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ADAPT & THRIVE WITH THE POWER OF LOGISTICS

In October we held the 10th DHL Technology Conference in Austin, TX as a platform for supply chain leaders to connect and exchange on the latest trends and developments in the sector.

Senior supply chain executives from 58 major technology companies attended to share how they are successfully managing, adapting, and futureproofing their organizations.

 

The Incredible Speakers

Alexander Gunde

President, Global Technology Sector

DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation

Katja Busch

Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Customer Solutions & Innovations

DHL Group

See Katja's presentation

Paula Natoli

Director, Global Strategic Industries, Supply Chain & Logistics

Google

 

Yin Zou

Executive Vice President of Corporate Development

DHL Group

See Yin's presentation

Tim Robertson

Chief Executive Officer

DHL Global Forwarding Americas

See Tim's presentation

Mary de Wysocki

SVP & Chief Sustainability Officer

CISCO

See Mary's presentation

Rich Bulger

Experienced CEO & Author of "Going Circular"

See Rich's presentation

Mike Thompson

Senior Partner

McKinsey and Company

See Mike's presentation

Joe Selfe

Head of Partnership Management

Formula 1

Speaker Bios

  • After the award of the degree in Business Administration in Wiesbaden, Germany, Alexander started his career in 1996 in San Sebastian, Spain. As International Manager of the family-owned parcel service company Guipuzcoana S.L., it was his responsibility to connect Guipuzcoana to a European parcel network alliance which he accomplished in April 1998 by joining the Eurodis group. 

    As Quality Manager of Eurodis Alexander contributed to the harmonization with DHL's Europack network. In November 1999 Alexander joined DHL Worldwide Express Germany in Frankfurt and, since then, held various sales and customer management positions with DHL before he assumed in 2009 the role as VP German Automotive with DHL CSI. In July 2016 he moved to the Technology sector and assumed the regional responsibility for EMEA which he held until June 2019. Since July 2019 Alexander is leading the global team as Sector President for Technology.

  • Since February 2018 Katja Busch has been responsible for the Sales Organization & DHL Customer Solutions Innovation as Chief Commercial Officer Head of CSI at DHL Group.

    From January 2013 – January 2018 Katja Busch was Chief Sales Officer (CSO) DHL Parcel Germany in the Post – eCommerce – Parcel division. Prior to this she was Divisional Board Member for DHL Parcel for over six years in the Mail division at Deutsche Post AG responsible for domestic sales including customer service for Parcel. Appointed CSO DHL Parcel Germany in 2013, Busch assumed overall responsibility for customer service for both Mail and Parcel business units, including 22 call centers operated by Deutsche Post Customer Service GmbH. From March 2014 – January 2018 she headed international customer service for the Group’s Post – eCommerce – Parcel division. In August 2016 she also assumed responsibility for the newly created Global eCom* Key Account Management unit.

    Following an education in natural sciences, Busch spent seven years in various sales roles at TNT Express Germany before moving to DHL Group in 1997. After serving as service branch head and business department head, she was appointed Head of Marketing & Sales in January 2004 at DHL Express Austria based in Vienna. In March 2006 she was appointed Divisional Board Member for DHL Parcel Germany.

  • In her role as Director, Global Strategic Industries for supply chain & logistics, Paula Natoli  partners with companies across all industries to deliver exceptional customer satisfaction through supply chain data, AI and technology excellence.  Prior to joining Google Cloud in 2020, Paula spent 23 years with Blue Yonder (formerly known as JDA Software) where she served in leadership roles in professional services and product management, building and deploying supply chain solutions used by hundreds of companies worldwide. 

    Leveraging her passion for supply chain and technology, Paula is a frequent speaker at conferences and webinars.  She has been recognized as a Supply Chain Pro to Know, a Stevie Awards silver award recipient for Women in Business Female Executive of the Year and named one of the Top 100 Women in Supply Chain by Supply Chain Digital in 2024.

    As a Penn State supply chain management graduate, she also served on the Advisory Board for the Penn State Centre for Supply Chain Research from 2020-2022.

  • Yin Zou is the Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at DHL group. Previously he was the CEO of SF DHL Supply Chain China, overseeing more than 7,000 employees. With over 1,000,000 square meters in warehousing and an expanding transport network, SF DHL Supply Chain is a leading contract logistics solution provider in China, serving over 200 blue chip clients.

    An industry veteran, Yin Zou has been working in logistics industry with DHL for over 20 years where he has held management roles in Europe, the United States and China, covering commercial, strategy, shared services and operations. His resume includes over 10 years of logistics experience in China, spanning manufacturing planning in the semiconductor industry, transportation operations, distribution center operations and commercial development with major clients.

