From Dance Floor to Boardroom: Human-Centric Supply Chain Leadership | Karen-Marie Katholm

Former Akzo Nobel supply chain chief Karen-Marie Katholm on leading 14,000 people through transformation—why soft skills beat technical expertise when navigating complexity.

How do you transform 13 separate supply chains into one integrated operation across 130 manufacturing sites and 14,000 employees?

Karen-Marie Katholm has done exactly that. As former Chief Integrated Supply Chain Officer at Akzo Nobel—and now Chief Supply Chain Officer at Orkla Foods—she's learned that technical expertise is merely the price of entry. The real differentiator is human-centric leadership.

In this episode, Karen-Marie and Mark Blackwell explore:

The Balcony and the Dance Floor Why leaders must understand operations without getting lost in them—and how the Heifetz leadership metaphor transformed her approach

Three Dimensions of Excellence Processes, systems, and capabilities—why most organisations underinvest in the third, and why that's where transformations stall

From S&OP to Integrated Business Management The five-step monthly rhythm that connects supply chain to strategy execution—lessons from DuPont that Karen-Marie has carried throughout her career

Differentiated Supply Chains Why one size doesn't fit all—agile supply chains for demanding customers require different approaches from cost-focused commodity flows

Soft Skills Aren't Soft Gemba walks, listening, and clear narrative—why these matter more than technical prowess when leading global teams

Diversity Drives Innovation How fresh perspectives from engineering trainees surface the questions experienced leaders have stopped asking

Karen-Marie's career spans iconic operations at Lego, the cooperative complexities of Arla Foods, global leadership at DuPont, and executive committee membership at Akzo Nobel. An engineer by training with an Executive MBA in Change Management, she proves that the most powerful tools for supply chain leadership aren't technical—they're empathy, authentic confidence, and the ability to drive transformation through people.

This episode is essential listening for supply chain leaders, operations executives, and anyone navigating large-scale organisational change.

Karen-Marie Katholm is the incoming Chief Supply Chain Officer and Management Team member at Orkla Foods (effective March 1, 2026), joining from AkzoNobel where she served as Chief Integrated Supply Chain Officer. Leading a global organization of 14,000 employees across 130 manufacturing sites, she spearheaded the consolidation of 13 fragmented supply chains into a single, synergistic end-to-end unit.

With over 20 years of leadership at giants like DuPont, Arla Foods, and LEGO, Karen-Marie is a recognized expert in large-scale transformation and digital innovation. Named one of the "Top 10 Women in Supply Chain 2024," she is a champion for human-centric leadership, emphasizing that empathy and transparency are critical tools for industrial excellence.

She serves on the boards of Corbion, Uhrenholt and Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker. 

Connect with Arkaro:

🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn:
Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro
Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/
Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/

🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com

📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro

Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com

📧 For business enquiries: mark@arkaro.com

Transcript

Mapping End-To-End Value Chains

Karen-Marie Katholm 0:47

I think many supply chain professionals will realize uh quite early on that once you take a step back and you start mapping your incoming raw materials, you start mapping the flow through your manufacturing sites, you start mapping your distribution, you know, all the way from the raw materials or sometimes even one step, you know, behind, and then also all the way through to your customers. Then you began will begin realizing in most cases, at least in my view, that they are actually quite different.

Introducing Karen-Marie Katholm

Mark Blackwell 1:20

Welcome back to Arkaro Insights. This is the podcast for B2B executives navigating the continuum of unknowns in a complex adaptive world. I'm your host, Mark Blackwell, and today's guest is a leader who is currently standing at a fascinating professional inflection point. She's an engineer by training and a master of large-scale human systems. Her career trajectory is a roadmap of industrial excellence, spanning the iconic operations of Lego, the cooperative complexities of Arla Foods, the global rigor of DuPont, and that's by the way, where I met this lady we're going to be talking to today. And more recently, she served as the chief integrated supply chain officer and executive committee member at Axe Nov Nobel, where she led a massive global organization of 14,000 employees across 130 manufacturing sites. But as we record this, she's preparing for a significant homecoming. On March 1st, 2026, she will officially step into her new role as Chief Supply Chain Officer for Orkla Foods. She's returning to the very company where her leadership career really took off. She's now tasked with transforming their value chain into a simplified high-growth engine. She is a leader who proves that the most powerful tools for a chief supply chain officer aren't just ch technical, they are empathy, authentic confidence, and the ability to drive commercial excellence through human-centric transformation. In this episode, we'll discuss her journey from procurement specialist to the boardroom, her philosophy on breaking down functional silos, and how she prepares 14,000 people to navigate complexity rather than just complicatedness. Please welcome to the show Karen Marie Katholm.

