Insights from European supply chain leader Federico Marchesi
Federico Marchesi serves as Chief Supply Chain Officer for Haier Europe. With a background spanning engineering, M&A, transformation programs, and end-to-end global operations across multiple industries, he brings a uniquely analytical yet pragmatic approach to modern supply chain leadership. Over the past decade, he has led complex transformation initiatives, designed adaptive supply chain models, and driven large-scale operational improvements across Europe.
How did you move into your current role? A short overview of your background and career.
My journey hasn’t been linear, and that is one of my greatest strengths. I hold a Master’s degree in Automation and System Control Engineering, and early on I expected to build my career in R&D. After leading several M&A and strategic projects, I realized I was drawn to supply chain because it offered exactly what I enjoyed in engineering, dealing with complex systems, making data-driven decisions, and seeing a tangible daily impact.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve worked across distribution, transformation, and global supply chain operations in three industries. For the past three years, I have been leading the European Supply Chain at Haier.
What is your current role and your main responsibilities?
I lead the End-to-End Supply Chain for Haier Europe, covering everything from factory to customer delivery. My scope includes:
• End-to-End Planning (demand, inventory, supply)
• Physical Logistics (warehousing, ocean freight, customs, inland logistics, last-mile distribution including D2C)
• Customer Service
To give scale, my team supports around $3B in revenue, manages over $250M in logistics spend, and controls roughly $600M in inventory.
What does a typical workday look like? Any morning routine you follow?
I’m not rigid with routines because supply chain days are unpredictable. However, I am disciplined about focus.
About 30 percent of my time is devoted to designing and driving digital transformation. I treat it not as continuous improvement but as targeted upgrades to how we operate.
Another 30 percent is dedicated to people. I aim to challenge, coach, and support my team so that we continue developing a true learning organization, something I am proud to lead.
What lessons did you take from the pandemic? What positive changes came out of it?
The pandemic taught us that macroeconomics and geopolitics influence us far more than we previously admitted. It broke long-standing supply chain assumptions—such as inventory always being bad, or forecast accuracy being the ultimate goal.
The biggest shift was embracing resilience as a design principle. We moved from pure efficiency toward building systems capable of surviving shocks. The positive outcome is a stronger focus on resilience-driven design rather than traditional lean dogma.
What are the biggest challenges in your current role? How do you address them?
Volatility is our biggest challenge. With a multi-channel go-to-market strategy and unpredictable consumer behavior, deterministic planning no longer works.
We address this through:
• Scenario Planning: Training teams to plan for multiple futures.
• Governance: Empowering bottom-up decisions from those closest to the data.
• Adaptive Supply Chain: Using AI and Machine Learning to guide decision-making.
This lets us respond faster and more intelligently to sudden shifts.
Which tools or technologies are you most excited about right now?
Our major investments focus on:
• Demand Driven MRP, the core engine of our adaptive model.
• Machine Learning, mixing commercial tools with custom-built algorithms for unique challenges.
• Large Language Models (LLMs), which we are piloting for automating transactional work and improving data-heavy reporting.
These technologies support faster, smarter, and more consistent decision-making across the supply chain.
How do you integrate sustainability or ethical practices into your operations?
Sustainability is driven by both ethics and efficiency. Ethics is non-negotiable—we evaluate operations through that lens and encourage open debate.
From an operational standpoint, maximizing output per resource spent naturally reduces waste and improves environmental performance. Efficiency and sustainability reinforce each other, not conflict.
How do you stay informed about new trends and technologies?
I benchmark across industries and maintain a strong network of passionate experts. I also spend personal time studying History, Philosophy, and Geopolitics. History reveals patterns, while Philosophy helps with the ethical and cultural dimensions of leading large teams. Technical knowledge alone is not enough.
Which skills matter most for supply chain leaders today?
First, systemic thinking, the ability to understand an ecosystem rather than just its components.
Second, data analytics, approached as an engineer looks at causality and relationships.
Whether through visualization or mental simulation, leaders must find the way data “speaks” to them so they can cut through noise and make decisions with clarity.
Which trends will most impact the profession in the coming years?
We are entering a period of talent scarcity and shifting career expectations.
At the same time, supply chains must master Human-Machine Collaboration. We must learn to let go of tasks that AI and ML do better, and focus entirely on where humans add unique value. The challenge is not technical, but cultural and behavioral.
What advice would you share with someone starting a career in supply chain?
You must be ready for high pressure, complex problems, and limited external recognition. If you need constant applause, this is not the field for you.
Find motivation in solving the puzzle and in the camaraderie of your team. If you can do that, supply chain is one of the most rewarding careers you can choose.
Federico Marchesi
Chief Supply Chain Officer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/federico-marchesi-supplychain/
Chain.NET profile: https://www.chain.net/u/dffe88cc
Federico, along with many other supply chain leaders, participates in the regular events and discussions organized by GSCC. See the full event calendar at www.chain.net/c/events.
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