#109: Andreu Marco, Global Supply Chain Executive

#109: Andreu Marco Global Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, CSN at Firmenich Featured Image

Andreu Marco, Global Supply Chain Executive and Former Global SVP SCM for Burberry. Andreu was one of the pioneers of implementing omnichannel strategies and helped Burberry become the leading luxury brand in omnichannel sales. He has had a long career having also worked for Inditex, one other of the industry giants

Listen to the full discussion here:

  • Stream by clicking here.
  • Download as an MP3 here.

 

 

Connect with the Guest:

Andreu Marco: LinkedIn

Some of the highlights from the podcast:

  • Why the key to any transformation is change management and how Burberry did it to break siloes more than 100 years old
  • Remember, it is always about the CUSTOMER first – the role of supply chain is to minimize friction from the product reaching the customer
  • How to use technology to assist the change
  • Why Inditex years were key for Andreu Marco journey
  • Role of 3PLs and why without a “marriage” approach any relationship will fail
  • Education in supply chain and what is currently missing
  • Sustainability in packaging and last mile

Show notes:

  • [01:23] Maybe let’s start first and foremost a little bit about you as a person and how you ended up in the supply chain?
  • [03:30] What have been some of the major shifts from where it was 20 years to where it is now? Then we’ll transition slowly into the omnichannel transformation you did at Burberry.
  • [06:30] Burberry has been very successful in the Omnichannel industry in the Omnichannel world because we were the first one to create these models.
  • [07:57] What were some of the key things that made the transformation successful?
  • [11:02] Our role as supply chain leaders is to eliminate these frictions from consumers who want to buy our products. And these frictions,  these barriers have been built artificially by our companies during the past many years. So it’s our obligation to take that down.
  • [13:07] In the case of Burberry was it driven by the CEO? Or was it driven by the supply chain that had the different channels and reporting again to one? How was the reporting structure that enabled this to actually cascade down?
  • [16:43] You need to let the commercial people deal with the commissions and the profitability of every single channel. But for us in supply chain, that’s not our job. Our job is if people want our product, how can we make it and have it delivered in one or two hours?
  • [19:13] What are some of the innovations you’ve implemented in Omnichannel that you’re most proud of?
  • [19:37] It’s very important to have a very strong supply chain, but I cannot understand supply chain without IT investment.
  • [22:47] You need to understand what’s going on in the stores, you need to understand what’s going on with your customers and with your consumers. And this is why there are new technologies that help you.
  • [24:12] How do you consider 3PL when you look at this framework and the relationship and partnerships?
  • [24:49] When you are entering into a 3PL conversation or negotiation, you need to think that it is going to be a very long journey. You need to understand that there has to be trust.
  • [28:00] On the topic of sustainability, the carbon footprint is one problem, and packaging is another one.  How do you see this moving forward? And how can we fix it?
  • [32:35] One of the biggest problems delivery companies have now is that they don’t find enough people and enough vans to deliver these parcels to the world.
  • [35:52] Most of the systems that we’re creating are going in that direction which is to get out of taking decisions and allow the consumer to take decisions.
  • [37:03] What’s your views on supply chain education at large?
  • [38:52] I always say if we watch what is happening in China and we try to explain these in Europe and the US, that will be a lot because we are like 10 years away from all the technology that has been implemented in Asia nowadays.
  • [39:21] People are starting to wake up in terms of what is happening with the high street. And of course, COVID has augmented this transformation, but it’s our obligation to tell our new generations that the change is happening faster than what we thought and what we expected.
  • [40:43] What would be some of the most relevant advice that you would share for a successful career?
  • [41:25] Put the consumer to drive all your supply chain, You’re not the boss, you’re a servant leader. If you allow the consumer to drive most of the decisions and your role becomes the elimination of frictions between the product and the consumer, you are going to be very successful.

Quotes from the Episode:

Soundbite from the Episode:

 

About the Host:

The host, Radu Palamariu is the co-author of “From Source to Sold – Stories of Leadership in Supply Chain”. He has been named one of the top 3 Global Supply Chain Influencers on LinkedIn and was featured in ForbesBloombergWEFBangkok Post, and MIT Supply Chain Talent magazine. Radu invites executives to share stories and perspectives around technology, logistics, e-commerce, supply chain, and manufacturing, and their views on how the future will look.

Alcott Global connects and upgrades the supply chain ecosystem by finding the right talent through executive search, developing talent through learning solutions, and meeting supply chain technology needs through a comprehensive crunch base marketplace.

The supply chain executive search has been our focus since the very beginning, offering recruitment services for top-tier supply chain roles at every level of the end-to-end supply chain: plan, source / procure, make, and deliver. Our consultants have years of experience in placing top talent, in North America, LATAM, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and APAC, and besides speed, one of our biggest strengths is our network within the supply chain industry, and we capitalize on it to find the best solutions.

Through the years, we have grown as an organization and our offerings with it. One of our initiatives, the learning solutions- training and supply chain academy, is focused on transforming leadership- self-leadership, executive presence, influence capital, and business acumen. Through Supplify, we aim to match corporations with the top technology companies to solve their supply chain and logistics challenges with a focus on innovation and digital transformation.

We are in constant touch with the leaders in supply chain, inviting them to inspire the supply chain professionals in thought-provoking podcast episodes and events, and showcasing what is possible at the yearly Leaders in Supply Chain Awards.

Related Episodes:

#106: Benjamin Gordon Founder and Managing Partner of Cambridge Capital

#107: Startups in Supply Chain from a Venture Capital Perspective

#108: Hussein Wehbe Chief Executive Officer of fetchr

 

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