejourneysof womenleaders,haveaquickrundownatarticles writtenbyourin-houseeditorialteam.
Hopeyoureadersenjoythiseditionandaddsome valuetoyourvastbusinessacumen!
AlmaArzate
Director,Global SupplyChainLogistics
IrasemaCalvo Sr.SupplyChain Manager
KarenOwen, VicePresident SupplyManagement andCustomerRelations
MariamSaad Directorof Procurement
Apotex apotex.com
LuciraHealth lucirahealth.com
TELUS telus.com
ApotexInc.isaproudlyCanadian,globalpharmaceutical company.
LuciraHealth'stechnologyistransforming-reducethespread ofinfectiousdiseasesbybringingaccurate,easy-to-useselftestingintothehome.
OECMisatrustednot-for-profitsourcingpartnerforOntario’s educationsector,broaderpublicsector,andothernot-for-profit organizations.
TELUS,isbuildingabetterfutureforallCanadiansbyusing technologyforgoodandgivingbacktoourcommunity.
MariaP.Villablanca Co-Founder andCEO FutureInsightsNetwork futureinsights.org FutureInsightsNetworkisthenext-generationcommunityof businessleaders.
MoniqueAlblas VP,Consulting
ShimonGowda Manager,Supply ChainDesignPractice
SarahB.Humphrey PodcastHost &Founder
TanjaDysli ChiefSupply ChainOfficer
WendyHerrick VicePresidentDigital
GEP gep.com
Chainalytics chainalytics.com
Let'sTalk SupplyChain letstalksupplychain.com
IKEA ikea.com
Unilever unilever.com
GEP®deliverstransformativesupplychainsolutions.
For20yearsandcounting,Chainalyticshasbeentheleaderin data-drivensupplychaintransformations.
Let'sTalkSupplyChainfeaturesthetopoftheindustry,diverse voicesfromwithinthecommunity,newinnovationandthe disruptersmakingwaves.
IKEAofferswell-designed,functionalandaffordable,highqualityhomefurnishing,producedwithcareforpeopleandthe environment.
Unileverportfoliorangesfromnutritionallybalancedfoodsto indulgenticecreams,affordablesoaps,luxuriousshampoosand everydayhouseholdcareproducts.
Karen Owen
Vice President, Supply Management and Customer Rela ons OECM
Be brave. Don't be afraid to look at every possibility, challenge the status quo and confidently share your opinions.
heintricaciesintheever-evolvingsupplychain
Tindustrykeepgrowing;however,technological advancementsandground-breakingstrategiesadd crucialvaluetotackletheseproblems.Leadersinthe supplychainunderstandhowaninnovativeapproachcan alloworganizationstobemoreproactiveandproductive. Toupscaletheworkforcewitheffectivestrategiestodrive betterperformanceandprofitability,KarenOwendrovea cultureinthesupplychainindustrywithherextensive knowledge.
AstheVicePresident,SupplyManagementand CustomerRelationsatOECM,Karenimplements inventiveandeffectivebusinesssolutionselevatingthe organization'sprofile.OECMisatrustednot-for-profit collaborativestrategicsourcingpartnerfor100%of Ontario'sschoolboards,colleges,universities,anda growingnumberofbroaderpublicsectorcustomers, includinghospitals,municipalities,andothernot-for-profit organizations.
WeatInsightsSuccesscaughtupwithKareninour endeavor"The10MostInfluentialWomeninSupplyChain –2022."Wetalkedwithhertounderstandhowherawardwinningbusinessinnovationstrategiescreatedahighly successfulcustomer-focusedorganization.
Below are the highlights of the interview.
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderbeforeyourcurrentpositionatOECM.What challengeshaveyouhadtoovercometoreachwhereyou aretoday?
Earlyinmypublicsectorcareer,neitherprocurementnor supplychainmanagementwasconsideredastrategic functionwithinthebusinessofgovernment.Women,in particular,weretypicallyintransactionalroles,andfew opportunitiesforcareeradvancementorprofessional developmentexisted.Itwasraretoseewomeninleadership roles–ittookseriousworkforwomentopavetheirwayas industryleaders.
Fortunately,Iworkedwithseveralsuccessfulwomenin managementwhowereexcellentrolemodelsandmentors tome,includingMichelleDiEmanuele,whoisnow SecretaryoftheCabinetfortheGovernmentofOntario. Workingwithherandwitnessingthepowerofher confidenceandinfluence–particularlyintheareaof leadershipand'bravelygoingwherefewwomenhadgone before'–thatsetthebarforme.Ithelpedmeformmyown leadershipstyleandrecognizemypotential.
OECM conducts procurement in a fair, open, transparent and competitive manner.
Throughoutmycareer,I'vebeenabletoleadandcontribute topioneeringchangeinitiatives,whichlaidthegroundwork fortheinnovativeandleading-edgestrategicsourcing, supplierrelationshipmanagement,andcustomer relationshipmanagementsolutionsweofferthroughOECM today WhenIwasaskedtojoinOECMin2009,Iwasless interestedinmyownprofessionalgrowthandmoreinmy passionforimplementingtransformativechangethatcould bringlong-termvaluetothesector.Itwasanopportunityto exploreandestablishwaystofacilitatecollaborationto effectivelyleveragespend,anddrivesavingsandsupply chainvalueforOntario'sbroaderpublicsector.
Today,OECMisadistinguished,highlytrusted collaborativesourcingpartnerforhundredsofcustomers. I'mproudofwhatwe'veaccomplishedoverthelast12 years,reaching$2billioninaccumulatedcollaborative spendin2020,creatingrelationshipsandseamless partnershipswithinnovativeandreputablesupplier partners,andgeneratingsavingsforcustomerswhile providingthebestoveralltotalvalueandqualityofservice.
Asawomaninthesupplychainindustry,I'mespecially proudoftheroleI'veplayedinhelpingOECMestablisha solidfoundationofbestpractices,skills,andinnovationthat enhancesthevalueofcollaborativesourcing.
I'vealwaysconsideredearlychallengesasopportunities thatguidedmetowardsleadership–Iwantedtoseewomen empoweredtochoosesupplychainmanagementasacareer path,tomentorandguideanewgenerationoffemale entrepreneursanddemonstrateforthemthevaluethey bringtothebusiness.I'mproudthat53%ofOECM's workforcearewomen–with24%directlyworkingin supplymanagement.
TellussomethingmoreaboutOECM,itsmission,and itsvision.
OECMoffersacomprehensiveMarketplaceof collaborativelysourcedandcompetitivelypricedproducts andservicesfromover287uniquesupplierpartnersina widerangeofcategories:facilitiesandoperations,finance,
humanresources,informationtechnology,andmarketing. Wealsooffervalue-addedservices,suchasadvisory, businessanalytics,andknowledgesharing.Wedeliver servicethatisconsistent,accessible,andresponsive, supportingourcustomer-centricservicedeliverymodel. Solidrelationshipsandseamlesspartnershipshave contributedgreatlytoOECM'sgrowthandcontinued success.In2020,wemanagedover$500millionof collectivespendingfor800organizationsacrossOntario, handlingover78categoriesofproductsandservices.While ourprimaryfocusisontheprovinceofOntario,we continuetoexplorestrategicpartnershipswithlike-minded sharedservicesorganizationstoexpandourofferingacross Canada.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe publicsectornichethroughyourexpertiseinthe market?
I'vespentalifetimedevelopingandimplementingstrategic supplychainsolutionsandbringinginnovationtostrategic sourcingforthebroaderpublicsector.Asanactive
participantwithindustryassociations,includingthe CanadianPublicProcurementCouncil,OntarioPublic BuyersAssociation,andSupplyChainCanada,I'vehad abundantopportunitiestosharemyexpertiseand experience.Whetherspeakingatconferencesandeventsor moderatingpaneldiscussions,IfocusonLeadershipin SupplyChain,Innovation,andCollaborationandaimto teachandinspirebutespeciallyempowerwomeninthis field.In2019,Iwasdeeplyhumbledtobenamedtothe SupplyChainManagementAssociation'sfirst-everlistof the100InfluentialWomeninCanadianSupplyChain.This wasafantasticopportunitytocelebratetheachievementsof womeninthesupplychainandshowcasethefuture–with womenleadingtheway
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
OECMisdrivenbytalentedindividualswithashared passionforachievingresultsthroughteamworkand collaboration.Ourpeopletrulyareattherootofour
success.Weareproudtosupportaworkculturethatisantiracist,diverse,andinclusive–weembracethestrengththat comesfromourdiversity.Ourvariedexperiences, perspectives,andbackgroundsmakeforatrulydynamic andengagingworkplace.Throughtheactionsoutlinedin ourCommitmenttoDiversityandInclusionStatementand ourrepresentative,staff-ledDiversityandInclusion Committee,OECMpromotesawelcomingenvironment thatisbuiltonthetenetsofcollaboration,responsiveness, integrity,innovation,andrespect–thecornerstonesofour business.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
Innovation,collaboration,andtechnologyhavebecome criticaldriversinestablishingasecuresupplychainand drivingoperationaleffectivenesstosupportourcustomer community AtOECM,we'refullyembracingthis technologicalshift,focusingondata-drivenanalyticsand insights.We'veinvestedinCustomerRelationship Management(CRM)technology,initiatedarobustSupplier RecognitionProgram(SRP),andaresoontransitioningto anenhancedandinteractivewebsite–tohelpusleverage customerandsupplierdatarelatedtousage,spend, customersatisfaction,retention,behavioraltrends,and otherinsights.We'realsoexploringthe"artofthepossible" whenitcomestoadoptingnewinfrastructuresforArtificial
At OECM, our people are at the root of our success and our strength is in our diversity.
