Optimizing Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management
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Patrick O’Connell, formerly of High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) Limited, has spent over three decades working as an executive in the public and private sectors. At HS2, he held the role of interim director for program and strategy. Now the chief of naval personnel for the U.S. Navy, Patrick O’Connell possesses extensive experience in optimizing supply chains.

One of the first steps in optimizing supply chain management involves creating a supply chain council. The council is responsible for creating a clear strategy for boosting supply chain functionality, as well as ensuring that said strategy falls in line with the company’s overall strategy. Having a council in place also improves cross-functional communication within the supply chain.

In addition to establishing a council, companies must staff and structure their supply chain properly. In many cases, leaders create a centralized strategy that allows for more harmony between implementation and strategy. However, companies should not be deterred from choosing a different structure that works better with their strategy.

After the structure and council have been established, companies can begin looking at other aspects of the supply chain, such as technology. If technology can improve and streamline a supply chain’s processes, it should be implemented. This may entail increasing automation or adopting more mobile-friendly technology.

Supply chain communication may also need to be examined. Ideally, supply chains must be capable of supporting collaboration and communication between suppliers and manufacturers.

Five Tips for Safe Exercising

 

Safe Exercising
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US Navy chief of personnel and executive director Patrick O’Connell possesses more than two decades of experience in project management, including an assignment as interim program and strategy director for the High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) Ltd. in London. His work on HS2 involved guiding a transition from a parliamentary and policy organization to a delivery-focused entity with the capacity to execute a £50 billion next-generation rail system. Outside his professional pursuits, Patrick O’Connell enjoys exercise and engages in physical activity six days a week, alternating between going to the gym and jogging. The following tips can help reduce injury and strain from regular exercise.

1. Start with a warm-up. Beginning your exercise routine with a warm-up prepares your body for physical activity by increasing blood flow and stretching muscles. A typical warm-up lasts five to 10 minutes and includes some low-level aerobic activity. You can also include dynamic stretches into your warm-up to help loosen muscles, ligaments, and joints.

2. Gradually increase intensity. Start small when you begin establishing your exercise routine, and avoid pushing yourself beyond your limits. Gradually increase the intensity of your workout over time, and drop back to a lower level if you stop exercising for a considerable length of time.

3. Stay hydrated. Sweating depletes fluids from the body, so make sure to drink lots of water to replenish. Drinking water will also help prevent dehydration, heat stroke, and heat exhaustion. Start hydrating at least 15 minutes before exercising, and continue throughout your routine.

4. Take time to recuperate. Don’t feel guilty about skipping a few routines if you start to feel sick or need time to recover from an injury. You can also schedule days off from your routine to allow your body to rest.

5. Avoid over-exercising. Avoid over-exercising and pushing yourself past your limits, which can cause issues ranging from sore joints and muscles to inflamed tendons and stress fractures. Pace yourself, and adhere to your body’s needs. Stop if you feel faint, and take breaks as needed.

A Classic Route down the Nile in Upper Egypt

Nile
Image: cruisecritic.com

Patrick O’Connell is an operational management executive who recently served as director of program and strategy for London-based High Speed Two (HS2) Limited. When his interim leadership responsibilities with HS2 ended, Patrick O’Connell accepted a position with the US Navy as chief of naval personnel.

A world traveler, Mr. O’Connell spent more than 18 years living abroad and had a number of memorable travel experiences, from staying in an ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, to taking a cruise along the Nile.

Tourist excursions on the Upper Egypt segment of the Nile extend to 1869, when package holiday pioneer Thomas Cook took his first group along what is now considered a classic cruise route, spanning 120 miles between Luxor and Aswan. This stretch maximizes access to ancient monuments and archaeological sites, beginning with the Karnak Temple complex in Luxor and the Temple of Horus in Edfu, which is dedicated to the god of war. Other highlights of what is typically a weeklong journey include the Temple of Philae and its famous obelisk, which remains unfinished to this day.

A Trend of Wineries Adding White Wines to Their Prestigious Red Wines

 

White Wines
Image: forbes.com

Patrick O’Connell is an organizational leader who held interim responsibilities with London-based High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, directing strategic and programmatic elements. Following his time with HS2, he served as interim chairman and CEO Aquila Air Traffic Management Services Ltd. In addition to living and working in Europe, Patrick O’Connell spent six years in Paris, where he became well versed in European wines.

A recent Forbes article brought focus to a trend of well-known red wine producers producing exceptional white wines that express familiar terroirs in new and unexpected ways.

One high-profile example of this is Ornellaia, a top Italian red wine producer, which first created white wine vintages in 2013 and released them for consumption two years later. Priced similarly to its reds in the $250 range, only 4,000 such bottles are produced each year. Combining Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc grown across three vineyards, the wine is described as complex and ambrosial in aroma. Its floral palate is paired with a hint of tarragon and “seashell minerality” that makes the wine complex and inviting.

Another example of this trend is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir, where white wines by Domaine de Naly and Château Mont-Redon have picked up acolytes across the Atlantic, although they do not enjoy the same prestige as the reds produced by the wineries in France itself.