What if geopolitics is no longer background noise in your supply chain, but the defining factor of your competitive advantage? In this episode of Supply Chain Optimizers, host Diego Solorzano speaks with Maria Villablanca, transformation advisor, and three-time founder, HBR Advisory Council Member, and CEO of Villablanca Consulting Ltd, about how trade policy, AI, and regional shifts are redefining competitive advantage in supply chains. Maria shares a powerful three-question framework for cutting through crisis noise, the mindset shift needed to thrive amid disruption, and why today’s supply chain leaders must think like economists, strategists, and geopoliticians to stay ahead.

What makes shipping a single clinical sample across borders harder than moving thousands of packages globally? In this episode of Supply Chain Optimizers, host Diego Solorzano speaks with Ben Taylor, Director of Global Logistics at LabConnect, to explore the messy, complicated, and often overlooked challenges of truly global supply chains. Their conversation reveals why Amazon's distribution model is fundamentally different from international logistics, why geography matters more than algorithms, and how building trust across cultures is perhaps the most underrated leadership skill in global operations.

What happens when a single chokepoint threatens to upend the entire global supply chain? Join host Diego Solorzano as he welcomes Jonathan Colehower, Managing Director of Global Supply Chain Practice at UST, to unpack the realities of navigating today’s volatile trade environment. From the strategic risks of the Strait of Hormuz to opportunities in Trans-Arctic shipping routes, Jonathan shares his decades of insights and strategies on scenario planning, private trading networks, and building supply chain resilience. Listeners will discover how leading companies can move beyond prediction and develop actionable playbooks that transform disruption into competitive advantage.

What if your supply chain could operate with military grade precision using AI-driven insights? In this episode of Supply Chain Optimizers, host Diego Solorzano speaks with Ralph Asher, founder of Data Driven Supply Chain LLC and a former Marine Corps officer, about leveraging systems thinking, decision science, and advanced analytics to tackle complex supply chain challenges. They explore how to bridge the gap between being “data rich but insight poor,” how to optimize multi-echelon inventory, and implement AI-powered strategies while balancing real-world constraints. Practical case studies and actionable insights make this episode essential for leaders seeking high-performance, future-ready supply chains.

What if you could transform trade compliance from a business barrier into a strategic enabler? Trade compliance is no longer just a regulatory hurdle; it’s becoming a driver of business growth. Host Diego Solorzano speaks with Diego Montemayor, Executive Director of Trade Compliance and Supply Chain Operations at Olympus Corporation of the Americas. Together, they explore how compliance can shift from a policing role to a strategic enabler by leveraging AI, automation, and robust program frameworks while adapting to global trade dynamics and emerging geopolitical shifts.

How can businesses thrive when global trade policies are in constant flux? Host Diego Solorzano sits down with Kyle Peacock, Principal at Peacock Tariff Consulting, to unpack the complexities of tariffs, shifting regulations, and sourcing strategies. From leveraging AI and machine learning to understanding the rise of "micro-sourcing," Kyle reveals actionable strategies that help companies balance cost savings with resilience. He also explores how regional trade blocs and CUSMA certification are reshaping the future of North American manufacturing. Whether local or global, this conversation equips leaders to navigate international trade and sourcing with confidence.

What does it take to build, scale, and transform global supply chains at the world's largest retailers? Host Diego Solorzano sits down with Arthur L Valdez, Jr., EVP Global Supply Chain and Customer Solutions at Starbucks. Together, they trace the evolution of global retail logistics, from Amazon’s groundbreaking fulfillment and sortation systems to Target’s transformative “stores as hubs” model. Arthur reveals lessons on balancing culture with technology, the rising role of AI, and how convenience is shaping customer expectations. He also shares leadership insights on tackling complex problems, mentoring diverse talent, and preparing supply chains for a future defined by speed, efficiency, and customer-centricity

What do ancient Greek oracles have to teach us about AI in supply chains? Host Diego Solorzano sits down with Jay Koganti, VP of Supply Chain Center of Excellence at The Estée Lauder Companies, to explore how foresight, AI, and structured planning can drive meaningful transformation. From implementing the three-horizon planning framework to using AI agents for ESG challenges like scope three emissions, Jay reveals why resilience starts with preparation over prediction and asking the right questions. Jay also unpacks his supply chain playbook that blends ancient Greek wisdom with modern supply chain design. The conversation provides a practical roadmap for leaders looking to balance short-term agility with long-term impact.

What if the key to unlocking the future of supply chains lies in smarter diagnosis, rather than just smarter technology? Host Diego Solorzano sits down with Chandan Trehan, Lead of Digital Transformation, Supply Chains and Sustainability at Bosch USA, to unpack how successful supply chain innovation starts with identifying real problems before jumping into solutions. From scaling tech pilots to orchestrating human-AI collaboration, Trehan shares how data sharing, AI literacy, and control tower evolution are reshaping logistics. Learn why transformation isn't just about adopting tools, but enabling meaningful outcomes through strategic alignment. This episode offers a grounded, insightful roadmap for navigating the next wave of supply chain disruption.

What if the future of global supply chains depends not on large-format retailers, but on 50 million tiny, family-run shops in emerging markets? Host Diego Solorzano sits down with Christopher Mejia, Director and founder of MIT’s Food and Retail Operations Lab, to explore how 50 million nanostores in emerging markets could be the key to transforming global supply chains. Learn how Mejia and his team are combining mathematical optimization, AI, and social impact to redesign food distribution networks, balance nutrition goals with logistics efficiency, and cut costs by up to 20%. This episode provides a powerful glimpse into local commerce as a catalyst for significant change.

Host Diego Solorzano sits down with Gabriella Runnels, Principal Data Scientist at American Eagle Outfitters, to explore how AEO combines tried-and-true mathematical optimization with cutting-edge AI to solve complex supply chain challenges. Learn how the team built four interconnected apps to slash costs, improve service levels, and even offer these capabilities to smaller brands via Quiet Platforms. Gabriella also shares her philosophy on change management, data quality, and why the future belongs to supply chain professionals who leverage AI without losing human creativity.

This week, we talked with Michael Watson, an optimization legend with decades of experience. Michael got a PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern before joining IBM. Afterwards, he founded his own company, Opex Analytics, which helped companies become more efficient through implementing ML. The company was acquired by LLamasoft and later by Coupa software. Ever since, he’s been a professor at Northwestern where he teaches optimization. 

This week, we spoke with Mike Venditti. Mike has been in the supply chain world for 30 years dealing with all parts of the business from transportation to warehousing. He is a strong believer that people make supply chains and the best thing you can do to improve delivery times, is to treat workers better. Now, he works at SEKO logistics where he is the VP of supply chain, second only to the company’s CMO or Chief Morale Officer…his dog, Archie!

In optimization, there is often a gap between the discoveries of academia and the real world applications for most systems. That’s what we talked about with Carlos Armando Zetina this week—a PhD who jumped from academia to Amazon SCOT to work on real life implications of optimization research.

Have you ever thought what would happen if you could only turn to the right when driving? Well, when UPS banned left turns—and implemented an advanced tech system to design routes—, it resulted in one of the biggest optimizations in the company's history. This week, we spoke with Jack Levis, the man behind this decision. We talked about his early days in UPS straight out of college, to his career implementing technology in one of the biggest logistics players in the world.