“If China cuts us off from critical materials, European supply chains have a real problem.”

In this episode of Supply Chain Superintelligence, Marco Felsberger speaks with Nils Poel, Head of Public Affairs at Prewave, about how geopolitics is redefining regulation, trade policy, and supply chain strategy in Europe and beyond.

From the “Donroe Doctrine” and spheres of influence to the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, Nils explains why regulation is expanding beyond questions about sustainability and compliance into economic security and strategic autonomy.

They explore how US industrial policy and trade pressure affect European supply chains and how public procurement is emerging as a powerful lever for resilience. The conversation also examines the limits of WTO rules, the role of defence spending, and why companies can no longer assume geopolitical alignment between major powers.

Most importantly, they discuss what this means for businesses: why supply chain visibility is now a strategic capability, how resilience and sustainability overlap, and why unpredictability in policymaking requires stronger internal governance and faster reaction structures.

Key insights

• Regulation is shifting from sustainability-driven to security-driven

• Supply chains are increasingly shaped by geopolitical power dynamics

• Economic security is redefining EU trade and industrial policy

• Public procurement and resilience criteria are becoming strategic tools

• Companies must strengthen supply chain visibility to manage structural uncertainty

About Nils Poel

Nils Poel is Head of Public Affairs at Prewave. He specialises in EU regulation, trade policy, sustainability legislation, and the geopolitical forces shaping global supply chains. With deep experience in European policymaking and industry representation, he provides strategic insight into how regulatory shifts translate into operational impact for companies.

About Marco Felsberger

Marco Felsberger, Senior Advisor for Supply Chain Resilience at Prewave, is a risk and resilience specialist with over 15 years of experience helping organisations strengthen business continuity, crisis response, and supply chain security. He brings a sharp, systems-focused approach to navigating geopolitical risk and building resilient supply chains.

Resources & Links

Visit Prewave: https://www.prewave.com/

Don’t Miss Out

Follow the Supply Chain Superintelligence podcast for more expert conversations on regulation, resilience, and the geopolitical forces reshaping global supply chains.

“The main risk right now for all economies is the level of uncertainty.”

In this episode of Supply Chain Superintelligence, Marco Felsberger speaks with Christiane von Berg, Head of Economic Research for Benelux and the DACH region at Coface, about how macroeconomic uncertainty translates into real supply chain and business risk.

From tariffs and trade disruptions to inflation, recession in manufacturing, and shifting geopolitical alliances, Christiane explains why uncertainty, not single shocks, has become the defining challenge for companies today. 

She shares how macroeconomic signals feed into country and sector risk assessments, why narratives can be more dangerous than data, and how organisations can avoid paralysis in an environment of constant change.

They discuss how tariffs actually impact exporters, importers, and consumers, why supply chain disruptions are no longer one-off events, and how leaders can make better decisions by cutting through noise and focusing on fundamentals.

Key insights

• Uncertainty itself is now the biggest macroeconomic risk for Europe and global supply chains

• Tariffs affect exporters, importers, and consumers differently depending on product substitutability

• Supply chain disruptions have become structurally frequent rather than exceptional

• Data-driven risk assessment helps leaders act decisively instead of freezing under uncertainty

About Christiane von Berg

Christiane von Berg is Head of Economic Research for Benelux and the DACH region at Coface. She specialises in macroeconomic analysis, country and sector risk assessment, and the transmission of economic shocks into corporate insolvency and credit risk. Her work supports both credit insurance underwriting and business decision-making.

About Marco Felsberger

Marco Felsberger, Senior Advisor for Supply Chain Resilience at Prewave, is a risk and resilience specialist with over 15 years of experience helping organisations strengthen business continuity, crisis response, and supply chain security. He brings a sharp, systems-focused approach to navigating uncertainty and building resilient supply chains.

Resources & Links

Visit Prewave: https://www.prewave.com/

Don’t Miss Out

Follow the Supply Chain Superintelligence podcast for more expert conversations on macroeconomic risk, supply chain disruption, and strategic decision-making.

“Why do supply chain disruptions keep catching companies off guard… even when the risks are known?”

Black swans, gray rhinos, goldfish memory – in this episode of Supply Chain Superintelligence, Marco Felsberger speaks with Knut Alicke, supply chain and operations expert, about why organisations repeatedly underestimate risk and forget hard-earned crisis lessons.

From COVID and Fukushima to chip shortages and geopolitical shocks, Knut explains how companies can better anticipate disruption, communicate risk to executives, and move from reactive firefighting to resilience by design.

They discuss why narratives matter more than dashboards, how gut feeling and data must work together, and why crises can become a powerful source of competitive advantage for prepared organisations.

