Podcast Summary: Supply Chain Now
Episode: "Supply Chain Leadership in the Never Normal: Where Strategy Meets Execution"
Date: March 4, 2026
Host: Corinne Bursa
Panelists:
- Eduardo Adame (3M, VP Global Supply Chain)
- Douglas Guillerme (The Hershey Company, SVP Global Supply Chain)
- Corey Knox (Procter & Gamble, VP North American Personal Healthcare Supply Chain)
- Shay Nestler (Danone, VP Logistics)
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into modern supply chain leadership in what the panel calls “the never normal” – an environment of constant disruption and opportunity. The discussion brings together four accomplished supply chain executives who reflect on pivotal career moments, the accelerating impact of AI, key challenges they’re tackling, and personal leadership philosophies. The episode serves as a masterclass in connecting strategy with execution amid rapid change.
Key Topics and Insights
1. Career Defining Moments & Human Connection
- Focus: Each panelist shares an inflection point in their career that made supply chain meaningful.
- Common Theme: The realization that people—teams, partners, customers—are at the heart of success, especially in challenging moments.
Notable Quotes:
- “What really defined my career was seeing the opportunity to touch and improve lives… I want to be someone that can help people to be better. That was my defining moment.” – Douglas Guillerme (07:13)
- “It was those first few weeks (post-pandemic lockdown) that I realized that the way consumers shopped and the way supply chains would have to support that had changed forever.” – Corey Knox (09:14)
Memorable Moments:
- Douglas recalls a VP knowing every employee—even janitors—by name, sparking his inspiration to lead with empathy.
- Shay reflects on a tough plant closure in Europe that forced him toward servant leadership, balancing tough decisions with transparency and empathy.
“Leading a cross functional team through this transition underscored the importance of transparent communication and agile decision-making…shifted my leadership style from directive to servant.” – Shay Nestler (11:12)
[06:19–14:29]
2. Artificial Intelligence in Supply Chain – Excitement & Pragmatic Impact
- Focus: Where panelists see AI transforming supply chain, today and in the future.
- Consensus: AI is a powerful enabler—not a threat to people—making professionals smarter and decision cycles faster.
Highlights & Insights:
- Predictive Analytics: AI-driven forecasting tools are already building supply chain resiliency by detecting disruptions early. (Shay, 15:42)
- Optimizing the “Seams”: True complexity—and opportunity—lies at the interfaces between functions and organizations. AI’s role is to knit these seams into a resilient, synchronized flow. (Corey, 17:35)
- Autonomous Planning: Moving from manual/laborious planning to automated, real-time, multi-enterprise orchestration. (Eduardo, 19:20; Douglas, 21:18)
- Elevating Roles: As routine work is automated, AI lets leaders focus on strategy, creativity, and higher-value tasks.
“This is elevating the role of humans…I’m investing a lot of time and energy in orchestrating supply chain…moving to this autonomous or self-driven supply chain.” – Douglas Guillerme (21:18)
Memorable Quote:
- “AI is not going to replace humans, but humans with artificial intelligence are going to replace humans without artificial intelligence.” – Corinne Bursa, quoting Karim Lakhana (14:29)
[14:29–22:38]
3. Today’s Biggest Leadership Challenges
- Panelists describe their top priorities and struggles, with a focus on transforming strategy into resilient execution:
- Global Regulation & Investment: Balancing capex and technological investment to support growth in regulated, complex product lines. (Corey, 23:53–25:32)
- Elevating Talent: Ensuring supply chain professionals have the systemic business view and the skills to drive company growth and margin, not just execution. (Douglas, 27:14)
- Resilience & Consistency: Striving for “boringly consistent” performance in a world defined by constant disruption. (Shay, 28:40)
- Systems Modernization & Talent Development: Overhauling legacy planning tools/systems and ensuring teams are equipped with digital and analytical skills for the future. (Eduardo, 29:58)
Notable Quote:
- “How to be boringly consistent. Right. I’m really focused on building true supply chain resiliency…figuring out how we deliver the basics over and over in this time of disruption is getting harder and harder.” – Shay Nestler (28:40)
[23:53–31:35]
4. Leadership Wisdom: Advice to Younger Selves
- Empower, Don’t Micromanage: “The real leadership comes from designing systems and developing talent…stop trying to be indispensable.” – Douglas Guillerme (33:52)
- Embrace Discomfort: “The most growth came from stepping out [of your comfort zone] and leaning into the growth.” – Shay Nestler (37:59)
- Seek Mentorship: “If I could tell my younger self: seek mentorship and be bold about asking for it.” – Corey Knox (39:24)
- Stay Curious and Collaborative: “Leverage the diverse skills of those you work with…strong cross functional relationships create the greater good.” – Eduardo Adame (35:26)
[33:52–40:35]
5. Final Thoughts: The Future of Supply Chain Leadership
Panel Conclusion (42:34–46:29):
- It’s “the best time to be in supply chain”—a field for curious problem-solvers, unafraid of change.
- Leaders emphasize continuous learning, external benchmarking, and building resilient, high-performing systems and people.
- Advice: Invest in yourself, get comfortable with discomfort, and don’t try to reinvent the wheel—learn from others.
Notable Quotes:
- “If I were starting this whole journey over again… I would do it all over again and be in supply chain. It’s a fantastic field.” – Corey Knox (44:41)
- “Build something that will outlast you…stop trying to be indispensable—develop the thing that will be way better than you.” – Douglas Guillerme (34:45)
- “No one knows where it’s going…there’s a lot of different options. Put your fingerprint on it.” – Shay Nestler (45:38)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Topic | Panelist(s) | Start-End | |---|---|---| | Career Inflection Points | All | 06:19–14:29 | | AI’s Impact on Supply Chain | All | 14:29–22:38 | | Current Challenges | All | 23:53–31:35 | | Leadership Advice | All | 33:52–40:35 | | Closing Thoughts | All | 42:34–46:29 |
How to Connect with the Panelists
All four panelists invite listeners to connect via LinkedIn for further discussion and networking.
Summary Tone and Takeaway
The episode is collaborative, candid, and constructive, blending big-picture vision with actionable leadership advice. The panelists model lifelong learning, humility, and a focus on empowering teams with both technology and empathy. Despite—or because of—the constant disruptions and complexity in the field, they unanimously agree: it’s an exceptionally exciting time to be a supply chain leader.