Leaders in Tech and Ecommerce

Hosted by Alcott Global

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Episodes

102

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

We interview some of the best entrepreneurs, experts and executives in the tech and eCommerce space. We want to share their perspective on the current trends, their stories about success and failure and how they attract and recruit talent. Our aim is to keep it real and simple - share the relevant lessons and have an open conversation. Follow-ups on our website for more details: https://www.alcottglobal.com/

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60 recent

August 20, 2026Episode 10325 min

#103: The First Mile Advantage – with Nick Daly of Gravity Supply Chain

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* II’m joined by Nick Daly, COO of Gravity Supply Chain, to explore one of the most overlooked parts of global supply chains: the first mile. Drawing on his experience on the operations side of logistics and sourcing, Nick explains why risks often emerge 60 to 120 days before a shipment reaches the port of origin, and why seeing them early can completely change the decisions teams are able to make. We discuss factory-level visibility, proactive decision-making, supplier performance, hidden “shadow economies,” change management, AI-powered exception handling, and the limits of autonomous decision-making. At its core, this is a conversation about moving supply chains from reacting to problems to seeing them early enough to do something about them. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

August 13, 202623 min

#102: Global Supply Chains Built for Constant Disruption – with Mitat Aydindag of Arvato

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Mitat Aydindag has built a global leadership career across Europe, Asia, and North America, leading supply chain transformation and logistics operations before becoming President of the Global Tech Vertical at Arvato. In this episode, he shares why supply chain volatility has become a permanent business reality and why resilience is now a competitive advantage rather than simply a cost. We explore how leading technology companies are moving beyond AI pilots toward enterprise-wide workflows, why supply chain visibility is evolving into orchestration, and how Arvato is investing in automation, robotics, and data center logistics to support high-growth industries. Mithat also discusses Arvato's capability-led acquisition strategy, lessons from scaling global operations for fast-growing technology brands, and why accountability, entrepreneurial thinking, and leadership are essential for building resilient supply chains in an increasingly unpredictable world. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

July 15, 2026Episode 10126 min

#101: The End of Traditional Supply Chain Planning – with Torsten Pilz of Counterpoint Labs

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Torsten Pilz has spent more than three decades leading global supply chains at companies including Honeywell, 3M, SpaceX, Amazon, and Henkel before founding CounterPoint Labs. In this episode, he shares why he believes traditional supply chain planning is becoming obsolete and how AI-native technologies are enabling autonomous, self-healing supply chains. We explore why companies often get stuck in endless AI pilots, the biggest barriers to digital transformation, and how manufacturers can modernize operations by connecting fragmented systems, data, and decision-making. Torsten also explains why leadership commitment, not technology is the true differentiator in successful AI transformations, and why the future belongs to organizations that move beyond planning toward continuous, autonomous operations. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

July 2, 2026Episode 10033 min

#100: Climate Intelligence for Global Supply Chains – with Jonathan Horn of Treefera

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Jonathan Horn has spent his career at the intersection of farming, physics, finance, and AI, bringing decades of experience in risk management before founding Treefera. In this episode, he explains how Treefera combines satellite imagery, earth observation, and artificial intelligence to deliver first-mile supply chain intelligence, helping organizations better understand climate risk and make smarter sourcing decisions. We explore why traditional visibility misses the first mile, how climate volatility is reshaping global procurement, and why predictive intelligence is becoming essential for resilient supply chains. Jonathan also shares how enterprises and financial institutions are using AI-driven insights to assess risk, improve sourcing strategies, and make better decisions in an increasingly uncertain world. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

June 18, 2026Episode 9933 min

#99: Transforming Supply Chain Workflows with Agentic AI – with Harish Abbott of Augment

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Harish Abbott has built his career around solving some of the most complex challenges in logistics and supply chain operations, from architecting systems at Amazon to founding and scaling multiple successful technology companies. In this episode, he explains how Augment is building AI teammates and agentic AI workflows that manage the constant stream of emails, calls, texts, and operational decisions that drive global supply chains. We explore why information delays create waste, what it takes to deploy agentic AI in mission-critical environments, and why deep industry context is essential for delivering meaningful productivity gains. Harish shares real-world examples across transportation, freight brokerage, and distribution, where AI is improving shipment visibility, automating carrier sourcing, and helping sales teams focus on relationships instead of manual data entry. We also discuss the importance of change management, the role of guardrails in enterprise AI systems, and the evolution from predefined workflows to self-learning agents that adapt to people, suppliers, and business processes over time. This is a deep dive into the future of supply chain execution, where AI is becoming a trusted teammate rather than just another software tool. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

May 19, 2026Episode 9834 min

#98: Connecting the Supply Chain Ecosystem Beyond the Four Walls with Tim Srock of Lobster

