John Conte

At the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver, Scott Luton sat down with Caglar Ozdag, a supply chain leader at ZS. Known for its deep analytics and technology expertise across industries such as life sciences, airlines, consumer goods, and agriculture, ZS has become a trusted partner for organizations looking to elevate their planning and manufacturing performance. Ozdag leads the firm’s supply chain practice with a focus on planning from detailed forecasting through detailed scheduling. As a former practitioner himself—having led planning operations at large global enterprises—he brings a grounded, real-world perspective to the challenges facing today’s supply chain leaders.   Old Problems Persist—and New Ones Are Emerging When asked about classic and emerging challenges in planning, Ozdag didn’t hesitate: firefighting isn’t going away. From supply planning disruptions to last-minute schedule changes, firefighting remains a daily reality. “Life happens,” Ozdag noted. Plans rarely match reality, and organizations must constantly adjust. But today, a new layer has been added: AI uncertainty. Everywhere he goes, leaders are asking the same questions: “Is AI the right investment?” “Will the ROI materialize?” “Are we adopting the right tools, or just chasing hype?” This blend of enduring complexity and emerging skepticism has become a defining…

This post is written by our friends at e2open. E2open is the connected supply chain software platform that enables the world’s largest companies to transform the way they make, move, and sell goods and services. Moving as one.™ Learn More: www.e2open.com.   Supply chains are entering a pivotal stretch of highway into the future. It’s a route marked by regulatory detours, geopolitical potholes, and rising expectations for speed, intelligence, and resilience. The journey ahead demands connected data, embedded AI, and agile decision-making. Below are the five major “mile markers” defining the road to supply chain transformation, and how e2open helps organizations navigate the way forward with confidence.   1. Tariff and non‑tariff compliance risks: avoiding costly road hazards Tariff volatility and non‑tariff barriers create regulatory road conditions that can change quickly. For cost-focused leaders, this unpredictability can feel like driving through dense fog. One wrong move can result in delays, penalties, or unplanned expenses. Forward‑thinking organizations are installing automated guardrails: integrated trade compliance systems, dynamic landed‑cost modeling, and synchronized import/export workflows. These tools help reduce blind spots and ensure companies don’t veer into costly territory. The e2open Global Trade suite puts the world’s most comprehensive, continuously updated regulatory content directly…