IntelligenceandMachineLearning.Thenotionofmodeling orpredictiveanalysisischangingthefaceofcustomer service,CRM,andSupplierRelationshipManagement (SRM).OECM,aspartofourcontinuousimprovement journey,isusingcustomerandsuppliersegmentationto betterunderstandtheneedsofcustomersandstrengthsof suppliers,leveragingtechnologytoenrichinsightsand personalizationtopredictwhatourcustomers"mayneed" beforetheyneeditandthenworkingproactivelywith supplierstorespond.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring tothesupplychainindustry?
Ibelievethatchangeisalreadywellunderway The economicdisruptionandshortagescausedbytheCOVID19crisisrevealedsignificantvulnerabilitiesinthesupply chainandraisedconcernsaroundglobalization. Organizationsneedtotakeastepback–toreviewand assesstheirsupplychainrequirements,areasfor improvement,customerdemands,andsupplier relationships.Thepandemichighlightedtheimportanceof supplychainmanagementandthevaluethatskilledsupply chainprofessionalsbringtotheirorganizations.Inmy opinion,supportingprofessionaldevelopmentandcareer advancementinthesupplychainindustryisthekeyto longevityandsuccess.Continuousinvestmentin professionaldevelopmentfocusedoninnovationwillensure organizationshaveaccesstoskilledresourceswithrobust businessintelligence(dataandanalytics),SRM,andCRM knowledge.Thefutureisbrightforthosemostpassionate aboutstrategicsupplymanagement,proficientinthe processbutalsostrategy,innovation,andbusiness intelligence.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein thepublicsectorsupplychainmanagementindustry? HowisOECMpreparingtobeapartofthatchange? Thepublicsectorsupplychainmanagementindustryhas transformeddeeplyoverthelasttenyears.Customerswant improvedsupplychainflexibility,increasedefficiency, greaterprivacyandsecurity,andinnovativeapproachesto helpsolvetheircomplexproblems.Aswell,organizations arebringingsupplychainsintostrategicplanning discussionsearlier,whichisatremendousadvantagethat addsvaluetotheindustrywhilealsoincreasingtheneedfor agilityandprovensolutions.
ThenextbigchangeIsee,especiallyinsourcingforthe publicsector,ismorecollaborationandconsolidation. Whilethisisimportantattheproduct/servicelevel,interms ofincreasedbuyingpowerandleveragingthebenefitsof
categorymanagement,we'renowseeingamore coordinatedandstrategicapproachtosupplychainatthe organizationallevel–openingthedoortodiverse partnerships–andcollaborationacrossthepublicsector
TheOntariogovernment'srecentintroductionoftheir SupplyOntarioagency,asecure,centralizedsupplychain thatsupportsdomesticproduction,collaborationwithsmall businessesandentrepreneurs,andpartnershipsthatdrive innovationandgreatervalue,isoneexampleofthe changinglandscape.
ThebottomlineforOECM,whilekeepinganeyeonthe futureofSupplyManagement,we'verecognizedtheneedto continuouslyevolve–forourorganizationtobedisruptive, ourteamstobeabletogatherandusedataandanalytics effectively,toprioritizesupplierandcustomerrelationships, tobringonresourceswithavarietyofskillsets,andto focusfirmlyonthepowerofcollaborationandvalueof strategicpartnerships.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforOECM?
I'llcontinuetohelpguideOECMthroughthenextphaseof ourgrowthandinachievingourstrategicgoalsforbringing innovationandcollaborativesourcingsolutionstomore customersinthebroaderpublicsector.Personally,myfocus continuestobeonmentoringandsupportingthenext generationofsupplychainmanagementleaders,both withinOECMandacrosstheindustry
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingwomen entrepreneurswhoaspiretoventureintothebusiness sector?
Myadviceforwomenaspiringtomakeamarkinthis industryistwo-fold.First,bebrave.Don'tbeafraidtolook ateverypossibility,challengethestatusquoandconfidently shareyouropinions.Aswomen,webringrefreshing conceptsandinnovativeperspectivestothisindustry–let's getthoseideasoutthere.Second,understandandembrace thepowerofnetworking.Buildasystemofsupportandbe equallysupportiveofyournetworkoflike-mindedpeers. Takethetimetolearnfromandalsosupportothersintheir ownlearningjourneys.Neverstopimprovingyourskills andincreasingyourknowledgebank.Listenandbeopento theexchangeofideas–youneverknowwherethenext brilliantideawillcomefrom!
Lifeisuncertain,andtheonlyconstantsaregrowth andchallenges.Ifoneperceivestheproblemsas opportunitiestoimprove,growthisinevitable. Similarly,whenitcomestothesupplychainindustry, challengesprovethemselvestobeagreatwaytogrow professionally.Overcomingthesechallengeseverydaywith thesupportofadiverseteamof140supplychain professionalsisAlmaArzate
AlmaistheDirectorofGlobalSupplyChainLogisticsat Apotex.Drivenbyhergoaltodelivertransformational results,herglobalexperiencehasbeenbuiltovertwo
decadesacrossthesupplychainandoperations.Her backgroundandexpertisearemulti-faceted.However,her passionliesinbringingorderfromchaos,whetheritbe throughpeopledevelopment,systemsimplementations,or processesimprovements,leveragingallofherfirst-hand experiencesgainedfromtheAutomotive,Electronics, MedicalDevices,CPG,andPharmaindustries.
InaninterviewconductedwithInsightsSuccess,Alma shedslightonherprofessionaljourneytobecomean inspirationalleaderhowsheconstantlyaimstomakea positiveimpactinthelivesofothers.
Alma Arzate Director, Global Supply Chain Logistics Apotex Inc.
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatApotex.What challengeshaveyouovercometoreachwhereyouare today?
IamoriginallyfromCiudadJuárez,Chihuahua,Mexico. JuárezisthesistercityofElPaso,Texas,UnitedStates. Togetherwiththesurroundingareas,thesetwocitiesform thesecondlargestbinationalmetropolitanareaonthe Mexico-U.S.border,withacombinedpopulationofover 2.2millionpeople.Thereisathrivingmaquiladoraindustry, withover300multinationalcompaniesoperatinginmy hometown,sothisiswhereIstartedmycareer.Supply Chainwasneverhighlightedasapossiblecareerpathway whileIwasattendingtheInstitutoTecnológicodeCiudad Juarez,whereIcompletedmyB.B.A.,ortheUniversidad AutónomadeCiudadJuárez,whereIcompletedmyM.B.A. WhenIlearnedthattherewasavacancyasaBuyer, IndirectProcurementinthesamecompanyIwasworking for,Idecidedtoapply Thiswasacoupleofyearsafter graduation.IonlyhadFinanceexperience,butthehiring managerdecidedtotakeachanceonme.Ireallyenjoyed thefastpace,howIhadtoberesourcefultohelpresolve manychallenges,andbeingabletomaketangible contributionstosupportthebusiness.OnceIcameoverto thesupplychainside,Ineverleft.
TherehavebeenmanychallengesthatIhavehadto overcome;justtonameafew:thesupplychainhasbeen andstillisamale-dominatedfield.Ihavebeentheonly womanintheroommoretimesthanIcancount.Ihavealso beenputinnewpositionswheretherewasnooneelse beforeme,andIhadtofindmyownway,sometimeseven havingtowritemyownjobdescription!Then,asIchoseto restartmycareerinCanada14yearsago,thisrequiredalot ofperseverancetoachieveasuccessfulintegrationintoa newcountry,culture,andworkplaceexpectations.Thelack offemalerolemodelshasalsobeenachallengethroughout mycareer,butluckily,Ihavehadalotofkindand supportivemalerolemodelsandsponsorsthathavehelped megettowhereIamtoday.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe SupplyChainIndustry.
Formanyyears,IhavebeenfocusingonwhatevertimeI cansparetoliftothers.Despitemysometimeshectic professionalandpersonallife,Iampassionateabout activelysupportingmultipleinitiativesrelatedtosupply chain,education,women,andimmigrantadvancement.My hopeisthatwhoeverattendstheseeventswilllearnfrom
myjourneyandthemanyobstaclesIhavehadtoovercome tofindmyvoiceandberecognizedasaleader,andthrough ongoingdialogue,theywillalsobeinspiredtofindwaysto continuetopersevere,achievetheirowndreams,and becomethebestversionofthemselves.
Iamanenthusiasticsupporteroftheco-opprogramat ApotexInc.,wheresofar,morethan15studentsfrommany Universitieshavegreatlybenefitedbyacquiringrelevant supplychainexperience.Iaimtocrushbarriersforwomen whereverIgoandtrytoinspirefemalesupplychain professionalstoreachforwardandaccomplishtheirdreams. Onimmigrant-relatedinitiatives,Ihavebeenakeynote speakerformanyorganizations,supportingCanadian newcomerstoeasetheirintegrationintotheCanadianwork environmentandevenhiringmanyofthem.
