Saurabh Gupta of GreyOrange talks about how AI is transforming the modern warehouse, the role of partners, & why automation without orchestration underdelivers.

[04.33] Saurabh's career journey and what he learned from being involved in software development for iPods and the very first iPhone at Apple.

"The most powerful technology is one that works so seamlessly that it's invisible to the user."

[09.39] Why Saurabh pivoted from a career in consumer robotics to supply chain and warehouse robotics.

"In consumer robotics, we start with the technology first, then figure out what to do with it… And, beyond cleaning the house, not many robots are really changing your life in the home. In supply chain, the value is clear."

[11.10] Why GreyOrange shifted from robotics company to an orchestration platform, and the importance of focusing on decision-making systems, not product.

"Warehouses need a symphony – robots are the instruments, and orchestration is the conductor."

[16.40] Why automation without orchestration underdelivers.

[18.47] What AI orchestration actually means for complex, omnichannel warehouses, and the three-question framework to determine if software and systems are actually AI.

"AI is not perfect, it's never going to be perfect. But it is going to make our lives better. It's about getting that balance right."

[23.47] What hyperintelligence means in real operational terms.

[27.23] What the warehouse of the future is going to look like when it comes to robotics, and how AI orchestration is going to help enable it.

"It won't be a room full of robots. It will be a living ecosystem."

[31.11] The role of system integrators, robot partners, and technology providers in scaling outcomes, and why orchestration platforms need strong partners to deliver real-world results.

"We want to give system integrators the intelligence to more confidently predict performance. They should be able to do that before a single piece of hardware is put on the floor."

[34.25] How GreyOrange thinks about collaboration and shared accountability and outcomes with their partners.

[38.02] What warehouses will expect from AI orchestration platforms in the next few years that they don't expect today, and why they're going to get their 'ChatGPT moment.'

Head over to GreyOrange's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with GreyOrange and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or YouTube, or you can connect with Saurabh on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from GreyOrange, check out 495: Discover Hyper-Intelligent Orchestration, with GreyOrange.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Lucien Besse of Shippeo talks about navigating supply chain chaos; data quality & continuous improvement; AI; and the keys to visibility project success.

[03.38] An introduction to Lucien and the journey that led him to co-found Shippeo.

[07.07] The biggest sources of chaos for supply chain teams, and why they need flexibility and visibility.

"Supply chain managers need to make hundreds of decisions every day, every hour, every minute – they need to navigate uncertainty every single day, and that hasn't changed… What has really changed is the number of disruptions."

[09.28] Why supply chain professionals are 'the calm in the storm,' what even small problems amidst the backdrop of chaos mean for businesses, and how Shippeo help customers with both inbound and outbound challenges.

[15.00] The big issues that sit behind supply chain chaos, and why trust in data is crucial.

"Visibility is a commodity, everybody needs it. But accurate visibility is not a commodity. The reliability of the information you provide to the customer needs to be correct, and they need to have the ability to take action. Because the end goal is not just to look at an ETA on a platform, it's to take an action."

[18.02] The importance of data quality and why it's a continuous improvement project.

"When we talk to our customers, we tell the truth. There is work to be done, there's no magic wand. It's continuous improvement."

"Visibility is about technology, but also about process and people."

[23.47] The importance of honesty and setting clear expectations in communications with customers, and why three-way collaboration between vendors, carriers and customers is key.

[28.37] How data issues impact the success of AI, and how Shippeo is leveraging AI for customers.

"There are two main pillars when it comes to AI – data quality and automation of manual tasks, and making visibility actionable through workflows."

[33.31] What success looks like, how organizations can ensure their visibility projects are a success, and why change management relies on understanding people and their daily habits.

[40.13] The two core areas Shippeo will be focusing on in 2026.

Head over to Shippeo's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Shippeo and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Lucien on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Shippeo, check out:

• 494: The Digitization Dilemma: Overcoming Transformation Failures with Shippeo
• 443: Mastering Visibility: Insights from LogTech Live with Shippeo
• 486: Revealed – The Number One Way To Make Your Supply Chain Future-Proof
• 475: Leverage Real-Time Transportation Visibility, with Shippeo

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Chris Hamley & Andy Smith of Brecham Group talk about what they do; what makes them different, Precision Supply Chain Operations; & helping you suck less.

