As Co-founder and CEO of Navia, Simon Borg is committed to making people’s lives easier through innovative freight solutions. He works with a world-class team, that continues to find ways to exceed our customers’ expectations and future-proof our offer through constant innovation. From one side of the world to the other, they take the complications out of it through their freight and logistic solutions.
Simon is an avid futurist – always interested in how technology can add value to their customers and to Navia. He is actively involved in their technology team, specializing in big data, blockchain, IoT, automation, ML, and process improvement.
Navia is a fully integrated freight and logistics company offering all aspects of freight forwarding logistics including sea freight, air freight, customs clearance, 3PL, and e-commerce.
Listen to the full discussion here:
- Listen on Stitcher
Connect with the Host:
Rushit Shah: LinkedIn | E-mail
Connect with the Guest:
Simon Borg: LinkedIn
Some of the highlights from the podcast:
- Simon’s perspective on the “trends in supply chain”
- Journey in the freight forwarding business
- How the pandemic highlighted supply chain and how it helped Navia in terms of growth
- Regions Navia is currently covering and expansion
- Leadership style and company culture
- The situation of supply chain during a recession
Show notes:
- [00:36] What is your perspective on the “trends in the supply chain”? And why we should ban the word?
- [02:09] If we’re not looking at technology, new processes, and at different ways of doing things, then we’re not providing a supply chain. So the word trend, in my mind intrinsically does not match what we’re trying to achieve in a supply chain.
- [02:50] Can you share with us more about your journey in the freight forwarding business? How did it all happen? How did it all start?
- [05:48] Do you remember what were the skills needed 10-20 years back to be in this business?
- [07:13] Very early on, we understood the power of a brand, the power of storytelling, the power of scale, and how to also compete against scale.
- [08:05] What was the service when you started? What’s the service now?
- [09:55] Is there a freight area where you’re more focused?
- [11:14] Can you share with us your perspective when people mistake your company as a technology freight forwarding company?
- [13:12] I think one thing our audience should know is how spread Navia is now. Do you mind just telling them what regions you’re covering?
- [15:00] Do you mind sharing your leadership style and the culture of the company?
- [17:57] What’s your personal philosophy when you are going through these stressful times? How are you coping with all those?
- [22:09] What do you think is the biggest hurdle you need to cross with the expansion you have in mind?
- [23:01] Where do you see the supply chain moving now with the recession? Do feel the supply chain slowing down and making the job easier?
- [24:31] One thing we all need to remember as well is there’s quite a bit of confidence because people are gainfully employed and quite secure in their job.
- [27:55] Many businesses are turning far more pragmatic with just anticipating recession coming in and want to be safe with the funding. Are there any steps you have personally taken within the business?
- [30:37] We used a concept in supply chain of buying time. We focused on our processes on areas of the supply chain we can control. We did that really effectively on a couple of large volume airfreight accounts and we were able to maintain super high KPIs- 97% KPIs all the way through the pandemic.
- [32:40] Is there any technology that you have come across and thought was something that is going to help change the supply chain industry?
- [34:51] When you started and knowing what you know now, what will you do differently?
Quote from the Episode:
About the Host:
The host, Rushit Shah is the Managing Director of APAC and North America at Alcott Global. Rushit comes with 20 years of Executive Search and Selection with 8 years of Supply Chain Consulting service within APAC. He worked for more than 40 countries with diversified industries and functionality.
Alcott Global connects and upgrades the supply chain ecosystem by finding the right talent through executive search, developing talent through learning solutions, and meeting supply chain technology needs through a comprehensive crunch base marketplace.
The supply chain executive search has been our focus since the very beginning, offering recruitment services for top-tier supply chain roles at every level of the end-to-end supply chain: plan, source / procure, make, and deliver. Our consultants have years of experience in placing top talent, in North America, LATAM, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and APAC, and besides speed, one of our biggest strengths is our network within the supply chain industry, and we capitalize on it to find the best solutions.
Through the years, we have grown as an organization and our offerings with it. One of our initiatives, the learning solutions- training and supply chain academy, is focused on transforming leadership- self-leadership, executive presence, influence capital, and business acumen. Through Supplify, we aim to match corporations with the top technology companies to solve their supply chain and logistics challenges with a focus on innovation and digital transformation.
We are in constant touch with the leaders in supply chain, inviting them to inspire the supply chain professionals in thought-provoking podcast episodes and events, and showcasing what is possible at the yearly Leaders in Supply Chain Awards.
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