Hemanshi Galaiya

Special Guest Blog Post written by Stela Jaqueta   In today’s fast-changing world, Africa’s role in global supply chains is at a tipping point. For too long, the continent has been viewed primarily as a source of raw materials rather than as a strategic partner in value creation. But what if we reimagined everything, from policies and technologies to mindsets and sustainability practices, through an Africa-centered lens? In this blog post, I explore five questions that challenge conventional supply chain thinking. From redefining Africa’s place at the global negotiation table, to elevating cultural intelligence from “soft skill” to strategic necessity, to designing climate-restorative logistics and embracing the digital revolution in a way that includes youth-led and informal businesses, each question is a call to rethink, redesign, and re-center. 1. What would a truly Africa-centered global supply chain look like? A truly Africa-centered global supply chain would shift from a model of extraction to one of empowerment and value creation. It would prioritize investment in local manufacturing, infrastructure, and knowledge transfer, ensuring that raw materials sourced from Africa are processed, packaged, and innovated on the continent. African-led businesses are seen as power players, with a voice and authority at the negotiation…

At the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in December 2025, Scott Luton sat down with Stephen Musciano, a former practitioner turned technology leader who now helps transform supply chain organizations through Lyric—a fast-growing, math-first, AI-native platform redefining what supply chain technology can be. Musciano, who began his supply chain career at companies such as New Balance and Under Armour, brings both real-world execution experience and deep technical vision to his work. That mix is central to what makes Lyric—and its philosophy—stand apart.   Lyric: A Platform, Not a Point Solution Musciano described Lyric as fundamentally different from traditional vendors. Rather than offering a single application or fixed module suite, Lyric provides a true supply chain platform in Lyric Studio—one built from composable, no-code building blocks that allow companies to create exactly what they need. “Think Legos,” Musciano explained. “We’re not selling you a car or a house. We give you the blocks so you can build what your supply chain truly needs. We might even give you a starter kit but the configuration and molding it to fit your business and your problem is where the magic happens.” Lyric Studio is intentionally designed centered on non-technical practitioners—people like “Maria,” Lyric’s…