[03.58] Chris's background and the journey that led him to co-found Brecham Group.

"I started out loading trucks!... And it got to a point where I got frustrated trying to broker conversations. People didn't pay attention to details, I found myself translating – and that was the catalyst."

[06.04] Andy's 30+ year industry career, and his role at Brecham Group.

[08.26] An overview of Brecham Group – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.

[09.00] The ideal client for Brecham Group.

[10.46] What makes Brecham Group's consultants different to traditional strategic supply chain consultants, and how their unique thought process helps customers scale solutions up and down.

"We have real-world experience and take a practical approach to problems… We can always get to a consistent outcome, although every problem and solution looks very different."

[15.31] Brecham Group's 'Precision Supply Chain Operations,' what that means, and how it applies in the real world.

[19.56] Brecham's tagline "suck less," how it was developed, and what it means for customers.

"I'm watching people get pulled in a thousand different directions, get yelled at… That sucks. So let's make it suck less tomorrow. How do we do that?... Everyone wants to get better, but nobody knows how."

[24.07] How Brecham Group works with clients to determine their problem, identify the disconnect between best practice and reality, and widen everybody's view to help them tackle it with an aligned approach.

"We're often approached by senior leadership – "go solve this problem for me" – but they may or may not have a strong understanding of what's happening on the shop floor. So we'll listen, but then we'll go see."

[28.07] How Brecham Group use a unique value system to prioritize customer problems, and how they recently helped an organization reduce overall labor spend in their network by 9%.

[30.19] Brecham Group's special offer for LTSC listeners.

"So much of what we do is education, it's about teaching people how to think a little differently about their problem."

[31.43] The biggest trend exciting Brecham Group for 2026.

"The most interesting thing is how we use AI in our industry and in the tactical execution of work."

Head over to Brecham Group's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Brecham and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Chris or Andy on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Brecham Group, check out their brand new live show Performance Paradox, where operators and engineers talk about turning strategy into execution.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Scott Jennings of Anaplan talks about retail inventory optimization, planning challenges, AI & how Anaplan enables retailers to sell more and carry less.

[03.37] An introduction to Scott, his background, and experience in the industry.

"Siloes are present functionally across different pieces of the business, whether it's merchandise, supply chain or finance. But they're also persistent inside the systems that support those different groups – and that's where it gets tricky."

[05.53] An overview of Anaplan and what they do.

[06.53] How retail planning has historically worked, and the limitations of that approach.

"Retail suffers from siloed planning, disconnected processes and latent decision-making, which leads to buying the wrong inventory and having the wrong inventory at the wrong place at the wrong time, with little ability to adjust based on market feedback."

[09.58] Why retail planning is arguably more complex than CPG or consumer goods supply chain planning.

"Retail is detail."

[12.55] How challenges and limitations have impacted the industry, particularly in light of additional external factors like increasing customer demand.

"Getting ahead is important. But being able to react in an agile way, in season, is also extremely important. Retailers have fallen behind because that demand signal is all over the place."

[16.14] From data to specificity, the foundations needed for retailers considering AI solutions, and the problem of 'testing fatigue.'

"People are sick of testing and learning."

[22.25] How retail planning technology will continue to evolve over the next 12 to 24 months.

[24.28] Scott's advice for retailers looking to implement AI in their planning and ensure successful implementations.

"It starts with the ROI you're looking to drive… If you can't define the ROI: skip it."

[28.39] The biggest opportunities for retailers embracing evolving technology and a new approach to retail planning.

[30.08] How Anaplan Intelligence and its retail engine enables retailers to harness the power of AI to plan at a granular level not possible before, and the importance of hyper-localization.

[33.01] How Anaplan focuses on retail-specific best practices to achieve higher forecast accuracy and boost sell-through rates for their customers, ultimately helping them sell more and carry less.

[34.37] What Anaplan is focusing on for 2026.

Head over to Anaplan's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Anaplan and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or YouTube, or you can connect with Scott on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Anaplan, listen to Emily Nicholls talk about how integrated business planning helps automotive OEMs navigate EV growth on episode 499: Navigating the EV Revolution, with Anaplan.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Megan Rudolph talks about her career journey; developing a team through hypergrowth; the challenges & opportunities for parcel in 2026; & finding inspiration.

