In this episode of Tech Legacies Podcast, Ashish Barve, Tech Executive at a variety of Fortune 500 companies including, McKesson, Ecolab, Honeywell and P&G, shares hard-won insights on the intersection of technology, business value, and leadership. From demand forecasting to AI expectations, Ashish pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to drive digital transformation across global organizations.

You’ll hear about:

-The real-world impact of improving forecasting by just 5%

-Why supply chain success is about people, not just products

-How AI can both empower and frustrate if expectations aren't aligned

-The importance of being “bilingual” in both business and technology

-What it means to build your personal brand as a tech leader

-Mentorship, peer support, and building trust across every level

If you're a tech leader navigating complexity, or building a team that does, this conversation is packed with lessons you don’t want to miss.

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Connect with Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/

Connect with Ashish Barve on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishbarve/

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Timestamps:

00:00 – From the Shop Floor to CIO: Ashish Barve’s Global Tech Journey

01:03 – Starting on the Manufacturing Shop Floor and Entering IT

02:26 – Building Analytics Organizations at Honeywell and Ecolab

03:29 – Leading Digital Supply Chain at a Fortune 10 Company (McKesson)

04:42 – Why CIOs Must Be “Bilingual” in Business and Technology

05:55 – IT as a Value Driver: Revenue, Cost, and Capital Efficiency

06:10 – Why IT Has Become a Strategic Business Partner

07:12 – Common Business Challenges Across Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain

08:11 – The #1 Supply Chain Problem: Demand Forecasting and Demand Variability

09:30 – Why Productivity Gains Matter Most on the Shop Floor

10:05 – From Dashboards to Insights: The Evolution of Analytics Teams

11:16 – How Data-Driven Decisions Prevent Lost Sales

12:34 – Why Empty Shelves Destroy Customer Trust

13:38 – AI in Supply Chain: Where It Actually Creates Value

14:06 – Improving Forecast Accuracy by 5–10% with AI

15:29 – Automation, AR/VR, and Reducing Human Error on the Shop Floor

17:13 – Robotics and the Future of Distribution Centers

17:41 – AI Hype vs Reality: Managing Expectations

18:23 – When Will AI Truly Run Supply Chains?

19:43 – Why AI Is About Augmentation, Not Replacement

22:58 – New Human Roles in an AI-Driven Supply Chain

24:44 – Why Humans Still Correct AI Forecasts

26:28 – How CIOs Build Business Cases for AI and ERP Investments

27:14 – The 3 Pillars of Every Successful Business Case

28:59 – Why Tech Fails When It’s Chasing Shiny Objects

30:21 – Enterprise vs Mid-Market: Different Investment Strategies

31:47 – When Technology Becomes a Cost Center

32:23 – What CIOs Look for in Consulting and Technology Partners

33:14 – Time, Money, and Proven Delivery: Vendor Differentiation

35:01 – Why Culture and Ways of Working Matter in Partnerships

38:34 – Childhood Curiosity and the Mindset of a Problem Solver

39:49 – Why Obsession with the Problem Matters More Than the Tool

42:46 – The PIE Career Framework: Performance, Image, Exposure

44:09 – Why Performance Alone Is Not Enough

46:40 – How Technologists Build Brand, Trust, and Visibility

48:25 – Why Cross-Functional Experience Is Critical for the C-Suite

50:10 – Becoming the ‘Orchestrator’ at the Executive Level

52:34 – Mentorship vs Sponsorship: What Accelerates Careers

55:53 – AI, Creativity, and the Future Workforce

57:05 – Why Creativity and Critical Thinking Still Matter

01:02:29 – What Success Really Means: Professional, Personal, and Family

01:07:26 – Defining a Tech Legacy: People Results Over Technology