The BIG supply chain reset: What you missed (and what we learned) at the CILT & NashTech roundtable

On a bright summer morning in Birmingham, senior leaders from across the supply chain and logistics industry came together to confront uncomfortable truths, challenge assumptions, and reimagine the future. Supported by NashTech, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and supply chain expert Sean Culey explored how commerce, conflict, climate, and technology are reshaping organisations faster than most can keep pace.  

If you weren’t there, here’s what you missed – If you were, thanks for coming, and here’s a reminder of what we covered… 

Alarming realities and a call for reflection 

Richard Atkins, CBE, Chairperson of CILT(UK), opened the day with a powerful reminder of the contradictions at the heart of global commerce.

“We produce enough food to feed 11 billion people, yet millions still go hungry. We’ve created more plastic Lego figures than living humans. Meanwhile, ice melts, conflicts escalate, and the question becomes: What are we really doing? If AI were human, it must be looking at us all, wondering why we can’t solve these solvable problems.” 

Autonomous everything: the next frontier 

Sean Culey, Director of Supply Chain at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, and Supply Chain Fellow - Cranfield, spoke about how technological change unfolds in powerful, cyclical waves. Today, we are living through the disruptive transition of the sixth wave. This era is defined by unprecedented speed and impact, fuelled by the arrival of digital natives who have never known a world without smartphones and ubiquitous connectivity. 

 He invoked Amara’s Law: that we consistently overestimate technology’s short-term impact and underestimate its long-term potential.

“Many innovations we’d sort of written off, such as blockchain, vertical farming, autonomous vehicles, and additive manufacturing, but these are now quietly preparing for their second act.” Sean cited. 

History shows that after each phase of creative destruction comes a technological golden age. 

Sean described how tipping points can arrive seemingly overnight. New York’s city streets seemingly switching from horses to cars ‘overnight’ was a case in point. As this sixth wave accelerates, we’re moving beyond incremental improvements towards sweeping transformations across power, communication, and transport. Today, legacy and next-generation systems coexist uneasily, but tomorrow, breakthroughs like autonomous vehicles will redefine mobility for everyone. 

He also outlined an “Automation Triple Whammy” transforming the supply chain: 

• Horizontal Convergence: From muscle to machine—automating physical tasks. 

• Vertical Convergence: From mind to machine—automating knowledge work. 

• Technological Convergence: Machines communicating with machines—automating the entire value chain. 

 Sean didn’t mince words about the UK’s lag in robotics, claiming “we suck at it.” While China surges ahead, installing more robots each year than the rest of the world combined, Britain risks falling further behind. 

Beyond automation: The challenge of decision-making 

Sean painted a vivid picture of modern supply chain pressures: sky-high consumer expectations, relentless black swan events, and mountains of data demanding instant decisions. Most businesses simply aren’t built for this. 

To survive, organisations must adopt Agentic AI and self-correcting, self-driving supply chains capable of sensing change, recommending actions, and responding autonomously. Yet even the most advanced technology can’t deliver results if decision-making remains trapped in silos. True transformation requires connecting fragmented knowledge, fostering collective intelligence, and, crucially, building trust in the algorithms themselves. 

PAL circular supply chains and 4D chess 

It was argued that the future will look nothing like the past and that change will never again be as slow as it is today. Sean introduced the concept of PAL Circular Supply Chains: personalised, automated, and local models powered by AI, 3D printing, robotics, blockchain, and IoT to create sustainable agile ecosystems. 

Yet most organisations remain stuck in industrial-age mindsets, focused on short-term cost-cutting and risk aversion. Leaders, trained for linear change, are simply unprepared for the complexity of 4D chess: thousands of interconnected decisions and strategic trade-offs each day.  

What’s more, while machines are getting smarter, humans are drowning in data. Gartner research shows that two-thirds of decisions are only “somewhat” data-driven, with most employees cherry-picking data to back their opinions. Meanwhile, data scientists spend nearly 80% of their time cleaning and organising information rather than extracting insights that drive change.  

Sean called for a future where data doesn’t just live in people’s heads but becomes an organisational memory—recorded, transparent, and collective. 

Creative problem solving will remain human 

Despite the march of AI, Sean argued that creative problem-solving and design thinking will remain distinctly human. When he asked attendees which cognitive skills mattered most, the answer was clear: creative thinking. 

A quote shared captured the spirit of the discussion: “Nothing we can do can change the past, but everything we do can change the future.” 

From fragile to anti-fragile 

Sean challenged leaders to move beyond fragile “I-shaped” structures focused purely on efficiency, and even beyond resilient “T-shaped” models optimising flow, to truly anti-fragile “X-shaped” organisations that thrive under pressure. 

He used striking metaphors: fragile firms collapse under stress like non-Newtonian fluids; resilient ones hold firm like da Vinci bridges; anti-fragile ones adapt and grow like muscle. He urged businesses to reframe ESG and AI, not as compliance exercises or job-cutting tools, but as strategic levers for reimagining what’s possible. Rather than asking, “What can we automate?”, he challenged leaders to ask, “What if?” 

During scenario planning, NashTech split the participants into three groups to envision their businesses in 2030 through the lens of:

• Anti-fragile organisations—diverse leadership, transparent data-driven decisions, cultures that reward experimentation. 

• Resilient organisations—focused on survival but recognising the risks of stagnation. 
• Fragile organisations—doing things “the way we’ve always done them,” missing signals, and reacting instead of leading. 

As one attendee put it: “We know fragility exists, but we choose not to do anything about it because of fear or lack of control."

Mindset: The foundation of anti-fragility 

Sean closed by reminding everyone that true anti-fragility begins in the mind. Fresh “thoughtware”, the curiosity, creativity, and grit to adapt constantly, is as important as any new system or technology. 

Grit sustains you through setbacks. A growth mindset turns failure into learning. Critical thinking empowers teams to question assumptions and uncover better answers. To build these capabilities, Sean recommended reflection, seeking feedback, and committing to continuous learning. 

Rethinking what success really means 

Much of the conversation returned to the question: What does success look like now? If we measure only profit, efficiency, and power, we risk ignoring environmental impact, well-being, and the innovation needed to stay relevant a decade from today.  

Delegates also discussed the impact of automation on jobs, agreeing it is easier to imagine which roles will disappear than to envision the new opportunities that will be created. The industry must get better at telling that story, not only to ease fears but to inspire the next generation. 

Richard Atkins closed with a warning: “We know the sector needs change. It’s too easy to say that something is too difficult. If any one of us ‘wins’ at the expense of everyone else, we all lose.” 

A Call to action for CIOs 

This wasn’t a typical networking event. It was an invitation to think bigger and act braver. 

As CIOs, supply chain leaders, and technologists, the message was clear: 

• Embrace automation but remain human-centric. 
• Invest in creativity as much as efficiency. 
• Challenge your definitions of success. 
• Break free from the week-to-week mindset. 
• Partner with organisations like NashTech to build the capabilities you will need tomorrow. 

One participant summed it up perfectly: 

"Process will get you to good every time, but getting to great requires innovation.” 

If you weren’t in the room, you missed the chance to reflect on the role your organisation plays not just in driving profitability, but in shaping the future. 

Next time, don’t miss the conversation. Your business and your people are depending on it. Subscribe to our newsletter to never miss a beat. https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0lxB5b0 or get in touch to explore how your organisation can turn AI uncertainty into a strategic advantage.