Sam Abdelmalek

Just completed the Northwestern Kellogg Executive Education in Supply Chain Management, an energizing blend of strategy and hands-on tools. Top 3 takeaways for today’s AI-driven landscape: 1) Integrated Supply Chain Functions: Aligning design, sourcing, and logistics boosts efficiency, reduces costs, and strengthens resilience. 2) Risk Mitigation: Proactive strategies for global disruptions and automation are crucial for building agile operations. 3) AI as a Catalyst: Leveraging AI and machine learning is key to optimizing forecasting, inventory, and decision-making. The future of supply chain lies at the intersection of operations and AI-driven innovation. #SupplyChain #AI #Innovation #Leadership

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Geopolitical disruptions and tech advances are shaking up manufacturing strategies, pushing leaders to rethink their approaches. The message is clear: the traditional rules for designing global #manufacturing footprints no longer apply. To determine how to adapt their #operations, executives should start by applying an initial screen using four guiding questions that my BCG colleagues have explored in this article published by the Harvard Business Review.

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If tariffs are pressuring your supply chain, good. If there’s anything 50 years in supply chain, business and industrial engineering have taught me, it’s that constraints are where innovation begins.   #SupplyChainRedesign #ConstraintsCreateWinners #IndustrialEngineering

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Transitions between suppliers don’t have to drain budgets or slow down operations. Too often, organizations accept transition costs as fixed—but with the right negotiation strategy, those costs can be shared and even leveraged as a value driver. Check out Part 3 of our Value Driver Series to see how Tenet helps manufacturers unlock this underutilized lever. Client the following link to read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gWsEhDEg

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Manufacturing is finding its rhythm again, but the beat may be changing. As trade pressures ease and global supply chains stabilize, manufacturers are balancing slower demand with rising productivity gains driven by automation. Every quarter, AlixPartners releases the Manufacturing Overview, a data-driven analysis of the state of global manufacturing. In Q3 2025, many are rethinking forecasts, sharpening efficiency, and tackling the growing skills gap head-on. It’s a moment of recalibration that’s redefining how, and where, the next wave of manufacturing growth will happen. Read our full insights in the report: https://ow.ly/9OAi50XSeQw

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Fascinating insights from our latest @EY Center for Executive Leadership Chief Supply Chain and Chief Operations Officer roundtable: 3 key takeaways: 1. Supply Chain and Operations executives are adapting to global disruptions with a keen focus on efficiency and resilience while investing strategically in automation and AI while remaining cautious of brewing geopolitical risks. 2. AI offers huge potential, but real value comes when we rethink workflows—not just run pilots. 3. The path forward demands a holistic strategy integrating people, processes, and technology to build agile, future-ready supply chain networks. Above all, leaders must anchor their strategy in operational KPIs for measurable impact. #CenterforExecutive Leadership #SupplyChain #AI Thanks to the EY Leadership and the core EY team that makes this event special: Kristin Valente, Juan Uro, Anand Pandey, Scott Liptak, Scott Galloway, Amy Dashoff, Sudhanshu Wasan Tariffs and AI on the minds of supply chain leaders | EY - US https://lnkd.in/gd7QiJjC

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Improving demand is great, but ongoing pressures from material costs, tariffs, and geopolitical uncertainty could easily lead to reacting to growth instead of planning for it. Volumes pick up, the operating environment feels better, and then if you're not careful, inventory starts to creep up in the name of not wanting to miss sales. Fast forward a few months and those decisions show up as excess inventory, margin pressure, and overall planning noise. Expansion tends to expose how mature or vulnerable your planning and inventory management processes really are. https://lnkd.in/dw9bumEy

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It was a great (and slightly warm) Paris Airshow this year! Defense took center stage this year — not just in visibility, but in the strategic energy of the conversations. Industrial and production readiness alongside resilient supply chains were some prominent themes. On the commercial side, no one’s chasing order announcements anymore. The real story is production execution and aftermarket performance. I had the chance to speak with investors, OEMs, and suppliers across the ecosystem. The message is clear: program discipline, delivery execution, and support excellence are what define the winners now. #parisairshow #PAS2025 #defense #aerospace #oliverwyman #ADG

