4 Ways to Optimize Your Supply Chain Planning in 2026

Supply chain planning is undergoing a profound shift in a landscape shaped by rising geopolitical pressure, accelerating disruption cycles, and unprecedented investment in AI. Organizations are being pushed to deliver growth while navigating higher volatility, tighter margins, and increased expectations for speed and adaptability.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton is joined by special guest host Mike Griswold, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, and Noha Samara, Senior Director, Global Supply Chain at Gartner. Noha draws on her cross-industry experience from manufacturing and consumer goods to high tech to explore how planners can better connect strategy, ecosystems, and technology to meet the demands of 2025 and beyond.

Scott, Mike, and Noha unpack the four essentials for elevating planning performance: aligning planning strategy with business priorities, collaborating across extended supply networks, defining a precise and targeted role for AI, and equipping people with the skills and confidence to lead through change. They also spotlight insights from the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit, including the skills planners need, the expanding relevance of CPFR, and why the future of planning depends as much on talent and culture as it does on data and technology.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(02:43) Guest introduction: Noha Samara

(04:20) Celebrating teachers and their impact

(08:45) Noha's professional journey

(13:23) Challenges and trends in supply chain planning

(18:03) Best practices for 2026 supply chain planning

(26:55) The evolution of CPFR and ecosystem collaboration

(27:43) The impact of COVID-19 on supply chain visibility

(30:39) Defining a deliberate role for AI in supply chain

(37:17) The importance of people in supply chain transformation

(43:08) Insights from the Supply Chain Planning Summit

(48:37) Final thoughts and takeaways

Resources:

• Connect with Noha Samara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noha-samara-4864863/
• Connect with Mike Griswold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-griswold-6a68922/
• Learn more about Gartner: https://www.gartner.com/en
• Connect with Scott Luton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/
• Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
• Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
• Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
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