Karen-Marie Katholm 3:20

Thank you very much, Mark. And indeed, uh we go back quite a long time, back to the early days after DuPont acquired Danisco. So really nice to be here and thank you very much for the warm introduction.

Mark Blackwell 3:31

Well, let's see if that uh that experience pops up in today's conversation. But uh, you've been blessed with a huge variety of experiences to fall on or back on to today. So I'm going to be fascinated to learn more as well as some of those those times. So I think just to begin with, you've navigated from your start of your career as a technical procurement expert to a member of executive committee and sitting on boards in a variety of companies. How has your definition of a successful supply chain changed over the years?

Karen-Marie Katholm 4:08

Yeah, indeed, uh to your point, it's been a fabulous journey so far, having worked for a number of different companies across different industries, and also actually different uh ownership, which I think is uh is quite interesting. I mean, there are really different dynamics and decision-making processes, whether you're working in a cooperative, in a listed company, or in a privately owned company. Uh so that in itself is quite uh fascinating. And also having worked across uh different industries over the years, there's many things to learn, there's many things to pick up, there's many uh you know areas of excellence, pocket of excellence that you can also really bring from one industry to the other. And then to your point, uh early career indeed, I started up in in procurement and um I have an engineering background and actually was uh during a five-year study taking to lots of marketing, lots of commercial. It was uh, you know, a lot about uh exporting of uh products and services. However, I really felt during uh during the study that I was missing the price building of raw materials, I was missing, you know, what about volatility? Uh, how does it all work? And also really understanding the details of how you're building a price, then ultimately of your service or of your product. So really having that other side of the equation that has helped me tremendously to understand uh, let's say the PL, obviously, but also really understand the incoming um, let's say, part of uh of the cost of goods sold, but also let's say the go-to-market, the RD part, etc. So that's really been um that's that's been very uh very helpful to understand the both. So it was a very deliberate and conscious decision, actually, to go more into the granularity uh early on. To your question about uh what I've uh what I've seen uh more from you know a complicated engineering uh to kind of let's say yeah, successful uh supply chains. I kind of began early on really kind of working and thinking around the three dimensions, around the processes, but also around the systems, let's call it the toolbox, IT, but also the capabilities. And early on, and and probably to your question, also let's say coming from an engineering uh or with an engineering background, then then my main focus um before the leadership part really took off, that was indeed very much around the toolbox and also the the processes. And then kind of the the real importance uh out of the three dimensions, the capability part. Uh that that kind of came a little bit later on, I would say. But what really uh characterized a successful supply chain is that it has to be supply chain, uh, no matter which industry, no matter which company, that is fit for purpose. And there has to be clear clarity, let's say, from from within the organization also about is it very much a time of cost-cutting mode? Is it a time of operational excellence? Is it a time of where you're really funneling growth? So, so really kind of define that and be clear about that. And obviously, and ideally that also changes over time. So it's not constantly only, let's say, cost-cutting, but it's also really turned into an engine that is, you know, funneling uh growth uh ultimately for the company. And it can also work quite well to kind of do both. So one does really not rule out the other, as long as the message is clear and as long as your end-to-end uh supply chain strategy is very well connected with the overall business strategy or corporate strategy. That is really a critical starting point. Those two they have to uh go hand in hand.

Mark Blackwell 7:43

Interesting. So, what point in your career was there an inflection point or a wake-up one day morning when you realized that you had to move from being a technical expert onto facing the complexity and the adaptive challenges? And if I just may recount a personal story, when I remember the one of the first times I ever met you was sitting in an office in Copenhagen and I remember it well. And we were talking about uh the high fet story of the balcony and the dance floor. And I have to say, you were one of the first executives who I ever met spoke about that with authentic passion. And I just hand that to you, Karen Marie.

