In this episode of What the Duck?! hosted by Sarah Scudder, Dupre Jonesshares his unique journey through supply chain and procurement. He discusses his experiences in Germany, transitioning from government roles to project coordinator positions, and unexpected ventures into logistics. The conversation covers the impact of COVID-19 on the industry, the importance of data analytics and sustainability, and the role of technology in logistics. Dupre's insights shed light on these complexities, providing valuable perspectives in a concise and engaging manner. SHOW HIGHLIGHTSDupre’s Background and Experience Studying and Living in GermanyEarly Career and Work in the German ParliamentThe importance of Patience, Resilience, and Humility in Excelling in the Logistics FieldDupre's Leadership Style and How to Encourage Personal Growth in Teams Insights into International LogisticsTechnological Enhancements in Supply ChainChallenges and Complexities Faced in Logistics During the Pandemic MOMENTS TO DUCK AROUNDDUPRE: On the Complexity of Logistics and Involving Technology “There's definitely a lot more focus on technology in logistics. Data analytics, freight procurement is not... we're not buying office supplies. The cost structure is complicated, so data analytics, you know, machine learning, business rules for scenario building on a route, via from different road, different things. Sustainability is rearing its ugly... not it's ugly head, but it's... it's forefront now, thanks to the EU green deal.”LINDSAY: Challenges Posed by COVID-19 and How to Adapt With Changes “It forced us to be very creative and not only in production planning ahead of time, especially for manufacturers, but then making sure the production lines didn't go down because that was costly or it would be costly. But then we could also contain our contain our costs so that we ourselves didn't go under while service supporting our the success of our customers. And so it took a lot of analytics, turned a lot of scenario building, took a lot of really dissecting some of the... the different costs”  Connect with Dupre and learn what he’s been duckin’ around with:Dupre Jones | Align TechnologyConnect with Sarah and find out more about what the duck she’s up toLinkedIn |Twitter |SourceDay |SourceDay.com Had fun with the podcast? Leave us a like, share our content, and subscribe! See you soon on the next episode of What The Duck?!