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Aerospace Procurement: Resetting for Resilience and Growth The aerospace industry is at a crossroads. As global supply chains bounce back from pandemic-era shocks, aerospace faces unique hurdles: volatile demand, persistent material shortages, supply chain consolidation, and a workforce in transition. These factors are reshaping what it takes to succeed in procurement leadership today. Key Challenges: 1) Demand Volatility: Fluctuating production rates, unpredictable recovery in commercial aviation, and surges in defense needs—all are creating a highly uncertain outlook. 2) Supply Shortages: Despite having capacity, shortages of critical materials like investment castings and specialty metals are still common. 3) Industry Consolidation: Mergers have reduced supplier diversity, making supply chains less resilient when disruptions hit. 4) Skill Gaps: As seasoned workers retire, attracting and developing the next generation of talent is a growing challenge. What actions can Procurement Leaders take? 1) Manage Direct Materials More Strategically: Rethink sourcing, invest in redundancy, and develop robust “should-cost” models for better negotiations and forecasting. 2) Target Indirect Materials and Services: Focus on competitive bidding and structured sourcing to quickly capture savings in areas with normalized costs. 3) Harness Digital & Automation: Automate up to 40-50% of procure-to-pay tasks and adopt digital tools that add true value—while investing in user engagement for real ROI. 4) Invest in Capabilities: Bridge skill gaps with targeted hiring and upskilling, emphasizing both technical and people-management skills—middle managers are key. The path forward for aerospace procurement is clear: adopt a flexible, risk-focused approach and double down on talent and innovation. By doing so, the industry can build resilient, future-ready supply chains that keep global aviation moving. #Aerospace #SupplyChain #Procurement #Innovation #Leadership

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In 2024, significant supply chain challenges continued to ground the aviation industry. Strategic partnerships and transparency are key to overcoming hurdles in revolutionizing the aerospace supply chain. Read this Kearney article by Adrian Bostock, Scott Davidson, and Patrick Steige to discover the key steps organizations should take to create a resilient supply chain.

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Disruption isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the reality many of us are navigating daily in aerospace and defense. Between tariffs, labor shortages, and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the pressure on supply chains is intense. We’ve seen how these challenges are playing out on factory floors and in the aftermarket, where agility and resilience are becoming just as critical as output. The new AlixPartners 2025 Aerospace & Defense Outlook offers a thoughtful look at these dynamics, and ways to navigate the challenges ahead. If this sounds like the world you’re working in too, connect with us to learn more. https://ow.ly/ZFuw50W7wLm #aerospace #defense

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Continuous improvement is no longer enough. Markets, customer expectations, technology, and competition are evolving faster than traditional improvement cycles can keep up. In this Supply Chain Byte, Lisa Anderson shares why the next frontier is collaborative innovation—working across teams, partners and customers to accelerate breakthroughs and strengthen your ability to stay ahead. 🎥 Watch now to rethink how improvement really happens. #SupplyChain #Innovation #Manufacturing #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #Collaboration #FutureReady

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Disruption isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the reality many of us are navigating daily in aerospace and defense. Between tariffs, labor shortages, and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the pressure on supply chains is intense. We’ve seen how these challenges are playing out on factory floors and in the aftermarket, where agility and resilience are becoming just as critical as output. The new AlixPartners 2025 Aerospace & Defense Outlook offers a thoughtful look at these dynamics, and ways to navigate the challenges ahead. If this sounds like the world you’re working in too, connect with us to learn more. https://ow.ly/Zt1t50W7oA8 #aerospace #defense

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Discover how adopting the collaborative mindset of a bee colony can enhance supply chain resilience, emphasizing adaptability, shared purpose, and interdependence over traditional transactional approaches. https://bit.ly/4krT0sq #SupplyChainResilience #CollaborativeEcosystems #AdaptiveSupplyNetworks #BusinessManagement #ContingencyPlanning #ChiefExecutive

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𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲: 𝐆𝐄 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 In a recent MIT Sloan interview, GE Appliances CEO Kevin Nolan discussed the strategy of 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔. Seeking to boost corporate agility, Nolan and his team needed their business units to get closest to the customer so they could make decisions rapidly to meet customer needs and demands. Here are some of the key points of GE Appliances' strategy 𝐆𝐄 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒' 4-𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 1. 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨-𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: “Management has to get out of the way,” Nolan says. “The customer is the boss: There should be zero distance between innovators and the customer.” _______ Join me for a Leaders at All Levels talk November 12 at 12 noon. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e5aZbxGX See below in comments section for more information _______ 2. 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: Create microenterprises closest to the customer. Set them up to run their own P&L, with compensation tied to performance. 3. 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲: Do things to spark innovation without approvals. To get things done fast and push the approval process down to the frontline. 4. 𝐓𝐚𝐩 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬: “Are you the smartest person in the room? If you are, you have a massive disadvantage because you’re not tapping into the smarts in your organization,” Nolan says. The smart people are closest to the customer, not in the organization's hierarchy. Give the people the power to meet the customers' needs. 𝐌𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬: I have been fortunate to work in large corporations in the Fortune 100 and 1000. Yes, there were approval processes. And yes, there were bureaucracies. But the leadership I worked for always—and I mean always—deferred to the people closest to the customers. Did this mean they didn't ask tough questions? No. They asked a lot of questions. And often I couldn't answer them. But these questions made me think. They got me to think like a P&L manager. Without these tough questions, I never would have been given more opportunities, because they made me grow. Push authority and decision-making down to those closest to the customer, and you will spark innovation and time-to-market like no other strategy, while at the same time invigorating the energy required to win business and change the competitive landscape. Your partner in success, Joe Murphy ♻️ Cool to repost 📽 Leadership Insights videos posted Mon-Fri at 5 PM ET Follow me, Joe Murphy, for more insights. And don’t forget to hit 🔔 to stay updated with my posts! Your partner in success, Joe Murphy #LeadersAtAllLevels #GEAppliances #MITSloan