Iwouldlikeformymarkinthesupplychainindustrytobe helping others to succeed Thisisanextremelyrewarding wayformetogivebacktotheprofession,asIamhelping pavethewayforfutureleadersthatwilleventuallyriseto prominentpositionswithinourcompanies.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization. Apotex’scultureisguidedbyourcorevaluesof Collaboration,Courage,Perseverance,andPassion.They informhowweworkandhowweconnectinternallyand externallywithourcustomers,partners,andother stakeholders.Wehaveanincredibleteamofbright, passionate,andcommittedindividualswhoareproudly dedicatedtoourmissionofbringingagrowingarrayof high-quality,affordablemedicinestohealthcaresystemsin 115countriesaroundtheglobe.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
– Peter Drucker
The 10 Most Influen al Women in Supply Chain, 2022
Weinvestincontinuouslearninganddevelopmentto supportemployeesinexpandingtheircapabilitiesand reachingtheircareeraspirations.Ourleadershipteamis fullycommittedtofosteringandencouragingan environmentforlearninganddevelopment.Thisis complementedbyrobusttrainingtoensureouremployees havethelatestindustryknowledgeandexpertiseto continuetoexcelintheirroles.Connectingwithour internaltalentiskeytoensuringourorganization’s sustainablegrowth.WeprioritizeandconsiderApotex employeesforallavailablecareeropportunitiesacrossthe organizationtosupporttheircareerdevelopmentanddrive businesssuccess.
WorkingatApotexalsomeansworkingforacompanythat recognizestheobligationsthatcomewithsuccess.Thatis whyweareproudtoprovidesignificantsupporttoavariety ofcharitableorganizationsandcommunitygroupsin Canadaandaroundtheworldandtoinvestinthe universitieswheremanyofouremployeesearnedtheir degrees.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforApotex? Icanseemyselfcontinuingtoexpandmyresponsibilities, leadingmultipleteams,givingeachandeveryoneofmy
teammemberstheopportunities,resources,andtime requiredtoleadinitiativesthatwilltakethemaboveand beyondthecomfortzoneandwillhelpdriveadvancement andinnovationinhowwedothings.Iseeeverysingle personinmyteamashavingthepotentialtobealeader, regardlessoftitle,timeintheorganization,oriftheyhave directreportsornot.
Asleaders,beingcredible,trustworthy,respectful,and empatheticnaturallyleadsustomakebetterconnections withourteams.Everythingstartsbyhavingmeaningful conversations.Weknowthatwhenemployeesfeelvalued, empowered,andconnectedtotheirworkandthe organization,thereisanoverallboostintheirengagement.I trytobeasinvolvedandavailableaspossible,asthis allowsmetoprovidethesupportthatmyteamneeds.My jobistoleadtheway,role-modelamindsetofgrowthand continuousimprovement,andcontinuetoencouragemy teamtoachieveambitiousgoalsanddeliversignificant resultsforApotex.
Whenitcomestomarketinginanybusiness,itis consideredthemostcentralcommunication element.Ifcarriedoutwithproperstrategic perspectiveandoperationalrole,marketingcanboost businesstothepeak.Implementingsucheffective methodologiesisClaireBretzke.
AstheVicePresidentofGlobalMarketingatRubyHas Fulfillment,Clairehasnurturedacollaborativecultureto utilizevariousmarketingaspectstoinformandintegrate withsuppliersoneverylevel.
InsightsSuccesscaughtupwithClaireinitssearchtofind “Most Influential Women in Supply Chain, 2021”. We talkedwithhertogainin-depthknowledgeaboutextensive expertisespreadacrossmultipleaspectsofmarketing.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatRubyHas Fulfillment.Whatchallengeshaveyouovercometo reachwhereyouaretoday?
Iworkedforseveraldifferentecommercestartupsin marketinganddesignrolesbeforejoiningtheRubyHas
Using our expertise to host webinars, develop helpful content, get news coverage, and build partnerships with other leading companies in the industry, has helped us grow at an astonishing rate over the last few years.
The 10 Most Influen al Women in Supply Chain, 2022teamandthesestartupsweren’talwayssuccessful.Ittakesa lotofinsight,courage,persistence,andacertainamountof lucktogrowabusiness,especiallythroughmultiple recessionsandapandemic.Iamherebecauseofmy experienceinecommerce,butalsobecauseofthepeopleI metalongthewaywhobelievedinmeandhelpedme becomethepersonIamtoday
Tellussomethingmoreaboutyourcompanyandits missionandvision.
RubyHasFulfillmentisthevisionofitsfounder,Rafael Zakinov.Hestartedthebusinesswithonewarehousein NewYork,andwe’renowexpandinginternationally.Butas wegrow,we’reworkinghardnottolosewhatmakesus unique,whichisourcollaborativeapproachtoworking withourecommercebrandsandgivingthemwhatthey needtogrow.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe Logistics&SupplyChainnichethroughyourexpertise inthemarket.
IwouldsayI’vemadeadifferencebyusingthemarketing channelsIhavetoreachnewclientsinunconventional ways.Logisticsandsupplychaincompanieshavebeen aroundforcenturies,buttheyhaven’talwaysputalotof thoughtintotheirbrand.We’veestablishedRubyHasasa thoughtleaderintheindustrybycreatingcontentthat potentialclientswanttowatch,read,andclickon.Using ourexpertisetohostwebinars,develophelpfulcontent,get newscoverageandbuildpartnershipswithotherleading companiesintheindustryhashelpedusgrowatan astonishingrateoverthelastfewyears.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
ImentionedthecollaborativeapproachthatRubyHas Fulfillmenthastakeninworkingwithourclients,andI thinkthatshowsthetypeoforganizationweare.It’snotour wayorthehighway;it’sidentifyingsolutionsinwaysthat makethemostsenseforyourbusiness.Weareallinthisto helpourclientsgrow.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
RubyHasiscommittedtoinvestingintechnology,robotics, andautomationaslongasitmakessenseforourclients.If itisn’tgoingtohelpourclientsgrow,wedon’tdoit.It’sas
simpleasthat.ItmakesmyjobasmarketingVPeasierto beabletosaythatRubyHasisatechnologicalleaderand thatwearecommittedtoinvestingintechnology
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring intheInventoryStorage&Managementindustry? IwouldliketoseeInventoryStorage&Management companiesputmoreofanemphasisonlisteningtotheir clients,engagingwiththem,andencouragingthemto engagewiththeirendcustomerstolearnfromthem.Inan efforttostreamlinepickandpackservices,therehasbeena one-size-fits-allapproachinthepast,butrisingecommerce brandsdidn’tgetwheretheyarebyactinglikeeveryone else.Wecanlearnasmuchfromthemastheylearnfromus.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theSupplyChainindustry?Howisyourcompany preparingtobeapartofthatchange? ThewayIseeit,RubyHas,andotherfulfillmentcompanies likeoursaremakingiteasyforbrandstoopennewsales channels,sothey’renolongerdependentononechannel, whetherthat’sbrickandmortarstores,wholesale,Amazon, otherretailmarketplacesordirect-to-consumer.Idon’t knowwhatthenextbigthingwillbe,butI’msureRuby Haswillbeoneofthefirsttobringittoourclients.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforRubyHas Fulfillment?
Ilovehelpingbrandsgrow.MygoalforRubyHasisto continuetogrowitspresenceasaglobalbrandthatis knownforcaringforourclientsandmakingecommerce fulfillmenteasier.ThatgoesforU.S.companiesselling overseas,aswellasoverseasbrandshopingtobreakinto theU.S.market.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheSupplyChainsector? Iwouldsaythereisplentyofroomfornewideasandnew peopleinthisindustry.Itisrapidlygrowing,andtherewill alwaysbeaneedformovingthingsaround.Themethods maychangebutthat’swhatmakesitexciting.
oordinatingoveralllogisticswithanintentto
Cminimizecostandmaximizetheefficiencyofthe supplychain,JessicaBurgessredefinesthewayof thinkingaboutsales,businessdevelopment,andrevenue growth.AstheDirectorofBusinessDevelopmentatRuby HasFulfilment,sheempowersherteamtobecomethebest theycanbeanddrivestocreateapositiveculturegrounded inacompanywidevisionofsuccess.
InsightsSuccesscaughtupwithJessicainitssearchtofind “Most Influential Women in Supply Chain, 2021” Wegot intoaconversationwithhertounderstandhowsheutilizes consultativeandsolution-basedsellingwhiledeliveringand sustainingrevenueandprofitgainswithinmultiplemarkets.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatRubyHas Fulfillment.Whatchallengeshaveyouovercometo reachwhereyouaretoday?
Ibeganinthisindustrynearlyadecadeagoandworkedmy wayupfromarepresentativetotheDirectorofBusiness Development.Oneofthebiggesthurdlesthroughoutthis journeyoccurredseveralyearsago.Ihadtostepoutofmy comfortzoneandmovemyselfandmy2-year-oldson8 hoursawayfromourfriendsandfamily.Balancing motherhood,acareer,andpersonallifeisneveraneasy task,butdoingitwithoutanysupportissomethingelse entirely.Duringthistryingyear,ItrulylearnedwhatIwas capableof(andgainedanincredibleappreciationformy mother).
Tellussomethingmoreaboutyourcompanyandits missionandvision.
AtRubyHas,ourmissionistobetruepartnerstoour clients.Todeliveranunparalleledservicetobrandsasthey scaleandtomaintainrealrelationshipswithourclients.No brandisanumbertous,everyonehasaname,andweexcel becauseofthoserelationships.Ourvisionistomaintain thesebestpracticeswhilewecontinuetogrowandexpand bothdomesticallyandinternationally
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe Logistics&SupplyChainnichethroughyourexpertise inthemarket.