[02.15] An introduction to Megan and Saddle Creek Logistics Services.

[03.00] Megan's early career dream of sports journalism, how graduating during the recession led her to take a sales job at UPS, and what she found so fascinating about logistics.

"There was a great structure. I worked under multiple female leaders – some of the people that probably don't even know how much they mentored me still impact me today."

[05.31] How having the opportunity to wear many different hats helped Megan find her niche, what she learned from her time working for both UPS and DHL, and the experience that led her to discover the power of authenticity.

[10.36] A day in Megan's life as the regional senior director of parcel operations at Saddle Creek Logistics Services.

"There was an opportunity for me to delegate more, and that was tough for me… But, as the team grew, bringing in people I could trust really got me away from 12 meetings a day, and I got a more balanced workload... My team manages up very well, and I'm thankful for that!"

[13.07] How Megan successfully grew her department through 'hypergrowth,' and her advice for other leaders looking to supercharge their own teams in 2026.

"One of the best things that served me was hiring a diverse group of people that balanced my skillset. I'm pretty risk averse, data-centric, I want to have all the questions solved before we even hit go. So I needed individuals that were great at solving while in action…. Don't hire people that think like you."

[16.00] Megan's perspective on the parcel industry, and the big challenges and opportunities she's thinking about for 2026.

"Cost continues to increase year over year, for us and our clients. So the only way to really drive savings is through optimization."

[19.26] What Megan loves about the industry.

[21.01] Megan's experience as a woman in the industry, how she learned to trust her instincts and speak up, and why she's so passionate about starting conversations and opening up perspectives.

[26.17] What being an industry trailblazer means to Megan, and how she's using it to empower others.

[28.05] Megan's biggest inspirations in her life and career.

[29.56] The future for Megan.

You can connect with Megan over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from more industry trailblazers, check out 503: Women In Supply Chain™, Andrea Morgan-VanDome, 484: Women In Supply Chain™, Saskia Van Gendt or 470: Women In Supply Chain™, Melodie Van Der Baan.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Jennie Malafarina talks about her career journey; collaboration & community; building businesses; & turning marketing from a cost center into a revenue driver.

[02.30] An introduction to Jennie and her businesses Virago Marketing and FR8MVMT.

[05.03] Why Jennie pursued a degree in communications, and how having three kids under five during her final year at university led her to a marketing career.

"Communication, psychology and marketing all tied together… it's a passion for understanding why people do what they do."

[07.55] Why Jennie moved from PR to digital marketing, her passion for tracking and measuring results, and what she loves about agency life.

[11.46] How Jennie came to understand the importance of logistics, and how it impacts the consumer.

"It's impactful – this industry makes the world go round. If we're not optimizing movement or getting just in time shipments, our shelves are empty and our costs are higher."

[12.40] What marketing looks like for supply chain right now, the importance of personal branding, and the biggest changes happening in supply chain marketing, from video to AI.

"People don't connect with brands – they connect with people."

[17.31] Why organizations need to start thinking about marketing as a revenue driver not a cost center, and why it's crucial to understand your goals and KPIs.

[19.40] Why it's so important to break down industry siloes to bring all areas of the community together, and how Jennie is keeping those conversations going through FR8MVMT.

[22.34] The new businesses Jennie has in development, and how she achieves her version of balance.

"I do the things that light me up!"

[26.49] How Jennie's experience as a veteran informs her leadership and gave her the confidence to succeed.

"I learned to earn my spot… So, going into my career, I never feared that I was a meek woman that can't talk – I own it."

[28.46] The increasing number of women in supply chain, and how we can bring more women into the industry.

[30.38] What winning an industry trailblazer award means to Jennie.

"It means that I'm doing something meaningful."

[31.09] The future for Jennie.

You can connect with Jennie over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from more women in marketing and communications, check out 425: Women In Supply Chain™, Josephine Coombe, 245: Women In Supply Chain™, Marina Mayer or 287: Women In Supply Chain™, Jolene Peixoto.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.