    Yin Zou graduated from Beijing University with double major degrees in Chemistry and Economics, and a minor in Law. He also obtained an MBA degree from the University of Oxford

  • Tim Robertson joined DHL in 2002 as the Global Vice President of Strategic Development. Since then, he has held various positions in the company, such as CIO and Head of Customer Service and Business Process Organization for DHL Global Forwarding Americas, Head of Air Freight at DHL Global Forwarding Americas, District Manager for the Los Angeles station, Vice President of Business Development for the EMEA region, and Vice President of Marketing & Sales for the U.S. before becoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for DHL Global Forwarding Americas leading more than 7,500 employees across 16 countries.

    Tim holds a master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s with First Class Honors in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sydney in Australia. He was recognized with the 2008 DHL West Region District Manager of the Year Award, as well as the CEO Award for Sales Team of the Year in 2014. Further, under Tim’s leadership, the U.S. sales force was recognized by SellingPower as one of the “50 Best Companies to Sell For in the U.S.” in 2015 and 2016.

  • Mary has over a decade of experience leading various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and education initiatives for Cisco. She is currently Cisco's Chief Sustainability Officer.

    Prior to her current role, Mary led the Corporate Affairs Strategy, including new program development, Public Benefit Investment and the Cisco Foundation, and Research and Insights.

  • Rich Bulger, Infopreneur, led a pioneering sustainability company focused on eco-friendly product transfer strategies. His journey began in the U.S. Army, instilling in him a disciplined leadership style. At Verizon, his seventeen-year tenure saw him ascend through various roles, including directorial positions covering operations, marketing, and reverse logistics.

    Rich's impact at Verizon was profound, notably spearheading the company's inaugural store trade-in program in 2009, generating $1.6 billion annually from used handset sales. His expertise was further refined at Cisco, managing global reverse logistics operations, consistently earning the prestigious Gartner Top Supply Chain award.

    Beyond corporate achievements, Rich actively contributed to the Reverse Logistics Association as an advisory board member and earned a master's degree in Reverse Logistics Management.

    Rich's career epitomizes a commitment to sustainability and logistics excellence. At RecirQ, he grew revenue from $27M to $116M in 5 years. Outside of work, Rich cherishes family life with his wife, Naomi, and their two children, Riley and Bryce, whom he proudly acknowledges as smarter and better looking.

  • Mike is a leader in McKinsey’s travel, transport, and logistics work, with extensive experience in strategy and operations for freight rail, airlines, aerospace, trucking, and logistics industries. Mike is also a leader of our operations analytics work, bringing cutting-edge analytics and data science to his travel and logistics clients.

    Examples of Mike’s recent client work include the following:

    • helping Class-I rail organizations develop asset strategies to improve operational performance and enhance customer experience
    • supporting travel and logistics companies on setting ten-year strategies to deal with disruption brought by factors such as the sharing economy and the development of autonomous vehicles
    • working with travel, transportation, and logistics organizations to define their analytics journeys, developing specific use cases to launch long-term data and analytics transformations

    Prior to joining McKinsey, Mike earned his PhD in physical chemistry from Stanford University, where he was a National Science Foundation graduate fellow and his work on microscopy contributed to the 2014 Nobel Prize in chemistry and the development of nanoscopy.

Agenda / Schedule

15-17 October 2024

Breakout Sessions

Interactive Topic Deep-Dives

DHL Technology Conference 2024 Agenda / Schedule

    • From  15:00     Arrivals
    • 18:30 – close  Network Reception 
    • 09:00  Opening and Keynote Speeches: Supply Chain Resilience

    Opening and Keynote speeches: Supply Chain Resilience

    • 11:00 - 12:30   Breakout Session I
    • 12:30 – 14:00  Networking Lunch
    • 14:00 – 15:30  Keynote Speeches: Supply Chain Decarbonization

    Keynote speeches: Supply Chain Decarbonization

    • 16:00 – 17:00   Breakout Session II
    •  17:00 - 17:30   Closing Keynote
    • 18:30 – close     Reception and Executive Networking Dinner
    • 09:00 – 10:30  Adapt & Thrive with the Power of Logistics

    Welcome Back

    Keynote speeches

    • 10:30 – 11:30  Breakout Session III
    • 11:30 – 13:00  Startup Challenge

    Closing Keynote

    • 13:00 – 15:00  Light Lunch and Departures 

Breakout Sessions and Presentations

  • See Presentation

    The circular economy is key to combating climate change. By eliminating waste, circulating products and materials, and regenerating nature, businesses can cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce costs. In this workshop session delegates will gain actionable insights and innovative strategies to enhance your logistics operations.

    Highlights:

    1.  Embracing Technology Trends:

    •Discover how cutting-edge technology is transforming the circular economy and driving new ways of working.

    2.  Harnessing ML and AI for Returns Management:

    •Learn how to leverage machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to efficiently manage growing returns.

