The Masters of Supply Chain News Digest

In this episode, David Warrick, former Head of Supply Chain at Microsoft, sits down with Arun Kumar Bhaskara-Baba—former Chief Digital & Information Officer at Honeywell Aerospace and longtime Johnson & Johnson supply chain leader—to unpack a critical question: 👉 Are we rushing into agentic AI without thinking through the consequences? From the risk of repeating old silo mistakes to the i...

In this episode of the Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, John Church reconnects with Rick McDonald, former Chief Supply Chain Officer at Clorox, to explore what really drives resilience, speed, and performance in today’s supply chains. They talk candidly about: - The power of true business alignment—and why most companies miss it - Why great supply chain leaders think like general managers - Ho...

In this episode of the Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, John Church sits down with leading economist Walter Kemmsies to unpack the economic forces shaping global supply chains in 2025. From tariff risk and port strategy to the shifting geography of global sourcing and the rise of “platform economics,” Walter shares sharp insights from decades of advising importers, exporters, and infrastructur...

In this News Digest episode, John Church is joined by former Grocery Outlet CSCO Tim Scott to unpack the evolving dynamics of grocery supply chains—from the role of AI to the importance of trust-based collaboration in a hyper-competitive, low-margin world. Tim shares insights on: - Why disruptions often make collaboration harder, not easier - What makes a manufacturer a trusted retail partner - Ho...

In this episode of the Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, David Warrick and Sasha Koff reflect on their recent experience at the Plug & Play Technology Summit in California. From GenAI and fit-for-purpose solutions to the growing pains of startup–enterprise partnerships, they explore what’s truly happening in the innovation trenches. Topics include decentralized innovation, the role of funct...

In this episode of the Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, John Church and David Warrick unpack the latest tariff turbulence and reflect on a recent roundtable exploring connected ecosystems. They discuss why visibility alone isn’t enough, how AI can unlock ecosystem value, and why success lies in solving one use case at a time. From virtual vertical integration to agile implementation, they expl...

In this episode of the Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, John Church and Anne Robinson (former Chief Strategy Officer at Kinaxis and supply chain executive at Verizon and Cisco) explore the dramatic shifts in global manufacturing. They unpack why companies are rushing to move production closer to customers, the rise of advanced automated factories like Keen Footwear's new Kentucky plant, a...

In this week’s News Digest, John Church is joined by Nadim Kilzi and Peter Gibbons, former President of Supply Chain at 3M, for a candid discussion on how today’s volatility—tariffs, cyber threats, and geopolitical uncertainty—demands a different kind of leadership. With a focus on operational control, cross-functional collaboration, and business agility, this episode offers pragmatic insights for...

Join David Warrick and former GM supply chain executive Bill Hurles for a timely discussion on how automotive leaders are navigating the current tariff turmoil. Bill reflects on key principles—like protecting supplier relationships, reducing complexity, and avoiding hasty decisions—that helped General Motors weather major crises.  Subscribe to our weekly Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, featur...

In this week’s News Digest, John Church, fmr CSCO at General Mills, and Nadim Kilzi, fmr CSCO at PLZ, unpack the ripple effects of recent tariff decisions—and why the real pain is only starting to show. From overordering to inventory drag, companies are now facing tough choices: raise prices and risk demand, or hold off and absorb the cost? Subscribe to our weekly Masters of Supply Chain News Dige...

The tariff headlines keep changing—but the impact is already locked in. In this episode of the Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, David Warrick and former Macy’s CSCO Dennis Mullahy break down when and how the real pain will hit supply chains and consumers. From order cycles to seasonal inventories, they explain why Q3 2025 is shaping up to be the turning point—no matter what happens next in Was...

How should procurement leaders respond when tariffs, currency shifts, and supply disruptions hit all at once? In this episode, former Johnson & Johnson CPO Shashi Mandapaty joins John Church, former CSCO at General Mills, to break down the chaos—and the opportunity. Learn why visibility, agility, and engineering resilience in your supplier network matter more than ever. 👉 Don’t miss this exec...

In today’s volatile global trade environment, supply chain leaders face constant policy whiplash. But amidst the chaos, there’s opportunity.  Former WestRock SVP Bill Hutchinson joins David Warrick, former Microsoft Head of Supply Chain, to unpack how smart companies are turning disruption into competitive advantage — by investing in supply chain flexibility, scenario planning, and long-term resil...

In this episode of Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, John Church, former CSCO at General Mills, sits down with Tony Milando, former CSCO at Xylem and Black & Decker, to unpack what smart supply chain leaders should be doing right now. Why China’s decades-long strategy is a supply chain advantage How U.S. companies are stuck in a cycle of quarterly panic The critical role of supplier communi...

As the U.S. pauses reciprocal tariffs for 90 days—except for a steep 125% tariff on China—John Church, former Chief Supply Chain Officer at General Mills, and Matt Spooner, former supply chain & finance executive at ABB, break down what this means for global business. Is this a chance to regroup or just the calm before the next disruption? Subscribe to our weekly Masters of Supply Chain News D...

In this week’s Masters of Supply Chain News Digest, David Warrick is joined by Sasha Koff and John Church to unpack the impact of the newly announced universal and reciprocal tariffs—some as high as 56%. From the unexpected impact on Vietnam to the ripple effects on small businesses, electronics, and retail, the trio breaks down what’s real, what’s misunderstood, and what comes next.  Subscribe to...

The weekly Masters of Supply Chain News Digest features active and former supply chain executives digesting a recent news event and its impact on global supply chains. Let their takeaways help you form a better opinion for your own supply chain strategy.  In this episode, David Warrick, former Chief Supply Chain Technology Officer at Microsoft, and Nadim Kilzi, former Chief Supply Chain Officer at...

The weekly Masters of Supply Chain News Digest features active and former supply chain executives digesting a recent news event and its impact on global supply chains. Let their takeaways help you form a better opinion for your own supply chain strategy.  In this episode, David Warrick, former Chief Supply Chain Technology Officer at Microsoft, and Dennis Mullahy, former Chief Supply Chain Officer...

This weekly Masters of Supply Chain News Digest features current and former supply chain executives digesting a recent news event and its impact on global supply chains. Let their takeaways help you form a better opinion for your own supply chain strategy.  In this edition, we feature David Warrick, former Head of Supply Chain at Microsoft, and John Church, former CSCO at General Mills. Following...

This weekly Masters of Supply Chain News Digest features active and former supply chain executives digesting a recent news event and its impact on global supply chains. Let their takeaways help you form a better opinion for your own supply chain strategy.  In this edition, we feature John Church, former CSCO at General Mills, and Sasha Koff, former SVP Digital Supply Chain at Dell. Following the r...