The Future of Supply Chain

One of Europe’s most strategic infrastructure projects: Richard and Sin talk with Kai Gerullis from the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce about how the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel is reshaping logistics corridors, transport efficiency, and cross-border supply chains.

Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript

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In this episode, we unpack how tariffs, sanctions, regulations and geopolitical tensions are reshaping global trade and supply chains. We explore the role of data and technology in managing risk, improving compliance, and designing more resilient global networks for the future
 
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Guest: Kevin McCollom, Vice President of Go to Market, ArchLynk
Kevin McCollom is an experienced enterprise software leader with a long track record in ERP, finance, and global trade. He previously served as Global VP for SAP Cloud ERP and Finance Lines of Business and held strategic leadership roles across SAP’s Finance and Risk organization. He now serves as Vice President of Go to Market (GTM) at ArchLynk, helping guide global supply chain and trade solution strategy.

Guest: Nilesh Shimpi, Associate Director, ArchLynk
Nilesh Shimpi is an accomplished solution architect with extensive experience in global trade and supply chain management. He has successfully led numerous projects involving SAP Global Trade Services. Currently, he serves as the Associate Director at ArchLynk, where he plays a key role in guiding the development of global supply chain and trade practices.

Guest: Thomas Frenehard, Senior Manager, SAP
Thomas is Senior Manager within the Governance, Risk, and Compliance Product Marketing team at SAP where he focuses on International Trade Compliance and Enterprise Risk and Compliance topics. He is also a regular contributor on social media (SAP GRC Tuesdays & LinkedIn) and presenter at various SAP and non-SAP conferences on GRC matters.

Host 1: Richard Howells

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

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Show Links:
Supply Chain Management: 
SAP Supply Chain Management 
SAP Insights: Supply Chain 
https://archlynk.com/

Follow Us on Social Media : 
Richard Howells: ⁠LinkedIn⁠
SAP Digital Supply Chain: ⁠LinkedIn⁠
 
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! 
 
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Chapters:
 
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:00: Guest introduction
00:02:19: How tariffs, sanctions, and regulations are reshaping supply chains
00:08:40  What risks are companies facing from an operational perspective?
00:12:27: How are companies turning these challenges into opportunities?
00:15:53: Role of technology and data in managing global trade
00:18:26: What should leaders prioritize to stay ahead of the global trade risks
00:20:39 What's the future of the supply chain?
00:22:24: Outro

One of Europe’s most strategic infrastructure projects: Richard and Sin talk with Kai Gerullis from the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce about how the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel is reshaping logistics corridors, transport efficiency, and cross-border supply chains.

Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript

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In this episode, Richard Howells and Sin To speak with Kai Gerullis from the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce about the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel, one of Europe’s most strategically significant infrastructure projects. The fixed link between Germany and Denmark is reshaping transport times, trade routes, and regional competitiveness.

The focus: European logistics corridors, political and economic implications, technology, multimodality, and sustainability and why the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel is setting new benchmarks for cross-border infrastructure.

Essential listening for those who don’t just manage supply chains, but shape them.
 
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Guest: Kai Gerullis, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Transport and Port Affairs at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce

Kai Gerullis is Deputy Managing Director and Head of Transport and Port Affairs at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. He also leads the Infrastructure Committee of the Fehmarnbelt Business Council (FBBC), a cross-border network of business organizations from Denmark, Germany, and Sweden dedicated to strengthening the Fehmarnbelt region and supporting the economic opportunities linked to the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel.
With an academic background in political science and professional training as a journalist, Kai has many years of experience in the fields of ports, mobility, and logistics. His work focuses on infrastructure and port development, regional cooperation, and the future of transport.

Host 1: Richard Howells

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Host 2: Sin To

Sin To brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media and technology industry – primarily in marketing, business development, thought leadership, and editorial. At SAP, they ensure that SAP's supply chain solutions are properly visible with a focus on future trends and sustainable innovations as part of the Thought Leadership & Awareness Supply Chain Team.

