Cody Graham

At the 2025 Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver, Scott Luton caught up with Justin Siefert, a familiar face in the supply chain community and a leader at John Galt Solutions, a global provider of end-to-end supply chain planning software. From demand and supply planning to inventory and S&OP, John Galt supports organizations across industries with the holistic capabilities needed to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable landscape.   A Company Investing in the Next Generation Before diving into industry trends, Siefert shared an update on one of the programs that sets John Galt apart: its supply chain scholarship program, which awards $10,000 to students pursuing supply chain degrees. This year’s cycle brought in a record number of nominations, with new winners set to be announced in January. It’s an initiative Siefert is proud of—and one that reflects John Galt’s belief in cultivating tomorrow’s leaders.   Old Problems, New Pressures: Planning in a World of Uncertainty When asked about the biggest challenges facing planners today, Siefert didn’t hesitate: uncertainty. While the forms of disruption change—pandemics, geopolitical shifts, demand shocks, evolving portfolios—the underlying challenge remains the same. Planners must anticipate what’s next and respond quickly, often in real time. “No day…

The top supply chain trends in Africa right now include ecommerce, sustainability, technology and skills development. The e-commerce boom that was fuelled by Covid-19 is showing no signs of slowing. It is predicted that in 2025, e-commerce transactions in South Africa will grow 150% to R225 billion. While African consumers are clearly sold on the speed and convenience of online shopping, they are also increasingly recognising that there is an environmental price to be paid, and they are demanding greener e-commerce supply chains. African businesses also recognise that to compete on the global stage, and for Africa to rise as the supply chain powerhouse that many predict it can be, they must align with global environmental standards. Integrating sustainability into supply chain and logistics is therefore a growing imperative in Africa. African companies are investing in technologies like electric vehicles, renewable energy sources and advanced data analytics to measure, manage and minimise their environmental impact. They are optimising transportation routes to have fewer vehicles on the road and to cut CO2 emissions. They are adopting circular supply chain models, to get more use out of products and move beyond the traditional “take-make-waste” approach. Takealot, which is South Africa’s largest online…