In this episode of the Talent Lab Podcast, host Andrew MacAskill interviews Bart Derde, CEO and founder of KCD Ventures. 

Bart shares his journey from Unilever to starting his own venture and discusses the benefits of combining FMCG agility with pharmaceutical compliance. He covers strategies for balancing operational agility with regulatory standards, his focus on investing, consulting, and educating future executives, and the importance of creating positive cultures. Bart also outlines his vision for training the next generation of supply chain leaders and the increasing role of supply chain executives in businesses.

Key Points & Insights:

• Bart Derde's career journey from Unilever to founding KCD Ventures. Discover how his extensive experience in the corporate world shaped his entrepreneurial venture.
• The benefits of crossover between FMCG and pharmaceuticals. Learn how combining agility and compliance from different industries can create business magic.
• Importance of combining operational agility with regulatory compliance in supply chains. Bart shares his insights on achieving a balance that drives innovation and safety.
• Bart's new venture, KCD Ventures, focuses on investing, consulting, and educating future C-suite executives. Find out how Bert is helping small businesses grow and mentoring the next generation of leaders.
• Insights on leadership, including creating a good culture and leading cross-functionally. Bart discusses the key elements of effective leadership and how to inspire your team.
• The role of regulated environments in maintaining safety and quality. Understand the hidden benefits of strict regulations in ensuring operational excellence.
• The impact of small businesses and the entrepreneurial spirit on corporate simplicity. Hear how lessons from startups can streamline operations in larger corporations.
• Developing a programme for the next generation of supply chain leaders. Bart outlines his vision for training future leaders in supply chain management.
• The increasing presence of supply chain leaders at the executive level. Explore the evolving role of supply chain leaders in driving business success.

Snippets:

• "Inspiring a large group of people is much more important than managing". (Bart Derde, 2024)
• "Understanding the end to end and the impact it can have on a consumer and custo me r is where that co-connectivity really needs to be strong". (Bart Derde, 2024)
• "The sustainability challenge has to be resolved externally, not just internally within your own business". (Bart Derde, 2024)

Remember to tune into our next episode for more inspiring insights.

Have questions or feedback about the podcast or want to feature as a guest? Email us at [email protected]