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Show Links:
 
Fehmarnbelt Business Council: https://fbbc.eu/
SAP Digital Supply Chain: www.sap.com/scm

Follow Us on Social Media : 
Richard Howells: ⁠LinkedIn⁠
Sin To: LinkedIn
SAP Digital Supply Chain: ⁠LinkedIn⁠
 
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! 
 
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Chapters:
 
00:00:00 Introduction to the episode
00:01:24 Guest Introduction: Kai Gerullis
00:02:26 Project Details and Goals
00:03:41 Economic and Regional Impact
00:05:07 Supply Chain Benefits
00:05:55 Multimodal Logistics Opportunities
00:06:48 Sustainability and Environmental Impact
00:09:04 Political and Strategic Significance
00:10:20 Challenges and Risk Management
00:12:58 Technological Innovations
00:15:35 Future Outlook and Outro

In this episode, we explore why hyperconnected, orchestrated supply chains are critical, covering visibility, disruption management, talent, AI, collaboration, and how SAP and Deloitte help leaders modernize.
 
Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
 
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This week we, together with Deloitte’s Jagjeet Singh discuss the shift toward hyperconnected, orchestrated supply chains. They discuss today’s top challenges - limited visibility, constant disruptions, and talent gaps - and how to break silos, align planning with execution, and use AI, control towers, and collaboration platforms to improve decisions.
 
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Guest: Jagjeet Singh, US SAP Supply Chain Market Offering Leader, Deloitte
Jagjeet is a principal (equity partner) in the Deloitte US firm providing Consulting Services to clients in several industries including MedTech, Pharma, Consumer and Manufacturing. In his experience of more than 25 years, he has led global and complex enterprise transformation programs creating value for organizations through simplification, standardization, AI-enabled innovation and automation with SAP. He leads the US SAP Supply Chain market offering for the firm driving external relationships, internal talent enablement, and asset development for the supply chain domain. His end-to-end transformation expertise includes advising companies on implementing best business strategies to maximize revenue, minimize cost and improve margins. 
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Host: Richard Howells, SAP
 
⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
 
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Show Links:
 
Deloitte: https://www.deloitte.com

Supply Chain Management: 
⁠⁠⁠⁠SAP Supply Chain Management⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠⁠⁠SAP Insights: Supply Chain⁠⁠⁠⁠  
 
Follow Us on Social Media  
Richard Howells: LinkedIn, 
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn  
 
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! 
 
 
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Chapters: 
 
 
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:25: Guest introduction
00:02:19: Key 2026 challenges: visibility, disruptions, talent
00:04:19:   What makes it difficult to react quickly and efficiently to disruptions?
00:09:06: Real impact of  internal silos and disconnected systems
00:10:33: What leaders need: orchestration, risk mindset, and decision frameworks
00:12:56: Using data and AI to automate and orchestrate end-to-end

00:16:36: Collaborating beyond the four walls and multi-tier visibility
00:18:52:  Best practices & Quick wins: more agile and orchestrated supply chain
00:22:00: How SAP and Deloitte partner on orchestration
00:24:32 What's the future of the supply chain?
00:25:38: Outro

This week, we welcomed SAP’s Hagen Heubach to discuss the EV battery supply chain, covering risks, production strategies, data, AI, and recycling. We also explored why software is increasingly becoming a crucial differentiator for automakers
 
Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠
 
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In this episode, we were joined by SAP’s Hagen Heubach to dive into the full lifecycle of EV batteries, from raw material sourcing and plant strategy to quality, second-life use, and recycling. We discussed data, digital twins, industry collaboration, and AI, and examined how in-car software and autonomous driving are reshaping competitive advantage in automotive supply chains.
 
