This is a guest post authored by Tanguy Caillet, Global Sales and GTM VP for the Supply Chain Practice, Genpact
When I look at a supply chain, I see a symphony in the making. From planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery to aftermarket, each group is like a section of the orchestra. But when every player works from their own script, or skips the conductor entirely, the result isn’t music. It’s noise. I’m convinced that when teams move in harmony, you get those game-changing, fast, and insightful decisions that make a business hum.
So, you might ask: how do I get everyone in tune? In my experience, it’s not about chasing the perfect solution. It’s about creating a supply chain decision platform. A true orchestration layer. This isn’t just a bit of technology bling. It’s a whole new mindset. I talk to supply chain leaders all the time who struggle with decisions stuck in one department or lost between teams. Moving from isolated processes to connected, cross-functional decision making is the move. When you do that, you speed up how you operate. And everyone feels it.
The rude awakening: Data is still the real problem, not just processes
If I had a dollar for every meeting I’ve been in where someone says, “Let’s use AI,” I could buy the orchestra their own recording studio. But here’s what I see: AI is only as good as the data you feed it. Most executives know they’re nowhere near ready for AI because their data simply doesn’t stack up, yet everyone claims they’re data-driven. See the contradiction?
Great ideas crash into reality because the data isn’t unified. Without a single view of your master, transaction, and planning data, AI simply can’t do its job. I’ve seen businesses spend big to solve one-off challenges with AI, only to find their results never scale or last. Why? You can’t have meaningful AI without process intelligence. If your target operating model is full of bottlenecks or gaps, adding new technology is like giving a broken orchestra a new instrument. It won't fix the music without proper coordination.
In supply chains, you need to break down vertical silos to provide additional granularity and a time horizon for how decisions will play out in the future. And you need to dissolve horizontal ones, integrating processes across order management and logistics, or sourcing and planning. By integrating data across processes and linear time, supply chains also become prime for agentic AI applications, where recurring basic decisions can be intelligently automated with humans-in-the-loop when necessary.
Ready to explore agentic AI-powered planning?
Once you’ve addressed your data challenges and achieved broader AI adoption, the potential for transformation in planning becomes truly exciting. Moving from touchless planning to autonomous, agentic AI-powered operations is a journey, not an overnight leap.
When I work with clients, the real aha moment often comes when they see how routine tasks and approvals can be streamlined. Agentic AI has the potential to act as the engine behind the scenes, checking production, confirming logistics, and considering supplier commitments in seconds. But this capability can only stand on a solid foundation of well-implemented planning systems. When you effectively leverage your solvers within these planning systems, only then are you better positioned to integrate agentic AI to enhance decision making and agility.
While best-in-class supply chains are making strides toward higher levels of touchless planning, achieving this at scale with agentic AI is still an evolving goal. The human role remains critical: steering, overseeing, and ensuring alignment with broader business objectives.
The ROI of this journey is tangible. More time to focus on innovation, customer experience, and agility. But it’s important to recognize that agentic AI is a powerful enabler, not a standalone solution.
Making smarter, faster decisions is the goal
I remember the early days of the data science wave. Everyone rushed to try something new and then questioned the value. Now, data science is everywhere. I tell clients that patience and commitment turn the hype into real outcomes. The end goal is always the same: make decisions better, faster, and with real confidence. Supply chains that move with foresight, thrive. That adaptability is now your secret weapon.
How do you get there?
- Break down silos: Unify your data models to keep information moving. No more dead ends between teams or timeframes.
- Focus on process intelligence: Rethink your target operating model so smart decision making becomes part of how you work, not just a bolt-on.
- Embrace autonomous planning: Let agentic AI take the wheel on routine decisions, so people can focus on strategy.
- Measure what matters: Look for ROIs in the time and effort you save, not just the headline cost or revenue numbers.
If there’s one thing I know for sure: the supply chain of the future isn’t a stack of disconnected steps. It’s a living network of decisions, each reinforcing the next. When you find your rhythm and bring every section together, you’re not just playing the same old tune. You’re setting the tempo for the entire industry. Let’s make supply chain the main event, not just background music.
About the author
Tanguy Caillet
Global Sales and GTM VP for the Supply Chain Practice, Genpact
After 20 years of a consulting career in Supply Chain Management, with a keen interest in Planning and Technology topics, where Tanguy was leading the EY Global SC Planning practice and advised large accounts across industries, he decided to take an opportunity in the Food and Beverage Ingredient industry as SVP Group Supply Chain. That experience reinforced his beliefs that Technology, today and tomorrow, is and will be a strong enabler to new ways to plan and takes the decision in business.
He then moved to o9 Solutions to build and scale up the Sales and Marketing team, achieving a x10 growth in revenue in 5 years.
Now at Genpact, back to Consulting, he leads Sales and Marketing for the whole Supply Chain practice, positioning Genpact as a leader in Advisory, Advanced Technology and Managed Services across all Industries.