After a turbulent 2025, supply chain leaders are heading into 2026 with a different mindset, according to Mahesh Rajasekharan, chief executive of Cleo. Speaking to Supply Chain Brain, he said volatility is no longer being treated as a temporary shock but as a lasting feature of global trade, with geopolitics increasingly shaping how companies think about resilience.
That shift is forcing a broader rethink of what supply chains are for. Rather than being managed mainly as engine...
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s of cost efficiency, they are being recast as strategic networks that must help companies absorb uncertainty, respond faster and protect service levels. Rajasekharan argued that this is driving a move away from narrow, tactical fixes and towards end-to-end coordination across procurement, logistics, manufacturing and distribution.
The difficulty, however, is that many organisations still do not have a clear line of sight across those moving parts. Industry commentary from Trackonomy and SDCExec points to persistent data silos, incompatible systems and a patchwork of point solutions that can leave companies with only partial visibility, even at the supplier level. In some cases, executives still struggle to see beyond Tier 1 partners, creating blind spots precisely when disruptions demand faster intervention.
Rajasekharan said that this fragmented approach has created friction for both businesses and customers. As companies automate more of their operations, he said, they can no longer confine those efforts within their own walls. Instead, they need to capture signals from across the wider network and turn them into decisions that move with the flow of goods.
That is where supply chain orchestration comes in. The concept, as described by Forbes and other industry analysts, is about synchronising data, systems and actions in real time so that planning and execution are linked more closely. In practical terms, that can mean a control-tower-style view of orders, shipments, inventory and partner activity, allowing companies to spot risks earlier and respond before service deteriorates.
For suppliers, the stakes are not only operational but financial. Rajasekharan noted that missing delivery windows or failing to meet retailer requirements can trigger chargebacks that amount to between 1% and 3% of revenue. Performance in those areas also affects a supplier’s chances of expanding shelf space or winning greater retail presence, making visibility and coordination commercial as well as logistical priorities.
The case for better transparency is reinforced by industry research suggesting that firms with real-time visibility outperform those with limited insight, while companies in sectors such as pharmaceuticals face added pressure because delays can directly affect patient supply. Yet the barriers remain familiar: integration complexity, resistance to change and cybersecurity concerns continue to slow progress.
For supply chain leaders entering 2026, the message is increasingly clear. Visibility on its own is not enough. The competitive advantage now lies in orchestration: connecting planning with execution well enough to turn disruption from a liability into something businesses can manage, and in some cases, monetise.
Source: Noah Wire Services
