Alicia Washkevich

A Shift in the Narrative for 2026 In a recent conversation, Scott Luton spoke with Mark Gilham, Vice President & Head of Global Advisory at Enable, about what supply chain and commercial leaders should expect from the year ahead. While many annual outlooks attempt to forecast the next major disruption, Gilham offered a different lens: 2026 may become the “year of no excuses.” After years defined by a global pandemic, inflationary shocks, geopolitical instability, supply shortages, and the rapid rise of AI, organizations have already endured extraordinary volatility. Businesses not only survived, but in many cases adapted and grew. According to Gilham, that reality weakens the argument that disruption alone explains underperformance. Disruption is not disappearing, he cautioned, but leaders can only lean on it for so long.   Why a Calmer Year Raises the Bar Gilham argued that if external conditions stabilize even slightly, the pressure on leadership actually increases. A less chaotic environment removes convenient explanations and shines a brighter light on internal shortcomings. Process gaps, misaligned incentives, and execution failures become harder to ignore when the world is not on fire. Rather than waiting for certainty, Gilham believes leaders should act decisively. This does not mean radical…

We are proud to announce that Scott Luton, Founder and CEO of Supply Chain Now, has once again been recognized as the #1 Global Thought Leader and Influencer on Supply Chain for 2025 by Thinkers360—marking his second consecutive year at the very top of this prestigious list. This exceptional distinction reaffirms Scott’s ongoing leadership and influence in the global supply chain arena. Under his dynamic stewardship, Supply Chain Now has grown into an award-winning digital content platform—delivering podcasts, livestreams, webinars, and virtual events that resonate across more than 60 countries. Scott’s voice continues to shape and empower the industry, inspiring professionals worldwide with insights that drive innovation and progress. Learn more here.