Stefano Picasso

Most don’t get supply chain right. This document explains supply chain roles with Game of Thrones. The Supply Planner – Tyrion Lannister ↳ Clever, resourceful, and always three steps ahead ↳ Turns limited resources into winning plans   The Demand Planner – Daenerys Targaryen ↳ Visionary and bold ↳ Reads the future like flames, always chasing the next big wave   The S&OP Lead – Jon Snow ↳ Nobody wants the role, but he unites the houses ↳ Keeps peace, builds trust, and makes hard calls   The Inventory Manager – Samwell Tarly ↳ Loves books and balance ↳ Tracks every detail and hates losing control of the records   The Procurement Manager – Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish ↳ Schemer and dealmaker ↳ Has five backup suppliers before anyone else knows there’s a problem   The Logistics Manager – Arya Stark ↳ Swift and relentless ↳ Moves unseen, adapts fast, and always delivers what’s needed The Production Manager – Brienne of Tarth ↳ Disciplined and reliable ↳ Gets the work done with loyalty, precision, and zero shortcuts Any others to add?

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The Big Picture of Supply Chains What makes supply chain fascinating is that it’s a career where theory doesn’t always match reality. We learn models, frameworks, and processes in class but no single module prepared us for a pandemic. Yet, supply chain professionals held up entire economies during the pandemic. We had to think beyond theory, innovate under pressure, and create solutions that weren’t in the textbooks. It was a real test of resilience, creativity, and collective problem-solving. This point was strongly emphasized during the CIPS Forum on The Future of Supply Chain and CIPS Strategic Positioning, where it was highlighted that supply chain extends far beyond procurement and purchasing. It is about the entire flow of goods from the ultimate supplier to the ultimate consumer. The conversation reminded me how much our thinking must evolve. Supply chain is no longer a transactional back-office function. It’s a value network, integrating strategy, resilience, and sustainability. There is a growing imperative to bridge theory with practice and to embed this to the very core of supply chain thinking. We must move beyond teaching supply chain as merely a series of transactions and instead equip the next generation to think strategically about long-term value creation. This kind of thinking should not be reserved for advanced learning, it needs to be integrated into our induction programs from the very start. Joshua Gitoho Njoroge , Chartered MCIPS Lucky Manyasa Eric Kiamba MCIPS,MKISM

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Does your next CEO sit within Procurement? In July, Renault Group announced that Francois PROVOST, its Chief Procurement Officer, would step into the role of CEO. For those in Supply Chain and Procurement, it was a move that quietly signals a major shift in what boards value most in their leaders. For decades, Procurement has been seen as a cost centre - vital, but rarely viewed as a pathway to the top. That perception is changing fast. Provost’s appointment shows that Procurement isn’t just about price negotiation and cost control anymore. It’s about strategy, resilience, and partnership. He’s spent years managing global suppliers, navigating one of the most complex supply chains in the world. That mix of commercial acumen, geopolitical awareness and operational execution is exactly what modern CEOs need. In a world defined by disruption - raw material shortages, sustainability pressures, geopolitical risk, and in the case of Automotive, the EV revolution - the leaders who truly understand the end-to-end value chain are becoming the ones best equipped to lead entire organisations. We've seen this with Chief Supply Chain Officers stepping into CEO roles; but I suspect we will see Chief Procurement Officers also contending for the role in the very near future. So maybe the next big question isn’t if Procurement leaders can become CEOs… It’s how many will over the next decade. #Procurement #SupplyChain #CEO

