Resilient Supply Chain— stories and strategies that keep business moving

Tom Raftery
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The Resilient Supply Chain Podcast is where global leaders explore how to make supply chains stronger, smarter, and more sustainable.Hosted by Tom Raftery, technology evangelist, sustainability thought-leader, and former SAP Global VP, the show features C-suite executives, founders, and innovators from some of the world’s most influential companies. Together, we examine how organisations are building supply chains that can withstand shocks, adapt to change, and compete in a decarbonising economy.New episodes drop every Monday at 7 a.m. CET, packed with real insight, not PR fluff.From resilience and risk mitigation to AI-driven visibility, circular design, and ESG transformation, the podcast unpacks the data, systems, and strategies shaping global operations.You’ll hear from the people doing the work on:business continuity and crisis responseScope 3 emissions and supply chain sustainabilitydigital twins and predictive resilienceethical sourcing and due diligence compliancenearshoring, automation, and future-ready logisticsBecause a supply chain can’t be sustainable unless it’s resilient, and it can’t be resilient unless it’s sustainable.Resilient Supply Chain+ subscribers also get access to bonus episodes, including highlight reels, extra analysis, trend briefings, and other subscriber-only insights.If you’re a supply chain executive, sustainability strategist, or technology leader, this show gives you an edge.Subscribe now and join the global conversation redefining how the world moves, makes, and measures everything.

  1. AI in Procurement: When ERP Is Too Late

    vor 1 Std. ·  Video

    AI in Procurement: When ERP Is Too Late

    Send me a message What if your ERP only sees the supplier decision after the real battle is already over? In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Spencer Penn, CEO and co-founder of LightSource, a direct procurement AI platform. Spencer brings a practical view from high-pressure hardware and autonomous systems environments, and we look at why procurement, data, visibility, and supplier risk now sit right at the heart of supply chain resilience. You’ll hear how direct procurement can still run, quietly and expensively, across Excel, email, and institutional memory — even inside companies that believe they’ve digitised the function. We break down why that matters for manufacturing speed, cost control, sustainability, and the ability to move before disruption hardens into margin loss. We also explore where AI agents may add real value first: not by replacing procurement teams, but by helping them manage the decisions that can create or destroy hundreds of millions in value. Spencer shares how better sourcing workflows helped one automotive programme shorten sourcing cycles by 25% and cut cost creep by 37%. And you might be surprised by his analogy: procurement is like running water. Nobody notices it when it works. Everyone notices when it stops. 🎙️ Listen now to hear how Spencer Penn and LightSource are rethinking procurement, supplier visibility, and the next phase of resilient supply chains. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    47 Min.
  2. Why Small Fulfilment Exceptions Become Big Supply Chain Problems

    29. Juni ·  Video

    Why Small Fulfilment Exceptions Become Big Supply Chain Problems

    Send me a message How many fulfilment failures start as “just this once” exceptions? In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Leo Rodriguez, VP at River Plate Inc., a Southern California 3PL working across e-commerce, retail, warehousing, distribution, freight logistics, kitting, and assembly. We look at fulfilment through the lens of supply chain resilience, risk, data, visibility, and the operational discipline brands need as channels multiply and complexity rises. You’ll hear how small workarounds can quietly become broken workflows, why inbound setup often matters more than outbound execution, and why clean item data, packaging details, carton markings, EDI, ASNs, and warehouse management systems are not back-office admin. They are the plumbing that keeps customer experience, margin, and retail compliance from falling apart. Glamorous? No. Expensive when ignored? Very. We also break down why more software does not automatically mean better logistics. Leo explains where AI and automation can remove repetitive decisions, where human judgement still matters, and why the physical operation and the system reality have to run in tandem. You might be surprised to learn that a box designed to fit beautifully in a container can become oversized, overweight, and costly once it hits a retail fulfilment channel. Tiny cardboard decision. Big margin consequence. Supply chain, naturally, finds comedy in the most financially painful places. 🎙️ Listen now to hear how Leo Rodriguez and River Plate Inc. help brands build more disciplined, visible, and resilient fulfilment operations. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    42 Min.
  3. The Hidden Risk in Critical Mineral Supply Chains

