Episode Details

This week we, together with Bristlecone’s Robert Kalbach and Guru Parvati, dive into the necessity of business networks for collaboration and transparency in complex supply chains. We discuss challenges like ESG compliance, integration of business systems, AI’s role in decision-making, and how SAP and Bristlecone partner to create connected, intelligent, and autonomous supply chain ecosystems for competitive advantage.

Guest: Gururaj Parvati, Director at Bristlecone, SAP Global Partner

Gururaj Parvati leads go‑to‑market programs that connect strategy to execution across Planning, Procurement, and Execution. Over a 25‑plus‑year career spanning delivery, program management, and presales, he brings a practitioner’s lens to SAP Business Network, showing the ‘art of the possible’ with AI/ML layered on S/4HANA, IBP, Ariba, and Transportation Management.

At Bristlecone, Gururaj partners closely with SAP on story‑driven, integrated demonstrations that help customers unlock real‑time supplier and logistics collaboration, improve end‑to‑end visibility, and translate network insights into measurable outcomes. His work bridges product capabilities with customer value and GTM impact, enabling organizations to modernize operations while building resilience across their extended enterprise.

Guest: Robert Kalbach, Director and Consulting Leader – Consumer Goods & Life Sciences Business Unit, Bristlecone

Bob has over two decades of experience in academia, industry and consulting at various organizations.  He has been a divisional risk officer in financial services and the head of operations engineering in telecom.  He has led process improvement, digital transformation, SAP and technology engagements in Industrial Manufacturing, Consumer Products, Healthcare, Life Sciences and Med Tech. 

As a professor of Supply Chain and Decision Science