In this alumni interview, we speak with Praveenkumar Miriyala, Procurement and Logistics Coordinator at Bambaw, an eco-friendly brand for zero-waste essentials. Motivated by a childhood fascination with how things are made, Praveenkumar shares his journey into the dynamic field of international trade and supply chain management. He discusses the impact of events like Brexit on his approach to operational challenges and the lessons learnt in managing end-to-end supply chain processes.
Praveenkumar also highlights future trends that excite him, such as the rise of autonomous systems in warehouse operations and the growing focus on sustainability in international logistics and shipping. He offers valuable advice for young logistics professionals on shaping their careers, emphasising the importance of building communities. He also shares his favourite resources for keeping pace with international trade developments, including certifications like the Incoterms® 2020 Certificate and podcasts from leading consulting firms.
Career journey and insights
Hi Praveenkumar! Can you tell us about your current role and what your day-to-day looks like?
Sure! Currently, I’m working as a procurement and logistics coordinator at Bambaw, where we make eco-friendly sustainable products and consumer goods with the minimalistic lifestyle approach. I handle the procure-to-pay process, oversee the logistics and distribution, manage transportation, and take care of the inventory management.
Since we are a scale-up with around 20 people and the company itself is seven years old, I get to observe the entire supply chain process, from manufacturing to delivering goods to the consumer. It’s a very interesting role because I touch base upon everything, dealing with the complexities and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. So, the role itself gives insight into an end-to-end supply chain process.
Could you share what initially drew you into the field of international trade and supply chain management? What did you study at university?
I used to watch a lot of National Geographic documentaries, especially one called “How it’s made”, which showed how things like cars and Ferraris were manufactured. So, my fascination with supply chain started in childhood. I was drawn by the chain of events from material sourcing to transformation and transportation. I didn’t know it was called supply chain or manufacturing back then, but I wanted to be a part of it.
I started working at E2 Open as a trade compliance analyst and quickly realised that trade compliance is a wonderful mix of law, business, and IT. It involves making sure you’re compliant to avoid penalties and fees, which requires business acumen to understand the costs involved. Additionally, there’s a large amount of data involved in transactions, imports, exports, and transportation that cannot be managed manually, so it requires IT intervention.
After working at E2 Open for five years, I decided to pursue something more in-depth, which led me to complete a master’s in supply chain at Antwerp Management School in Belgium.
What about the supply chain industry surprised you the most? What was something you didn’t anticipate?
I never anticipated that working in supply chain would be so dynamic. The regulations and the field itself are constantly evolving, and the challenges you face are often unexpected and require quick problem-solving.
In the supply chain industry, we like to say, ‘the storm is normal’!
There are quite a few fires you need to put out day-to-day, and we need to think about what the causes of these problems are so that we can limit them to a minimum. Supply chain as a process is one that benefits from being as streamlined as possible.
Skills and challenges in procurement and logistics
If there are ‘storms’ and ‘fires’ happening every other day, what’s your advice for someone starting their career in this field? How can they handle that dynamism off the bat?
Because there are so many moving parts in supply chain, I would start by getting good at project management and planning. Additionally, businesses face lots of different challenges, so you must also be good at choosing your battles. You cannot fight everything.
You want to be sure that you’re choosing your battles wisely so that you can have the maximum impact. That could be saving time, costs, or even digitising. These are quite strategic, but they’re important to understand.
When you are fresh in the industry, you will just be thrown into a problem, and your main objective is to fix it. But, over time, your role shifts into handling the problem – instead of just fixing it on that occasion, you need to mitigate for it in the future too.
Are there any other important phrases or philosophies adopted by supply chain professionals that newcomers should know?
Working in a consumer goods company, I must make sure that I have the right product and right quantity at the right pace. That involves forecasting your demand correctly and understanding your transportation lead times. That makes having attention to detail very important as a skill.
The mantra of supply chain professionals is, knowing the seven Rs of supply chain management:
- Getting the right product,
- in the right quantity,
- in the right condition,
- at the right time,
- and to the right customer
- at the right place (location)
- for the right price
Another common framework that stands out to me is the concept of Plan, Make, Source, and Deliver. I’m sure there’s a lot more terminology out there, but these are like the basics – the ABCs of supply chain. They’re easy to remember.
So basically, you start by planning what you need, then you make it, source the materials, and then deliver it. There might be one or two more steps to complete the process, but for me, these pretty much cover the key aspects of supply chain management.
Are there any pivotal experiences you can share from previous roles that have helped develop or accelerate your career? What lessons did you learn?
Yes. A significant one was during Brexit. It was a period of destabilisation that brought numerous challenges. Businesses needed to know how to handle customs declarations, terms and conditions, and Incoterms®, which were crucial for compliance and negotiations.
But such opportunities or challenges are what really drive me in this field. My vision is to automate manual processes and reduce costs as much as possible. For example, can we reduce costs in transportation and logistics by collaborating with suppliers? Can we do this efficiently? Can we negotiate better prices with our suppliers? That’s where I saw the value of using Incoterms® in negotiations. It all comes down to who is paying for what.
It’s different if you’re working in a company the size of Amazon, where you could have the money to do everything on your own. Or, if you’re taking services from freight forwarders and , you’re going to pay them.
It becomes important to ensure that the communication is clear. And that’s when the knowledge of the Incoterms® rules I acquired from the ICC certification really came in handy. Whether we’re using DDP, FOB, or Ex-Works, each trade term has different layers of pricing.
Learning about the layers of pricing and responsibilities in Incoterms® rules has been crucial to my role, especially during supplier negotiations. It is very practical.
