2 Babes Talk Supply Chain

Duncan Angove of Blue Yonder talks about supply chain in 2026 and beyond; AI; & how businesses can get out of testing mode and lean into scalable innovation.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [03.52] An introduction to Duncan, his background and career journey, and what has always interested him about technology. "I'm lucky to have lived through multiple computing transitions, and I always loved the idea that you could leverage technology and code to solve problems." [07.55] The biggest challenges and opportunities for 2026, and why businesses need to step back and look at the bigger picture. "Disruption and complexity is business as usual in supply chain… So we don't get hung up on how you're going to solve for tariffs. You need to have a systemic approach to being more agile, resilient and efficient all the time." [12.54] From the importance of change management to putting a focus on building trust, how organizations are adjusting to a new reality of near-constant disruption and emerging technologies.

Tariq Choudry of Amazon Web Services talks about why AI pilots still fail, cyber risk, decisions over dashboards, & why AI will replace heroics, not humans.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.13] An introduction to Tariq, his background, and role at AWS. "I spend my time thinking about how we move from software that explains problems to software that actually solves them at scale." [06.18] Why AI will replace heroics, not humans. "Supply chains are held together by caffeine, guilt, that one person that hasn't had a vacation since 2019. There are a lot of late nights and Slack war rooms, and there are groups of people that have the entire network in their hands. That's extremely fragile – and not scalable." [10.10] Why so many AI pilots still fail, what's going wrong with both technology and people, and the big problem with incentive and blame culture. "Pilots don't fail because the underlying model is bad. They fail because the organizations are very good at protecting how decisions are currently ma

Ruth Rojas talks about her career journey; bridging the gap between frontline teams and supply chain tech; mentorship; & what drives her in her life & career.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [02.57] An introduction to Ruth and her company Tecsys. [04.04] Ruth's early interest in engineering and how she chose her major. [05.42] Why Ruth moved from Texas to New York, and her first industry job as a logistics coordinator. "It taught me how to interact with different cultures… It was a very enriching experience and I'm so happy I found it at that moment, because I wasn't planning it." [08.18] Ruth's experience at Canon, and how it allowed her to travel, learn and grow. "I was offered my dream job. It involved diverse cultures and travel… It was a turning point for me." [11.28] Ruth's current role as a Platinum Application Specialist at Tecsys. "I get to talk to different people, from a CEO to a warehouse worker picking an order." [13.32] An overview of the warehousing and distribution landscape righ

Beth Hendriks talks about Infios: what they do; intelligent supply chain execution; moving AI from hype to outcomes; & what 2026 will bring for the industry.     IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.33] An overview of Beth's 30-plus year career and how she learned to balance it with motherhood. "I'm a mother of six, and that gave me a lot of skills to be effective in my everyday job… To balance challenges, to learn to prioritize, and how to have peace in the midst of chaos." [06.07] An overview of Infios and what they do, and what their recent mergers and acquisitions mean for their customers. "Being data-driven is crucial because, as we get into things like AI, it's only as good as the data that feeds it." "For our customers, the acquisitions translate into broader functionality with less integration complexity, so they benefit from a more connected platform that allows them to align inventory, fulfilment and transportation decisions." [08.57] The ideal customer for Infios. [11.06] From poor visibility

Kris Orlowski of Amazon Web Services talks about their recent survey and what it reveals about data, trust, decision-making and AI readiness in supply chain.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.12] An introduction to Kris, his background, and his role at Amazon Web Services. "A good part of my role right now, as we're continuing to innovate, is understanding what supply chain practitioners actually want and need." [05.17] An overview of AWS – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. [06.20] An overview of Amazon Web Services' recent industry survey, who they spoke to, and what they were trying to understand. "We were really trying to understand the gap between aspiration and reality – because there's a lot of hype!" [08.12] The challenges businesses are currently facing when it comes to data and decision-making. "85% of supply chain teams take two or more weeks to resolve urgent issues… And it's partly because of the 'data gathering tax.'" [14.14] From engaging in less strategic wo

Saurabh Gupta of GreyOrange talks about how AI is transforming the modern warehouse, the role of partners, & why automation without orchestration underdelivers.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [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.

