The Digital Transformation of Logistics

In more than 16 years of consulting, he has gained in‐depth experience in transformation, strategy definition as well as organizational development projects in highly dynamic environments. While the automotive field clearly is his home‐turf, he feels just as well at ease in telecommunications, banking, and logistics where during many assignments at the interface between business and IT his ability to build bridges and thus drive successful transformation has proven a key success factor.

Bill Tran

Bill is a sophomore, studying Supply Chain Management and Information Systems at Texas Christian University. Bill is also pursuing a MicroMasters degree in Supply Chain Management at MIT. He is currently working on a startup which provides business intelligence tools for logistics companies to leverage their competitive advantages and exceed their customer expectations.

Alex von Stempel

Alex von Stempel has 30 years' experience as a commentator and trade journalist, most of which dedicated to freight transport and logistics of perishables.

Thirteen years ago, he set out on his own, devoting a significant proportion of his time to developing global and regional perishable logistics events, including Cool Logistics Global, Logistics Hub and Cool Logistics Asia, which is held alongside the Asia Fruit Exhibition in Hong Kong.

Alex von Stempel also works as an independent logistics adviser and frequently acts as master of ceremonies for third‐party events.

Scott Wang

Scott is Air Gateway Manager at UPS where he is responsible for managing the daily gateway air, space procurement and hub operations in Shanghai, ensuring superior service and developing innovative logistics solutions. Prior to that, he was a program manager for two of the most important accounts at UPS globally. Here, he led a team and managed complex projects and designed programs to ensure that projects were timely on board. Scott is member of the UPS China Millennial Business Resource Group, which supports innovation in the company by bringing a diverse set of ideas and insights to the job. Scott holds an MBA from Fudan University and a BSc from Shanghai International Studies University.

Andre Wheeler

Based in Perth, Western Australia, Andre runs the Asia‐Pacific Connex consultancy. With more than 20 years' experience in international business, he maintains a diverse network of personal contacts throughout the United States, Asia, SE Asia, Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Holding a B. Science (Hons) degree and an MBA, he is currently working toward his PhD on the Impact of the China One Belt One Road initiative on infrastructure and logistics in the ASEAN Region.

Author of the book: “China's Belt Road Initiative: The Challenge for The Middle Kingdom Through A New Logistics Paradigm,” he has also published and presented a number of papers concerning China's Belt Road Initiative and the changing Eurasian trade paradigm.

He is recognized for his contribution and participation in the development of the Western Australian government's Asian Engagement Strategy 2019–2030.

Lionel Willems

Lionel is team leader of project managers and business analysts in the open‐core ERP company Odoo. After graduating with a master's in supply chain management and international business from the Louvain School of Management (Belgium), he helped in digitalizing SMEs across Asia by working in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong for three years. Strong in functional, technical, project management and cross‐industry knowledge, Lionel's contribution to this book reflects his passion for logistics, supply chains, and IT.

Dennis Wong

Dennis has 15 years' experience in various functions at leading third‐party logistics providers in the United States and China. Most recently he was the Director of Sales at Flexport Asia‐Pacific Region, and previously the Director of Sales and Marketing at Kuehne + Nagel Hong Kong, where he acted as Head of Sales for Hong Kong, South China, and Macau. Dennis studied at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona.

Duoqi Xu

Duoqi is a Professor of Law at Fudan University School of Law, Shanghai Shuguang Scholar and one of The Top Ten Excellent Young Jurists in Shanghai (fifth session). She was also a Fulbright visiting scholar at Harvard law school from 2016 to 2017, was a Hauser Global research fellow at NYU from 2008 to 2009, and a visiting professor at Taiwan University in 2013. Professor Xu is the chief‐editor of Internet Finance Law Review, the Director of Center for Internet Finance Law Innovation of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Jiao Xu

Jiao Xu is a Global Customs Analyst at Flexport in Amsterdam office. Compliance of international trade and logistics is a constant focus in both her academic and professional career. She did her master’s of Global Supply Chain management and Change at Maastricht University in the Netherlands after finishing the bachelor program of Logistics Management in Shanghai Customs College. She did research in supply chain compliance and visibility in B2C E‐commerce between China and Europe, discussing from the perspective of multiple stakeholders throughout the supply chain.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is in full swing, and we can see every day how technology is fundamentally changing businesses and our lives. Artificial intelligence in medical imaging is automating workflows and increasing diagnosis accuracy. Digital twins for aircraft engines are used to predict their physical behavior under extreme conditions. In virtual classrooms, interactive whiteboards and online content delivery are improving student outcomes while reducing teaching burden for instructors. Mobile payment platforms are helping consumers and companies to better manage their financial operations. Businesses around the world are striving to adopt new digitalization strategies to capitalize on these exciting new trends.

The automotive industry is heavily dependent on the use of technology, and it has been an exciting and challenging experience to align on digital strategies with our many supply chain partners. The future is upon us as we see autonomous vehicles become a reality that will drive the biggest revolution since the invention of the car. I can feel the pulse of change especially here in China where our customers are on average 36 years old, much younger compared with the United States or Germany where the average age is over 50. These customers demand very strong orientation toward future technologies, connectivity, and digitalization. Therefore, we are set to transform into a software‐enabled car company, combining the traditional Porsche spirit with the power of new technology. A concentrated effort throughout our departments here in China together with Porsche AG is needed to bring this digital transformation to our customers.

While aesthetically pleasing, professional‐grade products have been the backbone of our success. We are now having to evolve and reexamine our people, processes, and products through the lens of technology. Developing and manufacturing inspirational vehicles requires Porsche to leverage our supply chain partners in every way as we desire to be world leaders in sustainable cutting‐edge supply chain excellence. As an example, together with Porsche AG, we not only adopted SAP's enterprise resource planning applications for just‐in‐sequence delivery of parts but also went a step further to partner and co‐innovate with SAP on creating digital transformation solutions. On a global level, with our venture capital unit Porsche Ventures, we are also seeking strategic investments into future technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and virtual and augmented reality. Our strategic investment portfolio already includes over 50 innovative startups, such as “Gapless”, which builds the world's first blockchain platform for car management. Executives throughout the business community need to be out there learning about these new technologies to be able to understand the complexity and potentially disruptive impacts that they may have on their industry.