The Future of Supply Chain cover art

The Future of Supply Chain

The Future of Supply Chain

By: SAP SE
Listen for free

The Future of Supply Chain podcast is a show hosted by Richard Howells, Sin To, and Nicole Smythe. The trio discusses hot topics, best practices, and the latest innovations to deliver a risk-resilient and sustainable supply chain. The show features interviews with experts from the world of supply chain, sustainability, and Industry 4.0, who will address the issues of today and tomorrow. This is an ideal podcast for supply chain, R&D, manufacturing, logistics, and operations executives to learn and share ideas and best practices with their peers.SAP SE
Episodes
  • Episode 160: Beyond Go Live: Driving continuous improvement in SAP SCM with LevereX

    Episode 160: Beyond Go Live: Driving continuous improvement in SAP SCM with LevereX
    May 20 2026
    SAP SCM value doesn’t end at go-live. Jacob Ladson and Dmitry Antonovich share how continuous improvement, clean core, KPI governance, and agentic AI help organizations keep supply chain solutions delivering value.Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠===== This week, LeverX’s Jacob Ladson and Dmitry Antonovich join us to discuss what happens after go-live in SAP supply chain implementations. They cover operational drift, user adoption, clean core strategy, KPI governance, continuous improvement, and how agentic AI may reshape warehouse operations. Join us as we discuss the future of the supply chain! ===== Guest 1: Jacob Ladson, EWM Practice Lead, LeverXJacob Ladson is the EWM Practice Lead at LeverX, based in Houston, Texas, where he helps organizations modernize and optimize warehouse operations using SAP Extended Warehouse Management. He brings extensive experience leading warehouse transformation initiatives across implementations, enhancements, and optimization programs for complex distribution and manufacturing environments.Jacob partners with operations and IT leaders to translate business objectives into practical SAP solutions that improve throughput, labor efficiency, inventory accuracy, and operational visibility. He is known for delivering scalable, sustainable warehouse solutions that drive measurable results beyond go-live.Guest 2: Dmitry Antanovich, Solutions Director, SAP Supply Chain Management, LeverXTechnology and business leader with a strong focus on growth, strategy, and execution in SAP-driven transformation initiatives. As a Solutions Director, I lead solution strategy and customer engagement across complex SAP programs, helping organizations translate business priorities into clear technology roadmaps. I work closely with executive stakeholders, SAP teams, and partners to guide modernization efforts, moving from legacy landscapes to scalable, cloud-enabled architectures built on SAP S/4HANA and SAP BTP.Host 1: Richard Howells⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.===== Show Links:LeverX: https://leverx.com/SAP EWM Value Realization Program: https://leverx.com/services/sap-ewm-value-realization-programWarehouse Efficiency Check Up: https://leverx.com/services/warehouse-assessment Blogs: SAP EWM Optimization After Go-Live: Unlocking Hidden Warehouse Performance: https://leverx.com/newsroom/sap-ewm-optimization-after-go-live Common Post Go-Live Traps in SAP EWM: How to Move From Stable to High-Performing Warehousing: https://leverx.com/newsroom/common-post-go-live-traps-in-sap-ewmSupply Chain Management:  ⁠SAP Supply Chain Management⁠ ⁠SAP Insights: Supply Chain⁠   Follow Us on Social Media : Jacob Ladson: LinkedInRichard Howells: LinkedIn, SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn   Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! ===== Chapters:00:00:00: Intro00:01:22: Guest’s Introductions00:02:55: Why value stalls after go-live00:05:15: Common causes of post-implementation failure00:06:03: Why trust and knowledge transfer matter00:07:48: Keeping the system flexible as the business changes00:09:01: Why clean core and technical debt matter 00:10:40: Using new SAP tools to stay agile00:12:10: Revisit unused capabilities after go-live00:15:26: KPI governance after implementation00:17:00: Breaking down silos across supply chain teams00:18:49: Continuous improvement examples after go-live00:22:30: How can LeverX help in logistics implementations 00:23:42: What is the Future of Supply Chain?00:25:53: Outro
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Episode 159: Will AI Replace or Redefine the Supply Chain Workforce with SAP’s David Vallejo

    Episode 159: Will AI Replace or Redefine the Supply Chain Workforce with SAP’s David Vallejo
    May 13 2026
    In this episode, SAP’s David Vallejo discusses whether AI will replace or redefine supply chain jobs, and explains how assistants, agents, trust, and reskilling will shape a more strategic future for the workforce.Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠===== SAP’s David Vallejo joins us to explore one of supply chain’s biggest questions: will AI replace jobs or redefine them? The conversation covers practical AI use cases, the role of assistants and agents, how to build trust, why reskilling matters, and which KPIs prove business value. ===== Guest: David Vallejo, Vice President, Head of SCM Innovations Product Marketing, SAPHis global organization leads strategy and growth initiatives for SAP’s SCM portfolio which encompasses solutions for product lifecycle management, manufacturing, planning, logistics, assets and service management as well as the Business Network. The suite of AI-first solutions enable customers to orchestrate their supply chain with confidence to become risk-resilient, adaptable, and sustainable in their supply chain operations.David joined SAP in 2014 and has held various leadership positions before attaining his current role. During David’s tenure he drove the successful launch of SAP’s Supply Chain Business Network focusing on direct materials collaboration across the extended supply chain and driving the customer co-innovation program as product owner for SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP).Host 1: Richard Howells⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP  Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.  She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.  ===== Show Links:Supply Chain Management:  SAP Supply Chain Management SAP Insights: Supply Chain   Follow Us on Social Media : David Vallejo: LinkedInRichard Howells: LinkedIn, Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn  SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn   Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! ===== Chapters: 00:00:00: Intro00:01:18: Guest introduction00:01:54: Will AI replace supply chain jobs?00:06:05: Where AI will have the first impact00:10:01: Building trust and adoption in teams00:13:58: Assistants, copilots, and job design00:19:02: Best early use cases for agents00:22:52: Reskilling supply chain organizations00:26:28: KPIs that prove AI value00:29:00 What's the future of the supply chain?00:31:10: Outro
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • Episode 158: Logistics in the 21st Century: The Journey to the Cloud

    Episode 158: Logistics in the 21st Century: The Journey to the Cloud
    May 6 2026

    Logistics used to be about keeping costs down; today, it’s about surviving the next disruption. We’re unpacking how to break free from aging legacy systems, when to play it safe versus leapfrog to the cloud, and what the future of logistics looks like.


    Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    =====

    SAP’s Till Dengel joins Richard Howells and Oyku Ilgar to discuss the shift from legacy logistics systems to cloud-based solutions. He outlines SAP’s logistics modernization paths, explains how companies can assess complexity and risk, and shares his view on the future of supply chain as cloud-first, AI-enabled, and network-driven.

    =====

    Guest: Till Dengel, VP Product Marketing Logistics, Assets and Service Management at SAP SE

    Till Dengel oversees global market research, thought leadership, commercial strategy, positioning, messaging, and communications for SAP's Digital Logistics and Asset/Service Management portfolio. As an accomplished speaker in this domain, he offers a comprehensive perspective on market dynamics and the latest industry trends.


    Host 1: Richard Howells


    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.


    Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP 


    Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability. 

    She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape. 


    =====

    Show Links:

    Curious about your migration options? Check this out: 3 Journeys That Redefine Your Logistics in a Disruptive World

    Supply Chain Management: 

    ⁠SAP Supply Chain Management⁠


    Follow Us on Social Media :

    Richard Howells: LinkedIn,

    SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn

    Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes!

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
No reviews yet