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