From Dance Floor To Balcony

Karen-Marie Katholm 8:28

Yeah, thank you very much. Uh I do recall we had many good uh conversations early on, and also remember coming from a much smaller company than than what Dupont was back then. It was very overwhelming to to become part of such a true global uh company and understand uh, let's say the language, understand the way of working. There were many new tools in the toolbox, there were many new processes, there was a world of opportunities and capabilities we could tap into. So, really understanding about DuPont Production Systems, DPS, uh also DuPont Integrated Business Management, DIBM, as a couple of examples, you know, really kind of opening up that it was kind of an extended S&OP process, sales and operations planning process, which many would work with. And then to your point about, let's say, for me at least, as a leader, to understand the image of the dance floor and also the balcony moment. And I think as uh as a leader, um it's important that you kind of understand and realize what's going on on the dance floor. However, you're not really supposed as a leader on an ongoing day uh basis to be dancing around on the dance floor. That's why you do definitely need to make sure you have uh the right uh team members. But there has to be like one uh one dance. It cannot be to stay in that area, it cannot be both the walls and it can be tango or whatever at the same point in time. So you have to be clear about what's kind of happening, what's going on on the dance floor. How do the capabilities in place also to dance, whatever dance should uh should be danced. As a leader, I mean have have those balcony moments on and off to find out uh what is really happening. So go go also and and check in on the dance floor, on everybody also around. And then also uh let's say again, sometimes get up on the balcony to try to get uh the bigger and the broader perspective of what is working well, what is actually not. It also gives you a lot of insight, but also take the time and the moments to observe, to listen, to reflect, and then again make make your judgment calls because there has to be also given direction to those that are on uh on the so-called dance floor. That that really in in my optic has to come from uh from the leader. So, yes, I have also remember uh been an early career where I was more the technical one. I was the one on the dance floor for sure. I was there in a number of roles, I also truly enjoyed that. But then at some point in time, I also felt that time had really come, and I was given great opportunities, by the way, by my former bosses to also uh get into leadership, and and I have really truly enjoyed that and super passionate about uh being a leader and get the best potential out of everybody.

Mark Blackwell 11:12

So if we can extend that, the other thing is you often talk about the importance of soft skills as being really critical. Why are these human-centric skills so important when you're in an organization like Akzo Nobel with 14,000 employees? Can you recount some examples?

Why Soft Skills Tie It All Together

Karen-Marie Katholm 11:30

Yeah, I think actually the the technical skills are uh are also important. So again, one does not rule out the other, but the technical skills are important, uh the soft skills I also find uh super critical. So the technical skills, I would say it's for me a bit of a prerequisite. If you're operating uh a given line, if you are, you know, operating a reactor or packaging line, whatever you're operating, you really have to possess the technical skills to be able to do your job. The same goes if you're working in demand planning, supply planning, in distribution, if you're driving a forklift truck, you need to possess the skills uh that really make you excellent at do uh whatever job you're doing across the end-to-end supply chain area. Everybody comes with a different skill set, and everybody's really uh, you know, the expert in the in their field. So what what would kind of tie everybody together, so to speak? That's for me where the soft skills also come in. That is a matter also as a leader to to kind of be clear about the narrative. What are we trying to achieve? What are we trying to change? And that can be lots of different things again over time. And that also comes back to uh to the strategy, obviously, but also very importantly the the execution. And what does that all uh actually mean? I think it's critical, again, in in no matter what context you're in, that you can see yourself as part of the strategy in this particular area as part of the end-to-end supply chain strategy that is really well linked and overall supporting the uh the business uh strategy. And if you cannot see yourself in the in that strategy, then obviously we we as leaders we have a problem. I ultimately have a problem uh leading a team. Remember, everybody comes with different backgrounds, different skill set. There's a different cultural component, again, if you're in a very global uh context at least. There's language barriers, uh so also let's say the narrative. So I would typically tend to try to use different illustrations for also getting everybody on board. And then I would also take the time, uh and I'm sure some of my former colleagues and plant managers in particular would definitely testimony to that. Take a lot of time when I'll be doing the plant tours, the gamba walks, etc. And really, no matter where I would go to, also where I don't speak the local language, I would really be keen to also interact with the with the operators, with shop floor. Um, having somebody help me to translate, etc., to to understand, you know, what is it actually you're doing. Can you see any improvements? Is there something that is not working? Just to make sure that that we get, uh, let's say, via the soft skills, um a strong communication, a clear narrative, but also listening. I mean, there's a reason why we have two ears and one mouth, and now you'll make me do lots of talking today and not so much listening in this context. But but I mean, as leaders, I find it extremely important to listen and really understand from within the organization what is working, what is not, because everybody's really working within their different remit on a daily basis, and they know a whole lot better than I would do as an example by not being present each and every day in each and every location, obviously. So that's where the soft skills come from. And then I'll probably also just add one thing. In addition to um to the five years engineering study, then I also took uh an executive MBA in uh change management uh some years back in time. That was actually uh quite quite fantastic, quite insightful. It gives you uh a lot of different understanding as to how are we changing as human beings, and it's really from the early adapters to uh to the laggers and and everybody in between. Also, again, as part of the narrative, be very crisp and clear that it's not a one-size fits all. We are not just all jumping for the sake of you know a change. Some takes a bit more convincing, some it's a matter of trying to, you know, articulate things in a different way, but really be very clear about you know, trying to illustrate, visualize what is the end game. And that's for me where the soft skills come in. But I'm not saying it's another or it's the soft skills, but but it's also the technical capabilities.

