Page 1 of 31
Zoetermeer, The Netherlands – ORTEC, the global provider of decision support software and data science capabilities, is pleased to announce the appointment of Georgios Sarigiannidis as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1st, 2025. Georgios Sarigiannidis succeeds Michael van Duijn, who, after 30 years of service at ORTEC of which 7,5 years as CEO, has decided to pursue new horizons outside of ORTEC.
Wilko Sierksma is Director of Global Planning at HEINEKEN Global Supply Chain. Together with his team, he tackles everything from opening and closing breweries, deciding whether to expand capacity at certain sites, distribution and footprint optimization and much more. Their biggest challenge? Safeguarding local entrepreneurship while standardizing global processes: “We’re a decentralized company, but we still want to leverage our economies of scale, which you can only do with harmonized, standardized, automated data and systems.”
A conversation with Wilko Sierksma, Director of Global Planning at HEINEKEN Global Supply Chain
COLUMN | THE INNOVATION SIDE OF THINGS
Text: Suzanne Thomasson | Senior Business Consultant at ORTEC
"We are used to smart innovations that predict our behavior in our personal lives: when I get into my car after work, Google Maps sets the destination to my home, and when I settle into my couch, Netflix knows what series I would like to see. In B2B, these technological advancements haven’t yet reached their full potential. If you ask me, there is lots of potential for the B2B world to advance and catch up. As we embrace the potential of smart innovations in B2B, we embark on a journey where human ingenuity and machine intelligence converge to shape the future of planning!"
Supply Chain Planning and Workforce Management have always been about making decisions that affect people – employees and customers – while impacting global supply chains, services, and revenues. Striking the right balance among these different perspectives in industries such as Retail, Manufacturing and Healthcare has a major impact and is a delicate balancing act. Although this challenge has long been present for the customers we’re serving, we are now experiencing rapid changes in the environments they operate in. New technology trends, such as Generative AI and tools like ChatGPT, are being used by a vast majority of the population – including users of planning software.
Text: Erica D’Acunto | VP Innovation at ORTEC
In early May 2024, the Guardian reported that almost 80% of top climate scientists from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) foresee us heading towards at least 2.5C of global warming, and 50% predict it will go up to at least 3C. This is far behind the 1.5C target set by The Paris Agreement, with the lack of political will and vested corporate interests being cited as the main reasons we are falling short. It is no longer deniable that we have and will continue to experience the increasing effects of human-induced climate change.
Text: Pui Yi Chan | Corporate Sustainability Manager at ORTEC
How advanced tools and collaboration drive efficiency
Technology companies must continuously innovate to stay ahead. Efficiency isn't just a matter of product development, but also smart resource management. This was especially true for one global company facing the challenge of deploying thousands of specialists worldwide for large and complex projects. Where personnel planning was once managed using Excel, the scale and complexity of operations soon made this approach unsustainable. The solution? An advanced workforce planning application, developed in close collaboration with ORTEC, allowing the company to assign the right people to the right tasks, anywhere in the world. This transition not only improved efficiency but also led to a cultural shift within the organization, with visibility and collaboration at the core. “Our tool can weigh thousands of scenarios and options against each other based on the company’s business logic, then choose the best options.”
Interview with Meike de With and Chuck Ng, Data Science & Consulting at ORTEC
In an era of rapid technological advancements and evolving workforce dynamics, logistics companies face unprecedented challenges. DSV, a global leader in the industry, is at the forefront of innovation, redefining how businesses manage their supply chains. In this exclusive interview, Peter van der Maas, COO of DSV Solutions, reveals the company’s strategies for optimizing workforce management, leveraging technology, and driving sustainability. With this approach, DSV is transforming the logistics landscape and tries to set a new standard for operational excellence. “Our ultimate goal is for employees to be able to plan or change their own schedules as they see fit.”
Interview with Peter van der Maas, COO of DSV Solutions
In a world where an aging population and workforce shortages are putting ever greater pressure on the labor market, companies face the challenge of keeping staffing levels up to remain competitive. According to Goos Kant, Industry Leader of Workforce Management at ORTEC and Professor of Logistic Optimization at Tilburg University and JADS, efforts to boost employee satisfaction are indispensable for any company looking to retain and bring in new staff. He’s also a firm believer in the power of data analysis, as the key to both better scheduling and more efficient resource use. The key to success is improving strategic, tactical, and operational capacity management. “Ultimately, that leads to better results and higher employee satisfaction.”
Interview with Goos Kant, Industry Leader of Workforce Management at ORTEC
According to Vincent Lemmens, Executive Vice President of Workforce Management at ORTEC, labor shortages and employee satisfaction are cross-sectoral challenges. Companies have to get a handle on their schedules, while also responding to employees' growing need for flexibility and participation. In this interview, Lemmens shares his views on how technology, such as AI and self-scheduling, can help companies boost their efficiency and appeal to staff. “Staff shortages are the common denominator, but the solution is satisfied employees who stay on for longer.”
Interview with Vincent Lemmens, Executive Vice President of Workforce Management at ORTEC
Managing material shortages and surpluses, balancing optimism versus realism in financial planning, evaluating capacity both at the brewery and regional levels, while setting up an organization that can handle all of this - it all comes down to planning, says Jasper Blaas, HEINEKEN’s Planning Capability Manager. “We try to create the best of both worlds: staying agile while maximizing our supply chain’s potential.”
An interview with Jasper Blaas | Planning Capability Manager at HEINEKEN