The Supply Chain Dialogues - Podcast
S03E01 - NetZero - Green Steel: Interview with Felix Schmitz, the CEO of Klöckner Metals in Germany
Summary
In this conversation, Daniel interviews Felix Schmitz, the CEO of Klöckner Metals in Germany, about green steel and the decarbonisation of the steel industry. They discuss the importance of steel in various industries, the environmental impact of steel production, and Klöckner Metals' strategic approach to sustainability. Felix shares his background, role at Klöckner Metals, and personal interests and affiliations. They also delve into the role of a steel and metal distributor, their value-added services, and the significance of technology in the steel industry. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the carbon footprint of steel, the journey towards green steel, and the potential for decarbonisation technologies to transform the industry. In this conversation, Felix Schmitz, CEO of Klöckner Metals in Germany, discusses the potential of green steel and the demand for decarbonised products. He emphasises the importance of educating customers about the benefits of green steel and dispels the misconception that it is more expensive. Schmitz highlights the need for steel purchasers to understand the business model and the potential cost savings of green steel. He also discusses the role of CEOs in driving decarbonisation and the importance of setting CO2 targets. The conversation concludes with a discussion on government subsidies for green steel and the need for common standards in the industry.
Enjoy!
S02E17 - Profit - Bridging the knowledge gap on Gaming or: Why gaming is the new and improved entertainment industry?
Final episode of Season 2!
We've been receiving good feedback from our listeners about our recent episode on excellent functional books as part of our focus on lifelong learning, and we're thrilled that so many of you enjoyed our recommendation of "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" by Gabriel Zevin. This book, named the number-one book of the year by Amazon and the New York Times, offers a unique perspective on the gaming industry that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for its magnitude.
Based on the overall interest, we decided to bring you an in-depth interview with an expert in gaming and computer science who has over 20 years of ‘industry’ experience. Our guest will give you a fresh perspective on the gaming industry as a Gen Z member, a gamer, and a soon-to-be Master of Computer Science.
Whether you would like to absorb some facts for the next dinner conversation or calibrate your opinions on this massive industry with what we offer, this episode is for you.
As we wrap up Season 2, we're excited to announce that our focus in Season 3 will be on supply chain re-design to reduce GHG emissions and address other sustainability topics.
But first, let's end Season 2 with a bang! Join us for this final episode and discover the exciting world of gaming and its industry.
Enjoy
S02E16 - People - Sharpen the Saw II or: Seven brilliant functional page-turners and one book on dysfunctional teams
Henry Ford once stated: "Anyone who ceases to learn becomes old, whether at twenty or eighty."
During his era, he played a role similar to what Steve Jobs did in recent decades. He had to continuously acquire new knowledge because nothing he embarked upon was predetermined - learning was the only constant he could rely on.
One can even trace this concept further back, as exemplified by Socrates: “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
Or, in the words of the brilliant B.B. King: "The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you."
In this segment, we have curated seven outstanding functional books encompassing IT, operations, quality, and procurement, alongside one book discussing dysfunctional teams.
Enjoy!
S02E15 - People - Sharpen the Saw or: Ten (minus one) perennial leadership books
In the world of books, movies, and plays, certain gems have the power to shift our perspectives and deeply resonate with us. As for books, over the years, I've come across a number of works that have stopped me in my tracks, causing me and countless others to re-evaluate our choices and actions. I've been an avid reader of business books, often devouring 2-3 per month during my global travels. I've made it a point to share the most impactful ones with my direct reports, hoping to encourage a different perspective. Let me share the books I felt most helpful as a global executive. In the first instalment of two, I talk through my leadership and cultural awareness favourites.
S02E14 - Planet - Ten Net-Zero Questions for Your Suppliers
Many people, believing in the success of scope 1 and 2 focus and the involvement of companies only by the power of legislation and regulation, will point out: Let our external partners do their homework as we do ours, and then, voila, we will get naturally to a net zero in scope 3.
