Episode 157: Self-Healing Supply Chain with Westernacher’s Sachin Vijayan

This week, we welcomed Sachin Vijayan from Westernacher, who explained how AI, agents, and real-time sensing are driving the shift toward self-healing supply chains and why humans will remain accountable.

Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠episode transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (sap-podcast-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/the-future…)

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 In this episode, Sachin Vijayan of Westernacher joins us to discuss the rise of the self-healing supply chain. We explore how AI agents, sensing, automation, and real-time data can help supply chains respond to disruptions more quickly, while humans remain accountable for key decisions.

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Guest: Sachin Vijayan, Global Planning Lead, Westernacher Consulting  
Sachin Vijayan is an experienced supply chain transformation leader currently serving as the Global Planning Lead at Westernacher Consulting. With over a decade of experience in solutions architecture and consulting, he specializes in Digital Business Transformation, Integrated Business Planning (IBP), and Demand Planning across diverse global industries.

Throughout his tenure at Westernacher, Sachin has held several key leadership positions, including the EU Regional Practice Lead and Solution Architect. He is recognized for his ability to bridge the gap between complex business requirements and robust technical models, driving operational excellence and high-quality client delivery.

Sachin is known for his strategic approach to supply chain planning, helping organizations navigate modern market complexities through digital innovation and process optimization.

Host 1: Richard Howells

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Richard Howells⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (sap-podcast-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/the-future…) has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP 

Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability. 

She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting and English Translation, along with a master’s degree in Business Administration and Foreign Trade, specializing in marketing. With her background in digital transformation, Oyku communicates technology trends and industry insights to help professionals navigate the evolving business landscape. 

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Show Links:
What if your supply chain could heal itself? Read (linkedin.com/pulse/what-your-supply-chain-coul…) the article

Supply Chain Management: 
SAP Supply Chain Management (sap.com/products/scm/solutions.html)
SAP Insights: Supply Chain (sap.com/insights/supply-chain.html)  

Follow Us on Social Media :
Sachin Vijayan: LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/vijayansachin)
Richard Howells: LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/richardjhowells),
Oyku Ilgar: LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/oykuilgar) 
SAP Digital Supply Chain: LinkedIn (linkedin.com/showcase/sapscm)  

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Chapters:

00:00:00: Intro
00:01:07: Guest Introductions
00:01:44: What does “self-healing supply chain” mean in practice
00:04:37: Core capabilities needed before a supply chain can self-heal
00:07:50: The role of AI in enabling self-healing operations
00:12:27: How humans and AI should work together
00:17:33: What the planner of the future will do differently
00:22:12: Where self-healing is already happening today
00:26:17: What is the Future of Supply Chain?
00:27:20: Outro