Mark Blackwell 15:42

So you're talking about change management. I guess change processes don't come much bigger than the change at Axonobel, where you took 13 separate supply chains and brought them into a one-supply chain integrated operations, as I understand it.

Karen-Marie Katholm 16:00

Yeah, yeah.

Mark Blackwell 16:02

Now, you know, change in small organizations has its own challenges, but how on earth did you cope with that many people in that much complexity? I think you had 130 manufacturing sites. Can you give some guidance, some you know, what went well, what didn't go so well, what you learned from the process? Um it seems an amazing journey.

Integrating 13 Supply Chains Into One

Karen-Marie Katholm 16:22

Yeah, it has really been an amazing journey, and the team is still on uh on a fabulous journey. It is really um a true transformation. Um also looking into how how are the different uh supply chains actually working. And I think having a differentiated approach in your supply chain is very critical because in most companies uh there's a big difference between your end market, the competitive landscape, and also, let's say, your uh your different products or or services. And what we were working to was really to look into and trying to define the characteristics of the different supply chains. And some of the products, some of the markets, you know, due to customer requirements, due to competitive landscape, etc. It was all about being very agile, very much on time, not to stop any lines of any customers. Cost was not really like, you know, ruling. Then there would be other uh supply chains where it was a matter of uh more simple and efficient, big volumes, uh, you know, typically lower margins. Um, and and again, cost was uh was really of the essence. So really trying to take a bit of a step back, uh again, you can say step up on the balcony to understand what is the starting point? Why are we uh not having uh you know really good uh service levels? Why is it that in some areas we are challenged on cost? Why is it in some areas that uh we have the right products but in the wrong place? So really think about differentiation and try to map your internal slash external end-to-end supply chains. Because I think quite many supply chain professionals will find out, will realize uh quite early on that once you take a step back and you start mapping your incoming raw materials, you start mapping the flow through your manufacturing sites, you start mapping your distribution, you know, all the way from the raw materials or sometimes even one step, you know, behind, and then also all the way through to your customers. Then you begin, will begin realizing in most cases, at least in my view, that they are actually quite different. So I would really say the differentiation actually matters because it is not one size fits all, but that does not necessarily make it easier to manage. But it's important to have the awareness and understanding and find out how to articulate that. And also, is it a matter of um, you know, making sure that your asset is always fully utilized? That may be the case where cost is uh is of the essence. It may also be areas where you say, hmm, we really need to have something so that we can uh you know swiftly turn around and have the agility whenever a customer comes in and really requires something, you know, rather today than tomorrow. And it really has to go uh all the way through to your suppliers as well, when when you're differentiating. So I would say that's part of it. And then the uh the culture component, the change management part, that is being clear about the story, that is being clear again about the narrative of what is it we are trying to achieve, and that get the engagement going. And I think in uh in Axon Nobel in particular, we were super successful in also having the local engagement, the regional engagement, and the global apart. So it was great to see how so many different individuals actually chip in. And there were different home pages, etc., where you know stories could be shared in relation to okay, we have found ways of reducing electricity consumption or whatever could be uh stories that were shared. That's that has actually been amazing. So again, think about the broader organization, think about also how to engage and motivate, and then you know, really most can chip in with something. So that that has been fantastic. And in many companies, it does not necessarily come very natural that you know you talk with uh other sites, you share ideas, etc. So get that built and get that funneled, um, that that makes a huge difference.

