As we turn the calendar to 2026, supply chain leaders are looking ahead while still dealing with plenty of unfinished business from the year behind them.
The pace of change across supply chains hasn’t slowed. Companies are still navigating shifting trade rules, rising costs, labor shortages, customer expectations, and new technology, often all at once. What feels different heading into 2026 is that many of these pressures are no longer temporary. They’re becoming the new normal.
To get a better sense of what’s coming next, SupplyChain247 asked a group of industry leaders to look ahead and share what they’re watching most closely in the year ahead. Their answers touch on optimism, concern, and a few areas that deserve more attention than they’re getting right now.
We asked each participant the same three questions:
- What are you most excited about in 2026?
- What’s keeping you up at night heading into the new year?
- What isn’t getting talked about enough right now?
Click through the slideshow to see how supply chain leaders view the year ahead, including key opportunities, top concerns, and overlooked issues heading into 2026.
Respondents include:
- Andrei Quinn Barabanov, Moody’s, Supply Chain Industry Practice Lead
- Peter Budweiser, Celonis, General Manager, Supply Chain
- Baptiste Collot, Trustpair, Co-Founder and CEO
- Shabbir Dahod, TraceLink, CEO
- DeAnn Hargis, Dematic, Director, Global Sustainability
- Timothy Harfield, ORO Labs, Head of Product MarketingÂ
- Nikki Paripovich Stifle, Esri, Global Business Industry Solutions Lead – Consumer Goods & ServicesÂ
- Andy Sherman, Fictiv, GM – USA
- Matt Stanfield, LEK Consulting, Managing DirectorÂ
(View the slideshow to see the responses)
