The secret to moving from legacy systems to a modern supply chain isn’t technology – it’s business transformation. It starts with a clear vision tied to measurable outcomes like visibility, agility, and better customer experiences.
Modern supply chains deliver real-time insight across procurement, inventory, and fulfilment, enabling faster decisions, improving forecast accuracy, and reducing disruption and cost. But success comes from how you approach the change.
Leading organisations modernise in phases, prioritising high-impact capabilities whilst minimising operational risk. Data integrity and standardised processes are foundational – they power automation, analytics, and end-to-end integration. Just as important is alignment: executive sponsorship and cross-functional collaboration are critical to driving adoption at scale.
Technologies like automation, warehouse management, real-time analytics, and AI matter – but only when deployed as part of a broader operating strategy. The organisations that get this right treat modernisation as a continuous journey, building a more connected, intelligent, and resilient supply chain ready to adapt as the market evolves.
Cherie Brinkerhoff
Senior Vice President, Retail, Tech, Health, Ryder Supply Chain Solutions
About Cherie Brinkerhoff
Cherie Brinkerhoff is a global supply chain and 3PL leader with proven success in resolving complex operational challenges to drive efficiency, quality, and profitability. Brinkerhoff is skilled in balancing operational excellence with customer expectations, managing budgets, and building high-performance teams through clear strategic direction to exceed goals.
The Question is a thought leadership series published on Supply Chain Outlook, created to explore the questions shaping global logistics, procurement, transportation, and supply networks.
This edition of The Question is sponsored by Syspro.
Supply Chain Outlook features leadership insights and company stories from organisations helping to move, manage, and transform the flow of goods, services, and information around the world.
Produced as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines, The Question brings focused executive insight to audiences engaged with the people, technologies, and decisions shaping the future of supply chain.
