In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Thomas O’Connor discusses with Tamera Fenske, Kimberly-Clark’s chief supply chain officer, how the leading consumer goods manufacturer traverses the peaks and valleys of the ever-evolving consumer landscape. Fenske details how Kimberly-Clark adjusts to these challenges with agility and makes changes within the organization to adapt to shifting consumer expectations.

This episode explores:

• How consumers balance price-sensitivity with the desire for quality. (1:24)
• How Kimberly-Clark’s supply chain works with the R&D and commercial divisions on product construction, product design and various cost elements. (2:57)
• Responding to the global market with agility and speed. (6:51)
• Building strong relationships with C-suite stakeholders. (10:21)
• Factoring strategy with talent in meeting organizational goals. (15:03)

Tamera Fenske is a CPG supply chain leader who has worked in a variety of manufacturing and supply chain leadership roles and is known for unlocking best-in-class capabilities across a range of technologies, innovations and go-to-market models. As chief supply chain officer for Kimberly-Clark, Tamera has global responsibility for the enterprise supply chain’s end-to-end manufacturing and distribution footprint, as well as the functional support areas, including procurement, quality, sustainability, occupational health and safety, strategy and capital engineering. 

Prior to joining Kimberly-Clark in 2022, Tamera served as senior vice president of manufacturing and supply chain for 3M Company, where she led end-to-end supply chain in the U.S. and Canada across all of its business groups and markets. During her 22-year tenure with 3M, she held various senior roles leading manufacturing, supply chain and operations for many of the company’s global businesses, as well as plant management. She brings additional prior experience from Marathon Ashland Petroleum and Dow Chemical Company. 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Michigan Technological University and has been a frequent presenter at supply chain leadership and manufacturing conferences, sharing her perspective on factory-of-the-future strategies and their impact on the bottom line, advanced process control applications that reduce variability and adopting scalable automation solutions to drive an end-to-end supply chain.
 

Outside of work, Tamera enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking with her two dogs, traveling, scuba diving and enjoying the great outdoors.

This episode explores:

• Donato’s view on the core of what drives supply chain’s business value. (1:05)
• How Essity’s capabilities deliver on its business performance goals. (4:28)
• Supply chain talent’s role at Essity, and the value they deliver. (8:08)
• Essity’s support for employee health and well-being. (13:48)
• Practical advice for CSCOs driving impact in their own organizations. (20:05)

Host Thomas O’Connor and guest Donato Giorgio (president of global supply chain at Essity) discuss the fundamental elements of Essity’s definition of supply chain success. They explore Essity’s people-focused, safety-oriented approach to the organization’s manufacturing processes and environments, including how prioritizing safety feeds into the organization’s business goals. Thomas and Donato close the show with advice for CSCOs taking similar actions in their own organizations.

About the Guest

Donato Giorgio is an inspirational executive leader with over 25 years of experience in delivering global transformation and superior results across various supply chain ecosystems within FMCG and B2B sectors, including tissue, personal care, and beauty care. Throughout his career in Essity, and previously in Procter & Gamble, Donato has driven growth, productivity, efficiencies and cultural changes through strategic mindset, financial acumen, operational excellence and strong executional focus.
A recognized leader in diverse cultures, Donato is a passionate advocate for breakthrough innovations in sustainability, ESG, and circular economy projects. He has been the driving force behind disruptive innovations making the tissue industry more affordable for both people and the planet. Among his notable achievements, state-of-the-art transformations in health and safety performance stand out as a testament to his impactful contributions.

This episode explores:

• How Kenvue defines its supply chain’s value proposition. (1:04)
• Kenvue’s approach to resilience and digital transformation in the current, highly volatile business environment. (3:52)
• Real-world examples of Kenvue’s investments to overcome barriers to supply chain transformation. (10:08)
• Actionable recommendations for CSCOs leading digital and talent transformations today. (15:27)

Host Thomas O’Connor and Kenvue COO Meri Stevens explore Kenvue’s use of digital investments to consolidate and target specific failure points that Meri refers to as “flow blockers.” They explore how this objective-driven approach helps focus the organization on big-picture problems and keep pace with today’s rapid pace of change. The pair close the show with recommendations for how CSCOs can effect similar transformations in their own organizations.

About the Guest

As Chief Operations Officer for Kenvue, Meri drives end-to-end transformation, accelerating operational excellence, digitization and automation to fuel growth and unlock value. Her organization spans supply chain, procurement and quality, and is dedicated to ensuring Kenvue’s portfolio of brands are consistently available to customers and consumers worldwide.

