This week, 3,000 supply chain professionals gathered in Orlando, FL, for the 2025 Gartner Supply Chain Symposium. In this blog, we share key takeaways from the opening keynote by Ken Chadwick, VP Advisory at Gartner Research & Advisory.
Chadwick kicked off the three-day event by describing our reality today: supply chains are being shaped by forces that are increasingly unpredictable. He described this environment as one of divergence, where multiple trends are creating noise, confusion, and conflicting signals. He emphasized this is "a reality where no matter how much we plan, things can go in a completely different direction."
From the future of AI to economic shifts and geopolitical tensions, businesses are bombarded with mixed signals that can cloud decision-making and distract from delivering true value.
75% of CEOs believe that supply chain disruption is one of the biggest risks to their business.
– Gartner
To thrive in this landscape, companies must cut through the noise and find clarity, and the supply chain must be the focus to drive competitiveness. Chadwick identified three strategic imperatives to gain a competitive edge:
1. Navigate Chaos with Data
In an environment overwhelmed with information from an infinity of applications, messages, feeds, etc. – supply chain leaders need to transform data into actionable insights.
- Advanced Visibility: Advanced visibility is essential to generate the insights to drive decision making for better execution. Even though visibility is often the first or second highest priority for most supply chains, many organizations still fall short. "The biggest issue is that visibility ambitions are exceeding investments (…) This needs to change," said Chadwick.
80% of supply chain leaders have implemented risk monitoring, but only 12% sensed disruptions early enough to act.
– Gartner
Advanced visibility empowers real-time execution, allowing businesses to rapidly respond. Visibility to risks, for example, is only as good as the ability to act on that insight. This is where advanced planning systems (such as Atlas Planning Platform), transform that data to change an “uh-oh” into “we’ve got this” situation.
- Scenario Planning: Planning for the future is no longer optional—it’s essential. The analyst highlighted that with the average organization experiencing 2.5 high-impact disruptions per month, scenario planning becomes a powerful tool to anticipate and mitigate risks.
While 88% recognize the positive impact of scenario planning on supply chain performance, only 19% have fully integrated it into their strategies.
– Gartner
The key takeaway: Spreadsheets, ERP and disconnected planning systems will slow you down and render your scenario planning capabilities ineffective. Embed continuous, iterative scenario planning into your operating rhythm. Use it across multiple time horizons and link it to monitoring technologies for proactive response.
2. Orchestrate Dynamic Outcomes from Your Network
Today’s supply chains must be agile, scalable, and deeply connected. The speaker shared two areas to focus on:
- Flexible Network Strategies: Companies must be able to reconfigure their networks in response to change. Gartner urges companies to double down on network strategy, using scenario planning to guide diversification and flexibility.
- Deep Brand Partnerships: As profitable growth becomes harder to achieve, strong brand partnerships will provide a strategic edge. These relationships must focus on delivering superior customer experiences and shared product outcomes. Investing in customer experience is key to gaining a competitive advantage.
3. Accelerate Innovation
Chadwick emphasized the urgency of innovation, highlighting how it has a direct impact on business outcomes and enhancing resilience.
77% of CEOs say their current operating model is not ready for an AI-driven world.
Only 17% of supply chain organizations have multiple AI deployments at scale.
– Gartner
To accelerate time to value, companies must seek innovations to suit the challenges they’re facing. It’s important to explore emerging technologies, understand their impact and value they deliver—while recognizing that successful adoption is a transition, not an event. "The secret to change is to let go of old things" – said the analyst.
Innovation should match the organization’s unique pace, whether that’s tactical tweaks or transformational overhauls. Chadwick shared that success in adoption of new tools depends on training, support, and a culture that embraces change.
Final Thoughts
Despite the shifting landscape and economic turbulence, business ambitions remain bold—especially around growth. Chadwick left the audience with a clear directive for supply chains: embrace the chaos with the right capabilities, focus on orchestration, and lead with innovation. By doing so, supply chain leaders can turn today’s divergence into tomorrow’s strategic advantage.
At John Galt Solutions, we empower companies like yours to transform their supply chains by managing risk and creating value from uncertainty. Today’s market requires you to move quickly. To expect more from your technology investments. Our Atlas Planning Platform provides an end-to-end supply chain planning solution that delivers visibility, with advanced AI- driven insights and scenario planning to augment decision-making.
Let’s have a chat about how we can help you capitalize on change and drive profitable growth with AI-driven supply chain planning software.
