Q&A with Tyler Lessard, VP Marketing, Vidyard

Media 7 | June 6, 2022

Aaron Jefferson, Luminar Technologies' Vice President of Product, discusses a new era of next-generation vehicle safety and autonomous capabilities for production vehicles. Continue reading to learn more about the global automotive game-changer OEMs....

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MEDIA 7 | July 1, 2020

Sri Gopinath, Director of Global Procurement Strategy at Schneider Electric is a senior procurement leader with in-depth knowledge of global strategic sourcing and comprehensive experience in business strategy, transformation and change management. Sri leads the Procurement Strategy function for Schneider Electric globally with responsibilities for Supply Base Management, Relationship Programs, Category Strategy and Business Transformation initiatives. He previously managed an internal business transformation team within Nissan and led a special assignment for the President of Nissan Brazil to enable business expansion in that market. MEDIA 7: What do you look forward to most when you get up in the morning? SRI GOPINATH: I look forward to making a difference – I have been very fortunate to be able to have gained professional experiences internationally, in many diverse industries and create value for my employers and customers. As part of the procurement and supply chain community, our business and macroeconomic environment is always changing. It greatly motivates me to think about how strategies can be translated into meaningful actions to create value for our customers and stakeholders. No two days are the same, and this makes me excited to contemplate new possibilities each day. Further, I enjoy interacting with talented people in procurement and supply chain and contributing to their career aspirations and development.  I never run out of opportunities! M7: Could you tell me a little about yourself and what led you to your position as Procurement Strategy Director at Schneider Electric? SG: It would be helpful if I connected my career evolution to how I came to Schneider Electric. I came here 5 years ago after gaining valuable experience in leading companies like Nissan Motor Company, Motorola and in management consulting. By working with many talented and senior executives from many leading companies, I learned about best practices and how to understand the CEO perspective early in my career. I then discovered my passion – how to enable boardroom strategies and to be able to make it real and achieve tangible results. Schneider Electric offered me the opportunity to apply my skills in a global organization, interact with people from many countries while driving strategic transformation and change. Most importantly I really connected with the people who share my passion and desire for results. As a case in point, Schneider Electric was ranked #34 in Gartner’s Annual Supply Chain ranking in 2015 and in 2020 we have achieved the #4 position! That is an amazing accomplishment in such a short period of time, and it is rewarding for me to have contributed to that effort. ...

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MEDIA 7 | January 16, 2020

Maliha Aqeel, Director of Global Communications at Fix Network World is an award-winning, communication and marketing professional who helps companies harness the power of their brand to drive engagement and achieve measurable business results.  She has developed and led content and marcomm programs for B2B companies in the financial and professional services sectors in her over 15 years of industry experience. MEDIA 7: When did you start working and what was it? MALIHA AQEEL: I started my career in 1996 right after high school, freelancing as a journalist and features writer for a magazine in Dubai, UAE. Over time, I expanded my services to include scriptwriting for corporate videos and TV productions, writing and designing client newsletters and promotional collateral. M7: What made you want to pursue a career in branding and marketing communications? What aspect about your role brings you the most joy? MA: I didn’t consciously decide to pursue a career in marketing and communication as my plan was to become a filmmaker. However, I had great curiosity about what makes people prefer one brand over the other when a feature-by-feature comparison didn’t show a huge difference between similar products or services. I had taken a few advertising courses during university and it broadened my understanding of how powerful brand experiences and storytelling can drive business objectives. That balance of strategy and creativity is what I enjoy most about what I do and why I’ve continued to find purpose in my career. ...

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Transportation

Business Wire | October 30, 2023

UPS announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Happy Returns from PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL). Happy Returns is a U.S.-based software and reverse logistics company that enables frictionless, no-box, no-label returns for merchants and consumers. “We know that returns have long frustrated shoppers and retailers looking for quick and easy solutions,” UPS CEO Carol B. Tomé said. “By combining Happy Returns’ easy digital experience and established drop-off points with UPS’s small package network and footprint of close to 5,200 The UPS Store locations, box-free, label-free returns will soon be available at more than 12,000 convenient locations in the U.S.” “Joining the UPS team is a win for both our employees and our customers,” said Happy Returns CEO and co-founder David Sobie, who will continue to lead the business for UPS after the deal closes. “In recent years, the growth of Happy Returns has accelerated, and we’ve built an enterprise-grade solution. This new chapter is a natural next step for Happy Returns and allows us to harness the power of the UPS network to transform the returns industry.” Happy Returns offers a full stack of returns solutions, powered by software and fully scaled reverse logistics operations that facilitate frictionless returns. In a few simple steps, users can access a returns portal, make a box-free return at the most convenient location and have their item shipped, sorted and returned to the merchant. With more than 800 merchant customers, Happy Returns has a strong track record of providing hassle-free, no-box returns, reducing the cost of e-commerce for all players and creating a more efficient, sustainable supply chain. The acquisition of Happy Returns is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