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Guest 1: Hagen Heubach, Chief Marketing Officer for Supply Chain Management, SAP   
Hagen Heubach joined SAP in 2007 and has held numerous leadership positions. Prior to his current role, he was leading Discrete Industries at SAP, holding the end-to-end business and solution responsibility for Automotive, Industrial Manufacturing, Hight Tech and Aerospace and Defense. He was living for multiple years in Japan and was driving SAP business expansion for Asia Pacific.

Together with his team, he spearheads product marketing, strategic customer engagements, demand generation, thought leadership, and the commercialization of SAP's supply chain portfolio.
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Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
 
⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Host 1: Oyku Ilgar, SAP  
  
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.  
 
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape.  
 
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Show Links:
 
Supply Chain Management: 
⁠⁠⁠SAP Supply Chain Management⁠⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠⁠SAP Insights: Supply Chain⁠⁠⁠  
 
Follow Us on Social Media  
Hagen Heubach: LinkedIn
Richard Howells: LinkedIn
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn      
SAP Digital Supply Chain: ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠  
 
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! 
 
 
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Chapters: 
 
 
00:00:00: Intro
00:01:02: Guest introduction
00:01:18: Challenges of EV battery supply chains
00:04:58:  How are manufacturers balancing all of these challenges?
00:10:15: Vertical integration vs outsourcing in battery value chains
00:14:02: Zero-life reliability concept explained
00:16:32: Second-life applications for used EV batteries
00:17:21: Data, digital twins and supply chain orchestration
00:21:22: Sustainability, battery passports and dismantling factories
00:24:27: Future technologies, 1,000 km range and AI in battery lifecycle
00:27:16: What's the future of the supply chain?
00:28:18: Outro

In this week's episode, we explore why the future of manufacturing is in the cloud, how hybrid architectures, AI, and edge are transforming plants, and what leaders must do on security, data, and people to succeed.
 
Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠
 
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This week, alongside IBM’s Shaun Mitra, we explore why modern manufacturing should be in the cloud. We discuss how hybrid cloud and edge architectures facilitate real-time, data-driven plants, and the roles of AI, digital twins, and Industry 4.0. Additionally, Shaun shares insights on cybersecurity, data governance, workforce upskilling, and practical steps for manufacturers to start their cloud journey.
 
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Guest 1: Shaun Mitra, Partner, Manufacturing & Enterprise Asset Management, IBM
Shaun Mitra is a Partner at IBM, responsible for Manufacturing and Supply Chain Transformation. With over 25 years of experience, Shaun has led large-scale global ERP and digital manufacturing transformations for complex industrial organizations. He specializes in SAP S/4HANA RISE, Digital Manufacturing, PLM systems and Industry 4.0, enabling clients to modernize operations, optimize assets, and scale globally.
Shaun has successfully delivered multi-region transformation programs for global enterprises including Shell, Air Products and Chemicals, INEOS, Saint-Gobain, and Valmont Industries, driving measurable improvements in operational efficiency, supply chain performance, and asset reliability
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Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
 
⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠ has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.
 
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Show Links:

IBM: https://www.ibm.com/us-en
 
Shaun Mitra: LinkedIn
 
Supply Chain Management: 
⁠⁠SAP Supply Chain Management⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠SAP Insights: Supply Chain⁠⁠  
 
Follow Us on Social Media  
Richard Howells: ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠  
SAP Digital Supply Chain: ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠  
 
Please give us a like, share, and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future episodes! 
 
 
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Chapters: 
 
 
00:00:00: Intro
00:00:57: Guest introduction
00:01:35: Why manufacturers resisted the cloud and what changed
00:04:02: Cloud platforms across design, production, and maintenance
00:07:27: Embedding AI, digital twins, Industry 4.0
00:09:57: Cybersecurity and data governance in the cloud
00:11:36: People, upskilling, and change management
00:14:49: Five practical steps to start a cloud journey
00:16:58: Factory of the future: mostly autonomous and data-driven
00:18:12: How the SAP–IBM partnership supports cloud manufacturing
00:19:14: What's the future of the supply chain?
00:19:58: Outro