The supply chain landscape continues to shift at record speed, and on today’s episode of Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott Luton and Kim Reuter unpack the leadership decisions, technology investments, and strategic partnerships shaping what’s next for global supply chains. From the evolving relationship between Amazon and UPS to the growing influence of AI in procurement, this episode cuts through the noise to focus on what’s practical, scalable, and impactful. Welcome to The Buzz powered by EPG!

Scott and Kim dive into the biggest stories influencing supply chain strategy today, with help from special guest Scott McFee, CEO of SpendHQ.

Together, they discuss:

1. How Amazon’s expanding logistics footprint is reshaping UPS’s operations and long-term strategy
2. Why leadership turnover is creating disruption across supply chains, according to new Gartner research
3. What Oracle’s latest findings reveal about AI’s real impact on procurement productivity
4. How SpendHQ’s investment in Sligo AI is unlocking smarter, data-driven purchasing decisions
5. Lessons from Cowart Seafood’s digital transformation — and what legacy businesses can learn from it
6. How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s leadership principles still apply to today’s supply chain leaders

This episode offers timely insights for executives navigating change, technology adoption, and organizational resilience — with practical takeaways to help teams lead with clarity, purpose, and confidence in an increasingly complex world.

Additional Links & Resources:

1. Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
2. Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
3. Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
4. Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk

This episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Kim Reuter and produced by . For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com

Automation is showing up everywhere in supply chain planning, but the winners aren’t the ones automating the most. They’re the ones choosing the right decisions to automate, bringing people along early, and using AI to build speed and confidence in planning.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Karin Bursa, CEO of NIRAKIO, welcome Noha Samara, Senior Director, Global Supply Chain at Gartner, to share key takeaways from the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver.

Noha unpacks why AI is shifting from “side experiment” to a core part of planning’s operating model, and why the most successful organizations define a clear human-machine strategy instead of trying to “spread AI like peanut butter.” The conversation spotlights the “people side” of transformation: change management, capability-building, and involving planners early so AI is implemented with teams, not to them.

The group also dives into end-to-end data and scenario-driven range planning, including how top performers extend those range discussions with suppliers, customers, and trading partners. They close by emphasizing agility through targeted automation, clarity on humans “in/on/off the loop,” and why leaders can’t afford to sit on the sidelines as the pace of disruption and innovation accelerates.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(01:35) Key takeaways from the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit

(07:24) Discussion on AI and human-machine strategy

(08:59) Change management in transformation

(10:25) Continuous transformation

(13:34) Reflections from top supply chain organizations

(18:32) Powering agility with automation

(21:08) Defining the role of AI

(27:21) Meaningful automation in business

(29:17) Leadership and change management

(36:31) Touchless manufacturing and practical AI applications

(41:21) Reimagining supply chain resilience

Additional Links & Resources:

1. Connect with Noha Samara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noha-samara-4864863/
2. Learn more about Gartner: https://www.gartner.com/en
3. Connect with Karin Bursa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinbursa/
4. Learn more about NIRAKIO: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nirakio/
5. Connect with Scott Luton:

Operating conditions for supply chains continue to shift faster than most organizations can plan for. Labor pressures, evolving customer expectations, geopolitical uncertainty, and increasingly complex global networks are forcing leaders to rethink how decisions get made and how teams stay aligned when certainty is no longer guaranteed.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton is joined by Mario Morhy, Vice President, Integrated Planning at Sam’s Club, Mike Gomes, Vice President of Supply Chain North America at Perfetti Van Melle, and Rodrigo Alponti, Senior Vice President Global Supply Chain at STADA Group. Together, they reflect on how supply chain leadership has evolved over the past year, moving away from linear optimization toward adaptability, resilience, and closer collaboration with customers and partners.

The panel also explores how AI is accelerating the pace of insight and action, enabling faster scenario planning, stronger visibility, and more empowered teams. Rather than replacing people, AI emerges as a decision-making copilot, freeing leaders to focus on risk, tradeoffs, and long-term value. The conversation closes with practical leadership takeaways on learning faster than competitors, asking better questions, and building cultures that can turn volatility into advantage.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(02:58) Mike Gomes shares supply chain leadership insights

(04:16) Rodrigo Alponti's global supply chain perspective

(06:20) Mario Morhy's role at Sam's Club

(08:18) Supply chain challenges and innovations discussed

(18:05) Customer centricity in the never normal

(25:18) Current challenges in today's supply chain

(30:12) Walmart's AI integration in supply chain

(32:01) AI as a copilot for supply chain employees

(38:07) Transforming volatility into competitive advantage

(43:02) Key questions leaders should ask their teams

Additional Links & Resources:

1. Connect with Mario Morhy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariomorhy/
2. Learn more about Sam’s Club: https://www.samsclub.com/
3. Connect with Mike Gomes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-gomes-282228/
4. Learn more about Perfetti Van Melle: https://www.perfettivanmelle.com/
5. Connect with Rodrigo Alponti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigo-alponti-a9873/
6. Learn more about STADA