Srinivas Devarapalli is a Specialist Leader – Digital Supply Chain at Deloitte Consulting LLP. Srini is based out of Houston, TX and is greatly recognized for his expertise in supply chain and operations transformation for multinational corporations. His 14 years of strategy and technology experience with top 4 consulting firms in the world helped to optimize supply networks creating a positive impact on nation's economy. He is closely associated with several Industry 4.0 digital transformation applications using Machine Learning, Artificial intelligence, and Blockchain in Supply Chain space. He has been a keynote speaker and presented at multiple international conferences.
Let's talk and find out more!
What's the biggest driving force that motivates you to innovate and transform supply chain with Industry 4.0 technologies?
I love solving problems! a curious mind blended with technology transformation has shown innovative ways to optimize disjointed age-old traditional supply chain techniques to real-time intelligent supply network. It's an amazing experience. Imagine companies like Amazon giving insights to product fulfillment in a split second with six-sigma accuracy.
It's a tough time for everyone, with COVID-19 disrupting the economy, what do you think are organizations struggling with today?
Supply chain disruptions caused by global pandemic are exposing the vulnerabilities of many organizations, struggling to sense and respond dynamically. Multiple factors like demand variability, supply source disruptions, excess inventory, low working capital are creating a major impact to step-up and sustain to the new normal.
How can these organizations transform and get ready for "next normal"?
Today's world is not a place to run on traditional methodologies of monthly planning cadence for sales and operations planning with disjointed systems. This is not an option anymore. It's time to think big and scale fast with advanced planning functions and analytics. For example, using demand sensing based on ordering patterns and advanced "machine learning" algorithms
As an expert, supporting multiple companies getting past through these major disruptions, what is your suggested approach for these organizations?
Drive immediate controls for the most impactful disruptions and build an agile solution using advanced optimization techniques. Visibility is the key, enable control tower techniques to centralize the whole supply chain operations.
What are the potential benefits and outcome of this supply chain transformation?
Creating a positive impact with digital supply networks drives faster time to value, improving cash flow, mitigating risks, boosting service levels and enhancing insights to find new avenues for growing business and economy.
Could you tell us about the most interesting work you did in this space?
Tough question! There are many but if I were to pick couple of them, We have developed Cold Chain with blockchain technology and IoT for pharmaceutical companies to help track vaccine potency during transport potentially avoiding risks in drug quality. Automatic weather tracking and social disruption patterns feeding to machine learning algorithms and automatically driving decisions in the downstream supply chain.
What is the final message you have for your readers?
Change is the only constant in life. Learn, adapt and always aim to be a disruptor. 69% of Fortune-500 C-Suite executives feel that digital supply network will drive exponential benefit for the economy. Be part of the change and get ready for next generation transformation!
