""Of all the C-suite jobs that people should aspire to, if you want to make a difference in our society, I would pick one: supply chain," "It's no surprise to me that Tim Cook and many of the CEOs in great companies today come from a supply chain background," "No surprise at all to me, because the leadership required to be world class at supply chains is the same capability you need to run a company.""
"Working in the supply chain helps professionals master problem-solving, strategy, and collaboration. Every day brings a new challenge-balancing global logistics, managing supplier relationships, or adapting to sudden demand changes-all under tight deadlines. People in this field learn to use data to forecast trends, streamline operations, and mitigate risks before they escalate. Perhaps most importantly, it cultivates a systems mindset: the ability to see how each decision ripples through a complex web of global interdependencies, shaping business performance and customer satisfaction alike."
Career paths to the C-suite vary widely, including engineering, liberal arts, and nontraditional routes. One executive followed a traditional business education and an MBA before rising through corporate ranks. Supply chain expertise emerges as the most impactful field for aspiring C-suite leaders because it demands mastery of geopolitics, technology, logistics, and supplier relations. Supply chain roles develop problem-solving, strategic planning, collaboration, data-driven forecasting, risk mitigation, and a systems mindset. Mastery of these areas helps professionals balance global logistics, navigate sudden demand changes, and streamline operations under tight deadlines. Many leading CEOs, including Tim Cook, have backgrounds in supply chain.
Read at Fortune
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