    22. Juni ·  Video

    The Hidden Risk in Critical Mineral Supply Chains

    Send me a message How much do we really know about the minerals powering the energy transition? In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Johan Oosthuizen, a responsible sourcing specialist based in South Africa, working across mining, operations, supply chain governance, and regulatory due diligence. His perspective matters because he works in the uncomfortable gap between boardroom expectations and site-level reality, which is exactly where supply chain resilience either holds firm or quietly comes apart. You’ll hear how critical mineral supply chains are being stretched by the booming demand for batteries, EVs, and energy storage, while compliance, data, and visibility struggle to keep pace. We break down why self-reporting is structurally weak in high-risk mineral chains, and why third-party verification is becoming less of a nice-to-have and more of a strategic necessity. Johan also explains why a mine is not simply “one company digging a hole”. It is an ecosystem of contractors, labour providers, suppliers, communities, regulators, and investors. You might be surprised to learn that a mine employing 1,000 to 2,000 people directly may need around 10,000 people in the first tier alone to support it. Tiny governance gaps can become very large operational risks. Funny how supply chains keep refusing to behave like neat little org charts. We also explore how audit data can move beyond compliance and become a tool for supplier development, sustainability, risk reduction, and real supply chain resilience. 🎙️ Listen now to hear Johan Oosthuizen explain why the hidden risk in critical mineral supply chains may be three layers deep, twelve months behind, and far closer to extraction than many leaders realise. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    41 Min.
  4. Why Supply Chain Agility Is Now a Competitive Advantage

    15. Juni ·  Video

    Why Supply Chain Agility Is Now a Competitive Advantage

    Send me a message What if supply chain resilience is already too slow for the world we’re now operating in? In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Abe Eshkenazi, CEO of ASCM, the Association for Supply Chain Management. Abe has watched supply chain move from a quiet back-office function to a boardroom priority, and this conversation gets into why that shift matters now, as export controls, tariffs, climate volatility, cybersecurity, sustainability pressures, and supplier risk collide in real time. You’ll hear how agility has become more than a contingency plan. Abe makes the case that resilient supply chains are no longer just about recovering after a shock. They are about seeing earlier, deciding faster, and building optionality before disruption turns expensive. We break down why supply chain visibility is now table stakes, but also why knowing who and what is in your supplier network creates a harder question: should those suppliers still be there? We also explore the tension between CFOs pushing for lower inventory and cash flow discipline, and supply chain leaders pushing for flexibility, resilience, and long-term capability. Abe explains why AI in supply chain, automation, data, and real-time visibility matter, but also why technology without talent and critical thinking can become another risk vector. And you might be surprised by the cybersecurity angle: connecting the extended supply chain solves one visibility problem, while opening up new exposure through smaller suppliers. 🎙️ Listen now to hear Abe Eshkenazi of ASCM explain why agility, visibility, data, and sustainability are becoming central to supply chain resilience. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    37 Min.
  5. The 5-Point EBITDA Opportunity in Reverse Logistics

    8. Juni ·  Video

    The 5-Point EBITDA Opportunity in Reverse Logistics

    Send me a message What if returns are hiding 4–5 points of EBITDA in plain sight? In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Terry Boyle, CEO of Trove, to explore one of retail and logistics’ most neglected pressure points: reverse logistics. Terry’s argument is blunt and useful: if brands care about supply chain resilience, sustainability, risk, data, and visibility, they can’t keep treating returns as the untidy corner nobody wants to inspect. You’ll hear how online returns are reshaping inventory economics, why imperfect product too often gets parked on pallets until value evaporates, and how better returns processing can unlock labour savings, faster return-to-stock, stronger resale pricing, and fraud reduction. Not glamorous. Very profitable. We also break down why customer-reported returns data is often unreliable, how item-level visibility can feed back into design, sizing, packaging, supplier decisions, and quality control, and why sustainability may scale faster when it is sold as better inventory economics rather than moral virtue alone. Interestingly Terry also shares the very real problem of “boxes of rocks” showing up in returns, because apparently even fraud has a logistics department now. 🎙️ Listen now to hear how Terry Boyle and Trove are rethinking returns, resale, and the hidden economics of resilient, sustainable supply chains. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    40 Min.
  6. Supply Chain Resilience Fails When Decisions Move Too Slowly

    1. Juni ·  Video

    Supply Chain Resilience Fails When Decisions Move Too Slowly

    Send me a message What if your biggest supply chain risk isn’t disruption, but the time it takes to decide what to do next? In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Robbert de Looff, Industry Commercial Lead for Chemicals at OMP, to explore why supply chain resilience now depends on more than better forecasting. In a world of energy price spikes, shipping disruption, raw material constraints, sustainability pressures, and geopolitical shocks, visibility is useful, but only if it leads to better, faster decisions. Robbert and I break down why traditional planning cycles can leave companies reacting weeks too late, and why decision-centric planning is becoming so important for supply chain leaders. You’ll hear how organisations can move from rigid S&OP rhythms to scenario-based planning, where teams know what data they need, who owns the decision, and when action is genuinely required. You might be surprised to learn that “real-time planning” doesn’t mean constantly changing the plan. Sometimes the best real-time decision is not to act. We also explore where AI can help, from surfacing relevant risks to running what-if scenarios, and where humans still need to stay firmly in control: relationships, judgement, and trust. Kismet: one of the sharpest examples is the Rhine running low. Not a cyberattack. Not a system failure. Just water levels quietly deciding whether chemical supply chains can keep moving. Resilience, it turns out, can still be humbled by a river. 🎙️ Listen now to hear how Robbert de Looff and OMP are rethinking data, visibility, risk, and decision-making for more resilient, sustainable supply chains. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    37 Min.
  7. Why Yard Automation Is Harder Than Autonomous Trucking

