Decision Loop: AI for Retail & Manufacturing Leaders | Presented by RELEX Solutions

Running AI pilots has become standard practice, but few are scaling. In this episode of Decision Loop, Christine Babington speaks with Robyn Bolton, founder of MileZero and former Procter & Gamble innovator, about why experimentation rarely converts into results and what it takes to change that. Robyn draws on her consulting work, research, and hands-on experience launching Swiffer at P&G to break down why AI pilots stall, how leaders need to change their behavior, and why innovation is a system rather than an event. They also cover the danger of action without achievement, the relay race model for scaling initiatives, how to evaluate whether a pilot is worth continuing, and the three things every leader should do before green-lighting the next AI proposal. If you're a senior leader in retail, supply chain, or manufacturing, this conversation will change how you think about AI pilots. Follow Decision Loop on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube for more. Chapter Markers (00:00) - Opening: If something feels stuck, kill it (02:37) - What is driving the explosion of AI pilots across enterprises? (06:15) - Innovation as a system: what that means (12:45) - Fail fast, learn fast: how do you know you are not quitting too early? (17:40) - The patterns and pitfalls that break a handoff (21:11) - The one question every leader should ask before approving a pilot (24:18) - Three key takeaways 🔗 Useful Links Christine Babington LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/christine-babington-smith Robyn Bolton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynmbolton/ Unlocking Innovation: A Leader's Guide for Turning Bold Ideas Into Tangible Results: https://BookHip.com/BFRXKZD RELEX Solutions Website: https://www.relexsolutions.com/

Thinking of waste as just a sustainability problem is too narrow. It also affects profitability, and many organizations consider only part of the picture. In this episode of Decision Loop, Christine Babington is joined by Svante Göthe, Head of Sustainability at RELEX Solutions, to explore how physical waste, labour inefficiency, and logistics are some of the biggest contributors to margin erosion for retail, manufacturing and supply chains. Svante reveals why waste is so difficult to prioritise, how AI-driven forecasting is the foundation for any waste reduction strategy, and why the organizations that get planning right are already halving waste ahead of global 2030 targets. With real-world results including a 30% reduction in production waste at Blount Fine Foods and a 25% drop in transport emissions at a German grocery retailer, this episode makes a clear case: tackling waste can make an organization an industry winner.  Follow Decision Loop on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube for more insights on intelligent planning and enterprise transformation. Chapter Markers (00:00) - Opening: AI as the Key to Tackling Waste (02:55) - The Scale of the Problem: Stats on Retail and Food Waste (06:30) - What is Driving the Focus on Waste Reduction Today? (11:49) - The Role of AI Forecasting in Preventing Waste (15:23) - Transport Efficiency: Reducing Mileage and Emissions (19:49) - Optimism and the Finnish Food Waste Success Story 🔗 Useful Links Christine Babington LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/christine-babington-smith Svante Göthe LinkedIn: https://se.linkedin.com/in/svante-göthe RELEX Solutions Website: https://www.relexsolutions.com/