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current position, in which he focuses on execution of all
aspects of supply chain operations worldwide.
QAt IBM, you were involved in a number of initiatives to transform its supply chain. What was the biggest
challenge in getting those initiatives started?
A The biggest challenge in starting IBM’s supply chain transformation was fully understanding the need to
move from an international company to a globally integrated
enterprise. This meant establishing global standards while
having the ability to execute regionally. For us to understand
the difference and be able to explain the difference to ourselves and then, prove the value was our most formidable task.
integration of business models. At the heart of it, my roles
all shared a common foundation: to create order from
chaos, and to remove any distraction that inhibits the creation of value for the enterprise, its clients, and its shareholders. Over the years, I found that working in a global
supply chain discipline helped me to utilize those core characteristics that I most enjoy.
QWhat has been your biggest professional accomplish- ment to date and why?
A My most significant professional accomplishment has definitely been developing talent and the leaders of the
future. This is critical for business. The best legacy to leave a
company is to develop leaders who will move the enterprise
forward. In my 31-plus years at IBM, I’m proud to have
developed hundreds of employees in their careers, and most
notably, the dozens of employees who have gone on to
become IBM executives all around the globe. Also, helping
supply chain management achieve recognition as a core business discipline and as an essential “execution engine” to a
company’s core strategy. Sometimes we forget that a little
over a decade ago, there was no such thing as a “supply chain”
discipline, either in business or academia, as there is today.
QWhat are the biggest challenges facing supply chain professionals today?
A One of the biggest challenges today is global talent development, which requires a fine balance between
mature market talent and growth market talent. It is a constant balancing act, as you don’t want to swing the pendulum too far one way or the other in a global enterprise.
Then, once you have the talent in the proper places, you
need to motivate and retain that talent.
The second biggest challenge is the increased opportunity for risk as our global operations become more intertwined. Whether it be an unforeseen natural disaster, a
political situation, or economic conditions, what takes place
regionally now has some level of effect globally. It’s forcing
supply chain leaders to shift focus from optimizing what we
know to optimizing for what we don’t know.
QHow did you end up in supply chain management?
A I joined IBM as a systems analyst in manufacturing, where I was responsible for identifying problems and
determining corrective actions. Over the years, I was
responsible for brand operations, sales operations, supply
chain, and a major divestiture. Some of the roles were deep
functional disciplines, while others involved the end-to-end
QWhat advice would you give a young person consider- ing a career in logistics or supply chain management?
A I want young people to know that supply chain careers are truly fascinating. They are breathtaking in speed,
and certainly not for the faint of heart. New concepts and
forward thinking are a necessity. As soon as you stand still,
you will quickly fall behind. But having said that, permission
is granted to move forward when you execute with excellence
every day. You need to drive consistent, flawless execution.
Every day, you have the opportunity for great accomplishments, tough setbacks, and the knowledge that what you do
will have a direct influence on your clients, shareholders, and
company results. Personally, I can’t think of a better career.
Bill Hutchinson
There haven’t been many dull moments for
Bill Hutchinson since he joined Dell Inc. in
April 2007. His arrival coincided with the
start of the great migration from PCs to
smartphones and tablets. It also came as
Dell, one of the supply chain industry’s pioneers, was remaking its operations to focus
on bundled solutions in addition to the
original equipment manufacturing (OEM)
sector, where Michael Dell made his name
and created a legend.
Today, Hutchinson mans Dell’s global fulfillment and logis-
tics business as its founder focuses on plans to
take the company private. Hutchinson joined
Dell from retailer Best Buy Corp., where he was
vice president of logistics overseeing Best Buy’s
22 U.S. distribution centers.
QDell has morphed from an OEM to a solutions company. And its supply
chain has morphed from a configure-to-order operation to one built around
bundling service, software, and hardware
solutions to meet the needs of its diverse customer base.
