Pencils and Pistons

In this episode of Pencils and Pistons, I sit down with Julie Wojtanowski, a behavioural scientist and sustainability strategist who bridges research and practice to turn insights into tangible impact. With a background spanning psychology, behaviour change, sustainability, and gender equity, Julie brings an interdisciplinary lens to one of our most pressing challenges: how do we actually get indi...

Join us as we talk with a mechanical engineer who discovered her true calling in supply chain management after three years in the field. Driven by her fascination with process improvements, she pursued an MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, graduating with distinction. Now committed to growing as an engineering expert in emerging industries, she shares her experiences navigating career t...

Professor Sue Black OBE is a trailblazing figure in computer science and digital advocacy. Named among Forbes World's #Top50 Women in Tech, she serves as Professor of Computer Science at Durham University while actively seeking paid Non-Executive Director roles. Her extensive governance experience includes advisory positions with the UK Government Digital Service, the Fawcett Society Commissio...

As a Technical Program Manager , Shimon Gowda leads cross-functional teams that deliver supply chain optimization and innovation projects across various products and services. She applies her deep expertise in supply chain network design, analytics, and software asset management to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and elevate customer satisfaction. Shimon holds a Master's Degree i...

Nikitha Angela Fernandes is a dynamic Business Development & Program Management professional in Service Logistics at DHL Supply Chain. As a recent graduate of Indian School of Business's Advanced Management Program in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (AMPOS Co'24), she combines industrial engineering fundamentals with strategic management principles to deliver effective supply chain solut...

Rondi Allan is an award-winning Business Sustainability Consultant and Director at Sustainable X, a company she founded in August 2020. Based in St Albans, England, she helps businesses transform sustainability from a perceived cost or compliance burden into a strategic business advantage. As the leader of Sustainable X, Rondi works with organizations at all stages of their sustainability journey,...

Dr. Emma Garnett is a sustainability researcher at the University of Oxford, where she investigates approaches to reduce meat consumption and promote sustainable diets. Her research focuses on understanding and overcoming the economic, social, and political barriers to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and conserving natural ecosystems. Currently working in the Health Behaviours Team at...

Maryna Trepova is the CEO and Founder of IPSM Procurement, a consulting firm that specializes in optimizing procurement processes and supply chain management. Currently based in Portugal after relocating from Ukraine, she brings 16+ years of procurement and supply chain expertise to her role. With dual MBA degrees from Edinburgh Business School and Kyiv National Economics University, Maryna has bu...

Meghana Patil serves as Vice President of analytics and Innovation at WebXpress Transportation Software and LogiCloud Supply Chain Visibility Platform, where she leverages her diverse expertise in supply chain management, sustainability, and technology to drive business transformation. With dual roles in analytics leadership and as a Visiting Professor at Thakur Institute of Management Studies &am...

Isha Agarwal is a seasoned FMCG professional with over 10 years of experience at Unilever, where she currently leads business development as area sales & channel manager for Bangalore Metro. Her expertise spans P&L management, business growth strategy, product category management, and supply chain operations. In her current role, Isha manages a substantial $41M annual recurring revenue bus...

Pooja Shah is a senior strategic supply chain manager at Amazon based in New York, bringing extensive experience in supply chain management, operations, and business strategy. Her career trajectory showcases consistent growth and expertise development across prominent global organizations. Before joining Amazon in January 2024, Pooja served as a Project Management Consultant in Strategy at the LEG...

Madhumita Banerjee is a manager in the Supply Chain Practice at Tredence Inc., where she specializes in supply chain consulting with an emphasis on industrializing machine learning solutions. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, she brings nearly a decade of experience working with globally distributed teams across various functions including delivery leadership, engineering, UX, business, data science, sale...

Roselin Minj is a social innovation and design thinking expert at Accenture Canada's Innovation Hub, where she applies human-centered design approaches to help clients discover new ideas, co-create concepts, and design breakthrough solutions. With 15 years of global leadership experience spanning South East Asia, North America, and Europe, she has established herself as a thoughtful leader in...

Bindiya Vakil is the founder and CEO of Resilinc, widely recognised as the world leader in supply chain visibility, resiliency intelligence, and analytics. As a trailblazing entrepreneur and thought leader, she has fundamentally transformed how organizations approach supply chain risk management (SCRM) since founding Resilinc in 2010. With a distinguished background that includes pivotal roles at...

Kimberlee is an accomplished supply chain leader whose career spans the full spectrum of supply chain operations, from transportation and sourcing to planning and digital transformation. Her professional journey is defined by a proven ability to solve complex supply chain challenges, develop high-performing teams, and advance awareness of the supply chain profession. With a foundation built during...

Dr. Sunita Purushottma is a highly driven, knowledge-focused sustainability professional with extensive experience leading both international and national environmental projects across multiple sectors. Her work directly addresses the pressing challenges of environmental protection and sustainability implementation. With a strong academic foundation complemented by practical field experience, Dr....

Rachael White brings over three decades of specialised expertise in global cargo supply chains, encompassing shipping, logistics, ports, and land transport sectors. As a multifaceted professional, she has excelled as a writer, editor, conference producer, event emcee, moderator, industry influencer, and ambassador. Through her company, Next Level Information, Rachael provides comprehensive support...

As a versatile Supply Chain Solutions Architect, this professional brings deep expertise across manufacturing/production, inventory policy development, and operational improvement initiatives. Their industry knowledge spans diverse sectors including building materials, consumer packaged goods (CPG), automotive, biotechnology storage, and fashion—establishing them as a supply chain subject matter e...

Sofia Rivas Herrera is a dynamic young professional with a passion for supply chain management and logistics, backed by solid credentials as an Industrial Engineer. She combines strong foundations in supply chain principles with advanced data analytics skills, demonstrating a continuous commitment to professional growth and learning. Currently, Sofia serves as a Senior Staffing Analyst within the...

Atewet TN is a mechanical engineering professional currently working as an Application Engineer at Nuovamacut. With a Master's degree from Politecnico di Torino and experience across multiple companies, she combines technical expertise with an intrapreneurial mindset. While thriving in her corporate role, she aspires to entrepreneurship in the future. Beyond her professional work, Atewet demon...