Why Al Mendoza believes visibility, resilience, and culture are key characteristics of effective supply chains 

With his career background spanning strategic planning, operational execution, organizational change management, and supply chain transformation, Al Mendoza is currently serving as US and Americas Supply Chain Leader at EY (Ernst & Young LLP). Having gained more than 25 years of experience across multiple industry verticals, including specialisms in M&A activity, strategy, cost reduction and profit optimization, process improvement, and talent development, we sit down with Al to get his insight into some of the biggest trends and challenges facing global supply chains today. 

“I’d never even considered a career in consulting; I was an engineer in college and the scholarship I applied for included an internship at a consulting firm,” Al begins. “Little did I know that a summer internship would lead to a 26-year tenure focusing on supply chain strategy. I concentrated on the supply chain, specifically data and cost, as I recognized the impact on a company’s bottom line.  

“Around six years ago, I wanted a change and heard positive things about the growth and culture of EY. In my time at EY, I’ve held a few supply chain roles, including as the business consulting supply chain leader for the US and the Americas, and I’m now the overall supply chain leader overseeing both business and technology consulting. EY covers multiple areas, but my role sits within the consulting services arm, in which we have a comprehensive end-to-end supply chain division that focuses on everything from planning and procurement to manufacturing and logistics. I’m passionate about leveraging new technologies within supply chains to help our clients achieve results, streamline processes, and maximize efficiency.” 

Responsible for driving, overseeing, and growing the supply chain team, Al is committed to building a better working world and empowering organizations to thrive in today’s ever-evolving industry. Al also serves as the Deputy Presiding Partner on the Partner Principal Council, on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (Minneapolis) and supports EY’s internal groups like the EY Latinx Supply Chain Professionals Network and Women in Consulting initiatives.  

Why culture is key 

Elaborating on the importance of company culture, Al continues: “Over the last 25 years in the industry, I’ve come to appreciate how culture and working environments shape our approach to work, especially in the consulting sector. At EY, every person is genuinely respected, and our culture is one that embraces a team sport mentality rather than individual responsibilities. Collaboration across teams not only creates an exciting environment where people want to grow and develop, but it also drives the best possible results and fosters success for our clients.  

“I’m fortunate to have had some fantastic mentors throughout my career, and I try to emulate the qualities they’ve taught me in my own leadership roles. I believe that a good leader is one that gets pushed to the sidelines because the people they serve are capable and hungry for more responsibility. I’m also passionate about supporting emerging talent to create leaders for the future, as well as setting the tone around our values and clients.” 

As our conversation continues, talk turns to some of the latest issues and trends facing supply chains around the globe. “Ongoing discussion over tariffs is complex and the impact depends on each client’s supply chain model, so there isn’t one specific answer or solution,” Al explains. “We have clients with multi-national, vertically integrated supply chains, for instance, which have a high degree of freedom with several suppliers and multiple manufacturing sites. On the other hand, some supply chains are very locked in, and these clients are creating new strategies or maneuvering suppliers as best as possible.  

“However, any company, regardless of its supply chain model, must first acknowledge their position in the market to understand how to best deal with changing regulations and stay ahead of their competitors. For example, we’re working with a health consumer packaged goods business, which recognized that operating a manufacturing base abroad could put them at a disadvantage. This client created analytics to evaluate the impact, and within 45 minutes of each tariff announcement, they could leverage these analytics to understand the direct impact on their supply chain. The business established a cross-functional group to act on these insights, and by acknowledging the potential disadvantages so early, the business put processes in place to navigate the ongoing uncertainty.  

“There are always going to be long-term disruptions, whether it’s Covid-19, supply shortages, or global politics, so businesses must continue to embrace dynamic resiliency,” he suggests. “Data-driven, cross-functional responses are key characteristics for making strategic decisions, but many businesses are opting to freeze longer-term decisions as the supply chain is so dynamic and uncertain.”  

Enhancing visibility 

Having mentioned resiliency, we’re keen to understand Al’s view on how companies can build resilient supply chains. “We recently conducted a survey, which revealed that 26 percent are still using spreadsheets and emails to communicate with their suppliers,” he states. “This is simply not an environment that fosters true data visibility. However, collecting data alone is not enough; companies must translate data into valuable insights that can be applied to supply chain functions.  

“Many supply chain transformations tend to miss their ambitions, with 88 percent of leaders still considering the supply chain as a cost center and 78 percent reporting that they haven’t recognized the lessons learned by the Covid-19 pandemic. Most of the time, when investments don’t capture their expected value, it’s due to a lack of employee buy-in when people don’t realize how the changes will impact their day-to-day jobs.” 

However, EY strives to change this approach to supply chain transformation. “We deliver true understanding to our clients, sharing why supply chains go beyond cost to transform customer experiences and drive profits,” Al states. “We build relationships with clients by truly understanding our craft and how our services fit with their business.  

“One of the key transformations I was involved with was that of Medtronic, a global technology life sciences leader with more than 95,000 employees across 150 countries. EY partnered with Blue Yonder to reimagine Medtronic’s supply chain planning and decision-making functions, tackling complexities and creating visibility to deliver value for patients. This multi-year transformation saw us integrate and cleanse data, leverage cutting-edge technology, and streamline nine planning systems into a single process. With one million SKUs and more than 90 percent of Medtronic’s total demand value now planned within Blue Yonder, the company has optimized demand, inventory, and supply planning with a ten-to-15 percent increase in forecast accuracy.” 

Our conversation with Al suggests that supply chain transformation is no longer optional but is instead imperative to stay ahead of the curve. From his early career in data-driven consulting to his current leadership role at EY, Al brings a holistic, people-centric approach to his role, empowering others along the way. As businesses navigate ongoing uncertainty in 2025 and beyond, Al continues to reframe perspectives and position the supply chain as a competitive advantage. 

“While speed and cost will continue to pressure supply chains, visibility is crucial to building resilient networks that are fit for the future,” Al concludes. “Companies must modernize their supply chains and create data-rich environments to remain resilient amid evolving market dynamics and trends like AI, labor shortages, and continuous disruption. Aside from internal efficiency improvements, supply chains also provide excellent experiences and are a mechanism used to delight customers.”