#186: Shaping a Greener Future for Chemical Supply Chains

May 22, 2024
10:30 am

In this episode, Hanno Bruemmer, EVP of Supply Chain & Logistics for EMEA and LATAM at Covestro, dived into the world of chemical sector supply chains. Hanno shared with me why he ended up in the chemical sector and how it shaped his career. We talked about the importance of storytelling and why leaders must narrate in a language that the stakeholders understand. He also shared how his global experience helped with that.

For Hanno, learning inspires him, and he has adapted to new complexities in different areas of the supply chain throughout his career with this mindset. He also shared what they are working on in Covestro’s future supply chain, stating that one of their priorities is sustainability. As part of this initiative, they are working on large-scale collaboration with their suppliers. In addition, he talked about working in classical automation to enhance customer experience.

On talent, Hanno shared how social media is an excellent medium for meeting future talents. He also shared with me what they are looking for in talent- sharing his views on why hard skills and soft skills are equally important and no skill is dominant over the other.

Listen to the full discussion here:

Stream by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 here.

Connect with the Guest:

Hanno Bruemmer is the EVP of Supply Chain & Logistics for EMEA and LATAM at Covestro, a 15 billion chemical company.

Hanno is a PhD chemist. He started his career at Bayer on the shop floor. He has held increasing responsibilities covering various functions on a regional and global scale. He has gained in-depth knowledge of safety, quality, reliability, and operational excellence. Hanno is passionate about developing talents and believes in driving innovation to create business competitiveness.

Questions I Asked:

What’s your recipe for a successful career in supply chain?
Did your global experiences and operations help you talk to the management or board level better?
How do social media and networking generally help your team and you as a leader?
What does the supply chain in the chemical sector look like? What are the challenges you’re facing?
How are you going to manage your supply chain in the next years?
How do you use technology to automate a supply chain to help you save time, and also empower your team?
What are the top three qualities and skills you want to prioritize when you’re hiring the talent of the future?

Show notes:

[01:30] Could you please share your career journey in the supply chain? What’s your recipe for a successful career in supply chain?
[05:20] And from having different experiences across the globe and having done different parts of operations. Would that be something that helps you talk to management to voice your concerns at the board level?
[08:10] You’re doing podcasts, you’re speaking at events, and you have your social media platforms. How do you manage that? Does that help the team and you as a leader?
[12:51] “I get inspired by learning new things. When I look at my career, when I went into production, I really had to learn how production works. And if you’re a chemist in the laboratory, it’s a really different job.”
[14:32] What does the supply chain in the chemical sector look like? What are the challenges you’re facing?
[19:51] Because you’re dealing with huge volume, will agility be part of the strategy when facing the unknown?
[21:24] How are you going to manage your supply chain in the next years?
[26:18] How do you plan to create value in sustainability, taking into account Covestro’s competition?
[29:56] How do you use technology to automate a supply chain to help you save time and also empower your team?
[33:51] What are the top three qualities and skills you want to prioritize when you’re hiring the talent of the future?

Quotes from the Episode:

“Effective leadership is about asking the right questions, connecting, collaborating, adapting swiftly, troubleshooting, and identifying the core problem. These skills are what drive a company’s success.”

“Hard skills and soft skills are equally vital. Continuous learning, collaboration, and problem-solving shouldn’t be overshadowed by technical skills. Soft skills are crucial and shouldn’t be perceived as weaker.”

Soundbite from the Episode:

About the Host:

What an insightful conversation with Hanno Bruemmer! I am your host, Fei Yu, Managing Director for Europe and USA at Alcott Global. I have 15+ years of experience in global executive search for Supply Chain & Operations- excelling at connecting people and matching talents with organizations. I am also a former Global Head of Talent Acquisition for a top-tier management consulting firm.

Alcott Global provides Executive Search Solutions for key positions at all pillars of the end-to-end value chain: planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, and overall supply chain operations.

After a successful event in Singapore last April 18, we are excited to meet everyone in Zurich on May 16 at the Makers & Movers face-to-face event. We bring together value chain executives to connect, collaborate, and innovate—a forum focused on business value creation.

The case study submission for the Leaders in Supply Chain Awards has started and will end on May 31st. We look forward to celebrating and awarding the Top 30 Leaders in Supply Chain of 2024 for their achievements in digitizing operations, decarbonization, sustainability, and creating a diverse and equitable environment for supply chain teams to thrive and excel.