This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ Domestic Supply Chain summit Wednesday.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Why Fortune 500 supply chains are failing — and how to fix them for 2025
DETAILS: Supply chain consultant Brittain Ladd of KPI Integrated Solutions says a reason for companies’ supply chain woes is that they are putting smart but inexperienced people in charge of those duties.
KEY QUOTES FROM BRITTAIN LADD :
“There are many problems within corporate supply chains. [Management] seems to think that it’s related to technology or the economy and so forth, but it’s really not. Number one, companies are not hiring and placing the best talent that they can find into roles related to supply chain management, and this is especially true at SVP of supply chain roles, EVP of supply chain roles and especially the chief supply chain officer role.”
“I was amazed at how many of the individuals who have been promoted over the last two to three years into senior roles in these companies to be responsible for the supply chain have no background in supply chain management. They don’t have degrees in supply chain management or logistics or distribution or operations research, industrial engineering. Far too many were just simply placed in the role with no experience. They have degrees in French literature and things like that.”
“[Companies think] we really want to promote some people internally. So what can we do? Well, how about we make them the chief supply chain officer? How about we make them an EVP of supply chain, and although these individuals have no supply chain experience, it’s certainly a promotion. So I understand why corporations think to themselves that, oh my gosh, this individual has worked so hard for us. They’re extremely talented and they’re capable. So why wouldn’t we promote them? The problem is, supply chains are really complicated affairs, end to end.”