Logisticsandsupplychainisverysimilartoanyother businessfieldinthatitismale-dominated.Simplybeinga womanleaderinthisspaceisimpactful,butIwouldsaymy biggestimpacthasbeenonthosewhohave,orcurrentlydo,
We are constantly adding new technology and new partners to stay ahead of the needs of our clients.The 10 Most Influen al Women in Supply Chain,
reporttome.TheexperienceandknowledgethatIgained onmywayuptheproverbialladderhaveproventobe criticaltomyabilitytoleadandmoldasuccessfulteam. Myultimateprofessionalgoalisnottiedtonumbersor quotasbutrathertocultivateahappy,motivatedteamof expertswhoareequippedtogooutandkilliteveryday
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
RubyHasisacompanythatvaluesitsemployees.Istriveto placeasimilaremphasisonahealthycultureamongstmy team.Werewardhardworkandajobwelldone,andwe alsocorrectandmentorwithempathyandcompassion. PeoplefirstisthemottoofRubyHasanditappliestoboth ourclientsandourstaff.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
Cutting-edgetechnologyisarequirementforany fulfillmentcompanythatexpectstobereliableatscale.Our combinationofautomation,robotics,andactualbootson thegroundiskeytooursuccess.Thetechnologybehindour strategicroboticssystemsallowsustogetorderspicked andpackedataratethatnoteamofworkerscould accomplish;however,thoseworkersallowustooffermore flexibilitythanmostcompaniesoursize.Wehave orchestratedtheperfectbalanceandhaveentireteams responsibleforstayingcurrentonthenextadvancementin thespace.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring intheInventoryStorage&Managementindustry?
Iwouldliketoseeincreasededucationforentrepreneurs whoarejustgettingstarted.Sofrequently,weseebrands thathavegrownquicklybutwhosepackagingandlabeling haven’tgrownalongwiththeirbusiness.Nearlyall fulfillmentcompaniesthataretechnologicallyadvanced requirebarcodes,butbrandsareoftencaughtoffguard whentheyhearthis.Evenmediumtoenterprise-size
companiesdelaymakingthistransitionuntilitistoolate. Barcodeeverythingandplanyourpackagingaccordingly fromthebeginning.ThatisthemessageIwouldliketoget toanyoneevenconsideringgoingintotheecommercespace becauseitwillgreatlyimpacttheirinventorymanagement capabilities.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theSupplyChainindustry?Howisyourcompany preparingtobeapartofthatchange?
Ithinkonlineshoppinganddirect-to-consumersalesare bothheretostay,sothenextbigchangeswillbe improvementsintransportation,bothgloballyand domestically,thateasesomeoftheproblemswe’veseen andincreaseshippingcapacity Therewillalwaysbe somethingchanging;it’sthenatureofthebusiness.Ruby Hasisheretohelpfacilitatechangeandgrowthforour clients.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforRubyHas Fulfillment?
IampositivethatRubyHasFulfillmentwillcontinueto evolvealongwiththeecommerceindustry.Weare constantlyaddingnewtechnologyandnewpartnerstostay aheadoftheneedsofourclients.Ienvisionmyselfbeing righthere,assistinginthatgrowthbybringingnewclients throughthedoorandgrowingateamofprofessionalswho aremotivatedtodothesame.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheSupplyChainsector? Doit!Evenifyouhavetostartatthebottomandworkyour wayup,youshoulddiveinheadfirst.Thisisanindustry thatisgrowingatanunbelievablerate,anditisn’tgoing anywhere.Imagineifyoucouldhavegottenintotheauto industryearlyonorthecellphoneindustrybackwhenthey werethesizeofhandbags!Everyyear,moreandmore peoplebuymoreandmoreoftheiritemsonline,andthere hasneverbeenabetterchancetogetinontheexcitement.
nnovationhasbroughtpeoplecloser.Ithasimproved
Ivariouswaysbusinessesoperateand,morespecifically, howproducts,information,work,andfundsflow throughoutthesupplychain.Leadinginthesupplychain industryisanarduoustaskasitconstantlyfacesnew challengesthroughseveralinternalandexternalfactors.
Although,thereareseveralburningissuestoberesolved withefficientandeffectivesolutions.Leaders,especially women,areexpertsatmanagingcustomerexpectations, suppliers,maintainingqualityandsustainability,accessto data,andriskmitigation.Evenindifficulttimeslikethe Pandemic,thesewomenleadersefficientlycontributedand ledfromtheforefront.Thequestionarisesofhowthe supplychainisledunderwomen'sleadership.Letusdivein deepthroughthisarticle.
Today,thereismuchtalkaboutthecompaniesledby women,andthesupplychainisnoexemptiontoit.This shiftofwomenintofieldslikesupplychaingivesthe industrynewideastotakethefieldforward.Itisalso becauseoftheirsolidtechnologicalbackground,through whichtheyhavebeenabletotakechargeofthesupply chaincompanies.Thischangeinthesupplychainindustry bringspositivityandmoreenergyamongtheteam members.That'stheinfluenceofwomeninthesupply chain,orintheoverallprofessionalworkplaceforthat matter
Theirkeystrengthistocreatebondingwiththeclients, teammembers,andtheorganization'sinternalmanagement. Theymakesureeveryonefeelsincludedandcreategrowth opportunitiesforeveryone.Duetotheirperformance,we couldproudlysaythattodaynoindustryismale-dominated; womeninbusinesshaveclimbedtheladderofchallenges makingittosuccess.And,iftherehastobeasynonymfor 'hardwork,'itwouldbe'women'becausewomenhave adaptedtothesupplychainwiththeirhardworkand dedication.
Womenhaveprovedthatnojobisimpossible;allyouwant issupportfromyourteamand,ofcourse,fromthefamily members.And,thisiswherework-lifebalancecomesinto thepictureforthem;whetheritisthepersonalor professionallife,womenarehandlingtheirrolesand responsibilitiesperfectly.Ideally,ifIwouldthinkto
managesuchatightwork-lifebalance,itwouldbea disasterforme,sowegottoappreciatehowwomenhandle thingswiththeirbestefforts.
TheBigPicturehereisthatweareenteringthedigital transformationera,andwomeninbusinessandsupply chainarejustanotherexampleofit.Lookingattheir journey,weunderstandthatittakesalotofcourage, dedication,andpatiencetobecometheleaderinthesupply chain.Itissobecauseyouareinvolvedinendlessbusiness meetings,decisions,handlinginventory,andmultiplethings simultaneously.So,businesswomenhaverisenand establishedasperfectleaderstotakealltheworkcarefully relatedtothesupplychain.
Overthelastfewyears,wehaveseenthistrendofwomen enteringalltheindustries,andthischangeisgood.With theirexperienceandknowledgetoday,theirpresenceis enoughtotakethecompaniesupandabove.Youonlylearn intheleadershipprocessbecauserisks,challenges,and successgoontilltheveryendoftheleadershipjourney.So, businesswomenunderstandthattheyhavetocreateasmany opportunitiesaspossibletocomeintothisfield.
Leadershipisquiteajourneyindeed;nevergivingupand stayingmotivatedisthekeyhere.Learnfromyourmistakes andmaketheworldyours.Weareallsurroundedbythe miraculousleadershipofwomen,andweareverymuch excitedaboutwhattheybringtous.
The 10 Most Influen al Women in Supply Chain, 2022
heintricaciesinthesupplychainareincreasing
Twitheachpassingday;eventhoughtechnological advancementanddatabringadditionalvaluetothe process,theskillgapkeepsexpanding.Organizationsneed diversetalenttomanagethesupplychaintopush performanceandprofitabilityfurther.Havinginsightsand informationaboutthesupplychaincanprovide organizationsarefreshingperspectivewhichiswhatMaria VillablancadeliverswithherventureFutureInsights Network.
AstheCo founderandCEO,aswellasthehostofa successfulpodcast,Mariacreatesaworkplaceculturethat inspiresandmotivates.Sheisaneffective,energetic,and visionaryleaderwhobelievesthat“goodenough”isnever goodenough.Withherleadershipattheforefront,Future InsightsNetworkisdrivingmanufacturingandsupplychain innovationthrough;thoughtleadership,virtualworkshops, live,collaborativeevents.
Insights Success caughtupwithMariainourendeavorto find “Most influential Women in Supply Chain, 2021”.We talkedwithhertohaveadeepunderstandingofhowsheis drivingatransformationalchangebyconnectingsupply chainleaders.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatFutureInsights Network.Whatchallengesyouhadtoovercometoreach whereyouaretoday?
Ihavehadalongtrajectoryspanningmultiplecontinents, languages,industries,androlesovermynearly30-year career.Thispathhasallowedmetoembracechange, diversity,transformationandhasprovidedmewithan opportunitytodevelopagilityandadaptability.Mygreatest teachersthroughoutmycareerhavebeenmyfailures,andI amverygratefulforthem.
Our purpose is to inspire and enable transformational change in the world’s leading companies.
Tellussomethingmoreaboutyourcompanyandits missionandvision.
TheFutureInsightsNetworkexiststoprovideournetwork ofover80,000seniorsupplychainleaderswithcontent, connections,andacommunitytohelpthemsolvetheir burningquestions.Today,morethanever,thisisimportant inhelpingtobuildagile,resilient,andsustainablesupply chains.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe Logistics&SupplyChainnichethroughyourexpertise inthemarket.