Mark Blackwell 20:20

It sounds so easy for us sitting in our comfortable warm offices that the supply chain strategy should and the commercial strategy should be connected to the business strategy. But I think when our personal experiences, we know that that hasn't happened, sometimes for miscommunications, sometimes for ambitions and misunderstandings. But did you find that there were ideas outside in the factory level in the plants that caused you to change some of your thinking by listening to people?

Karen-Marie Katholm 20:48

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean, that is uh that is often the case. Also found the importance of connecting with uh with the commercial colleagues. Uh, this is never an us and them kind of situation. I mean, ultimately we are we are also here for for our customers uh all together. But there are many examples. I think it's really a matter of how to bring those examples up. Whether you have a local uh place where you go and hand in your suggestions or you send them in somewhere via email or whatever, it can be very simple. And then really get it shared. But that's for me part of the critical continuous improvement mindset that we all need. And then also understand, again, collectively, that we cannot really be in a situation where we are trying to be everything for everybody. That means completely unlimited, let's say, inventory levels, and and that is never uh working. I mean, nobody can afford that. And also in uh in many industries, you also have uh shelf life problems if you're trying to do that. But also really, again, try to understand via a very good and strong integrated business management process are there new product introductions coming in. So doing a good job in kind of you know uh new introductions, but also remember at the same point in time to retire some of the SKUs that are no longer active. So for me, that good house cleaning that really should run like a clockwork. And then also be clear about the demand. How can we improve the forecast accuracy? That is not mission impossible. And how can we then be very agile, also making sure that we have uh the capacity and and again the capabilities prepared to manage that? So really trying to run that process, and that was one of the things for sure. Um that was for me quite an eye opener becoming part of uh of Dupong. That you know, we used to work with the Sales and Operations Planning process, but all of a sudden I kind of began realizing this DuPont integrated business management process that is actually an additional layer, an additional step, and that really ties it all very well together. So the sales and operations planning process, I mean nothing wrong with that. But if you really want to to click it all together, then then there's an additional dimension. And running kind of five steps every month, I mean I have really carried that that with me forever after, which is super helpful. So thanks Mark because you were one of those who helped me initially to get into the fascinating world of DIBM and also the DuPunk production systems about Lean Six Sigma, the continuous improvement part.

Mark Blackwell 23:15

So um well I'm only delighted that uh you carried this forward. I mean and it's a conversation I have quite often now in my consulting career is people are familiar with S&OP and there's still a lot of improvement to have with S&OP but there is another level when you're ready and I mean when you're ready and your strategy dictates it there's certainly a lot of benefit from making it the managing process of your business. Absolutely I totally agree. So that's fabulous I mean I've now got a big sense of the passion that you have for making the supply chain not just a cost centre but differentiated supply chains to meet the business strategy so that it becomes value aid and a seamless end-to-end value chain. Even more so than supply chain value chain from customer to raw material supplier so it's all connected. But I think one of the other things that you've gone is giving that sense of purpose and strategy not just to profit as a result but also sustainability. Have you got a would you like to talk about that in your career?

