Xraised Interviews Abhijit

Abhijit Supekar, Senior Director of Global Supply Chain at Aeva, on Global Supply Chain Innovation and Leadership

SAN JOSE, CA, UNITED STATES, March 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Xraised, a leading platform for thought leadership and industry insights, recently conducted an exclusive interview with Abhijit Supekar, Senior Director of Global Supply Chain at Aeva Technologies, Inc. In this interview, Abhijit shared his wealth of experience in global supply chain operations, strategic sourcing, as well as leadership across a wide range of industries, from consumer electronics to automotive/industrial sectors.

With over two decades of experience in global supply chain operations, strategic sourcing, business strategy, and engineering, Abhijit has held key leadership roles in launching innovative products across a variety of industries, including health tech, consumer electronics, aviation, automotive, security, industrial automation and robotics, digital storage, e-commerce, defense, and oil & gas. His extensive career demonstrates his adaptability, deep knowledge, and versatility across both high-tech and engineering sectors.

In discussing how his career began, Abhijit revealed that he initially stumbled into the field of global supply chain management. Initially as a Mechanical and Controls Systems engineer at Seagate Technologies, he spent much of his time in clean rooms developing next-generation hard disk drive technology. It wasn’t until a major disruption in 2011, when Malaysia and Thailand experienced massive floods that crippled the global supply chain for hard disk drives, that Abhijit’s perspective shifted. The crisis at Seagate, where a strategic physical solution—building a moat around the factory—helped protect Seagate’s production capability and gained market share, sparked his interest and led him to pivot into global supply chain management.

Today, Abhijit leads the global supply chain at Aeva, overseeing the deployment of the company’s cutting-edge 4D LiDAR technology. These advanced sensors, which not only detect 3D position but also velocity, are revolutionizing industries such as autonomous driving, industrial robotics, and consumer electronics. Abhijit discussed the unique challenges of bringing such innovative technologies to market, emphasizing the need to navigate uncertainty during product development and build strong, trustworthy relationships with suppliers. These partnerships are critical for ensuring smooth production scaling and overcoming the hurdles of pioneering new technologies. Abhijit shared his mindset, which views challenges as opportunities to drive innovation, particularly during the following stages:

-Empowering engineering during technology readiness from TRL-0 to TRL-4 (Technology Readiness Level - https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/space-communications-navigation-program/technology-readiness-levels/).

-Navigating manufacturing uncertainties that can deter suppliers and drive up costs.

-Managing the supply chain during production to ensure smooth integration.

-Overcoming scaling challenges when the initial supply chain is suboptimal.

-Ensuring flexibility to minimize liability if a product fails in the market.

Reflecting on his diverse industry experience, Abhijit shared critical lessons in strategic sourcing and global operations. He identified five key deliverables for any supply chain manager — on-time delivery, accurate quantities, high quality, cost competitiveness, and the ability to mitigate global risks. He also emphasized the importance of building strong supplier relationships and negotiating flexible contracts that adapt to evolving business needs. Abhijit stressed that cost should be considered early in the product design process, rather than as an afterthought.

Balancing cost, quality, and speed remains a significant challenge for supply chain leaders, especially in competitive industries. Abhijit shared his approach, which involves aligning internal stakeholders, fostering multi-sourcing to maintain healthy competition, and nurturing strong, trusted partnerships with suppliers. He pointed out that one of the most overlooked strategies is spending time upfront aligning with internal teams such as product, engineering, legal, and finance. Cross-functional collaboration, he noted, is essential to making informed decisions and avoiding conflicts later on.

Drawing lessons from recent global disruptions such as the pandemic, political tensions, and natural disasters, Abhijit shared his own set of "non-negotiables" for supply chain success. These actions are not optional, nor are they pursued in a linear sequence—they must function as a flywheel, continuously active on all three fronts, scaling based on the individual needs of the business. He calls these the "Fundamentals for an #UnshakenSupplyChain. Abhijit emphasized that an #UnshakenSupplyChain is built on transparency and simplicity, managed by a strong, trust-based team and powered by innovative, smart tools. By focusing on risk management, strategic partnerships, process simplification, and data-driven decision-making, businesses can create a future-proof supply chain capable of withstanding any challenge.

Looking ahead, Abhijit identified several key trends shaping the future of supply chain management. Among the
ese are the rise of AI and Gen-AI technologies, which are enhancing decision-making and driving smarter supply chains.
Additionally, the increasing use of automation and digitalization in manufacturing is poised to transform the industry.

Specifically, AI and Gen-AI’s ability to learn from unstructured data, use graph-based models (GNNs) to uncover hidden relationships, and scale in real-time, complex environments make them ideal for addressing the global supply chain’s fragmented, unstructured and complex nature, especially in an ever-changing geopolitical landscape. Abhijit also highlighted blockchain’s growing role in improving supply chain traceability, ensuring transparency, and reducing counterfeiting. As supply chains become more technology-driven, cybersecurity will play an increasingly crucial role in protecting sensitive data and hardware assets.

For companies aiming to optimize their supply chains, Abhijit stressed the importance of adaptability in the face of geopolitical and regulatory changes, as well as the need to focus on sustainability and circular economy practices. As the landscape continues to evolve, he emphasized that hardware supply chains must become more agile, tech-driven, and resilient to local and global disruptions.

To gain deeper insights from Abhijit Abhijit on global supply chain innovation, watch the full interview here: https://xraised.com/videos/navigating-supply-chain-innovation-lessons-from-aevas-global-operations/

Xraised continues to provide valuable thought leadership through expert interviews, offering industry professionals practical advice and innovative solutions to navigate today’s complex business environment. For more information, visit Xraised (https://xraised.com/).

About Abhijit Supekar:

Abhijit is a seasoned professional with 20+ years in supply chain, sourcing, and business strategy. He is currently Head of Global Supply Chain at Aeva Technologies, with previous roles at Lucid Motors (https://lucidmotors.com/), Skydio (https://www.skydio.com/), Google (https://www.google.com/), and Fitbit (https://blog.google/products/platforms-devices/fitbit-acquisition/). Known for his problem-solving skills, Abhijit excels in navigating disruptions and driving supply chain digitization with AI, improving cost management and efficiency.

About Aeva:

Aeva is a cutting-edge technology company revolutionizing autonomy with its 4D LiDAR sensors. These sensors, which uniquely detect velocity alongside 3D position, are used in applications such as automated driving, industrial robotics, and consumer electronics, making autonomous devices safer and smarter.

About Xraised:

Xraised is a premier platform dedicated to providing insightful interviews and thought leadership across a wide range of industries. By connecting thought leaders, innovators, and professionals, Xraised aims to provide valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of business.

Gianmarco Giordaniello
Xraised
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