Seasoned Leadership in Action™ – An Interview with Carsten Krause!

Carsten Krause

At Supply Chain Game Changer we believe in sharing experiences and expertise from people in every industry and from across the globe.  As such we have introduced our “Seasoned Leadership in Action™” Interview series.

This interview is with Carsten Krause, CDO and Co-Founder of The CDO Times, a website dedicated to deliver actionable insights to our readers, explore current and future trends that are extremely relevant to leaders and organizations undertaking digital transformation efforts.

Carsten works as a CIO & CISO Executive, enabling companies to leverage technology for a competitive edge.

Since the inception of Supply Chain Game Changer our mission has been to share experiences and expertise for the benefit of everyone. One of the supporters of Supply Chain Game Changer has been Carsten Krause. I first met Carsten at the end of my tenure at ModusLink as he was just joining the company at that time.

Here is our interview with one of our great colleagues at Think Global Logistics, Carsten Krause.

1. Tell our readers a little about your background and experience.

As a highly experienced CIO, CDO, and CISO, I have a strong track record of leading international IT teams and delivering business-aligned IT solutions for global businesses, with a focus on generating top-line growth and bottom-line savings.

I have contributed to $950M+ in top-line growth, enabled companies to drive $78M+ in efficiencies, and improved security posture by 50%. My expertise includes translating business strategy into technology roadmaps, managing global organizations, and adapting to constant change while delivering business capability and profitability.

I am certified by Harvard University, Wharton Business School and MIT in cybersecurity, business strategy, executive communications, disruptive innovation, and IT operations. My industry expertise includes food and beverage, consumer products, retail, hi-tech, cybersecurity, supply chain and logistics, pharma, and software companies.

2. What are some of your greatest achievements in Business?

I have turned around global IT organizations improving service levels and retaining employees while helping the organization become profitable or enabling explosive growth by delivering competitive edge technology enabled solutions and services contributing to over $925M in revenue growth and $76M in savings and efficiencies throughout my career.

As chief data officer I improved solution delivery from months to minutes by upgrading technology and establishing BI captains within business units that use data self-exploration tools.

As VP of digital architecture and programs I cut the time for e-commerce and cloud technology country roll-outs in half by leveraging a microservices cloud architecture, leading 10 global agile squads and composable business capability to adjust to local requirements.

As CISO I improved cybersecurity posture  by 200% spearheaded a global GDPR readiness program and successfully averted $50 million in damages by preparing for, updating policies and procedures for incident response and containing a ransomware cyber attack with minimal business impact.

3. How has Business and Supply Chain changed over the course of your career?

Throughout my career I automated and digitized manual processes and enabled teams with intuitive tools and data insights to compete on a global scale. In supply chain processes I replaced non-integrated monolithic systems with digital systems that now enable to ingest real-time insights for better data driven decisions.

Specifically, I enabled companies to integrate more tightly with their channel partners all the way from suppliers to manufacturing to getting products to customers. During Covid 19 there has been a renaissance of companies needing to understand their supply chain better, recognizing potential bottlenecks and exploring approaches to local source and work with multiple partners to become more resilient against disruptions.

4. What are some of the lessons you learned in your career that you would like to share for others to learn from?

As a seasoned technology executive with experience working for both solution providers and tech-enabled companies, I bring a unique perspective to the table. With a global mindset honed through leadership roles across North America, Europe, and APAC, I understand the importance of embracing differences and appreciating similarities to foster growth.

Continuous learning is key in a rapidly evolving tech landscape, and I prioritize enabling a culture of growth and development within my teams. By creating a safe environment where teams can experiment, iterate, and ultimately win together, we can stay ahead of the curve and drive success.

5. What challenges facing the world are important to you?

As we navigate through an era of global uncertainty, it’s become clear that the most pressing issue of our time is preserving the planet for future generations. Businesses must invest in their capabilities to stay agile and adaptable in order to ensure a safe and equitable world for our children.

Climate change and various disruptive forces are affecting the entire globe, making it crucial to establish meaningful connections, learn from one another, and collaborate across borders and organizations. The key to building a better world lies in valuing diverse perspectives and working towards a common goal of sustainability.

6. What is the role of Business, Supply Chain, and Change Leadership in addressing these challenges?

In today’s dynamic business landscape, it is crucial for leaders to adopt an agile mindset and focus on long-term impacts of their decisions. As supply chain leaders, we must understand the bigger picture and continuously evaluate our enterprise risks.

By adopting a composable ecosystem, we can create a nimble and adaptable supply chain that can handle societal changes, supply chain disruptions, regulations, and ever changing consumer preferences. Through leveraging data insights and integrating with our partners, we can establish agile digital processes that can quickly respond to customer needs.

As businesses evolve, it is imperative that we prioritize sustainability and adaptability to ensure future success.

7. What are you working on these days?

As a digital transformation expert, I take great pleasure in sharing my insights on how to develop effective strategies that help companies become data-driven and build scalable, secure digital infrastructure. This is precisely why I founded The CDO TIMES – a forum for digital executives to share their knowledge and expertise with their peers.

As the Chief Digital Officer at The CDO TIMES, my passion for helping organizations plan, develop, and execute their digital transformation vision has been my driving force. My goal is to provide companies with a strong foundation for growth, which includes establishing flexible, secure, and scalable systems architecture, developing a corporate culture and DNA, and leveraging agile delivery methodology.

At The CDO TIMES, we dive deep into these topics and more, providing valuable insights for our readers. I not only share my expertise through writing but also put these strategies into action when leading global technology and product teams. By enabling business vision and delivering exceptional customer experiences, my goal is to drive innovation and growth for businesses across all industries.

8. What advice would you give to people who have a career in, or who are considering joining, Business and/or Supply Chain?

In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, it is crucial for technology business leaders to adapt and continuously learn. With the rapid advancements in technology, career paths are shifting, and it is imperative to unlearn outdated practices and develop new skills.

As leaders, we must stay ahead of the curve and guide our organizations and teams through these changes to achieve success. In this era, everyone has a role to play as a technologist, and technology enables us to achieve greater heights, unlocking endless possibilities and empowering us to be the best we can be.

Data has become the new oil, driving businesses forward and providing the necessary insights to make informed decisions. Artificial intelligence has become the new currency, allowing companies to unlock the full potential of their data and drive innovation. In this digital age, cybersecurity has become the new gold, as companies must protect their valuable assets and safeguard their customers’ sensitive information.

As we navigate this rapidly changing world, we must continue to learn and evolve to stay relevant and competitive. By embracing new technologies and cultivating a culture of innovation, we can position ourselves for success and thrive in this new era of digital transformation.

In this world data is the new oil; artificial intelligence is the new currency and cybersecurity is the new gold. 

9. How can people contact you?

You can contact me Carsten Krause at:

[email protected]

Carsten Krause Interview originally published on March 21, 2023.