Continuing my series on female leaders in Logistics, Fulfilment, and Supply Chain Operations, I’m delighted to feature Jolanta Tagala, a highly accomplished global supply chain leader whose most recent role was Director of Global Customer Supply Chain at Henkel. With over two decades of experience spanning customer supply chain transformation, logistics optimisation, and operational excellence across Europe, Jolanta has led complex, multi-country operations for some of the world’s most recognisable consumer goods businesses. Her career reflects a strong balance of strategic leadership, hands-on delivery, and people development, making her perspective on leadership and transformation in supply chain particularly compelling.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Supply Chain?
I realised the impact I could create from the very start of my Supply Chain career. In my first SC role at Tesco our small team of four established the company’s first distribution centre in Poland, which became a key driver of Tesco’s rapid national expansion. Enabling on-shelf availability at scale and seeing such a clear link between our work and the company’s growth showed me that Supply Chain is where I can make a real difference and is my place to be.
What advice would you give to young women who are considering a career in supply chain?
I’d say: go for it. Supply Chain is a place where you can make real impact, learn constantly in a fast-changing environment, and work with people across the world.
Second, take opportunities as they come. If something feels right to you, try it. Trust your skills and your potential, you’re capable of far more than you think.
Third, choose great teams and inspiring leaders; they will challenge you, support you, and help you grow.
Also remember that careers have different phases. Sometimes family needs more of your time, and that’s completely okay, the moment to accelerate will come.
Finally, connect with other women and support one another. Community makes a real difference. And most of all, enjoy what you do.
Where do you see the industry going in the next five years, and what role do women play in that evolution?
I personally do see three big directions for the next five years.
First, Digitalisation and AI revolution will further accelerate. I expect AI and GenAI to take over transactional work and increase both efficiency and speed. Our jobs will change. Real-time E2E connectivity, scenario planning, autonomous decision making will surely scale up.
Second, Supply Chains will need to become even more agile and resilient. Geopolitics and economic shifts will force companies to redesign their networks continuously rather than every few years.
Third, I expect strong partnerships and trust to become more critical than ever. Agility and resilience require partners who move with you at the same speed.
And women will play a key part in this evolution. Collaboration, adaptability, and building strong relationships are central to the future of Supply Chain, and women bring exactly the strengths this next chapter will need.
What kind of support or mentorship has made a difference for you?
I’ve been fortunate to meet many inspiring people throughout my career, but one leader stands out: Frank G. Winter , from my early years at SC Johnson. Whenever I sought his advice, I walked away with more clarity, confidence, and perspective than I expected.
Most importantly, he made me feel that he genuinely believed in me. I still remember him calling me his “joker”, someone he trusted to deliver. Hearing this at that stage of my career meant a great deal. His support and belief shaped me more than he probably ever realised.
Have you noticed a shift in how companies support women in supply chain? What still needs to change?
I do see progress. Many companies now recognise the value that comes from diverse teams, and not only in terms of gender. At the same time, there are still too few women in senior leadership roles. We all know that top positions often require full-time presence, overtime, and frequent travel, which creates a natural barrier for talented women with young families.
Greater flexibility in senior roles is key, it would enable more women to step in.
What barriers, if any, have you faced as a woman in this industry – and how did you push through them?
I haven’t faced barriers specific to this industry, but balancing career and family brought its own challenges. When I once shared with my manager that I was expecting a child, his disappointment made me doubt for a moment whether both were truly possible. It grounded me quickly: I stayed true to my priorities and kept delivering strong results. That experience taught me to trust my path and not let anyone else define what I can or cannot combine.
What do you think companies could do to attract and retain more women in supply chain roles?
As already mentioned, open up for flexible working models especially in leadership roles.
Is there a stereotype about women in supply chain that you’d like to break?
Yes. There’s a stereotype that women don’t support each other as much as men do. My experience is the opposite. I’ve built powerful connections with women in this field, supportive, inspiring, full of great energy. It’s a reminder that collaboration is one of our real strengths, not a weakness.
Are there unique strengths that women bring to supply chain roles that often go under-recognised?
Empathy is often underestimated, yet it helps you understand different perspectives, strengthen relationships, build trust, and ultimately move faster. It’s not a strength exclusive to women, but many apply it very intentionally as part of their leadership style.
What does true inclusion look like to you? Not just diversity – but inclusion?
For me, inclusion starts when individuality becomes an asset, not something to be managed. True inclusion means accepting people as they are and creating space for them to contribute in their best way.
Are there any networks or communities that have supported you as a woman in supply chain? (And would you recommend them?)
Yes. One community I value highly is MentorMe. It’s not exclusive to women, but it connects mentors and mentees across companies and industries in a very meaningful way. I’m a mentor there myself, and I find it incredibly enriching for both sides. It creates real connection, perspective and confidence, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for growth and support.