Global Trade Lens: From Policy to Practice

e2open

Tariff lines move. Sanctions lists expand. A regulation you complied with last quarter now reads differently, and you have to explain what it means for Monday's shipments. Global Trade Lens From Policy to Practice is a monthly podcast that bridges the gap between regulatory changes and practical action. Host Andy Simmons, Senior Director of Solutions Consulting at e2open, spends 20 to 30 minutes with trade compliance leaders, customs practitioners, and regulatory specialists who run these programs and make tough calls. Each episode breaks down recent changes in global trade, explains technical details in straightforward terms, and offers guidance that will remain useful months later. Guests share how they build programs that stand up under pressure, where things did not go as planned, and how they make decisions even when the rules are shifting. We focus on the practitioner's perspective. Instead of summarizing headlines, we translate policy into the real operational choices that trade and supply chain teams face every day, from classification and restricted party screening to duty exposure and free trade agreement qualification. Whether you lead trade compliance, manage customs operations, or oversee supply chain risk, Global Trade Lens helps you stay ahead of what is coming next. Follow the show wherever you listen, and visit e2open.com for tools, guides, and trade intelligence.

Episodes

  1. Nov 1 ·  Video

    Trade Compliance at the Speed of Change

    Last year alone, Bernie Hart says, brought 53 executive orders, and changes that once allowed a 60-day response window now have to be implemented in under 24 hours. At the same time, customs authorities and trading partners want far more than classification, value, and country of origin, from the cost of bills of material to proof that traces goods back through the supply chain under rules like UFLPA. Host Andy Simmons is joined by Bernie Hart, Vice President of Business Development for Customs and Trade Management at Flexport, to explain how the most successful importers and exporters keep up. With more than 40 years in international trade, including time as an importer and exporter of record, Bernie describes managing three supply chains at once: physical, compliance, and financial. They discuss why CFOs now join trade conversations, what the Section 232 metals duties revealed about readiness, and the trade-offs between self-filing and using a customs broker. On AI, Bernie makes the case for a human in the loop. Agents can speed up decision trees and documentation, but the importer of record is still expected to know, or should have known, what happens in its supply chain. The starting point is not glamorous: one central product library, maintained country by country. His magic wand wishes are education for the C-suite on what compliance teams handle every day, and more willingness across the industry to share data.

    Trade Compliance at the Speed of Change

  2. Oct 1 ·  Video

    US-China Trade Tensions and the Rise of Trade Compliance in Asia

    For years, many Asia Pacific companies treated trade compliance as optional. US-China trade tensions, stricter sanctions enforcement, and ownership-based export controls have changed that. Host Andy Simmons is joined by Raymond Yip, Director of Solutions Consulting for Global Trade Management in Asia Pacific at e2open, to explain why manufacturers in China, Japan and Singapore are now investing in global trade management software. Raymond shares the case of a Chinese company challenged by US Customs over a sanctioned address it missed during restricted party screening. He explains why ownership rules like the BIS 50% rule make manual screening unworkable. They also cover how AI is changing HS code and ECCN classification for electronics manufacturers, how AI agents can answer tariff questions in plain English, and why automating compliance lets trade teams focus on exceptions and higher-value work.

    US-China Trade Tensions and the Rise of Trade Compliance in Asia

  3. Sep 1

    EUDR, Forced Labor, and the Shift from Declaring to Proving

    The EUDR takes effect at the end of 2026, with the EU forced labor regulation following a year later. These measures push beyond declaring goods and providing the right information, toward tracing and proving your whole supply chain. In this episode, Andy Simmons speaks with Alex Lowery, Senior Solutions Consultant for Global Trade Management in Europe at e2open. They explore how years of constant disruption have changed how European trade teams work, why tariff volatility has companies rethinking sourcing and free trade agreements, and where AI genuinely helps versus where a human still needs to own the call. For all the interest in AI, Alex's own wish for clients on their digital transformation journey is far less glamorous, and he knows it. Clean, accurate master data is where it starts. Without it, even the best trade system in the world can end up in a troubling spot

    EUDR, Forced Labor, and the Shift from Declaring to Proving

  4. Sep 1

    What's Going On in North American Trade?

    Global trade teams are being asked to keep up with faster tariff changes, more complex compliance requirements, and growing pressure to protect margins. In this episode, Andy Simmons sits down with Stefan Melone, Senior Solutions Consultant at e2open, to talk through what companies doing business in North America are facing right now—from forced labor regulations and free trade agreements to landed-cost analysis and the practical role of AI. Stefan shares why the right content, technology, and phased approach to digital transformation can help teams move from reacting to change to building more resilient trade operations. Get the Navigating U.S. Import Tariff Landscape Guide to explore the strategies compliance professionals are using to manage rising duties, shifting regulations, and margin pressure.

    What's Going On in North American Trade?

  5. Sep 1

    The Evolution of Global Trade Management

    In our debut episode, Anthony Hardenburgh, Product Portfolio Leader of Global Trade Management, and host Andy Simmons, Sr. Director of Solutions Consulting at e2open, explore how Global Trade Management (GTM) is rapidly evolving into a strategic priority for businesses facing complex global challenges. With geopolitical tensions, changing trade policies, and ongoing supply chain disruptions, organizations must rethink trade, compliance, and risk management.    Anthony shares how GTM has shifted from a back-office task to a key driver of business agility and resilience. They discuss the impact of geopolitical events, the need to modernize trade compliance and automation, and the growing role of AI in global trade operations. The episode reveals what these shifts mean for supply chain leaders and how companies can adapt to stay competitive.

    The Evolution of Global Trade Management
  • 5 Episodes

About

Tariff lines move. Sanctions lists expand. A regulation you complied with last quarter now reads differently, and you have to explain what it means for Monday's shipments. Global Trade Lens From Policy to Practice is a monthly podcast that bridges the gap between regulatory changes and practical action. Host Andy Simmons, Senior Director of Solutions Consulting at e2open, spends 20 to 30 minutes with trade compliance leaders, customs practitioners, and regulatory specialists who run these programs and make tough calls. Each episode breaks down recent changes in global trade, explains technical details in straightforward terms, and offers guidance that will remain useful months later. Guests share how they build programs that stand up under pressure, where things did not go as planned, and how they make decisions even when the rules are shifting. We focus on the practitioner's perspective. Instead of summarizing headlines, we translate policy into the real operational choices that trade and supply chain teams face every day, from classification and restricted party screening to duty exposure and free trade agreement qualification. Whether you lead trade compliance, manage customs operations, or oversee supply chain risk, Global Trade Lens helps you stay ahead of what is coming next. Follow the show wherever you listen, and visit e2open.com for tools, guides, and trade intelligence.

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