Lucien Besse of Shippeo talks about navigating supply chain chaos; data quality & continuous improvement; AI; and the keys to visibility project success.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [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 reliab

Andrea Morgan-Vandome of Blue Yonder explores what true end-to-end supply chain transformation looks like amidst unprecedented complexity and disruption.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.47] An introduction to Andrea and her role, and how Blue Yonder helps their customers. "We bring the physical and digital worlds together, and that's key in supply chain." [06.05] Why end-to-end planning will be crucial in navigating supply chain complexity and disruption in 2026. "When people look to drive transformation, they can sometimes get mired down in the complexity. So how do you drive clarity in outcomes?" [08.19] What true end-to-end supply chain transformation looks like today, and why how we think about transformation has changed. "It's become a lot more practical… and it's the breaking of siloes that allows you to bring it all together." [13.48] Why companies need to see supply chain as a new business enabler, not a cost center; how agile supply chains help facilitate new business initiatives, deliver se

Chris Hamley & Andy Smith of Brecham Group talk about what they do; what makes them different, Precision Supply Chain Operations; & helping you suck less.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [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

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

Megan Rudolph talks about her career journey; developing a team through hypergrowth; the challenges & opportunities for parcel in 2026; & finding inspiration.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [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 tha

Jennie Malafarina talks about her career journey; collaboration & community; building businesses; & turning marketing from a cost center into a revenue driver.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [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 su

Kendra Tanner talks about her career journey; what she's learned about leadership, making an impact on boards and conference stages; & inspiring women.     IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [02.35] An introduction to Kendra and her company, Allstates WorldCargo. [03.40] Kendra's education and how her marriage to her high school sweetheart impacted her career path. "I wanted to get my business finance degree, but I was adamant that I was not taking one more accounting class – so I switched to marketing!" [05.47] How a family connection led Kendra to Consolidated Freightways, and why she stayed for 12 years. "Nobody wakes up and says 'I want to be in logistics.' I wanted to be a dentist!" [09.10] Kendra's experience as a woman, building a career in logistics, in the 90's. "I found the men to be mostly supportive. Consolidated Freightways were great at allowing women to have the same opportunities, but there were less of us – a lot of women didn't show interest in our industry back then. And nor wou

Nermine Saad talks about her career journey; fostering a culture of learning; moving from Egypt to Canada; mentorship; & the future of digital transformation.     [03.48] What sparked Nermine's interest in logistics, and how it led her to seek out a career that connected strategy, people, and operations. "I realized there's an entire industry behind the movement of goods, and it involves shipping lines, airlines, ports, and so much more. The more I read, the more I was fascinated." [05.46] The early years of Nermine's career in Egypt and the big lessons she learned, from building credibility to the importance of resilience and consistency. "It was a rough experience... I was the only woman, and it added a lot of pressure." [08.53] Nermine's experience of moving from Egypt to Canada, and rebuilding her life, career and network. "Moving to Canada gave me whole new perspective on diversity." [12.49] The differences between building a career in Egypt and Canada, and why stepping out of your comfort zone

Rob Finch talks about Rapid Link Repairs, boosting customer satisfaction with response times; a fresh approach to cost; safety; & reducing downtime for drivers.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [02.11] An introduction to Rob, his background, and his role at DCLI and RapidLink Repairs. "Most of my career has been figuring out how to bring commercial and operations together." [03.09] An overview of RapidLink Repairs – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. "It's about three things: we want to improve productivity, be cost-effective, and drive high levels of customer satisfaction." [04.18] The biggest challenge for businesses right now. "Reducing cost profile is top of mind – the market has been less than ideal..!" [04.55] RapidLink Repair's origin story. "You want to have a solution that people are actually asking for." [07.00] RapidLink Repairs 'anytime, anywhere' service, and the most common repairs they solve for. [09.26] The ideal client for RapidLink Repairs, and why busi

