PSC LIVE Dubai: Sony Head of Supply Chain Solutions Keynote
In a compelling keynote at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Dubai 2025, Dinakaran (DK) M, Head of Supply Chain Solutions, MEA at Sony, tackled the growing challenges facing global supply chains.
From conflict zones and natural disasters to economic turbulence and shifting trade routes, he mapped out a world in flux – and explained what supply chain professionals can do about it.
Global events are shaking up the supply chain
DK opened by setting the scene with a recap of the last five years of global disruption.
Beginning with the Covid-19 pandemic and its dramatic effect on manufacturing and transport, he moved through the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, to climate events like floods in Dubai and wildfires in California.
Each of these crises, he argued, had a direct and often profound impact on the global supply chain.
“Each of these events created unprecedented chaos in the supply chain industry,” he said.
Whether it was port closures, tariff changes or soaring freight costs, businesses had to respond to a cascade of disruptions.
He noted that the early 2025 election of Donald Trump and the subsequent introduction of reciprocal tariffs had already caused hundreds of contract cancellations, with further economic uncertainty still looming.
Adaptability and scenario planning are now vital
In response to this global volatility, DK urged a shift from linear to multi-scenario planning.
“In the early days, the planning used to be to make a plan A. If it fails, we go to plan B,” he said. “But in today's uncertain world, we need multiple plans.”
He outlined how companies need the agility to scale operations up or down rapidly. Referring to Apple’s logistics strategy, he explained how they chartered aircraft to beat a tariff deadline and moved fast to mitigate added costs.
Supply routes, too, are being transformed.
DK emphasised the growing relevance of multimodal transport solutions – where goods might travel from a factory by air, then by sea, then overland – optimising for both speed and cost in dynamic conditions.
On the geopolitical front, he highlighted the shift from multilateral to bilateral trade agreements.
“We are really living in a new world order,” he said, using the UAE’s successful bilateral trade deals as an example.
Technology and local agility hold the key
As the presentation drew to a close, he turned to the role of technology, particularly AI, in navigating uncertainty.
He challenged attendees to imagine how real-time consumption data, AI-powered forecasting, and decentralised warehousing could shorten lead times and reduce exposure to single points of failure.
He shared a recent case from Sony’s own supply chain in Central Asia.
When the Russia-Ukraine conflict severed their traditional routes through Moscow and Latvia, they initially rerouted via Jebel Ali in the UAE.
However, this increased the lead time to Kazakhstan to over 90 days.
“What we found out was that instead of getting products to Jebel Ali, if we had a facility closer to Central Asian markets, would it be beneficial?” he said.
The result was a new facility near the region, which brought lead times down to 15–20 days and significantly cut costs.
“That is one very good example from recent times,” DK added.
When asked how he ensures continuous improvement in operations, he stressed the importance of scalability in planning.
“Whatever plan we come out with has elements of both, scaling up as well as scaling down, we are living in a world where things keep changing quite significantly.”
DK’s keynote underscored a simple yet powerful truth: the only constant in today’s supply chain environment is change itself.
As the global context continues to evolve, businesses must be ready with adaptive strategies, robust planning and a forward-looking use of technology. He concluded with a quote from the UK Government’s Global Digital Service, “The rules of the game have changed. Have you?”
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