Previously, Meri served as Johnson & Johnson Worldwide Vice President, Consumer Health Supply Chain & Deliver, and prior Johnson & Johnson Supply Chain Strategy & Deployment. In these roles, she was instrumental in reinventing the organization to achieve world-class performance, including rising to the top five of the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 pyramid, receiving recognition by the World Economic Forum, developing a breakthrough 3D-printing innovation in medical devices and assuring the flow of critical medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meri’s extensive experience spans more than 30 years with senior leadership roles at global corporations, including Chief Supply Chain Officer at Newell Rubbermaid and various operations and procurement leadership roles at Tyco, Bertelsmann, Knoll and General Electric.

This episode explores:

• Maria Pia De Caro’s approach to making her team “agility champions” that can rebuild and reimagine supply chain structures to support business goals. (1:32)
• Pernod Ricard’s three pillars of supply chain productivity in today’s evolving trade environment. (4:51)
• Balancing talent specialization and generalization across the supply chain. (11:14)
• Actionable advice for CSCOs navigating today’s VUCA business environment. (16:38)

Host Thomas O’Connor discusses Pernod Ricard’s approach to supply chain productivity and agility with Maria Pia De Caro, the organization’s EVP of integrated operations and sustainability and responsibility (S&R). They explore adjusting supply chain operations to deliver on business fundamentals like service, cost and cash, as well as how Pernod Ricard drives productivity in today’s VUCA environment. They close the show with recommendations for CSCOs around boardroom communications that make the business stronger, more agile and faster in an environment where speed is crucial.

Gartner clients interested in finding out more about this topic can access the following:

Survive and Grow in This Volatile Tariff-Driven Economy

CSCOs Can Improve Their Influence With C-Suite Stakeholders

About the Guest:

Maria Pia De Caro is a seasoned leader in integrated operations and S&R, boasting over 25 years of global experience in supply chain and operations. Throughout her distinguished career, she has spearheaded multifaceted teams focused on engineering, manufacturing, M&A and supply chain innovation across renowned FMCG enterprises. Maria Pia’s journey includes pivotal roles at Procter & Gamble, Mondelez, Unilever and Nomad Foods in diverse locations such as Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, China and the U.K., before bringing her expertise to Pernod Ricard Group in 2023.

This episode explores:

• An overview of the expectations gap between AI investments and the results chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) are seeing. (1:58)
• How CSCOs can set an effective, long-term vision for AI in their organizations. (3:22)
• Putting that vision into action to craft better AI investment strategies. (6:30)
• Implementing and scaling AI solutions across the supply chain. (10:34)
• Actionable advice for CSCOs implementing AI systems into their supply chains. (13:21)

In this episode, host Tess Frenzel speaks with Gartner Senior Principal of Research Benjamin Jury about his research into generative AI’s (GenAI’s) impacts on the supply chain. They explore three critical junctures that supply chains tend to stumble over in their current approach to AI, and what CSCOs can do to resolve issues surrounding each one. Tess and Ben close the show with additional AI-centric recommendations for CSCOs implementing the technology into their supply chains over the coming year.
 

Gartner clients interested in finding out more about this topic can access the following:

Supply Chain Executive Report: Closing the AI Expectations-Reality Gap

About the Guest

Benjamin Jury is a Gartner senior principal of research, leading research projects that address chief supply chain officers’ key priorities. In addition to his executive report focused on maximizing the impact of AI in the supply chain, he is currently leading a research study on cost management. Before this role, Ben’s research agenda centered on the mission-critical priorities of heads of R&D and their teams.

This episode explores:

• Expanding remits for supply chain leaders and the value they deliver. (1:17)
• How organizational structure underpins these new remits, and Ralph Lauren’s philosophy on this structure. (5:08)
• Talent opportunities borne from expanded remits for supply chain talent and leadership. (8:35)
• Technology’s role in expanding supply chain’s remit. (11:44)
• Actionable advice for supply chain leaders of tomorrow. (16:33)

Supply Chain Podcast host Thomas O’Connor discusses the evolving role supply chain leaders play in their businesses with Halide Alagöz, chief product and merchandising officer (including supply chain) for Ralph Lauren. They explore Halide’s unique career path and role at Ralph Lauren offer insight into changing expectations and growth opportunities for supply chain leaders, as well as how Ralph Lauren’s organizational approaches to talent and technology helped uncover them. Thomas and Halide close the show with recommendations for supply chain leaders of the future, and how they can use these lesions to evolve.