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Disruption isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the reality many of us are navigating daily in aerospace and defense. Between tariffs, labor shortages, and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the pressure on supply chains is intense. We’ve seen how these challenges are playing out on factory floors and in the aftermarket, where agility and resilience are becoming just as critical as output. The new AlixPartners 2025 Aerospace & Defense Outlook offers a thoughtful look at these dynamics, and ways to navigate the challenges ahead. If this sounds like the world you’re working in too, connect with us to learn more. https://ow.ly/AOhY50X6h9I #aerospace #defense

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The backbone of aerospace and defense is its supply chain. When disruptions strike, the impact is immediate. Our new joint study with Kearney explores how U.S. A&D companies are expanding domestic production to reduce risk, accelerate innovation, and ensure we can respond rapidly in times of crisis.

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Manufacturing is finding its rhythm again, but the beat may be changing. As trade pressures ease and global supply chains stabilize, manufacturers are balancing slower demand with rising productivity gains driven by automation. Every quarter, AlixPartners releases the Manufacturing Overview, a data-driven analysis of the state of global manufacturing. In Q3 2025, many are rethinking forecasts, sharpening efficiency, and tackling the growing skills gap head-on. It’s a moment of recalibration that’s redefining how, and where, the next wave of manufacturing growth will happen. Read our full insights in the report: https://ow.ly/680g50XQ6gV

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Positioning in Defense Supplier Market Fundamentals: 1. Relationships are Everything The defense industry runs on trust. Attend industry days, connect with procurement officers at all tiers, and build your network. 2. Patience is a Currency Sales cycles are long. Budgets are political. You must have the capital runway to survive the wait. 3. Start Realistically Do not try to be a system integrator on day one. The most successful strategy is to start at the bottom of the ladder with a world-class execution of a simple task and climb relentlessly from there. The Positioning Ladder in the Defense Industry Think of this as a ladder. It is very difficult to start at the top. Most successful defense giants began at the lower rungs and climbed over decades. 1. The Pure Production Partner (Reliable Basics Provider) This is the most common and accessible entry point for a new supplier. What you do: You manufacture simple, non-proprietary, often "nuts-and-bolts" items to exacting specifications. This could be machined parts, cables, harnesses, sheet metalwork, or basic sub-assemblies. You are a "job shop" for defense primes or higher-tier suppliers. 2. The Component Provider to Tiers 1, 2, 3 You graduate from making generic parts to designing or manufacturing specialized components. What you do: You provide a critical, defined component that gets integrated into a larger system. Examples: a specialized circuit board, a sensor, a pump, a filter, a composite panel, or a unique actuator. 3. Defense Subsystems under Licence You act as a local or cost-effective manufacturing arm for an established international player. What you do: A foreign OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) licenses you to produce a complete subsystem of their larger platform. Examples: manufacturing the turret for a vehicle, the radar array for a system, or the landing gear for an aircraft under a licensed agreement. 4. Customized System Provider This is a significant leap. You are now providing a complete, self-contained system that performs a key function. What you do: You design, integrate, and sell a full system based on your own IP. Examples: a custom Electronic Warfare suite, a specific Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for a niche mission, a C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) package for a specific vehicle. 5. Leader / Integrator of Defense Programs This is the top of the pyramid. You are a prime contractor. What you do: You are responsible for an entire major defense platform (e.g., a fighter jet, a warship, a tank). You design the overall system, manage thousands of suppliers, and are accountable to the government customer for the entire program's success. Trust you are doing well in positioning yourself as a supplier in the defense industry.

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