Wetrytobringstoriesandcasestudieswithclearand actionableadvicetotheindustry Thereistoomuchhype, noise,andbuzzoutthere,andwehopethatwecandeliver someclarityamidstthecomplexityanddisruptionoftoday. WedothisviatheTransformTalkswithMariaVillablanca podcastandourevents.
Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.
Westrivetocreateacultureofagility,flexibility,learning, anddiversity Asawoman-led,woman-ownedbusiness,we aimtogivevoicestounderrepresentedgroupsinour industryandfurtherthevaluesofdiversity,equity,and inclusion.Equally,Ithinkit’simportanttoensurewecreate aculturewhereallourteamfeelscomfortableinbringing newideastothetable.
Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?
Thepandemicmeantshiftingourbusinessfromonewhere wedeliveredphysicaleventstoapurelydigitaloffering. Thismeantlearningnewskillsandimplementingnew technology,includingAI,intoourbusiness.Withoutit,we wouldnothavebeenabletoweatherthelast18months successfully.Notonlyhasthistechnologyallowedusto growduringthepandemic,withalmosttriple-digitrevenue andcommunitygrowth,butwehavebeenabletowidenour netstogrowintonewmarketsthatwerepreviously unavailableintheirphysicalform.
Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring intheInventoryStorage&Managementindustry? Ideally,Iwouldwanttoseetwochanges,
1)todrivemorediversity,equity,andinclusioninitiatives andbringmorepeoplewithdifferentbackgroundstothe industrybutalso
2)drivesustainablechange.Thepandemichasfast-tracked digitaltransformation.Itwouldbegreattoseeusdevelop newandmoresustainablebusinessmodelstoo.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theSupplyChainindustry?Howisyourcompany preparingtobeapartofthatchange? Thenextbigchangewillbearounddigitaltransformation technologiesandsustainability.Bothwillhaveanimpacton howwedefinethesupplychainandhowbusinesses operate.EverysingleroleinSupplyChainwillchange.I hopeforthebetter.Ourroleinthisnewworldistocontinue tobringstoriesofpositivechangetotheindustry.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforFutureInsights Network?
Inthelongrun,Ihopetocontinuegrowingthebusiness,the community,andthenetworktoincludeawidergroupof SupplyChainexecutivesfromthemomenttheystarttheir careersinthisindustryuntilthemomenttheyretire.Ihope tocontinuebringingthemcontent,connections,andaplace wheretheycandialogueanddebatethelatesttrendsand issues.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheSupplyChainsector?
Doit!Therehasneverbeenamoreexcitingtimetojointhe industry.IbelieveSupplyChainprofessionalscanchange theworld!
MariamSaad
ofIT,TechnologyServices, ProfessionalServicesProcurement TELUS
Thetransitioninthesupplychainindustryisnear.To realizethischange,it’sessentialtounderstandthe end-to-endsupplybasemappingandfocuson sustainableefforts.Implementingseveralaspectsinthe workplacewillalignwiththemassiveshiftcausedbythe pandemicconcerningglobalconsumermindsetstowards environmentalissues.PreparingforthischangeisMariam Saad,amulti-lingualleaderwith20yearsofhighlyskilled experienceinprocurement,operations,andsales,across multipleglobalandnationalorganizationsin telecommunications,mining,andinformationtechnology
AstheDirectorofIT,TechnologyServices,and ProfessionalServicesProcurementforTELUS,Mariam leadstowardsanextensivetransformationalinitiativeasthe companyseekstogrowandmatureitscapabilities.Sheis recognizedforeffectivelyleadingandmanagingconcurrent initiativeswhileconsistentlyachievingstrongresults.
TELUSisbuildingabetterfutureforallCanadiansby usingitstechnologyforgoodandgivingbacktoits communities.Itssocialpurposeisattheheartofeverything itdoesasaworld-leadingtechnologycompany,andTELUS continuestosetitselfaparttomakethefuturefriendly together.
MariamgraduatedwithanInternationalBusiness CommerceDegreefromConcordiaUniversityinMontreal, withaMinorDegreeinMarketing.FollowingtheDegree fromConcordia,shethenpursueda1.5-yearLeadership CertificateattheExecutiveMcGillMBAProgram. Havingworkedacrossmultipleindustries,including
InformationTechnologies,NaturalResources,and Telecommunication,shedevelopedextensiveexperiencein ITsalesandprocurementoperations.Throughouther career,shefocusedonrevenuegeneration,costsavings, delivery,andvaluecreation.Shetooktheopportunityto utilizetheexperienceandexpertisewitheachsuccessive roletosharpenherfocusonvaluegeneration.
ThroughoutMariam'scareer,shefacednumerousdiversity andinclusivenesschallenges.Inherearlysalescareer,she wastheonlywomanamongstateamof10men.Asaresult, sheconstantlyfeltthatshehadtoworktwiceashardto proveherself.
Moreover,shefacedadditionaladversitycomingfroman immigrantethnicbackground,whichshehadtoovercome throughoutherjourney.Shesays, "Whether working in IT or the mining industry, there were very few women, and almost none existed as you moved up the ladder. “Mariam expressesthatsupportforwomenwasincrediblylacking duringthefirstfewyearsofhercareer.Therewereno forumswherewomencouldconnect,receivesupportor shareexperiences.Shehadmanyfemalecolleaguesthat constantlyreachedouttohertosharetheirchallenges. Insteadofseeingthisasanobstacle,shethoughtabout takingchargeandmakingadifference.Tothatend,Mariam co-foundedthefirstwomennetworkatherprevious companyandopenedthefirstchapterinMontreal.Mariam receivedanoverwhelmingresponse,andpeopleworldwide becameinvolvedaskingtojointheMontrealchapter.Asa result,shenegotiatedabudgettolaunch10otherlocal chaptersworldwide.Today,Mariamenjoysmentoring youngwomenandnewimmigrantstohelpthemintegrate intoorsucceedintheirworkplace.
When you're with TELUS, you're part of a network of giving.
The 10 Most Influen al Women in Supply Chain, 2022
Mariamexpressedthatsharingandcollaborationare integralpartsoflearningandgrowth.AtTELUS,shestrives forcontinuousimprovementandvaluecreation,ensuring thatsheisconstantlylearningandeducatingherself,her team,andthebusinessonthelatesttechnologies.Sheis alsosoughtaftertospeakateventssuchasSupplyChain DigitalorroundtableswithProcurementLeaders,Supplier Diversityevents,orwithinITSummitstodiscussthelatest issuesandtrendsintheITandDigitalspace.
Shesurroundsherselfwithagreatnetworkofcolleagues, andteammembers,enablinglearningandprofessional growth;shebelievesthatgivingbacktoherteam,TELUS, network,andsuppliersisaprivilegeandaresponsibilityto givebackwhatothershavedoneforher.
Mostrecently,Mariamhadtheopportunitytospeakat manyeventssharingherthought-leadershipaboutthe effectsofthepandemicanditsroleinacceleratingdigital transformationandaboutCloudtransformation,evolving strategybetweenprivate,public,single,andmulti-cloud vendors.Mariamisproudtobeathoughtfulcontributorto thesecriticaldiscussions.
MariamstatesthatTELUShaskeypillarsfromacultural evolutionfocusedoninnovation,growth,change, teamwork,andrisk.TELUSdrivesacollaborativework environmentthatfostersgrowthanddevelopmentin individualandteamcultureandinnovativeperspectives. Thisenvironmentencouragesteammemberstolookfor newopportunitieswhileapproachingrisk-takingwithan opportunisticandexperimentalmindset.Everyday innovationisfocusedonnurturingthemindset,behaviours, andenvironmentrequiredtoinspirethecouragetodrive innovationtoaculturalstandardacrossalllevelsandvalue chainsatTELUS.
Withrespecttoleveragingtechnologytodrivebusiness objectives,MariamhighltedthatTELUSiscommittedto makingthefuturefriendlybyconnectingCanadians throughtechnologicalsolutionsthatcreatevaluewithin communitiesandconnectingwithtechnologypartnersto advancethedigitaltransformationjourney
Agriculture:TELUSisonamissiontotacklesomeofthe mostsignificantsocialchallengesofthegenerationusing technologyforgoodandempoweringgrowthinagriculture andfeedingtheworldbyconnectingtheunderservedrural
worldwithcommunicationcapabilities.TELUSfostersthe exchangeofdigitizedinformationtohelpallpartiesoperate moreefficiently.Connectedsolutionsforfarmmanagement, optimizedprofitability,increasedefficiency,andinsights.
Healthcare:TELUSisstreamlininghealthrecordsand data,buildingpowerfuldigitalhealthcaretoolsfor hospitals,doctors,pharmacists,andmore,tohelpsupport healthcareproviders.TELUSheavilyinvestsinvirtualcare toaccessallCanadianstoreceivequalitycareanytimeand anywhere.TELUShasinvestedover$2.5Billionin healthcareinthelastdecades;ithas$12MillionCanadians coveredbyTELUSHealthBenefitmanagementsolutions.
Partnerships:TELUS'secosystemofpartnersiscrucialto Mariam.Thecompanyhasbuiltstrategicpartnerships, allowingittobuildsomeoftheworld'sfastest,highest qualitynetworkstoleadintheHealthcareTechnologyand CustomerFirstapproach.