If you belong to this group and still are interested in having your children live on a planet at least partially resembling the living conditions we have today, plus raising living conditions for our fellow brothers and sisters in Asia, India, and Africa (the other 50 plus % of the world population), this episode is for you. We put together a few questions you can pose to your largest suppliers to get a feel for where they are and whether you need to get involved with some tough love. Just test-run the questions. You will most likely have a rude awakening. Then we look at the alternative to get the job done: Trusting two major forces of the human condition: competition and greed.
Enjoy!
S02E13 - Profit - Supply Chains in M&As: the invisible gorilla
In drawing upon the iconic social science study conducted at Harvard, known as the Invisible Gorilla Experiment, we can relate it to the context of Mergers & Acquisitions and supply chains.
Just as participants in the experiment would throw high-speed balls at each other, members of the management board and their M&A team and banks engage in a fast-paced exchange of ideas and actions. Throughout this process, the supply chain, which we refer to as the metaphorical gorilla in our scenario, remains ever-present yet unnoticed and unheard in the background.
Failing to acknowledge or scrutinize the influence of this "ape" during the due diligence phase can only be viewed as a grave oversight, bordering on negligence. The supply chain can exert positive or negative implications on any manufacturing firm's overall success.
In this episode, Daniel and AImee show how to make the gorilla visible.
Enjoy!
S02E12 - Planet - Talking supply chain, technology, procurement relevance, sustainability incl. potable water with former Group CEO of CIPS - Meeting Malcolm Harrison
CPO, Nestle, Group CEO of CIPS and CEO of British Crown Commercial Services are just some of the positions my guest held over his career.
Malcolm Harrison is one of the most distinctive procurement and supply chain leaders in Europe.
He's probably one of the most well-known and well-connected people I know in our field. Having been in charge of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain, CIPS, gives him a much wider view of many different industries than the average CXO in the supply chain.
He has a passion for driving competence and knowledge into the supply chain profession. As well as helping companies to manage sustainability challenges besides cost quality and supply chain resilience, bringing his FMCG background to the table to solve the issues.
Enjoy!
S02E11 - Planet - Net-zero - here we come: The ’all-inclusive’ solution for GHG emission management: measuring, reporting, reducing
Do you have a good handle on your GHG emissions in your supply chain? Do you get all the data from your suppliers you need? Can you do Product Carbon footprint reporting? Do you know, where your low-hanging fruits are to reduce your carbon footprint in your supply chain?
If you are like many practitioners and leaders in the supply chain or operations areas, you struggle to get your suppliers to provide you meaningful GHG emission reporting and reduction plans for net zero. You will have an even tougher time using the data to draw actionable conclusions.
Thankfully in this episode, we have a dialogue with Prof Dr Christian Heinrich, co-founder of carbmee® and Professor of Digital Transformation to talk about ways to alleviate your struggle to become a GHG emission net zero, even in record time.
Enjoy!
S02E10 - People - The Perfect Storm: Skills, Competency, and Learning Management in the Age of AI & De-carbonization
Did you or your company change the skill and competency framework based on what we all have seen on the AI front?
If not, just wait until your customers bring products out in half of the normal cycle time of the industry or at 30% less cost.
ChatGPT is just the tip of a gigantic mushroom cloud of new applications, innovation, and job profiles that emerged in just the last 12 months.
And how about the engineering skill set you have defined in your R&D and manufacturing departments?
Have they been adapted based on the need for new solutions in material science, manufacturing techniques or transportation models due to the de-carbonization of your operations and that of your supply base?
How do you figure out which skill levels might already exist in your organization, that you so far have not clocked, in since the changes were coming from left field? And which skills you have to hire in - now?
Kais Louizi, co-founder and Managing Partner from edligo has some interesting insights for us in “The Supply Chain Dialogues”.
Enjoy.
S02E09 - Planet - Net zero by 2030? Moon shot or piece of moon cake?
Is net zero by 2030 a moon shot or a piece of moon cake?
Last week, I had the privilege of being invited to be part of the Procurement Asia Summit in Shanghai. About 300 top international firms, many with a strong Asian footprint spend three days comparing notes around sourcing.
I gave a keynote speech and was a juror on their prestigious China Procurement Success Award.