Differentiation Beats One-Size-Fits-All

Karen-Marie Katholm 24:18

Yeah no absolutely for sure again I think overall looking uh across your your company your business looking across also supply chain in particular there's always something we can contribute with um whether it's looking into working with uh with suppliers uh you know can we improve maybe the sizes of what gets delivered is there something that can go into bulk as an example can we uh reduce the mileage and therefore the carbon uh footprint impact in a number of the uh the sites in Axel Bell we were also installing solar panels as an example we were trying to uh you know recirculate the water etc I was also when uh within the pong context um in a situation where there was actually uh district heating uh usage and directly connected with one of our sites that was one of the sites in in Denmark so I mean just thinking about how how many different things that can be done. So one is kind of the the supplier side of the house and and in a number of industries actually there is a heavy heavy heavy carbon footprint because in some cases it's very at least in the chemicals industry it's very energy consuming. So that is an important area to to discuss and to talk with the suppliers about what can be done and sharing the knowledge bringing some of the suppliers together and then find out okay how can we uh kind of this how can we really see some tangible uh benefits uh trying to trying to collaborate a bit like like network collaboration then in your own let's say your own remit your own uh footprint uh whether it's the logistics part or the manufacturing part again I was mentioning solar panels as an example thinking about also how can you reduce let's say across your processes looking into when making new uh chemical investments uh hey what are the requirements also from a sustainable and then also uh the customer part really trying to connect between RD uh with customers but also commercial obviously and also uh supply chain to find out you know what what kind of products what can we offer as part of services or the products that will make customers have as an example a lower curing time or something else uh that that really has an impact via the product you uh you you serve and and uh send to different uh customers so I mean from a sustainability perspective we would typically talk about the impact we have on like one two and three and I think many will uh will come to realize um that um you know your own remit you can kind of really you know be be on top of that and control that quite well but it's kind of more challenging by nature when you're looking into the customer side and also looking into the supplier side but trying to also network and and bring sometimes the three parties together that also sometimes give idea generation that sometimes give you perspective as to hmm we haven't done that we haven't thought about that there's much that can be done also across industries by the way and again also privately we can all contribute with small things and small steps to to get started. Also simple examples like okay if you're not uh let's say in your warehouse or if you're not operating you know lights would switch off automatically whatever whatever um there's really something that can be done also at small scale and it may not seem like a lot on a small scale scale of you individually or a local team but it's all adding up quite sizable. So we can all uh you know really contribute here but it starts with me it starts with us individually.

Mark Blackwell 27:49

But I think it echoes to your point to move around when you've made the transition from being operations supply chain being a cost center to being part of a strategy with differentiated strategies for different product lines sustainability suddenly becomes a value add. There are opportunities that open up so it's not an either or profit or sustainability. The the overlap is huge but it takes that insight and the understanding of the whole value chain. Absolutely upstream and downstream of you so just remembering the theme of this podcast is managing in complex adaptive times. I know you're a big champion for diversity and in to help manage complex adaptive times. Can you speak to that at all?

Linking Plants, Commercial, And IBP

Karen-Marie Katholm 28:37

Yeah yeah I'm happy to elaborate on that so for me diversity is really in uh in its broadest sense it is diversity of thought it is diversity of uh different cultures it is also gender diversity and and I've really seen fantastic examples over the years where we're trying to to bring that together because if we are all alike and if we all kind of thinking along the same one or two dimensions then it will also kind of you know be more of the same. Whereas if you really try to bring in different perspectives uh whether it's from different cultures or whether it's from different background or whether it's a different gender etc we we are different and I think that that difference altogether that really makes it it very interesting and also enriching a way to come up with new creative solutions to you know the innovation part for me there's a strong link also between the different let's say the diversity and also the innovation because you suddenly get new ideas and you're suddenly questioned in different ways. In Arsenal we um we had a global engineering trainee program, a GET program we call it and it was for me a true pleasure and privilege when when I was getting around to you know different locations in different parts of the world to also have some one-to-one time with uh with those different uh global engineering trainees because they come from a new generation they they come directly from uh you know engineering school or university whatever and and they were just asking really refreshing questions and again bringing that diversity together I could see out in the different uh locations that it was fantastic to see someone working with lots of experience and and fantastic background and insight with somebody coming with that fresh perspective some of the discussions and dialogues that gave that that was just like mind blowing and amazing so yeah I I really really uh let's say a big fan big supporter very vocal around diversity but again diversity in a very broad absolutely I mean if we think about a definition of a complex adaptive system it's one where cause and effect are not apparent until after the solution is found.