Mariamlovesherworkandenvisionsherselfconstantly learningandgrowinginherspace,helpingshapeand changethesupplychainindustrytoadvanceitandsolve realproblems.Sheisproudtoassist"feedingtheworld"by improvingTELUS'foodqualityandsafetybyleveraging technologicalinnovationandhumancompassion.Sheis excitedtobeapartofthehealthcareinitiativethatwill impacttheworldpositively.Sheseesherselfmentoring supplychainprofessionals,fosteringadiversityand inclusivenessculture,andsoonleadingaprocurementor supplychainorganization.
Mariamadvisesup-and-comingentrepreneurstoprepare themselvesforawonderfulride.Shesays, "You are going to witness some of the greatest evolution in this space. We are entering the fourth industrial revolution that will challenge current ways of working and the need for some of the most pressing issues in the world. It is where entrepreneurs can use their experience and expertise to witness or drive some of the greatest changes in the supply chain space seen in several decades.”
Monique Alblas Vice President of Consul ng
hesupplychainisatraditionallymale-dominated
Tfield.Therefore,beingaleaderinthesupplychain fieldisnotaseasyasitsoundsforwomen.Ittakes courage,zealtolearn,andresiliencetobeinthisfieldand makeadifference.Today,manybraveandresilientwomen leadershaveenteredthisspace,aremakingnotable contributions,andaresettinginspirationalstandardsfor otherwomen.Onesuchinspirationalleaderinthesupply chainindustryisMoniqueAlblas,theVicePresidentof ConsultingatGEPWorldwide.
Let’sshedsomelightonherjourneyasabusinessleader.
Aftergraduating,Moniquejoinedasmallcompanyfor whichshewasaskedtosetupaseparateITcontingent laborcompany.Beinganentrepreneuratsuchayoungage wasatremendouslearningexperienceforher,coveringall aspectsofabusinessinwhich,ofcourse,shealsomade morethanherfairshareofmistakesthatshehadto overcome.
Afterthat,Moniquejoinedaglobalhightechfirmwith responsibilityforatriple-digitspendportfolioofprofessionalservicescompanies.Duringthistime,sheworked withC-suiteexecutivesinamale-dominatedengineering environmentandlearnedtostandherground.Workingwith awidevarietyofconsultantsandseeingthedifferencethey couldmakeinrelativelyshortperiodsmadeherrealizethat beingaconsultantwouldfitherlikeaglove.Shenotes, “Being a consultant means you always have to bring your A-game. You’re hired to achieve meaningful results. It’s never easy, but I love it.”
Supplychainshavealsoseenalotofunprecedented challengesoverthepastyears,andMoniquejoinedGEP Worldwide,justaswhentheworldwasdealingwiththe pandemic.Oneofthemajorareasofconcern,especiallyin thefirstfewmonthsofthecrisis,wastheoverdependence onChinaandtheinabilitytoprocurematerialsfromthere andseveralotherpartsofAsia.Manyenterpriseswere
forcedtolookforanalternative,andlikelymoreexpensive suppliersandsolutions.
AtGEP,Moniquesupportedseveralclientswithmake-or buydecisionstopreventbiglosses.Sheledateamthat lookedintosettinguplocalandregionalproductionfor someofthematerialsthattheycouldnotgetviatheregular supplychainsbecauseoflogisticalissuescausedby COVID-19,aswellascollaborationswithotherthird partiestobundletheirbuyingpower.
Moniquebelievesthatprocurementcannolongerjustfocus onvolumesanddrivingdowncoststohelpachievethe company’slargerobjectives.Procurementandsupplychain leadersneedtolookforinnovativesolutionstoplaya strategicroleinachievingcompanygoals.Leadersneedto genuinelycollaboratewiththeirecosystem—withtheir suppliersandsuppliers’suppliersandevolvefroma transactionalvendor-stylerelationship.
GEP Worldwide is a leading provider of supply chain and procurement software, consulting and managed services to Global 2000 enterprises worldwide.
Shesays, “To develop an informed perspective on what's going on in the market, and to understand what's possible, it’s paramount that procurement and supply chain leaders collaborate with suppliers and other organizations. This means stepping outside our comfort zones and boundaries of negotiating prices, quantities and lead times to also focus, and assist, suppliers with tracking their environmental impact, cutting waste, sustainability, innovating activities, adopting new digital platforms to share data more easily and gain greater visibility across the entire, multi-step, global supply chain.”
Founded22yearsago,GEPisaleadingproviderofsupply chainandprocurementsoftware,consulting,andmanaged servicestoGlobal2000enterprisesworldwide.Itsmission istointegratestrategy,software,andmanagedservicesso itsclientscantransformandoptimizetheirsupplychains anddrivegreatervaluetocustomersandstakeholders.
Withmorethan5,000employeesacross24locationsin Europe,Asia,Africa,andtheAmericas,GEPiscontinuing togrowbydoubledigitsasglobalcompaniesareacceleratingtheirinvestmentinremakingtheirsupplychains.
TalkingaboutthevaluesandcultureofGEP,Monique mentionsthatitisaprivatelyheld,minority,andwomenownedbusiness,wheregivingbackisanintegralpartofits purposeanditsDNA.
GEPwasfoundedonsixcorevalues,includingdelighting customers,excellence,andcaring.Bycaring,itmeans caringforeachotherascolleagues,forthecommunities wheretheylive,andfortheenvironment.Moniqueasserts, “Caring is integral to our culture because it connects our thousands of employees across every office with a common purpose to improve people’s lives.”
Besides,itwonBestPlacestoWorkinnearlyeveryother countryitoperates.Itsapproachcombinesatop-down corporate-ledprogramandenablesemployeestocreate activitiesfortheircommunities.Itidentifiedfourspecific socialareasforitsemployeestohelpaddress:empowering women;enablingbasiceducationforchildren;alleviating hunger;andsustainabilityinitiativestocutitsenvironmentalimpact.Eachyear,GEPWorldwidespendsbetween5% to10%ofitsannualprofitthroughdirectcontributionsand matchingemployees’initiatives.
Lastyear,GEP’semployeesspentmorethan20,000hours undertakinglocalactivitiestosupportwomen’sdevelopment,addresshunger,andprovidechildrenwithaccessto basiceducation.
MoniqueopinesthatGEP’sfutureisbright.Itisanexciting timeforthecompanybecausesupplychainsandprocurementarenowaboardroom-andinvestor-levelissue. Companiesareacceleratingthetransformationtobuild resilient,agileandsustainablesupplychains.
Today,companiesneedredundancyandresilience,aswell asspeedandcostefficiency,tobettermanagesupply disruptions,inflation,scarcity,andcyberattacks.Companies arealsoshiftingfrommeasuringtocuttingtheenvironmentalimpactoftheirentirecomplexsupplychains.Furthermore,procurementisnowstrategicandessentialtoget costsinlinewithinflationrunningmorethan7%.
GEPinvestsheavilyinproductdevelopment,ledbyML/AI foradvanceddataanalyticsineverything,fromreal-time demandforecasting—enablingclientstoreactquicklyand bedemand-led—toidentifyingsavingsanddetermining whatcomponentsandservices“shouldcost”toevaluating theperformanceofsuppliers.GEPcontinuestorollout controltowerstoidentifypotentialdisruptionsandissue resolution.
Inconclusion,Moniqueexpresses, “This is an exciting and important time to be consulting for companies about their global supply chain, and GEP, as a global leader, is ideally positioned. Disruptions in logistics and drastic changes in consumer expectations have sparked an unprecedented focus on supply chain management for C-suite executives. We are now seeing the shift from logistics and supply chain primarily being a back-office function to a boardroom priority. It is only the start as supply chains will continue to grow in complexity. The future survival for organizations now depends on effectively managing the 5Vs of supply chain success: visibility, volatility, velocity, vulnerability and viability. GEP is growing very rapidly, and I’m excited to be playing a pivotal role in supporting companies reimaging their supply chains and adopt new technologies to become more cost-effective, resilient and sustainable.”
The2021InternationalWomen’sDaythemeis “ChoosetoChallenge.”Challengingforbringing changeintheworldbybeingawareofthe opportunitiestocreateagender-balancedsocietyinallthe sectors.Thesupplychainindustryhasbeentraditionally male-dominated,anditischallengingforwomen, especiallyinleadershippositions.Buttrailblazingwomen leadersarerevolutionaryintheirapproachandchooseto takeupthechallengeofbeinginthesupplychainindustry andimpactingtheindustrywiththeircourage,passion, guts,andleadershipskills.
Womenarefearlessandbelieveintheirpotential,setting exemplarystandardsforotherwomenleadersandsetting thestandardsforfuturegenerations.Ittakesalotof knowledge,awareness,bravery,andabilitytodealwith complexchallengesinthesupplychainindustrytobea trailblazingwomenleader.Therefore,becominga trailblazingwomenleaderinthesupplychainindustryisa laudablefeat.Suchwomenleadersbecomeaninspirational exampleforotherwomenleadersandfuturegenerations.
Womenleadersaremakingtheirpresencecountandare readytotakeonthechallengeandprovingthemselvesthat theycanworkproductivelytomakeadifferencewiththeir skillsandabilities.Duetothevaluewomenbringtothe table,manycompaniesalsoincludewomeninleadership positionstomakebetterandinclusivedecisions.
Trailblazingwomenleadersplayavitalroleinensuring diversity,equality,andinclusioninthesupplychain industryandaremorejudiciousinensuringgood overalloperationsandproductivityfromallthe employees.
