RISK & RESILIENCE
transparency. I think there’ s actually much more ambiguity between procurement and supply chain functions now. Having the vision to look at what outcomes drive value to the business is critical. When procurement is starting to look for sources of supply and engage with the market, it needs to think proactively about things which will drive differentiated outcomes – like ESG and sustainability – which historically haven’ t been as important.
Martin: In the purest sense, procurement can’ t do that alone anymore. What’ s become clear is that the full end-to-end value chain setup is what allows companies to de-risk their supply chains. You need to think about sourcing footprints, lead times, ESG requirements, tied-up capital and geopolitical risks. Whether you call it supply chain or procurement, that end-to-end view of all the levers and factors needs to be taken into account when you set up the value chain to build resilience as well as achieve cost and cash efficiency.
Q: WHAT DIGITAL TOOLS ARE HELPING UNCOVER BLIND SPOTS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN? Martin: The semiconductor crisis exemplified that the traditional, one-dimensional relationship between automotive OEMs and first-tier suppliers is out of the window. Supply chain illumination – understanding how the second, third, or tier-N supply base maps out and the various risk points along that chain – is crucial. We’ ve realised that traditional, mainframe MRP systems are out of the window. We need to invest in more scientific, digital solutions that not only focus on demand but trigger alerts through the supply chain when issues occur, whether it’ s flooding, the Suez Canal closure or disruption in a country where the raw material comes from.
Ashley: I honestly believe that a well-integrated, average solution will always outperform a non-integrated, best-in-class solution, because it’ s how the business chooses to act on those curated insights that delivers value. The data’ s vitally important, the insight
90 January 2026