Alexander Tschentscher, VP of Supply Chain Excellence and Head of Strategy – Supply Chain & Logistics at Siemens, came to DELIVER Europe 2025 with a mission: to show why strategy is not optional in today’s supply chain landscape — it’s a superpower.

“It was a great event,” he said. “As an industrial-focused company, I found it so valuable to peek into what retail is doing. Retail tends to be one or two steps ahead — and that gives me a lot of new ideas.”

RETAIL INFLUENCE ON INDUSTRIAL THINKING

For Tschentscher, DELIVER offered more than a platform — it was a perspective shift. Seeing how retail players approach agility, customer experience, and supply chain resilience helped spark fresh thinking for Siemens' Smart Infrastructure division.

“The whole event was a well-designed package,” he noted. “It had all the elements needed — but also space for open exchange.”

DON’T FEAR STRATEGY — EMBRACE IT

A key theme in his session was the importance of making time for strategic thinking, even amidst day-to-day operational pressure.

“In today’s world, with all its challenges, strategic thinking helps you perform better — and deliver the customer experience you want,” he explained.

But too often, strategy is sidelined because it feels slow or abstract. Tschentscher pushed back on that mindset:

“The only challenge is, you have to give yourself time,” he said. “So my takeaway is this: don’t be scared of strategy. Give it a try.”

In an environment where every second counts, his message resonated — especially among leaders juggling both growth and resilience in the post-pandemic supply chain.