Gartner clients interested in finding out more about this topic can access the following: 

Supply Chain Executive Report: Radically Rethinking Reorganization
Executive FastStart™ for CSCOs: How to Build Relationships and Personal Brand

About the Guest

Halide Alagöz is the Chief Product and Merchandising Officer of Ralph Lauren Corporation. She is responsible for the end-to-end product life cycle as leader of the company’s Polo, RRL and Lauren brand teams and the Brand Image and Purple Label Merchandising teams. Halide additionally drives innovation and execution – from development through sourcing – of all products across the Ralph Lauren portfolio.

Prior to joining Ralph Lauren, Halide was with H&M Corporation for 18 years, most recently in Hong Kong as the Head of Purchasing. During her tenure with H&M, Halide was responsible for various regional and global supply chain operations in Hong Kong, China, Bangladesh, and in her native country, Turkey.

Halide also serves on the board of directors of the American Apparel & Footwear Association since April 2018 and was confirmed as its vice chair for its 2024-2025 term in March 2024. Halide earned both her bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and her master’s degree in engineering management from Istanbul Technical University.

This episode explores:

• Henkel’s multiyear journey to merge two of its distinct consumer business units. (1:15)
• An overview of the strategic drivers behind Henkel’s business transformation. (2:44)
• The critical role supply chain leadership plays in driving supply chain change management. (4:52)
• Concrete steps that Henkel took during its transformation journey, including real-world examples. (8:40)
• Recommendations for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) driving large-scale change management in their own organizations. (12:26)

Host Thomas O’Connor discusses Henkel Consumer Brands’ business transformation journey with Dr. Dirk Holbach, the organization’s CSCO. The pair explore the drivers that motivated the transformation, such as Henkel’s concept of “volume to value.” They provide insight into four broad steps that Henkel took as part of its transformation, and close the show with recommendations for CSCOs that find themselves driving similar transformations.

Gartner clients interested in finding out more about this topic can access the following: 

Reorganize by Integrating and Differentiating Supply Chain Activities

Supply Chain Executive Report: Radically Rethinking Reorganization

About the Guest

Dr. Dirk Holbach has been leading the end-to-end (E2E) supply chain and operations for Henkel's Consumer Brands division since 2022, with net sales around €10.5 billion. He collaborates with approximately 10,000 associates in 36 factories and 88 logistics centers around the world. As one global team, Henkel not only delivers daily on the classic triangle “cost,” “cash” and “service,” but also drives a holistic transformation journey along multiple dimensions creating significant business impact. Henkel’s aim is to continuously increase the value delivery, agility and resilience of its global supply chain with the ultimate goal to drive value growth and serve its consumers and customers at its best.

This goal is supported by three strategic priorities:

• People and culture: Henkel puts its people at the center of everything it does. The pandemic has clearly underlined the value of strong individuals collaborating in empowered teams, and Henkel enables strong value creation and business performance via its significant investment into team effectiveness and individual leadership capabilities.
• Digitalization: Continuously accelerating digital transformation at Henkel started in 2013, with migration toward a fully connected, real-time and integrated digital ecosystem and toward an autonomous, self-driving and touchless supply chain. This work is supported by highly qualified associates and Henkel is the proud owner of four World Economic Forum (WEF) Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Digital Lighthouses
• Sustainability: Part of Dr. Holbach’s personal agenda and part of the DNA at Henkel, the company drives sustainable progress leveraging digitalization (e.g., reducing its CO2 footprint by more than 70% since 2005), with 14 sites becoming fully climate-positive (electrical and thermal energy), making the company’s entire mature region footprint carbon-neutral.

When not at work, Dr. Holbach enjoys spending time with his family, or on a race or mountain bike. He has also been listed several times in the Top 28 Supply Chain Executives in Europe, being No. 1 in 2020.

This episode explores:

• An overview of this year’s Power of the Profession award categories and the connecting themes that its submissions shared. (1:43)
• Notable differences in the content of this year’s submissions. (4:09)
• Winners in each of the four categories. (5:15)
• Advice for innovating in organizations that are “just trying to keep the lights on.” (11:50)

Host Lindsay Azim and Gartner VP analyst Maria Nieradka discuss this year’s Power of the Profession Supply Chain Awards, including its winners, standout entrants and prevailing themes. They explore the supply chain industry’s greater focus on people-centric investments this year, smaller organizations driving innovation and how manufacturing prevailed across topics and categories. Lindsay and Maria close the show with recommendations for supply chain leaders using innovation as a means to meet enterprise goals.

