The Zero100 Podcast: Digitally Reinventing Supply Chain

This year has seen a slew of high-profile elections worldwide. And now, all eyes are on the US as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump vie for the presidency. On the podcast, the Zero100 team breaks down what a victory for either candidate could mean for supply chain, translating policy into priorities for global operations. Featuring: Chief Content Officer Matt Davis, Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer Kevin O’Marah, and VP Research Lauren Acoba.

• How a Trump or Harris presidency could influence global trade flows (especially with China) (3:21)       
• What a Harris win could mean for trade unions, wages, and the nature of work (7:27) 
• Green light, red tape, and supply chain’s sustainability goals (11:53) 
• Why the US election is a global concern – in supply chain and beyond (14:51)  
• Separating feasible campaign promises from political theater (16:40) 
• Key priorities for supply chain leaders in the lead-up to November 5 (21:04)

From autonomous agents to specialized robotics, AI is transforming supply chain. But next-gen tech requires a next-gen workforce to maximize its potential. In the latest episode of the podcast, the Zero100 team discuss the mechanics of building human-machine teams and a skills profile for the supply chain worker of tomorrow. Featuring: Chief Content Officer Matt Davis and VP Research Lauren Acoba.

• Reflecting on one year of ChatGPT Enterprise (1:51)
• AI’s swift transition from tool to teammate (3:35)
• The logic of divvying up tasks on hybrid human-machine teams (5:17)
• How AI is changing roles and helping employees at Unilever, BMW, and Walgreens (7:16)
• The risks of letting an AI agent do a supply chain novice’s work (9:19)
• Introducing Andi: the “new-collar” supply chain worker of the future (11:00)
• Supply chain’s most in-demand skills (11:54)
• How the APAC region and the West stack up on digital skill (14:47)
• The rise of the product manager and data manager in supply chain (15:43)
• How to integrate AI into your team and grow AI literacy (19:48)

Olympic medalists and supply chain leaders have something in common: an obsession with resilience. But is it time for us to rethink our approach? In the latest episode of the podcast, the Zero100 team discusses how resilience strategies – from dual sourcing supply to predictive analytics – can help companies turn threats into opportunities. Featuring: Chief Content Officer Matt Davis, VP Research Geraint John, and VP Research Lauren Acoba.

• What leaders get wrong when it comes to resilience (3:49)
• Why companies are diversifying their supply bases beyond China (8:53)
• The challenge of balancing short-term costs with potential long-term benefits (12:36)
• How “frugal resilience” can deliver value for cash-conscious companies (14:04)
• Who should really “own” resilience? (16:53)
• The most impressive AI uses cases in resilience strategy  (18:20)
• Why Walmart, Schneider Electric, and VF Corporation deserve gold medals in this arena (21:13)

New Zero100 research reveals that the APAC region is the sleeping giant of supply chain digitization. Now, it’s time for the West to wake up. In this episode, the team explores the growing divide between East and West when it comes to digital skills, tools, and processes, and provides guidance for leaders looking to level up their own global teams. Featuring: Zero100 VP, Research Geraint John, and Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer, Kevin O’Marah.

• The markers of APAC's digital supply chain dominance (1:59)
• Four reasons the East is leapfrogging the West on digital (4:06)
• How India became the rising star of the APAC region (7:52)
• Digital success stories from LG, Toyota, Flipkart, and Huawei (9:30)
• The secrets behind Temu’s low prices (15:27)
• Strategies for connecting global teams that span the East and West (17:14)
• Lessons from APAC supply chains to tap into now (20:24)

For those of us raised on Star Wars, our expectations of robots have often outstripped reality. But as genAI infiltrates factories and warehouses, operations leaders have been given new hope. In this episode, the Zero100 team unpacks supply chain’s robotics revolution and the tech, talent, and mindset needed to capitalize on this moment. Featuring: Zero100's VP, Research, Geraint John; Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer Kevin O’Marah; and VP, Research, Lauren Acoba. 

• Why are we talking about robotics in supply chain now? (1:53)
• The data implications when it comes to using AI in robotics. (3:14)
• GenAI: net job creator or job destroyer? (7:33)
• The new skills that factory and warehouse employees will need. (09:53)
• How the fast food, hi-tech, and pharma industries are experimenting with robotics. (13:30)
• The geographical impact of automation on nearshoring and reshoring. (15:15)
• How can CSCOs and COOs build the business case for investment in new-age robotics? (17:53)
• Our predictions on what the automation of operations looks like in 10-20 years. (21:07)

Looking to shift to an AI-powered supply chain? Easier said than done. Leaders everywhere are struggling to move AI past the pilot phase or are suffering embarrassing public blunders. In this conversation, the Zero100 team breaks down the challenges stalling supply chain’s AI revolution, and shares tips for success from the companies doing it right. Featuring: Chief Content Officer Matt Davis, VP Research Lauren Acoba, and VP Research Steve Hochman. 

• How operations leaders are doing when it comes to AI. (2:02)
• The leadership skills needed to bridge the AI say-do gap. (6:23)
• Supply chain’s data readiness conundrum. (7:40)
• How Amazon and Procter & Gamble develop successful AI solutions. (10:47)
• The recipe for workforce success in the age of AI. (13:58)
• How to win board buy-in. (16:14)
• The coolest AI use cases in operations today. (19:18)

Is SHEIN a supply chain role model or a cautionary tale? In the latest episode of the Zero100 Podcast, Chief Research Officer Kevin O’Marah, VP Research Geraint John, and VP Research Steve Hochman dissect the AI breakthroughs and red flags embedded in the fast-fashion brand’s operating model, offering both lessons and warnings for leaders across industries.

• SHEIN’s impact on the retail industry. (00:40)
• What supply chain leaders across industries can learn from SHEIN. (04:02)
• The secrets of SHEIN’s revolutionary operating model. (07:47)
• The red flags in SHEIN’s supply chain and the fast-fashion industry at large. (11:12)
• How APAC companies got the leg-up on supply chain resilience. (16:33)
• What the future holds for SHEIN. (19:06)

At Zero100 we’re obsessed not just with the technology to reinvent supply chains, but also the talent that will power the reinvention. So, we sat down with four leaders at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. to get into the nuts and bolts of their supply chain talent strategy and find out how they’re future-proofing their workforce.

In this episode, we speak to Magne Setnes, Chief Supply Chain Officer at HEINEKEN. He shares how HEINEKEN is deploying genAI at scale, the importance of diversity of thought alongside functional expertise within teams, and his belief in the fact that supply chain and IT are intertwined, depending on each other to meet the demands of customers today.

In this episode, we delve into the details of Cummins’ supply chain transformation journey.

Mario Guerendo, Executive Director – Head of Global Supply Chain IT at Cummins sits down with Zero100 to share his experience of digitally integrating a historically decentralized supply chain.

We hear about the processes powering this transformation, and the challenges and successes they’re facing on their journey. Mario also gives  his view on the emerging technology that could change supply chains in the years to come.