ADVANZ PHARMA

6 Supply Chain Lessons I’ve Learned Leading Global Pharma Operations After years in global pharma supply chain, one thing is clear: It’s not about managing operations. It’s about managing decisions under uncertainty. Here are 6 lessons that changed how I lead: 1. Service is a Strategy, Not a Target 99% OTIF looks impressive. But if it comes with excess inventory and expiry risk—it’s failure. ->The real question: What is the cost of that 1% improvement? 2. Forecast Accuracy Drives Everything Inventory, service levels, working capital—all follow forecast quality. -> If your forecast is wrong, your supply chain is just reacting. 3. Not All Inventory Is Bad In pharma, some inventory saves lives. ✔ Critical drugs → Zero stockout mindset ✔ Stable products → Lean model -> The goal is not low inventory. It’s the right inventory. 4. One Strategy Does Not Fit All Applying the same planning logic across products is a silent killer. -> Segment by: • Demand variability • Product criticality • Supply risk 5. KPIs Don’t Drive Performance—Decisions Do Dashboards don’t create value. -> Actions do. Always ask: “What decision will we take because of this number?” 6. Supply Chain Is a Business Function, Not a Support Function At scale, supply chain decisions directly impact: • Revenue • Working capital • Patient outcomes -> This is not operations. This is business leadership. 💡 Final Thought: The best supply chain leaders don’t optimize processes. They optimize trade-offs that drive business performance. If you’re leading or building a supply chain team: 👉 Which of these lessons resonates most with your experience? #SupplyChain #Pharma #Leadership #SOP #OperationsExcellence #DecisionMaking