Incoterms® 2020 certification
Learn more about ICC’s Incoterms® 2020 certification that Praveenkumar completed.
Interesting. How would you say the way you engage with the Incoterms® rules today is different than before you took the ICC certification?
I enrolled in the Incoterms® 2020 certification because we were reviewing our input terms in the IT environment to calculate the total landed cost. It was important to understand the pricing layers and who is responsible for what.
Understanding the total landed cost calculation involves determining all costs incurred until goods are imported. This includes knowing who is responsible for each part of the delivery, whether it’s Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) or Free on Board (FOB) terms. It’s crucial for customers to analyse and decide based on these costs. They need to know, ‘If I choose this option, this is what I pay. If I take full responsibility, this is my cost.’ It becomes a clear business decision.
Previously, it was unclear because it was done through a legacy process. There was a lack of knowledge. The 2020 update to the Incoterms® rules brought confusion, we had no clue how to proceed. So, we selected a few people to lead this project, and I really wanted to guide the company through this change. The main issue was a lack of understanding of how Incoterms® worked, the information was often diluted and unreliable.
The certification gave us a reliable foundation, and we got a clear understanding of Incoterms®, especially during the 2020 update when there was a lot of uncertainty about how to apply the new rules.
I also emphasised the importance of reliable sources, such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), to provide accurate information.
Future trends and professional development
What trends in international trade and logistics are you most excited about, and how are you involved with these currently? Any big predictions for the next 5 years?
I’m excited about a few trends, including the use of AI and machine learning to assist with complex calculations and streamline processes.
A big change could take place in warehouse operations with the use of robots due to the rise of e-commerce and increasing labour costs. Demand forecasting will also become more accurate, helping to ensure the right products are available at the right time. I think it’s predicted to grow to $48 trillion in business, in say five years from now.
With rising labour costs, there could be an investment into these autonomous systems where goods can be unloaded quicker. And, because we’re an ecommerce company, there is a massive importance placed on demand forecasting. Forecasting always comes with assumptions, and naturally making predicted calculations will be key to retaining and growing our sales.
I also think sustainability is going to be another important point, where consumers will be more conscious of where the goods are coming from. Do we have transparency in the manufacturing? Are we sourcing it correctly? Is it being transported in the most sustainable of ways? Things like that will matter.
Are any of those areas mentioned things you’re particularly involved in yourself?
Currently, I am involved a lot with demand forecasting in supply chain.
For instance, when we need to forecast demand and consider the sustainability aspect, I think, how can I get my goods to their destination the fastest way possible with the least emissions?
And if I had to choose a mode of transport between A and C, I would have to consider if I could do a small shipment for air so that I can close the gap between when my goods are sold versus when the new goods are going to arrive, rather than just shipping everything by air. So, we only use air shipments whenever it’s necessary.
In terms of planning, you want to make sure you keep more stock so that air shipments can be reduced too. Air shipments generally cost a lot, and they pollute a lot as well, so we want to minimise them.
Nearshoring is a newer, upcoming trend. For example, a lot of operations are done in Asia, or India and China, and you just get the finished goods there. Plus, all the components are already there, so the infrastructure to do it is quite ready.
But, shifting back to Europe, do we have the infrastructure like China? Then it’s going to be a question of what kind of products do you want to nearshore? It’s going to be niche products, things you can make locally and sell maximally to two or three countries near you.
What long-term goals do you have for your career?
For me, it’s about becoming an industry expert in the field of supply chain, tackling the challenges we face, and leading impactful projects. This could be driving digital transformation or scaling start-ups into larger organisations. It would be great to help grow the business, clear the pathway so that they can run operations as smoothly as possible.
Is there a particular topic you’re eager to learn more about or become an expert in next?
Yes, especially in supply chain, I think project management and planning is very important for me. I think a certification in PMP (Project Management Professional) or even going deeper with certifications like APICS or CSCMP. I think certifications should be approached with the belief that they should offer you substantial knowledge and be an asset for advancing in your career.
You should consider where you are in your career and see how and which certifications would offer you that added learning opportunity. For example, doing an MBA right after graduation didn’t make sense for me. I stayed in trade compliance for five years, and then decided to study supply chain more in-depth. Now, I’m focusing on project management within supply chain to further my expertise.
Advice for aspiring logistics professionals
What advice would you offer aspiring logistics professionals or those at the start of their career? Any big dos and don’ts that we haven’t covered so far?
I’m still learning, but if I had to go back, I would suggest knowing which field of supply chain you want to focus on. It can be overwhelming due to various sections like plan, make, source, and deliver. I’m at a turning point myself, deciding whether to specialise into one of those sections or in end-to-end supply chain.
When you start as a professional, it’s important to not be a Jack of all trades but to become a master of some.
Know where you want to go and take the necessary actions, which could include networking, talking to people, and trying out courses to see what speaks to you. Creating a community and talking to professionals who have had the same experience can be incredibly helpful. Remember, you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel. Talk to people in the field, they are usually happy to share their stories and insights.
Any favourite resources you’d like to share?
Generally, I listen to podcasts, particularly from the big four consulting companies like McKinsey and Deloitte. They cover operations, supply chain, and digital transformation topics, and it’s a global perspective. I also follow Radu Palamariu, he’s known as the supply chain guru, on LinkedIn for insights on procurement and transformation. I think LinkedIn is a great platform to follow industry leaders and stay inspired by relevant trends and comments.
Incoterms® 2020 Certificate
Gain the Incoterms® 2020 credential from ICC, the organisation that creates the rules. Now available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and French.
