Strategic imperatives for supply chains FIGURE 2 Ecosystem orchestrator , not end-to-end operator 1 3 2Optionality for growth, not r edundancy for risk mitigationDistributed scale, not concentrated scaleStrategic imperatives for supply chains Imperativ e1 To be an ecosystem orchestrator, not end-to-end operator The rethinking: Traditional supply chain operators think along a linear “plan-source-make-deliver” functional orientation and manage what they own. Orchestrators, by contrast, shape what they influence. In a multipolar economy, no single company can be resilient in isolation. The mandate: Moving from operational control to ecosystem orchestration – actively synchronizing capabilities across a diverse, agile ecosystem of suppliers, technology providers, logistics partners and contract manufacturers. The orchestrator builds coherence across systems that do not naturally align: private-sector partners, public policies, digital infrastructures and social expectations. Trust and transparency become performance metrics. Orchestration needs to go beyond your immediate ecosystem, it is now much bigger. Orchestration is needed not only for the elements that you can control, but also for those you cannot control but can help shape. Kathy Wengel, Executive Vice-President, Chief Technical Operations and Risk Officer, Johnson & Johnson1 in 3 leaders say digital visibility and coordination defines supply chain competitiveness, overtaking cost and efficiency. Global Value Chains Outlook 2026: Orchestrating Corporate and National Agility 11