Bram Desmet - Rethinking planning: fixing S&OP, linking systems, and redesigning decision-making

In this episode, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ talk with ⁠Bram Desmet⁠, CEO of ⁠Solventure⁠ and professor at Vlerick Business School, known for his work at the intersection of supply chain, strategy, and finance.

Bram shares his journey from mathematician to supply chain expert, explains how his thinking evolved across three books, and dives into why many S&OP and IBP implementations fail to deliver business value. He argues for separating base demand from sales-driven opportunities, creating scenario-based supply plans, and integrating supply chain and finance processes more closely.

We also explore the limitations of traditional planning tools, the risks of overfitting one system to do it all, and how AI could help make planning more intuitive for business users. From supply planning driving executive decision-making to the idea of a “planning joystick” balancing service, cost, and cash - this episode is full of sharp insights and big-picture thinking.

Key topics covered include:

• Career path: from mathematics and IT to supply chain
• Why most S&OP/IBP implementations fail to deliver results
• Separating base demand from sales opportunities
• The arm-wrestle of “consensus demand” and risk attitudes across functions
• Scenario-based supply planning with business risk modes
• The real role of supply chain in cross-functional alignment
• Connecting APS with TPO, CRM, and FP&A tools
• Rethinking architecture: what APS should (and shouldn’t) do
• The role of AI in simplifying complex planning for executives
• The vision of integrated value planning: connecting supply chain and financial planning

Key timestamps:

(01:00) – Bram’s background: from mathematics to IT to supply chain(02:43) – From cost-efficiency to strategy-aligned supply chains(03:53) – Why S&OP and IBP often fail in practice(05:07) – Sales forecast games: over-forecasting vs sandbagging(06:52) – Whose job is it to align sales, finance, and supply chain?(08:11) – Demand planning redesign: base vs opportunity forecast(10:07) – Risk attitudes: sales = optimistic, supply chain = precise, finance = conservative(12:09) – One system is not enough: CRM for opportunities, APS for base(14:20) – Trade promotions and the need for TPO tools(16:08) – Companies start with tools, not design - and that’s a problem(17:25) – Scenario-based supply planning: growth, comfort, economy, super-saver(21:27) – S&OP is a business decision, not a sales or supply chain one(22:42) – Why exec S&OP today is still reporting, not decision-making(24:17) – Dreaming of a joystick to steer planning based on service/cost/cash(26:22) – Integrating supply chain and finance: stop duplicating planning processes(28:47) – FP&A vs APS vendors: who’s moving faster toward convergence?(30:06) – AI’s role: make complex planning simple for the business user(32:38) – Final advice: read beyond supply chain to solve its biggest issues

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