    25. Mai ·  Video

    Why Yard Automation Is Harder Than Autonomous Trucking

    Send me a message Most supply chains talk about AI and automation. Meanwhile, many yards are still running on pen, paper, radio calls, and chaos. In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Adam Newsome, CEO of Lazer Logistics, Blaine Dirker, CTO at Lazer and leader of Yard Nexus, and Pini Usha, CEO of Buffers AI, to unpack one of the most overlooked bottlenecks in modern logistics: the yard. And this matters far more than most companies realise. We explore why yard operations have become a critical pressure point for supply chain resilience, visibility, labour efficiency, and operational performance. You’ll hear how fragmented data, disconnected systems, and poor forecasting ripple across transport, warehousing, inventory, and customer service. We also break down why yard automation may actually be harder than autonomous trucking because of the sheer number of constantly changing variables happening simultaneously in confined spaces. You might be surprised to learn how many facilities still rely heavily on clipboards, spreadsheets, and manual processes despite massive investment in digital transformation elsewhere in the supply chain. Kismet: Lazer manages more than 30 million trailer moves annually across North America, so the operational realities discussed here are happening at enormous scale, not in theory. If you care about supply chain resilience, logistics visibility, operational risk, AI, automation, labour challenges, or execution under pressure, this episode connects the dots in a very practical way. 🎙️ Listen now to hear how Lazer Logistics, Yard Nexus, and Buffers AI are rethinking supply chain visibility and execution where the physical world meets operational reality. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    45 Min.
  8. When Critical Software Becomes a Supply Chain Risk

    18. Mai ·  Video

    When Critical Software Becomes a Supply Chain Risk

    Send me a message What happens when the software your business depends on simply disappears? In this episode of Resilient Supply Chain, I’m joined by Wayne Scott, GRC Solutions Lead at Escode, the world’s largest source code and cloud escrow provider. We talk about a risk hiding in plain sight: critical software, SaaS platforms, and cloud services that businesses depend on every day, but may not be able to keep running if a supplier fails. You’ll hear how supplier risk is shifting from a procurement issue to a board-level supply chain resilience concern. Wayne explains why outsourcing a service does not mean outsourcing responsibility, and why concentration risk in software and cloud infrastructure can quickly become operational disruption. In his words, it’s like buying a car from a manufacturer, then watching the car disappear when the manufacturer goes bust. Absurd. And yet, with software, we do it every day. Because apparently business continuity needed one more trapdoor. We also break down why visibility, data, fourth-party dependencies, and stressed exit planning matter far beyond financial services. From SaaS services that can go instantly dark, to AI reshaping the viability of software suppliers, this is a conversation about resilience before the failure, not panic after it. For supply chain, operations, procurement, sustainability, and risk leaders, the practical question is simple: if a critical provider failed tomorrow, could you keep operating? 🎙️ Listen now to hear how Wayne Scott and Escode are reframing supplier risk, software resilience, and the hidden dependencies keeping modern supply chains moving. Support the show Podcast supporters I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis. 🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on supply chain resilience, AI, and sustainability? I help leaders understand the forces reshaping global supply chains, from geopolitical disruption and climate risk to AI and real-time decision-making.  Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck Finally If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a message using this link. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.  Thanks for listening.

    39 Min.
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The Resilient Supply Chain Podcast is where global leaders explore how to make supply chains stronger, smarter, and more sustainable.Hosted by Tom Raftery, technology evangelist, sustainability thought-leader, and former SAP Global VP, the show features C-suite executives, founders, and innovators from some of the world’s most influential companies. Together, we examine how organisations are building supply chains that can withstand shocks, adapt to change, and compete in a decarbonising economy.New episodes drop every Monday at 7 a.m. CET, packed with real insight, not PR fluff.From resilience and risk mitigation to AI-driven visibility, circular design, and ESG transformation, the podcast unpacks the data, systems, and strategies shaping global operations.You’ll hear from the people doing the work on:business continuity and crisis responseScope 3 emissions and supply chain sustainabilitydigital twins and predictive resilienceethical sourcing and due diligence compliancenearshoring, automation, and future-ready logisticsBecause a supply chain can’t be sustainable unless it’s resilient, and it can’t be resilient unless it’s sustainable.Resilient Supply Chain+ subscribers also get access to bonus episodes, including highlight reels, extra analysis, trend briefings, and other subscriber-only insights.If you’re a supply chain executive, sustainability strategist, or technology leader, this show gives you an edge.Subscribe now and join the global conversation redefining how the world moves, makes, and measures everything.

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