Toughest Job in the C-Suite

Although executives who dream up new products, market expansions, or patents typically get all the praise, the pandemic and its disruptions have made getting items to shoppers a more complex and crucial task, says a Fortune report. The fluctuating demand for consumer goods and ships idling in major West Coast ports have only added to the challenge. As a result, a new hero has emerged: the chief supply chain officer (CSCO).

Supply chain management is a core competency within companies that creates competitive advantage if done well, the report says. The role’s focus has gone from cost control in production and shipping to shaping strategy.

CSCOs have been on the rise for a while as companies diversify production and face mounting complexities presented by e-commerce, which involves faster delivery times and far more touch points in a distribution system, the report says.

In 2016, 71 new CSCO roles had been created at S&P 1500 firms between 2000 and 2012. Now, 85 companies have a CSCO or someone with a title filling a similar role, according to an analysis of S&P 500 filings and websites by Equilar and Fortune.