    3.  Optimizing Buy/Sell Models and Disposition Processes:

    •Uncover strategies to quickly extract value from returned products and improve time-to-cash.

    4.  Safeguarding Your Brand:

    • Understand the importance of brand protection and explore key motivators for taking necessary measures.

    5.  Navigating Regulatory Environments:

    •Gain insights into staying compliant with regulations across various markets.

    Gain practical knowledge and strategies to overcome challenges and seize opportunities in the circular economy. Network with industry leaders and leave with a clear roadmap to drive sustainability and profitability in your logistics operations.

  • See Presentation

    In the tech sector, achieving a resilient supply chain while reducing emissions is crucial. This session will focus on the role of multi-modal transportation in meeting these dual objectives. We will investigate how companies can mitigate risks and respond swiftly to disruptions by diversifying transportation methods and enhance supply chain resilience.

    We will explore the benefits of multi-modal transport in optimizing logistics to minimize emissions. This includes leveraging the strengths of each transport mode to create more efficient, sustainable supply chains. 

    The session will conclude with an open discussion and Q&A, providing an opportunity for participants to share experiences and solutions. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how multi-modal transportation can reduce emissions and lower the costs

  • See Presentation

    In this break-out, we delve into decarbonizing express and airfreight transportation, focusing on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) as low emission solutions and optimization levers. We will explore the role of aviation in transportation, SAF types, feedstock, scalability, pricing, and recognition & accounting.

    Through an engaging and interactive session, participants will learn about "Insetting" via the Book & Claim methodology in line with Smart Freight Centre Guidance, and the acceptance by organizations such as SBTi and GHG Protocol. We will also cover the economics of SAF, including financial implications and future outlook.

    Real-life case studies will showcase successful implementation in the express and airfreight sector, with a focus on DHL's role in enabling decarbonization. Participants will leave with practical knowledge and tools to decarbonize transportation operations, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future for their organizations.

  • See Presentation

    Join us for an insightful breakout session where you will learn how to harness the power of data analytics in your supply chain. We'll explore how data can be leveraged for prediction, visibility, and decision-making, highlighting its potential to enhance business operations. 

    We will be joined by customers  who will share their experience and benefits of implementing data driven solutions.  Use cases will cover examples on route optimization  and cost reduction.

    The session will conclude with a Q&A, providing an opportunity to address your specific questions and concerns.

  • See Presentation

    Unlock the transformative power of AI in logistics! In this breakout session, you will learn how AI is not just a solution but a game-changer and how these cutting-edge intelligent technologies are redefining the logistics landscape for the tech industry.

    We will investigate real-world success stories, including how DHL and its customers have harnessed AI tools to tackle inventory backlogs, streamlining operations and boosting efficiency.

    The session will wrap up with an interactive activity, where you’ll apply AI solutions to real logistics scenarios.

    This session is a perfect opportunity to learn invaluable insights from industry experts and equip yourself with practical strategies to optimize your supply chain management with AI.

  • With our team of specialists and product owners around the globe,  we are deploying 12- Focus technologies that are develop to drive  warehouse automation.  Technologies are focused on increasing efficiency in the warehouses and enabling operations to drive high quality, efficiency and safety standards. In this breakout session,  we will showcase several customer solutions for overcoming labor shortages and driving better proactivity.

  • See Presentation

    This breakout session offers an in-depth exploration of the shifting dynamics in global supply chains, with a particular focus on the potential of Asian countries  as alternative manufacturing hubs. The discussions aim to explore India's technological advancements and their impact on supply chain capabilities.

    Participants will gain insights into the complexities of diversifying supply chains beyond China, with a special emphasis on India's evolving tech landscape. The workshop will address the challenges and opportunities presented including infrastructure development, regulatory environments, and long-term relationship building with new suppliers.

  • See Presentation

    In this workshop session we will explore tactics to ensure success in cross-border e-commerce. Topics will include optimizing global logistics networks for efficient delivery, navigating international trade regulations seamlessly, and leveraging advanced data analytics for predictive inventory management. By focusing on these operational essentials, executives can effectively drive global expansion, enhance supply chain agility, and deliver superior customer experiences in cross-border e-commerce.

  • See Presentation

    This roundtable session will discuss the life-cycle of the supply chain/logistics of a Fab and how supply chain models need to fundamentally change to meet the needs of the global electronics manufacturing industry in the next 5 years and beyond. 

Further Reading

A Retrospective on the Era of Sustainable Logistics

The retrospective paper is a practical guide for all business leaders who are serious about sustainability.

This discussion paper examines the logistics implications of these shifts, from the challenge of building and supporting multiple new fabrication plants to the need for smarter, more flexible supply chains for semiconductor components.

Check out The Logistics Trend Radar 6.0 and its 40 trends, from Exoskeletons to Metaverses. See where our industry is, where it is heading, and how you can help shape the Era of Logistics.