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Supply Chain

Business Wire | October 27, 2023

ProvisionAI, the only provider of a patented, optimized replenishment transportation scheduling solution, has joined the Kinaxis solution extension partner program. Through this partnership, joint customers can now extend the visibility and agility gained from the Kinaxis RapidResponse® platform, and its patented concurrent technique, into their transportation scheduling needs; in effect, eliminating latency and siloes. “The combination of RapidResponse and LevelLoad from ProvisionAI means customers can combine data from their whole network with their transportation data in real time,” said Tom Moore, CEO and founder at ProvisionAI. “By understanding real-time constraints from other parts of the supply chain, customers can create the most up-to-date replenishment transportation schedule that also takes into account lane carrier costs, warehouse capacities and inventory availability. It’s a game changer in supply chain management.” Kinaxis and ProvisionAI already share several high-profile global customers including Unilever, Diageo, Baxter and Kimberly-Clark. “Our solution extension partners are vital in the Kinaxis ecosystem, bringing unique and specialized capabilities to our customers,” said Conrad Mandala, senior vice president global partner organization at Kinaxis. “We are thrilled to welcome ProvisionAI to our global partner program and very excited to about what we’ll accomplish together.” About Kinaxis Kinaxis is the global leader in modern supply chain management. We serve supply chains and the people who manage them in service of humanity. Our software is trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. We combine our patented concurrency technique with a human-centered approach to AI to empower businesses of all sizes to orchestrate their end-to-end supply chain network, from multi-year strategic planning through down-to-the-second execution and last-mile delivery. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn. About ProvisionAI ProvisionAI provides global manufacturers with a transportation scheduling solution featuring optimized, capacity-constrained replenishment. LevelLoad, the flagship offering, attains long-term transportation planning objectives despite the realities of supply chain network constraints. The results include fuller loads, higher use of preferred freight carriers, and overall lower costs. Clients save millions by tendering loads early to reserve preferred carriers, filling truckloads optimally to minimize wasted capacity, improving customer order fulfillment, and ratcheting down costs. The patented technology was developed over five years by a team of logistics optimization experts that studied shippers like Unilever, Baxter, P&G, and Kimberly-Clark.

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Supply Chain

Business Wire | October 31, 2023

Just in time for the peak holiday shopping season, Sendle has bolstered its delivery network in Canada with the opening of more than 300 drop-off locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Montreal, and Vancouver. Canadian small businesses that choose to ship with Sendle now have the ultimate flexibility and choice when it comes to parcel delivery – they can either drop off their parcels where and when it’s convenient for them or have them picked up at their door. With over 500% growth in those using the drop off parcel service since Sendle launched drop-off locations in Toronto this summer, it’s clear that small businesses want choice. And, unlike Canada Post, there are no extra charges, no hidden costs, and no minimum delivery spend requirements for those that use Sendle; small businesses simply get the lowest parcel delivery prices in Canada and convenient drop-off or pick-up delivery options that meet their needs. As Lauren Helstab, Sendle’s country manager for Canada, notes, “You have to pay more for flexibility with Canada Post, but not with Sendle.” As a company that prioritizes the needs of small business, Sendle listens when its customers request new features. A drop-off option was the second most requested feature by small businesses behind cross-border delivery, a service that Sendle launched in April this year. Adding conveniently located drop-off locations complements Sendle’s door-to-door parcel delivery service, giving small business owners flexibility for those times when they are on the move, to suit their business hours, or if it’s simply their preference. The convenient drop off locations include spots that operate 24/7 such as retail and convenience stores, providing even greater flexibility when small businesses are pressed for time. Sendle works fast to help small businesses save time and money. “We recently launched our Peak Relief program as a way to support Canadian small businesses this holiday season. We lowered all our rates – which now start from $6.65 – and committed to no peak surcharges for the remainder of 2023 while Canada Post increased their rates by more than 3%,” says Helstab. “At Sendle, we see a bright future for small businesses when they have access to a service that understands their needs and provides flexible and convenient delivery options for time-poor business owners that don't break the bank. The opening of our new drop-off locations is another way we are enabling small business owners to choose when and how they ship to their customers.” “As Sendle continues to expand our network and service in Canada, small businesses can count on us to provide the most cost-effective, tailored parcel delivery services, ensuring their unique needs are met," adds Helstab. “For this year’s peak delivery season, we encourage small businesses across the country to stop settling for the status quo. At a time when costs have skyrocketed, Sendle is putting small businesses first by providing an affordable service that delivers conveniently flexible options without any added expense.” About Sendle Sendle levels the playing field for small businesses by offering simple, affordable shipping across Canada and across the border to the U.S., with no hidden fees, subscriptions, or warehousing required. Merchants simply purchase a label and their parcels can be picked up from their front door. Sendle is also the first 100% carbon neutral shipping carrier in Canada and is a Certified B Corporation and Climate Neutral Certified. The company was founded in Australia in 2014 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia; Seattle, Washington; and Toronto, Canada.

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