Womenleadersdoinggoodinthesupplychainindustry naturallysignificantlyimpactotherwomenleaders,anditis moreinspiringforthemtofollowsuchleaders.Thewomen leadersinthesupplychainindustryshouldbeopento changesintheindustry Theyshouldbereadytochange themselveswiththetransformativeshiftsbyinnovating varioustacticsmakingsoundjudgmentswithpre-existing solidknowledge.
Trailblazingwomenleadersinthesupplychainindustry preparethemselveswellenoughtohandlethechallengesin thesupplychainindustryandmakethebestsituational decisions.Theyshouldresolvethedifficultieswithfortitude andworkhardwithalltheirteammembers.Theyshould learnfromtheirseniorsandpassonwhattheyhavelearned toothers.Notwodaysarethesameinthesupplychain industry.
Thosewomenwhowanttoenterthesupplychainindustry shouldbeadaptableandflexiblewiththecontinuously changingdynamicsinthesupplychainindustry They shouldhavethegreatapproachoflearningandgrasping thingsquickly,alltheconstantchangeshappeninginthe industry,andaccordinglydevelopingtheabilitytohandle allthesituationswithdiligenceandmakingtheirbest contributionbybecomingatrailblazingleaderinthe industry Theyshouldbestrategicandhavealotof firefightingabilityeverydaytomakethegreatestimpactin theindustryandprovethemselvesasillustriousleadersin thesupplychainindustry.
Sincethestartofthepandemic,thesupplychain industryhasbeenfacingissuessuchasanonslaught ofshortages,disruptions,anddelays.Butcompetent leadersinthisindustryarecontinuingtonavigate challengesinthesupplychainindustrybyusingtheir knowledgeandexperience.Femaleleadersinthesupply chainindustrycontinuetoemergeandmakeanimpactin theindustrywithgoodmomentumandadoptingbest practices.Bybuildingrobustsupplychainsandreforming thesupplychainsector,womenleadersinthissectorare fuelinginnovationinthisindustry Theyarecreatinga brighterpathforthesuccessofthesupplychain community.Itisimportantforthesupplychaincommunity tocommunicatetheirmessagetoalargeraudienceabout theirservices.ThroughLet’sTalkSupplyChain,Sarah Barnes-Humphreyisbuildingaplatformthatgivesavoice tothesupplychaincommunity,seesthevisualimpactof diversityandinclusion,andfinallycreatessafespacesfor everyonetofeelheard.
Sarahhasspentthepast20yearsinthelogisticsandsupply chainindustrylearningeverythingshecan.Perseverance ledSarahtobecomeoneofthetopwomenleadersinthe SupplyChainIndustry.Shedoesn’tbelieveingivingup. Sheruns“Let’sTalkSupplyChain(LTSC),”anditisthe hottestsupplychainpodcastonthemarket.Sheisobsessed withthesupplychainandbelievesthat“Collaborationis thefutureofbusiness”,andwecanallwintogether
InitsLet’sTalkSupplyChainWomeninSupplyChain series,LTSCintroducesthefemaleleaderswhoare dominatingthesupplychainnowandunleashingbetter, smarteroutcomes.LTSCsharestheobstaclesthesewoman leadershaveconquered,giantleapsoffaith,andthe beginningsthatultimatelybroughtthemwheretheyare today,leadingbusinessesacrosstheglobalsupplychain.
FocusingontheWorkthatNeedstoBeDone
Sarahworkedforthefamilybusinessfor20years,took coursesonlinewhileshegothands-onexperiencein logisticsworkinginoperations,salesandthenultimately endedhercareerthereasDirectorofSalesandMarketing.
Beingtheoldest,sheovercamejealousyfromemployees becauseshewasthe“Boss’daughter”,shehadtrustissues aseveryoneshemethadanagendaorwantedsomething fromherasthe“Boss’daughter”.Theultimatechallenge camefromthedayherfatherclosedthedoorsofthe business.Shefeltforallcompany’semployeesand
customers.Shefeltsomuchloss,includingthefactthatshe wantedtorunthecompanyoneday,eversinceshewas16, andthatdaywastheworstdayofherlife.
Sarahhadalreadystartedthepodcastandhadclients countingonher,soeverydaythereafter,shejustkept everythinggoing.Shelearnedsocialmedia,graphics design,websitedesign,andeditingandwokeupeveryday byfocusingontheworkthatneededtobedone.
LTSCfeaturesbrandswithinthatsectorofthesupplychain onthepodcast,andnowitislendingitsplatformforbrands tohavetheirownshowswithabuilt-inaudience.Sarah believesthatitisveryimportantforbrandsinthesupply chainsectortotelltheirstoryandreallycommunicatetheir valuepropositionforthosetheycanhelp.Supplychain professionalsknowwhatisoutthere,andLTSCbringsthat tothemarket.
BeingacertifiedWomen-OwnedSupplyChaincommunity facilitator,LTSCvaluesdiverseperspectives.Beingopenminded,leaningintounderstand,alwayslearning,and trustingeachothertowantwhatneedstobedonefor everyone’ssuccessishowitdrivestheorganizationforward andstaysinnovative.
We use tech whenever and wherever it makes sense, always looking for new ways that we can support the brands in our industry to tell the best story and give the best information to our audience and our listeners.The 10 Most Influen al Women in Supply Chain, 2022
LTSC’sNon-Profit–TheBlendedPledgeisworkinghard toseethevisualimpactonstagesinaudiencesatindustry conferencesandindigitalcontent,soitisveryfocusedon DiversityandInclusion.Throughitssecondpodcast,called theBlendedPodcast,itbrings5peoplefromdifferentwalks oflifetogethertotalkopenlyandauthenticallyabout variousDEItopics.LTSCisalsofocusedonCollaboration beingthefutureofbusiness,bringingtheplayersinthe industrytogethertobringmoretransparency,visibility,and cohesivechain.
Sarahstatesthatorganizationswillbelookingatwherethey wanttohaverisksintheirsupplychaininthefuture.They willbasetheirfuturestrategiesoncompetingonsupply chainsagainsttheircompetitors,notjustproductmarketing. LTSCispreparingtobepartofthatchangebybuildingthe platformforvoicestobeheardsotheyallcanlearnfrom eachother'smistakes,challenges,andsuccesses.Sarah envisionsbuildingmore,creatingmore,andbeingchange agentsintheindustry
Sarahadvisesbuddingentrepreneurswhoaspiretoventure intotheSupplyChainIndustrytobuckleupbecauseshe saysthatitisquitetheride.Shesuggeststhemtochoose somethingthattheyreallyenjoybecauseshebelievesthat successinthisindustrydoesn’thappenovernight,andthey needtoovercomedoubts,unwantedadvice,naysayersetc. Sheadvisesthemtobelieveandlovewhattheyaredoing thatwillkeepthemmotivated.
Sarahherselfhasstartedandstoppedmanyventuresfrom gettingwheresheistoday.Shesuggestsbudding entrepreneurs, “Stay motivated, don’t quit, take small steps toward your goal every single day and stay flexible/open minded.”
Shimon Gowda Manager, Supply Chain Design+ Chainalytics and Founder Supply Chain Unified
Forthelastfewyears,thesupplychainindustryhas witnessedwomentakingupleadershippositionsand thrivingintheirroles.Womenhavesteadily advancedwithinthelogisticsandsupplychainsectorwith theirpassion,talent,andknowledge.Today,manywomen areplayingasignificantroleinshapingthefutureofthe industry.
OnesuchwomanisShimonGowda,Manager,Supply ChainDesignatChainalyticsandtheFounderofSupply ChainUnified,anetworkingplatformforlike-minded peopleandpeerswhoareinthefirstdecadeoftheircareer andareexploringwhattheirtrue‘mojo’is.
AsShimonlooksbackandpondersherjourneyupuntil now,sheseesandrealizeshoweveryexperiencehasbeen invaluablelearningandsteppingstone.Thecurrentsituation isalsoalearningexperienceandawindowofopportunity ofwhatshehopestoachieve,contribute,andgivebackto societyandcontinueinspiringthewayshehasbeen inspired.
Sheexpresses, “A career in supply chain was not by accident for me. As it is rightly said, family is the first school of every individual. Many of our career aspirations are strongly influenced by the envi-ronment in which we are brought up. My father, a doctor and a son of a farmer balanced his pro-fession well and took care of our agricultural land perfectly. As a kid, I would keenly observe the processes involved in running our estate. My initial brush with Supply Chain Process was when I saw how the
milk from the cows was stored and diligently transported to the dairy for pasteuriza-tion, where it undergoes various processes before it is sent out to stores for sale. I was always inspired and awed by this mechanical yet very efficient chain of supply. This inspired me to develop a penchant towards Supply chain and the various processes governing them.”
Havingabachelor'sandamaster'sdegreespecializedin SupplychainexposedShimontotheessentialsofsupply chainalmost9yearsago.Shehascometorealizethat optimizationofthesupplychainisacyclicprocess.The principleofLeanSixSigmathatstates, "there is always scope for improvement and potential to reduce costs",fuels Shimon’seternalpassioninthisfield.
Besides,Shimon’seducationalbackgroundandprofessional exposurehavetaughthertohaveakeeneyefor optimizationofprocess,labour,infrastructure,and distributionnetworkincludingallnodesofsupplyand demandtoincreasethethree"R's":Revenue,ROIand Relationshipbuilding.