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Today, I am pleased to present my personal anniversary edition of the procurement marathon with a selection of the top 5 articles of the week: Supplier Evaluation Dr. Mario Büsch 's post is dedicated to the importance of comprehensive and structured supplier evaluation for effective management and strategic development of supplier relationships. He describes the use of the “Key Supplier Profile,” a tool that includes master data, product information, geography, finances, operational capabilities, key contacts, customer portfolio, and SCOPES analysis (strategic fit, customer portfolio, operational excellence, product development, economic stability, and sustainability) Open-source AI-agentic supply chain workflow Arpan Khurdelia's post is dedicated to integrating innovation and AI into supply chain management using the no-code platform n8n. He demonstrates how process automation through such tools can simplify and accelerate decision-making, increase supply chain transparency, and leverage modern technologies to optimize operations without the need for deep technical knowledge Supplier diversification or procurement paranoia In this post, Marijn Overvest emphasizes the importance of having a second (backup) supplier: he writes that while everything is going according to plan, a backup does not seem necessary, but when a failure occurs, it becomes critical. The author refers to supplier diversification not as “over-engineering” but as necessary risk management and preparation for the unexpected. The idea is that supplier diversity protects the business from sudden disruptions and makes the supply chain more resilient Procurement in an era of change Ben Farrell MBE (CEO of CIPS) talks about how the roles of procurement and supply are becoming more important and strategic for businesses. He notes that now is a rare chance for countries and companies to use changes in global supply chains and tariff policies as drivers of growth and transformation, rather than threats. The author emphasizes the importance of the right strategy, collaboration, and integration for regions (such as Africa and Southeast Asia), as well as the need for digital and analytical skills among teams How to deliver cost savings in Procurement: Free guide In his post Tom Mills shares a practical guide to achieving and documenting savings in procurement. He emphasizes that despite the relevance of “value,” cost reduction remains a key indicator of procurement effectiveness, especially in times of inflation, unstable markets, and supply chains. The author offers a framework for implementing cost-saving initiatives, from short-term to long-term, and explains how to structure an action plan, track results, align initiatives with business interests, and create sustainable effects. The guide can be used as a checklist, interview tool, or for planning procurement KPIs. Ready to start a new chapter in your procurement marathon?

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Category management and make-or-buy strategy For many years, through my past and current roles as well as during external courses I’ve delivered, I’ve had the privilege of reviewing hundreds of category strategies. When category management reaches a certain level of maturity, it often leads to make-or-buy analyses and decisions. This becomes extremely strategic and drives amazing conversations with the business stakeholders. Procurement becomes part of the team building the business case—and in some cases, even takes the lead. A few examples that come to mind (beyond the more frequent, opportunistic production-capacity make-or-buy situations): ▶️ Bottleneck situations with full dependency on a monopolistic supplier – from buy to make:
• A major case involved a provider of beer bottle caps where the decision was made to bring production in-house.
• In another case, a vendor specialized in high-end medical training events in hospitals was replaced by the company deciding to manage those events internally. ▶️ Shifts in supply and demand within a commodity market – from buy to make:
• In industries such as food and textiles, companies often move upstream by managing raw material farming directly (e.g., pistachios, vanilla, or cotton). Firms can even start working directly with a small pool of farmers fully dependent on them. ▶️ Changes in internal R&D strategy or product portfolio – from make to buy:
• In automotive, pharma, or medtech, companies that long designed core components in-house and subcontracted only manufacturing according to their detailed instructions, often decided to shift toward external high value partners providing end-to-end expertise—covering full design, production, and delivery.
• Similarly, in transportation and warehousing many companies have moved from basic suppliers under their full daily operational management to fully delegate to integrated a 4PL partner. ▶️ New ESG requirements – from make to buy:
• In several cases, the high investments needed to meet new sustainability or compliance requirements push companies to externalize production or build highly collaborative deals with specialized manufacturers who have already invested and adapted. Getting procurement involved early enough is not easy—but it is a true game changer for companies that do. Strong category strategies are a great entry point to spark and drive these make-or-buy conversations and decisions. Have you managed make-or-buy cases through category management❓
How can procurement be engaged early enough in those make or buy business cases❓ I’d love to hear your experiences. #Procurement #purchasing #Sourcing #procurementbluesky #futurodecompras

