Oxana Li is a seasoned supply chain professional with over 20 years of diverse business experience spanning multiple industries.
Leveraging her wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience, she is dedicated to delivering value and harnessing technology for successful business transformations. At the core of Oxana’s professional ethos is a commitment to driving operational excellence through strategic supply chain leadership and the implementation of effective ERP solutions. With a robust background in supply chain management and significant expertise in the SAP industry, Oxana is deeply passionate about making a meaningful impact on the daily work routines of individuals through the transformative power of technology.
We asked Oxana a few questions so you can get to know her better.
Can you tell us about your background in supply chain management?
I started my career in supply chain over 20 years ago as a buyer at a cement manufacturing plant. Over the years, I took on various roles within supply chain management before transitioning to SAP consulting in 2015. That same year, I enrolled in the Supply Chain Management designation program with Supply Chain Canada, earning my SCMP credential in 2017.
Since transitioning to SAP, my primary focus has been in Materials Management (SAP MM). Over the past decade, I’ve worked on numerous product deployments and full-cycle SAP implementations across various industries. What I truly enjoy about consulting is the opportunity to learn about different businesses, understand their processes, and connect with incredible people along the way.
What are some of the biggest supply chain challenges you see asset-intensive industries facing today?
Supply chain management has transitioned from an overlooked function to a critical strategic priority. Quite literally, a few years ago, if I had said I worked in supply chain, most people would only have a vague understanding of what that actually meant. But the COVID-19 pandemic brought supply chain to everybody’s radar. The pandemic and ongoing geopolitical disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains. At the same time, these challenges have elevated supply chain management within organizations, highlighting its essential role in mitigating risks and ensuring continuity in an unpredictable environment.
When it comes to asset-intensive industries, the key challenge today is balancing resilience, agility, and sustainability. Resilience helps mitigate risks, agility enables rapid response to changing demands, and sustainability drives ethical and environmentally responsible practices.
A crucial first step in mitigating supply chain risk is understanding vulnerabilities across all tiers of the supply chain. And from what I’ve seen, it seems that some organizations struggle with a lack of effective solutions to identify and assess risks beyond their direct suppliers. This is concerning, as disruptions often occur deeper within supply networks. Companies need access to better analytical tools to proactively identify social, political, environmental, and financial risks.
In a fast-moving world, supply chains must become more dynamic, leveraging automation, digital diagnostics, and advanced planning tools to predict and respond to disruptions faster and strengthen resilience. However, digitizing the business is costly, complex, and time-consuming, requiring strategic investment in the right solutions and creative change management to drive adoption.
Organizations must consider not only cost and efficiency but also ethical sourcing, fair labour, and environmental impact. Supply chains are pivotal in driving sustainability and fostering a socially just economy. Achieving this starts with understanding the baseline impact, created by the organization directly and by all parties in the organization’s broader supply chain. While understanding its baseline impact requires significant effort, it also provides valuable insight into areas of improvement. The benefits extend beyond compliance, fostering supplier relationships, reducing regulatory risks, and enhancing brand reputation, thus strengthening supply chain resilience. Integrating sustainability into supply chain strategy is no longer optional – it is essential for long-term success in today’s socially conscious market.
What sets S4A apart when it comes to delivering supply chain solutions for our clients?
Our strength is our team, which offers extensive expertise and always takes a thoughtful approach to our client’s needs. We stay closely connected to the latest supply chain trends and industry best practices, ensuring our recommendations are relevant and solutions are forward-looking. A successful tech-enabled transformation goes beyond just technical expertise – it requires a solid understanding of both supply chain and technology. At S4A, we bring the best of both worlds.
As a boutique company, we are well-positioned to adapt and make decisions quickly while offering a personalized approach to each client. We take the time to thoroughly understand the nature of our client’s business, their process, and challenges ensuring we uncover the true pain points. By combining our deep industry knowledge with these insights, we create innovative, scalable solutions tailored to the unique needs of our clients.
We get that any digital transformation brings opportunities and complexities, with individual end users experiencing the greatest impact. That’s why all our solutions are designed with the end user in mind. We put a lot of thought into design prioritizing ease of use to ensure user adoption is seamless and success is long-term.