This is the updated version of that speech in our usual dialogue format.
Enjoy.
S02E08 - Profit - Giving visions an eye exam or the DIY of visioning
Peter Drucker, the famous management guru, once said: Culture eats strategy for breakfast.
Now, this episode is about devising a vision, that ensures that the following strategy sits at the table, and not on the menu.
In other words: We give vision an eye exam.
Enjoy.
S02E07 - Profit - Play a kind of TETRIS® with your business or: digitally defragment your value chain to push customer satisfaction, revenue, margins, and speed to new heights
What would happen if we could ’defragment’ our business similar to our computers? Playing a form of Tetris® with our business processes, so that they fit perfectly? Finding gaps, re-arranging processes, and getting our firm to run - as it was designed to run?
Enjoy!
Picture by Paulina Milde Jachowska, unsplash
S02E06 - Supply Chain - Unveiling untold truth in commercial interactions or: What your parents never told you…
In this episode of The Supply Chain Dialogues podcast, Daniel & Noah talk about a number of untold truths in commercial dealings from a procurement perspective. You have to decide yourself, what is applicable and what not.
Enjoy!
S02E05 - GHG - Game Theory or...what robbing a bank and getting to net zero have in common
There is a field in economics, that is a good bet to excel in if you like to earn a Nobel prize. Up to now, 15 scientists receive it in this field. We're talking about game theory. Game theory solutions can be applied to all walks of life including negotiations between states, companies, or how to solve nearly unsolvable dilemmas for mankind. Now, besides scientists, there are companies that play in this field. TWS Partners is the leading economics consulting firm with a strong focus in game theory since 2001.
Dr. Sebastian Moritz and Daniel talk about how to apply game theory when robbing a bank, or achieving net zero emissions for a company.
Enjoy
S02E04 - Tips - Surviving and thriving the first 90 days.
Do you remember what it was like when you started a new job? The mix of anticipation and anxiety, navigating unfamiliar territory, and wishing you had a guidebook to help you through those early days? I certainly do, especially when I began my career in operations and progressed to higher positions within the corporate ladder. Someone who could provide a blueprint for success would have been so precious and could have prevented me from getting a few bloody noses.
In this episode, we will address this not-so-unique situation and give a few tips to survive and thrive in the first 90 days.
S02E03 GHG - The last business card you ever need
We are lucky to get CEO & co-founder of contactify, Lars Sager, into our studio to talk about transforming a category with a most innovative concept to net zero, maybe even negative zero.
To ease into the overall topic of getting all categories to net zero before 2050, we start with something that most of us use(d), although 80-90% of the category ends in the trash bin one week after being used...business cards.
Ten billion business cards are printed in the USA alone...
Lars will talk us through how easy it is to be innovative (I'd say even cool), improve branding and marketing, achieve stickiness in CRM, and do it carbon-neutral...while even saving money.
Enjoy & why not make it a habit to source categories with a net zero footprint...by taking the first step with...the last business card you'll ever need.
Supply Chain - Diversity & Inclusion … or simply being human
Due to popular demand, we do a re-run of the show on Diversity & Inclusion or Simply being human. The last episode was about procurement and many listeners felt, we were focussing too much on the GHG side of ESG…so here it is.
Procurement: To be …or not to be. That is the question…
Do we need a procurement function? Are we not better off, doing the sourcing ourselves? These folks in procurement - what are they doing after breakfast anyway? This episode is to shed some light of what procurement can and can not do. Enjoy.
Season 2: Introduction
This is a quick introduction to Season 2 of The Supply Chain Dialogues. We made some updates to the show, and hope the changes will be in line with the feedback we got from our listeners.
Ep. 17: Functional Outsourcing or: Your back-end is other companies’ front-end
Consider this: What if your highly skilled workforce could devote their energy solely to their unique capabilities, driving customer satisfaction and enhancing your bottom line? Imagine a scenario where innovative processes, products, and service solutions take centre stage, while routine, tactical tasks are seamlessly handled by specialized entities.
Is now, with the rise of machine learning and RPA, finally the opportune moment for companies to shed back-end activities?
Enjoy!