About the Guest

Maria Nieradka is a vice president, analyst in Gartner’s supply chain practice, providing research insights, advice and thought leadership to life sciences clients. Her research coverage includes supply chain strategy, environmental, social and governance (ESG), risk management, mergers and acquisitions and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Based on previous experience as a chief supply chain officer, she provides expertise in end-to-end supply chain practices with deep knowledge in planning, procurement, manufacturing and distribution. Maria leads Gartner’s Power of the Profession program. She served on Gartner Supply Chain’s Executive Advisory Board through 2021.

This episode explores:

• Updates surrounding U.S. tariffs since February. (1:18)
• Four reasons the U.S. administration is leveraging tariffs and their implications for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs). (2:11)
• Key announcements that CSCOs should understand leading up to 1 April. (9:22)
• Other supply chain challenges on the horizon. (11:56)
• How supply chain organizations can best prepare for tariff volatility leading up to and after 1 April. (15:59)

In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Lindsay Azim discusses updates and new information around tariff implementation and supply chain uncertainty with Gartner Senior Director Analysts Brian Whitlock and Cori Masters. The three of them explore tariff volatility, what is to come for implementations and the changes to how supply chains can respond, as well as other items that will impact supply chain operations (like the SHIPS for America Act). Lindsay, Brian and Cori close the show with recommendations for how CSCOs can prepare their organization for potential disruption.

About the Guests

Brian Whitlock is a senior director research analyst in Gartner’s logistics and fulfillment team. He is responsible for advising logistics leaders and the C-suite in strategy design and execution, and for building capabilities that improve the performance of their logistics function. Brian is also the key initiative leader responsible for the research plan for logistics and fulfillment. Brian joined Gartner in 2020. He has over 30 years of experience leading global logistics, transportation and trade management organizations with expertise in strategy, operations, finance, procurement and supplier development and trade management.

Cori Masters is a senior director and high-tech analyst in Gartner's supply chain practice, providing research insights, advice and thought leadership to high-tech, electronics, telecom and public procurement clients. With over 25 years of experience, she provides expert coverage, including supply chain strategy, sustainability, risk management/resiliency and vendor management. Based on previous experience as a senior commodity manager across multiple markets, she provides expertise in end-to-end supply chain practices with deep knowledge in vendor management, end-to-end supply chain strategy, manufacturing technology development and ramp and manufacturing sustainability.

("For more on the new U.S. administration's federal policy changes, visit Gartner's Guide to New U.S. Federal Policies.")

This episode explores: 

• Lenovo’s strategic investments in future-proofing its supply chain operations. (1:26)
• How Lenovo delivers its supply chain strategy centered on “global reach with local excellence.” (2:47) 
• Challenges that Lenovo faces in executing its supply chain strategy. (6:46)
• The role of digital transformation and AI in future-proofing Lenovo’s supply chain. (13:09)
• Recommendations for CSCOs planning to future-proof their own supply chains. (15:19)

In this episode of the Supply Chain Podcast, host Thomas O’Connor discusses Lenovo’s attempts to future-proof its operations with Che Min (Jammi) Tu, senior vice president and group operations officer at Lenovo. The pair explore the benefits and challenges associated with Lenovo’s “global-local” approach to managing its supply chain’s global footprint: They dive into how this strategy enables Lenovo to future-proof its operations, as well as how the organization’s long-standing use of AI and other digital transformation tools contributes to this effort. Thomas and Jammi close the show with actionable advice for CSCOs embarking on similar efforts to future-proof their supply chains.

Che Min (Jammi) Tu is Senior Vice President and Group Operations Officer of Lenovo, which consists of teams spanning Global Supply Chain, Digital Transformation, Total Experience, Sales Operations, and Strategic Alliances. This diverse organization serves a global group of internal and external stakeholders with the mission of driving Lenovo’s operational excellence, the companywide digital transformation and harmonizing end-to-end business processes and tools across all Lenovo operations to deliver the best end-to-end customer experience. He is also a member of Lenovo’s Executive Committee. Jammi joined Lenovo in 2012 as chief financial officer for the EMEA region. Most recently, he led the finance team as the CFO for the Personal Computing & Smart Devices (PCSD) Group, e-commerce, and Global Accounts organizations and was the chief operating officer of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group (IDG), playing a crucial role in leading that organization to record performance.