5 minutes with: Daniel Weise, MD and Partner, BCG

Who are you? 

Hi! My name is Daniel Weise, a BCG Managing Director and Partner based out of Düsseldorf, Germany. Within BCG I focus on procurement and supply chain work, leading our global procurement practice and being part of BCG’s global Operation Practice area leadership team.

In your opinion, what is the biggest trend currently driving change in supply chain?

Looking back to our client work in the recent months and next to the ongoing drive to reduce cost I see three key topics. The first is concerned with building resilient supply chains and managing risks pro-actively. Secondly, sustainability is climbing ever higher up the agenda, especially for procurement and supply chain teams now focusing heavily on scope 3 upstream emissions - starting from baselining emissions, to target setting, to making it happen and organisationally anchor those activities. 

Lastly, the trend towards digitisation is unbroken. In our recent book Jumpstart to Digital Procurement, Wolfgang Schnellbächer and I describe, based on our recent case work, how digital transformation has the power to revolutionise the way procurement and supply chains operate, and how automation and artificial intelligence empowers teams. Jumpstart to Digital Procurement is a hands-on guide to how companies can grasp the opportunities offered by digital transformation.

What’s the biggest obstacle facing supply chain in 2021?

Transparency. Let’s take two examples to illustrate this. One: the current shortage of ICs causes standstills for many production lines across industries. An end-to-end view is the pre-requisite to manage the current situation successfully and take the right actions across the entire value chain. Two: managing supply chains for low emissions requires a look across tiered supply chains. Partnering with the right suppliers across the tiers will be key to unleash the full decarbonisation potential and embark on the best abatement curves.

What’s your personal mantra? 

“Life offers chances, it’s up to you to take them.” This line really speaks to what I aim to do in my professional life. It is now the time act on sustainability and take the right decisions.  

What are three things you can’t live without?

Hiking boots, my mountain bike and, finally, the COVID-19 vaccine available for everyone so that we can start to live more freely once again.

Learn more about Daniel and his new book in the full feature in Procurement Magazine HERE.