Key insights

• Not all disruptions are black swans. Many are predictable and still ignored

• Why risk communication must focus revenue and customers to reach the board

• Inventory buys time, but resilience requires structural and design-level decisions

• Organisations with strong risk memory outperform competitors during crises

About Knut Alicke

Knut Alicke is a globally recognised supply chain and operations expert, advisor to McKinsey & Company, and co-author of Source to Sold. He advises organisations on building resilient, future-ready supply chains and regularly speaks on risk, disruption, and operational excellence.

About Marco Felsberger

Marco Felsberger, Senior Advisor for Supply Chain Resilience at Prewave, is a risk and resilience specialist with over 15 years of experience helping organisations strengthen business continuity, crisis response, and supply chain security. He brings a sharp, systems-focused approach to building practical, effective resilience strategies.

Resources & Links

Visit Prewave: https://www.prewave.com/

Don’t Miss Out

Follow the Supply Chain Superintelligence podcast for more expert conversations on supply chain risk, resilience, and strategic decision-making.

“Supply chain AI means creating value and efficiency. That translates to competitive advantage.”

AI accelerates decisions, but trust and guardrails determine what it can automate. With so much at stake for the automotive industry, what is the future of agentic AI in supply chains? 

Automotive supply chains are a major battleground for competitiveness — and the old efficiency-first playbook can’t keep up. Agentic AI, multi-tier orchestration, and real-time data are rewriting how global automotive supply chains are designed, managed, and defended.

In this insightful episode, Tobias Obladen, Program Director Automotive at Capgemini Invent, dives into how AI is transforming the automaking industry. He explains why traditional tools fall short, how AI agents unlock true end-to-end visibility, and what companies must do now to stay resilient in the next era of automotive supply chains.

Key Insights

• AI agents connect planning and execution, enabling faster, smarter decisions
• Automotive supply chains are too complex for traditional tools — AI delivers real visibility
• Trust and transparency matter: humans stay in the loop, but AI supercharges capabilities
  

About Tobias Obladen

Tobias Obladen is Program Director Automotive at Capgemini Invent and a leading expert in digital transformation across global automotive supply chains. With deep experience in AI, orchestration, and next-generation operations, he helps OEMs and suppliers build adaptive, intelligence-driven supply chains ready for the future.

About Marco Felsberger

Marco Felsberger, Senior Advisor for Supply Chain Resilience at Prewave, is a risk and resilience specialist with over 15 years of experience helping organisations strengthen business continuity, crisis response, and supply chain security. He brings a sharp, systems-focused approach to building practical, effective resilience strategies.

Resources & Links

Learn more about Capgemini Invent: ⁠https://www.capgemini.com/about-us/who-we-are/our-brands/capgemini-invent/⁠ 

Explore how Prewave supports automotive supply chains with AI-driven risk management:⁠ https://www.prewave.com/⁠

Visit Prewave:⁠ https://www.prewave.com/⁠

Don’t Miss Out

Follow the Supply Chain Superintelligence podcast for more expert conversations on supply chain risk, AI, sustainability, and the future of global supply chains.

“Forced labour is at our door. Look at the hospitality sector in Europe. Look at agriculture. There are people in slave-like conditions”

What do we do when the tech we use, the clothes we wear, and the cars we drive are made, in part, with coercion? 

In this powerful conversation, Markus Löning – leading legal expert on human rights and former politician – unpacks the realities of forced labour in today’s global value chains. He discusses why forced labour persists, how companies can identify risks, and what actionable steps organisations can take to protect both people and profits

Key insights:

• Forced labour is not a historic problem: it’s embedded across modern supply chains

• Companies need risk-based due diligence, not just box-ticking compliance

• Technology, transparency, and early detection are essential to preventing crises

About Markus Löning

Markus Löning is a renowned human rights advocate, former Member of the German Bundestag, and founder of Löning – Human Rights & Responsible Business. With decades of experience advising global companies, he brings sharp insights into how organisations can take meaningful action against forced labour.

About Marco Felsberger 

Marco Felsberger, Senior Advisor for Supply Chain Resilience at Prewave, is a risk and resilience specialist with over 15 years of experience helping organisations strengthen business continuity, crisis response, and supply chain security. He brings a sharp, systems-focused approach to building practical, effective resilience strategies.

Resources & Links

Learn more about Löning: https://loening.org/ 

Learn how Prewave is helping global companies identify forced labour in their supply chain: https://www.prewave.com/solutions/forced-labour 

Visit Prewave: https://www.prewave.com/ 

Don’t Miss Out

Follow the Supply Chain Superintelligence podcast for more expert conversations on supply chain risk, sustainability, and responsible business.