Mark Blackwell 30:52

Whilst you're doing it doesn't really matter how much expertise you have you might have hypotheses but you will not by the nature of something being complex as opposed to complicated you cannot expertise doesn't help so you're spot on I think absolutely the and also remember many of those youngsters they kind of come without that filter.

Sustainability As A Value Driver

Karen-Marie Katholm 31:12

I know uh for a fact that uh many plant managers uh and some of my next level leaders they were really super uh super scared when I was sitting you know together on my own with uh those uh new uh engineering trainees because they're just like they are not necessarily asking the questions uh you know like what we would have done it or and and that's absolutely true but also very refreshing they'll just be straight so sometimes I would also scratch my head as to really did I get that question okay how do I now address that so again that diversity in a broader sense is is super important and also challenge and ask the questions around status quo and for me the answer as to this is always how we have done it you know this is has always been how it's been around that's not really the answer to give or then maybe it's at least time to then look into it and say is that also really you know the best way that we're going forward that is not necessarily the case thank you Karen Retan so so as we wrap up on what's been a great tour of the highlights of some part some of the highlights of your career what's the best advice you would give a young professional who wants to transition from being sort of a post-university technical specialist to a more broad-based human-centric leader in in a complex adaptive world yeah so uh sure there there are many examples of individuals who uh who like I did started let's say with the more technical uh technical focus on uh on the tools and also focus on uh on on the systems part um of of the three dimensions but also over time really truly came to realize understand and learn uh sometimes the hard way about the capabilities and why that really matters. So what I would say to young uh supply chain uh let's say professionals make sure that that you have a good understanding of uh of the tools in the toolbox that that's a good starting point make sure that you also understand how are the different mechanisms uh actually working don't satisfy yourself with working into one area only and and then kind of just do that forever after go and explore whether you ask you know raise your hand and ask for opportunities raise your hand to be part of projects but make sure that you are continuously learning and also get get experience and that can be in very different ways and you can get lots of on-the-job experience by the way you can also raise your hand and support with the working on training modules for other colleagues you can establish networks uh across different locations on your local site etc so there are many ways to go about this and then also use some of the uh the training that is available out there there's lots of different uh training available but make sure that you continue to develop yourself and challenge yourself and then again uh find some of the raw models find some of the exams I've had amazing mentoring uh during uh during my career uh and that's really also one of the things I would highly recommend. I I'll never forget the first time I got the mentoring offered uh I had a boss actually in the in DuPont sitting in the US and one day out of the blue he called me and said I think I've worked for him for for three months then he's then he called me and said I'm going to give you a mentor and my literal reaction was sitting you know in Copenhagen handing this call from far away in Wilmington Delaware US Wow I thought am I really doing such a bad job it's really strange that he didn't tell me and now he wants me all of a sudden to have a mentor and that was kind of you know what what I articulated I said to him really kind of flew out of me Am I really doing that bad that that now you want to give me a mentor it got silent for a couple of seconds but it felt like a very long time to me and then he was just laughing and saying to me no no no no he said you completely misunderstand we really want to support your growth your leadership journey your your future career that's why we're going to offer you a mentor we don't do that with everybody by the way in the company so just really take this as a positive okay my heartbeat kind of you know calmed down a little bit and and then I began uh the journey of mentoring which was absolutely fantastic so also one of my former boss's bosses was kind of mentoring me for some time period and I'll just be forever grateful for that. So you know offer yourself to be a mentee and also say hey can I mentor somebody over time that is also one of the ways to to get going. And then look for different opportunities. I mean I'm a living example of somebody that started early career in procurement then moved more broadly in uh you know to end-to-end supply chain then part of uh leadership teams executive committees and then also uh let's say board roles and have had for for many years so the non-executive director part so yeah that has been exciting and really fabulous uh and for sure I also bring uh let's say the end-to-end supply chain uh with me when I'm uh sitting in uh let's say different uh different boards absolutely great thank you Kara Marie it's so good to be back in touch after all of these years loved catching up with you and I'm wishing you all the very best for your new challenge at Auckler and uh we'll be following you with interest. Thank you for putting Mark my pleasure thank you okay