Steven Delperdang of Google Cloud talks about trust; evolution of visibility; & and the big opportunities for logistics providers taking an AI-first approach. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.08] After years spent at Caterpillar and Penske, how Steven is now using the 'One Google' approach to run Google's own internal supply chain and solve the legacy pain points he faced in his past roles, and exactly what's so transformative about this approach. "In my previous roles, many of the frustrations stemmed from fragmented systems and data siloes. You have a warehouse management system here, a transportation management system there, various auxiliary 1P and 3P systems – and often a lot of manual effort to stitch it all together." "Siloes are a major barrier, and consolidating data is critical. Logistics is simply a chain of interconnected events… so without that centralized view, you're only seeing a piece of the puzzle." "It's this centralized access that means we can perform more sophisticated analysis and

Zera Zheng talks about her career journey; being open to opportunity; the importance of understanding risk; & what she learned, moving from China to Europe.     IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [03.36] How Zera began her career, going from University to a graduate program at Kuehne and Nagel, and how it allowed her to learn all about logistics. [07.20] Why it's important to try different things during your career, why Zera felt like she was getting a new challenge every day at Kuehne and Nagel, and the importance of expanding your comfort zone if you want to strengthen your capability. "Don't jump into decisions... Look around and see what could keep you interested... Success starts with passion." [10.42] How Zera came to specialize in Health, Safety, Security, and Environment. "As a graduate, you don't really know what each department is doing, you have to be open to the opportunity… That knowledge and experience, the things I did in the past, have shaped who I am now." [12.45] Zera's move to A.P. Moller–

Allen Thomas of Lynxis talks about two new products; demystifying AI; the biggest challenge & opportunity in intermodal; & why terminals need to work better.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [02.12] An introduction to Allen and Lynxis. "We have the tech, services and infrastructure to make terminals work better." [02.48] Why we need terminals to work better. [03.16] Why Union Pacific's proposed merger with Norfolk Southern is top of mind for the intermodal industry right now. [04.43] Why investment is a key area of opportunity for intermodal organizations, and how Lynxis is helping customers deliver on their returns. "People are looking to clarify how they're going to invest, and what that return is going to be. We're talking to our customers about their hopes and dreams for 2026… and we strive to help them execute and meet those commitments." [06.41] Allen's take on AI and where the industry is now, and why Lynxis is focused on machine learning and using AI to help streamline and reduce time to val

Freek Aertsen & Bart Paridaen of EyeOn talk about digital transformation: value discovery, creation & realization; the big challenges; & key success factors.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.17] An introduction to Freek and Bart, their backgrounds, and roles at EyeOn. "I have a background in economics, took a wrong turn somewhere - and ended up in supply chain!" Freek [07.13] An overview of EyeOn – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. "Response is all about planning." "We connect data, systems, data science and AI with people and processes." [10.58] The ideal client for EyeOn, and the common challenges and questions businesses come to them with. [12.29] An overview of EyeOn's recent report on digital transformation in the industry, who they spoke to, and why now was the right time to conduct this research. "We live in a very volatile business landscape, and there are changes coming to our customers on a constant basis. And, at the same time, there's a new generati

Andrea Morgan talks about her career journey; the similarities between supply chain & astrophysics, innovation, and why women need to bloom where they land.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.37] Andrea's degree in astrophysics, and why curiosity was her biggest driver. "I had a deep interest in the origins of the universe… It gave me the training to ask the right questions." [5.14] How a post-graduate placement at IBM exposed Andrea to a range of business areas, and ignited a passion for supply chain. "I learned that I didn't want to be a researcher, I liked being with people… Quickly I started to specialize in supply chain, I was drawn by the nature of the problems we were trying to solve." [07.20] From the emergence of the cloud to transformation at scale, Andrea's experience at Oracle during pivotal years in the adoption and expansion of new technology. [10.09] Andrea's role in digital transformation at Nike and what we can learn, from the alignment of business strategy and vision to the importan