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Supply Chains Are Facing a Crossroads — and Most Aren’t Ready Gartner’s “Future of Supply Chain 2025” report highlights a stark reality: Only 29% of companies have built at least three of the five capabilities needed to future-proof their supply chains: → agility, resilience, regionalization, ecosystem integration, and strategic alignment. The good news? DSV Air & Sea ‘Supply Chain Solutions’ already enables customers to be in that very top-performing group. What distinguishes the leaders? 1️⃣ Design before technology The majority of outperformers prioritize business model innovation over just implementing new tools. DSV applies this same principle — with simplified, segment-based, scalable OMS & FMS solutions. 2️⃣ Talent before tools Leaders are twice as likely to have embedded talent-driven capabilities. At DSV, we don’t just invest in people — we structure execution around Program Management and decision-making frameworks that enable fast, commercially sound action close to the customer. 3️⃣ Scenario planning over guesswork Only 19% of companies are doing this — yet it’s a defining trait of future-ready supply chains. With DSV AI-powered steering models, we enable our customers to anticipate, simulate and steer — not just react. 4️⃣ Clarity over complexity Top supply chains invest deliberately — in fewer but more impactful areas. DSV delivers that focus: clear business cases, operational feasibility, measurable outcomes. 📍Bottom line: DSV - Global Transport and Logistics ‘Supply Chain Solutions’ brings to life what Gartner defines as future-ready. Not in theory, but in daily operations. #DSV #AirAndSea #SupplyChainSolutions #FutureReady #OMS #FMS #LogisticsLeadership #Agility #Resilience #Visibility

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👹 Don't get him wet, keep him out of bright light, and never feed him after midnight. Supply Chain Success Cards Shuffle (5/53): 𝟓♦️ 𝐓𝐂𝐎 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 To learn about this project and download the full deck: https://lnkd.in/dUpB9Gne Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Analysis evaluates all direct and indirect costs associated with acquiring, operating, maintaining, and disposing of products or services throughout their entire lifecycle, providing supply chain professionals with a complete picture beyond initial purchase prices. However, it is not obvious to spot the hidden costs (maintenance, training, disposal, and opportunity costs), collect needed data (accurate cost info across multiple departments, suppliers, and time periods), balance short-term vs. long-term trade-offs (immediate budget vs lifecycle value optimization), and engage stakeholders (convincing decision-makers to consider total lifecycle costs rather than low prices). How to know you are not bringing a nightmare to your operations? ♦️ Map all cost categories - Identify and document direct costs (purchase price, shipping, installation), indirect costs (training, maintenance, downtime), and hidden costs (disposal, opportunity costs, compliance) across the entire product lifecycle ♦️ Establish data collection processes - Create standardized templates and workflows to gather cost information from procurement, operations, maintenance, and finance teams, ensuring consistent and accurate data capture ♦️ Build lifecycle cost models - Develop spreadsheet or software-based models that calculate present value of all costs over the expected asset lifespan, including depreciation, inflation, and risk factors ♦️ Compare alternatives holistically - Use TCO analysis to evaluate competing suppliers, products, or services by comparing total lifecycle costs rather than just initial purchase prices, revealing true value propositions ♦️ Integrate TCO into decision frameworks - Embed TCO analysis into procurement policies, supplier evaluation criteria, and capital investment processes to ensure consistent application across the organization To build a winning hand, you can combine 5♦️ with: K♠️, Q♦️, 6♥️ Want to learn more? 📢 Rafael A. Vela (in/rafaelvela) - Procurement expert specializing in TCO optimization and Strategic Sourcing 📖 "The Complete Guide to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)" by Sam Carter 🌐 "The Total Cost of Ownership in Hydraulic Procurement" by Stella Hou @ https://lnkd.in/dtEUtcUK What's been your experience with TCO analysis in procurement decisions? Which hidden costs have surprised you most when conducting comprehensive lifecycle cost evaluations, and how has TCO analysis changed your supplier selection process? #SupplyChainSuccessCards #WeeklyShuffle #SupplyChain #TCO #TotalCostOfOwnership #Procurement #CostAnalysis #SupplyChainTechniques #ProfessionalDevelopment

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