Likenumerousotherimmigrantswholeavebehindtheir hometownandmovetoacompletelydifferentlandtoseea betterfutureforthemselves,Shimonisyetanotheraspirant whotraveledtotheUnitedStates;firsttimeabroadto pursueherhighereducation.Thiswasherveryfirst challenge.
Shimonmetwonderfulnewpeoplefromdifferentcultures, sawtheworldfromadifferentperspective,andbecame moreappreciativeandgratefulforherowncultureand
upbringingwhilerespectingothersandlearningeveryday Sheasserts,“Life is not easy being an immigrant on a visa and an aspirant who was particular in having a career of her choice. When you are on a visa, your time and clock is always ticking and there is a constant urge to accept any opportunity that comes your way to stay afloat. I think that was one of the major challenges to me. The zeal and thirst to fight and wait for a career opportunity that you are passionate about. I cannot underplay the impact of a perfect combination of hard work and luck, that has bought me down the path.”
Thesecondchallengeforherwasbeingawomanina man’sworld!Sheputs.“No matter how progressive the times are, I cannot emphasize the number of times I have been the only woman on the table. Having and choosing a career in supply chain also more often means you are inside a warehouse, factory and amongst trucks observing and auditing to perform root cause analysis of issues. It is not always a very glamourous profession. I have been fortunate enough to have worked with wonderful set of colleagues and cultures where gender equality is of the utmost importance and have felt indifferent despite being the only female in the room.”
Thirdly,oneofthegreatestadversityorchallengeShimon mostrecentlyfacedwaswhenshehadtomakeaverytough decisiontoleavetheUnitedStates,asshedidnotget ‘lucky’inthelottery-basedworkvisa.Butshebelievesthat
borderscannotstopyouifonereallywantstomakean impact.Shenotes,“I feel more confident now because most companies are now global and the physical presence or location of a person cannot stop you from solving a problem, work in collaboration across na-tions and truly make an impact on what you are passionate about.”
Shimonoweshercurrentsuccessandpositiontoallthe mentorshipandguidancefromsomeamazingpeopleshe hasmet.Shesays, “The essence of being in consulting is, every project feels like a new learning phase. There are numerous business nuances that you learn and are constantly awed by.”
Talkingaboutthenextbigchangeinthesupplychain industry,Shimonbelievesthatthereshouldbethe acceptanceandadaptationofmorecompaniesandsupply chainprofessionalstokeepabroadermindandattitude towardslearning,accepting,andimplementingAI/MLtechnologyandalgorithms.Shemarks, “This is to simplify and automate monotonous jobs and not to take away any jobs. Human intervention will still be required in our industry at large. But by automating several tasks, we can now focus on innovation, empowering mental well-be-ing of workforce and all value to our everyday task without having to feel mechanical or redundant in our tasks.”
WeaskedShimonifgivenachance,whatchangeshewould liketobringtothesupplychainindustry,towhichshesaid, “I would encourage more small and mid-sized companies to educate themselves to understand how using data and seeking help from supply chain professionals can truly add to the bottom line and optimize their process. Secondly, increase awareness about the advantages of collaboration, not just within the organization but with all your partners across the organization involving suppliers, freight partners, 3PL and warehouse partners, retailers as well as customers.”
I hope to continue learning and constantly thrive towards making a positive impact.
“ “
VP, Customer Excellence for North America Unilever
hetraitofsubstantialbusinessleadersisthatthey
Tareenthusiasticaboutlearning,growing,and enhancingtheirskillsandabilitiesinallsituations. Theyalwayshavealearningmindset,andtheytransform challengesintoopportunitieswiththeirpositiveattitude. Suchattitudehelpsthemmakeasignificantdifferencein thebusinesstheyareleading.WendyHerrickisonesuch businessleaderwhoisalwayseagertolearn,growandis substantiallycontributingtothesupplychainindustry
WendywasrecentlyappointedastheVPofCustomer ExcellenceforNorthAmericaatUnileverafterhaving3 successfulyearsasHeadofDigitalSupplyChain.Wendy hashadmanylife-changingopportunitiesatUnilever,allof whichhaveplayedaroleinshapingtheleadersheistoday. Theseopportunitieshaveinfluencedhowshelooksat challengesandobstacles.Sheseeschallengesasbeautiful opportunitiesindisguise.Shesays, "The best way to master your head (thoughts) and your heart (emotions) is through challenging situations that enable you to learn, grow and strengthen your leadership acumen.”
Let'shavealookatherexhilaratingjourneyasaleader.
Wendyhadseveraljobsinhighschoolandcollege, whichwereallconsumer-facing,sothelearning startedveryearlyon.Shewastaughtthatthe customerisalwaysrightandlearnedthatbeinga manager/leaderofpeoplewasahardjobbutalso mostrewarding.Wendy'sjourneyasabusinessleader startedrightoutofcollegeatUnileverInternationalin Bristol,England.Sincethen,shehashadthe opportunitytoworkinbothfinanceandsupplychain rolesandliveinmanydifferentcountriesacrossthe
globe.Shebelievesinevolvingfromhavinga'know itall'mindsetto'learnitall'mindset.
Asoneoftheworld'slargestconsumergoodscompanies, Unileverisdrivenbyitspurposetomakesustainable livingcommonplace,withanambitiontobetheglobal leaderinsustainablebusiness,showingthatourpurposeled,future-fitbusinessmodeldeliverssuperior performance..ThisisengrainedinUnilever'scultureand expressedthroughits400brandsthattouchthelivesof over2.5billionconsumerseveryday
Unileveraimstobeaforceforgood–forpeopleandthe planet–andinvitesotherstojoinitinmakingtheworld abetterplaceforfuturegenerationstocome.Inits ClimateTransitionActionPlanithasoutlinedhowitwill achieveitscommitmenttozeroemissionsfromits operationsby2030.Additionally,viaitsClimate Promise,ithasinvitedsupplierstodemonstratetheir sharedvaluesandcommitmenttoreducingtheir greenhousegas(GHG)footprintasUnileverworksto achieveitsstretchinggoalofnet-zeroemissionsacross itsvaluechainby2039.
Wendyhaslivedandworkedinmanycountriesacrossthe globeandtakenonmanystretchingleadershiproles.This hastaughthertheimportanceofbeingself-awareand motivating,inspiring,andleadingthecompany'smost valuableasset–itspeople.Shebelievesthiscontinuous learninganddevelopmentofself,coupledwithaservant leadershipstyle,hasenabledhertomakeanimpactacross thebusiness.
The 10 Most influential women in supply chain, 2022WendyproudlymentionsthatUnilever'svaluesof integrity,respect,responsibility,andpioneeringarethe simpleststatementofwhotheyallareatUnilever These sharedvaluesliveineverythingUnileverdoes.
AsWendymentionedearlier,Unileverisapurposedrivencompany.PurposestartsatthetopwithAlanJope andpermeatesthroughouttheorganization.Every employeehasapersonalpurposestatementthatguides themontheirwork/lifejourney Wendy'spurpose"to inspirepeopletolive,love,laughandleavealegacy"has guidedherthroughouthercareer
Unilever'ssupplychainisattheheartofthebusinessof makingsustainablelivingcommonplace,whichfitswell withWendy'spersonalpurpose.Imaginebeingapartof thisheadline "Unilever changes the negative trajectory of our climate crisis - The world is safe for generations to come." That'salegacyWendywantstobepartof!
RespondingtoConsumerDemandsSustainablyand Cost-Effectively
Wendyhasexperiencedfirsthandhowintoday'sworld consumershavebecomeaccustomedtoreceivingany desiredgoodwithinafewdays,orevenhours.Supply chainsarehavingtoreinventthemselves.Unileveris workingtowards"makingtodaywhatitsoldyesterday", inordertobeabletorespondtocustomerandconsumer demandsinthemostsustainableandcost-effectiveway. Thedisruptiontheglobalpandemicbroughtconfirmed Unilever'sbeliefthatagilityiscritical.MarkEngel, Unilever'sChiefSupplyChainofficer,hasdriven strategieswhere "Agility trumps forecasting''.
Unileverhasalsohadtomakesomekeyinvestmentsto enableendtoendsynchronizationthroughdigital transformationprograms.ThroughitsDigitalTwins,it drivescognitiveautomation,leadingtosmarter,faster decisions.Andofcourse,thecompanymustinvestinits mostimportantasset,itspeople,byupskillingitstalentand buildingdigitalfluencyacrosstheorganization.
UnileverisconsistentlyimprovingitsSupplyChain agilitytobuildcapacityintelligentlyinitseco-system andfocusonchangingconsumerneedsandchannel shifts.Finally,Unilevermustensureitnurturesanecosystemofpartnerssothatitinnovatesandbuildsresilient solutionstowininthemarketplaceandachieveitsvision ofmakingsustainablelivingcommonplace.
MostSuccinctAdvicetoAspirantEntrepreneursin SupplyChain Inconclusion,Wendyimpartssomeexcellentpiecesof advicetoemergingentrepreneurs:
SupplyChainsitsattheheartofthebusiness–theplace tobe
everythingyoudowithPassionandPurpose.
theshadowyoucast—SelfAwareness.
DiversityandValueInclusion.
Opportunitiesthathelpyouachieveyourlife's ambitions.
all,alwaysholdtruetoyourCoreValues.
“Unilever aims to be a force for good – for people and the planet – and invite others to join it in making the world a better place for future generations to come.”
