One of the things I love most about this series is the honesty and transparency that all of my featured interviewees have brought to the chats. Whether it is sharing challenging stories of early career situations or very personal views on what still needs to improve for women in SC and Operations- everyone has had their own perspective on things. This week we hear from Nurgul Akhmedyarova who has built her career in Operational leadership roles and highlights the need to really nail your technical competence and back yourself, even in environments where the use of AI is only increasing. Was great to hear her thoughts as someone running multiple site operations and coming from a different cultural background to some of my other guests.
What inspired you to pursue a career in supply chain?
I didn’t have many options, to be honest. I’m not from a wealthy background and when I was at school, I was strong in chemistry. My mother made it very clear that there was no money for higher education, so I needed to win a scholarship if I wanted to get a university degree.
I won a chemistry Olympiad, which gave me opportunity to study at university free of charge. Since chemistry is already closely connected to science and operations, I started my career in R&D and worked in a laboratory for three years after graduation.
I found the work interesting, but at some point I realised I did not want to spend my whole life in a lab. That’s when I moved to Henkel as a production manager. I was working directly on the shop floor, and absolutely loved it. That’s how I discovered my passion for operations.
My core expertise is in operations. but I‘ve always been interested in supply chain as well. Later, when I became a plant manager, I was responsible end-to-end operation – production, purchasing, supply chain. I really enjoyed having that broad responsibility and seeing how everything connects together.
What advice would you give to young women considering a career in supply chain?
My experience comes from 2000s, and now it’s 2026, so the world is different. Because of that, I am not sure my advice would be valid for nowadays. But there are a few things I believe are timeless.
First of all, know your playbook. Fundamentals really matter. Someone can be excellent at presentations, storytelling, or communication, and those skills are important. But if they are not supported by strong expertise and real knowledge, there will be always limit.
Maybe for three or six months people will be impressed, but in the long run, organizations expect tangible results – savings, successful projects, KPI improvements, operational impact. Leadership teams are smart. They quickly recognize whether substance is behind the communication or not.
Sometimes people achieve results because of luck, but luck is not a strategy for building a long-term career.
Another thing I would say is: always stay connected to the big picture. It is important to know your own KPIs, but it is equally important to understand how they connect to the overall business strategy. Otherwise, functions start operating in silos and that never works well.
In SC especially, you need to understand the trade-offs across functions. For example, if I reduce costs aggressively, maybe I increase inventory or create service risks somewhere else. So you always need to think in a balanced, end-to-end way.
What skills will be most important in the next 5 years?
We are already actively talking about AI, and I believe its importance will only continue to grow over next five years. But in my opinion, everything needs balance. AI is a tool – a very powerful tool – but the quality of the outcome still depends on the quality of the input. If it is in the hands of ‘bad actors’ - without expertise, critical thinking, or good data, the results will be weak. But if we combine AI with strong operational knowledge and high-quality data, we will get a brilliant result.
I don’t think humans should compete with AI. Instead, we need to learn how to use it in the right way. The human part is very important, because data comes from experienced people. One of the key skills in future will be how to combine those two worlds -especially in physical operations- how do you capture the knowledge gained from years working with the equipment and use the new tools to improve pace and optimize process. So, they need to learn how to get this knowledge – not just asking, but building trust, connection, respect.
So, the future will belong to people who can successfully bridge the generations: combining the digital and AI capabilities of younger talent with the deep knowledge and wisdom of experienced professionals
Have you had mentorship, and what impact did it have?
I think I have had mentors my whole life. Some of them are official mentors in formal roles, and some of them were simply people I learned from along the way.
For me, one of the biggest drivers has always been the joy of learning. I have huge respect for people who know things outside of my own experience or knowledge base. That’s why I have always wanted to work with people who have different mindsets, backgrounds and ways of working.
I wouldn’t say that mentorship should come specifically from women or men. Personally, I don’t focus on gender first. What matters most to me is knowledge, experience, and what I can learn from a person. Gender and age are secondary.
I truly believe that everyone is equal, but we all bring different perspectives shaped by our culture, background, and life experiences. That diversity of experience is extremely valuable, especially in leadership and operations, because it helps us see problems and opportunities from different angles. Mentorship had a big impact on me because it continuously expanded the way I think, not just what I know.
What could companies do to attract more women into operations / manufacturing?
We need to be patient. Building pipelines of talent in certain areas where it is not always easy to hire diverse profiles. Having programs within companies for women in operations is also valuable - giving them the tangible insight of what it means being on the shop floor.
In my experience, many women like to create something tangible – a product, a result, an improvement they can be proud of. That mindset aligns very well to manufacturing so we need to harness that.
At the same time, I don’t think women should feel pressure to simply copy traditional male leadership styles. Women should build on their own strengths. Diversity becomes powerful not when everyone leads in the same way, but when different perspectives and leadership styles are genuinely valued.
What stereotypes still exist, and how can they be broken?
I think it’s not such a big problem anymore. Young women are interested in shop floor, in plant, in supply chain. They want to create something tangible and be proud of what they created.
Now women understand this and use it as a competitive advantage.
We can create, we have patience, and we want quality, not just volume.
Are there unique strengths women bring to supply chain?
I believe women can bring many unique strengths to SC & Ops, and I don’t think they should try to copy traditional male leadership style.
The old leadership driven mainly by ego or by “who speaks loudest” is becoming less relevant. Today, the people who succeed are the ones who create value, build strong teams, and deliver sustainable results.
Women, I would say bring more collaborative mindset - ‘co-drive’. Multitasking is often something women tend to be good at, and they can win with this.
Also motivation is different – not ego, but something bigger, like family, educating kids, long-term impact. Women are not always motivated by standing up and saying ‘look at me’, but more by team success and balance. This is also a strength.
What does inclusion mean to you?
Inclusion is about being aware of different perspectives. Inclusion helps to understand different perspectives and connect to the big goal. It’s not only DEI, it’s about achieving the ultimate goal together.
Inclusion helps to make decisions – sometimes you sacrifice your KPI because it’s better for the bigger outcome. It’s about understanding your role in the bigger system.
Have you experienced barriers as a woman?
I think it is still a reality in many parts of the world, including Western Europe, that women in leadership positions are not always treated equally, including in terms of compensation and recognition.
Everyone chooses their own way of responding to that. Some people focus strongly on fighting those battles directly, and I respect that. In my own case, I decided to invest most of my energy into development, performance and building expertise. I focus on doing my job well, delivering results, and continuously growing as a leader. Over time, recognition came as a result of that work.
I also think culture pays a role. Coming from Kazakhstan, I was raised with the mindset that recognition should come naturally through contribution and results. I think it is important that organizations create environments where people’s contribution are visible and valued fairly, regardless of gender.
What communities or networks would you recommend?
I don’t have one specific community or network that I would strongly recommend.
I tried some women-only groups before outside of work environments, something like running communities (I run marathons), but personally I didn’t really connect with them. It felt too similar.
I’m more interested in diverse communities – spaces where people come from different industries, backgrounds, and ways of thinking. I enjoy conversations where I can learn something completely outside of my own field.
But maybe it’s not about communities, it’s about continuously learning – reading, listening to knowledgeable people and staying curious.
At the same time, networking should not be only about taking value. If I join a community, I also need to be bring something meaningful to the conversation. That again come back to knowing your playbook