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Tim Srock, CEO of Lobster, joins me to discuss how companies can connect their supply chain ecosystems by addressing the critical middle layer of data integration. In this episode, we explore why 80% of critical supply chain data actually lives outside a company's internal systems—residing instead with suppliers, carriers, and 3PLs. Tim shares Lobster's journey from a horizontal IPaaS provider to a specialized supply chain platform executing over 30 billion workflows a year. We dive into the massive shift from optimizing supply chains for cost to optimizing for resilience and regulatory compliance in Europe. Tim also breaks down practical success stories, like how Deichmann achieved 90% savings on data exchange workflows and how Lindt improved their cold chain logistics. Finally, we discuss the realistic application of agentic AI in a deterministic logistics environment, emphasizing the need for structured data foundations and keeping the "human in the loop". Discover more details here . Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

March 13, 2026Episode 9720 min

#97: AI-Powered Early Warning Signals for Supply Chain Risk with Harald Nitschinger of Prewave

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Harald Nitschinger, Co-Founder and CEO of Prewave, joins me to unpack how companies can stay one step ahead of supply chain risks in an era defined by volatility, geopolitical tension, and constant disruption. In this episode, we explore how Prewave uses AI to detect early warning signals across global data sources, helping enterprises monitor supplier risk across multiple tiers and move from reactive firefighting to proactive resilience. Harald shares how the company evolved from academic research into a platform serving hundreds of organizations, analyzing millions of data points across hundreds of languages to surface signals ranging from labor unrest to regulatory shifts and geopolitical shocks. We dive into the real challenge facing supply chain leaders today—balancing cost optimization with resilience—and why concepts like “revenue at risk” are becoming critical in making smarter sourcing decisions. Harald also explains how scenario planning helps companies prepare for multiple potential futures, why visibility beyond Tier-1 suppliers is essential, and how AI-driven workflows will increasingly automate risk monitoring and mitigation processes. From the role of data strategy in enabling agentic AI to the competitive advantage of being prepared when disruptions hit, this conversation explores what it takes to build supply chains that can adapt, respond, and ultimately outperform in uncertain conditions.

December 22, 2025Episode 9633 min

#96: Physical AI for the Modern Dock with Andrew Meyer of Pickle Robot

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Andrew Meyer has led Pickle Robot in shaping a new category of physical AI, deployable, human-like robotic systems built for the toughest workflows at the dock door. In this episode, he breaks down how Pickle’s robots are transforming the brutal, variable world of unloading and loading trailers across import, distribution, and parcel operations. We explore how years of research, from MIT labs to Honda’s ASIMO program, inform Pickle’s product philosophy, and why solving the “demo to product” gap matters more than ever as automation moves out of pilot mode and into enterprise deployment. Andrew reveals how learning-based robotics expand real-world capability, why the dock door is the ideal beachhead, and how customers can go from curiosity to robots driving throughput in as little as four weeks. From redesigning human roles to delivering measurable KPIs without reconfiguring buildings, we examine what it takes to scale physical AI with reliability, cybersecurity guarantees, and a fleet flywheel that gets smarter with every deployment. This is a deep dive into the future of robotics in logistics that is built on data, systems thinking, and operational reality. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 X: https://bit.ly/3J4Wt35 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

November 17, 2025Episode 9526 min

#95: Building the Digital Backbone of Global Trade with Heidi Benko of Infor

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* Heidi has helped Infor become a leading provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions across industries like fashion, retail, electronics, manufacturing, and logistics. In this episode, she discussed how Infor Nexus connects over 94,000 companies across global trade ecosystems, bridging physical and financial supply chains. We dive into multi-tier traceability, the power of sustainable financing, and why agentic AI is poised to reshape operational execution. From navigating tariff complexity to launching digital product passports, we explore what it takes to future-proof supply chains with data, clarity, and scale. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 X: https://bit.ly/3J4Wt35 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

October 23, 2025Episode 9428 min

#94: AI-Driven Automation with Akash Gupta of GrayOrange

*Hosted by Andrei Palamariu* I’m joined by Akash Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of GreyOrange, a company revolutionizing warehouse operations with AI and robotics. From powering 150,000 daily shipments at peak to reducing fulfillment costs by 30–40%, GreyOrange’s technology is reshaping global supply chains. We explore how their orchestration platform “GreyMatter” and path-optimizing engine “DeepNav” help top retailers automate at scale, and how decision-making automation is just as crucial as physical robots. We also unpack trends in labor, warehouse design, and the “solver mindset” that fuels GreyOrange’s innovation. Discover more details here. Follow us on: Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7 X: https://bit.ly/3J4Wt35 Linkedin: https://bit.ly/4hbidqo Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd