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

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AI is transforming how the world plans, produces, and performs, but faster doesn’t always mean smarter. Decision Loop is the podcast for retail, manufacturing, and consumer goods leaders who want clarity amid the AI hype. Hosted by Christine Babington, Product Marketing Manager at RELEX Solutions, each episode explores how real organizations are using intelligent planning, automation, and data-driven decision-making to modernize operations without losing control. RELEX Solutions provides a unified, AI-native platform for retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers to plan smarter and operate more efficiently across the value chain. By combining advanced AI with deep industry expertise, it improves availability, increases sales, enhances sustainability, and drives profitable growth at scale. Through candid conversations with transformation leaders, strategists, and innovators, Decision Loop tackles the biggest questions in enterprise AI: How do you scale beyond pilots?What does good AI governance look like?Can we make faster decisions without sacrificing accountability? If you're ready to move from theory to impact and lead your organization through the next era of intelligent planning, this podcast is your signal through the noise. Subscribe to or follow Decision Loop to never miss an episode!

Recent Episodes

APR 1, 2026

How Your Organization Can Prosper in an AI Augmented World - Ron Crabtree, MetaOps

Most organizations are asking the wrong question about AI. It's not whether to invest, but how to make it really work. In this episode of Decision Loop, Christine Babington speaks with Ron Crabtree, CEO of MetaOps Inc., about what it takes to build AI-enabled organizations in manufacturing and retail to truly prosper in an AI-augmented world. Ron draws on decades of experience in operational excellence, Lean Six Sigma, change management, and supply chain transformation to explain why organizational readiness matters as much, if not more, than the technology itself. They explore what's driving AI urgency in manufacturing and retail today, why the people-process-technology sequence is more critical than most leaders realize, and how value stream mapping with activity-based costing can expose the 20% of steps driving 80% of the opportunities. Ron also shares a practical framework for building AI-enabled teams, one that starts with measurable business outcomes before tooling. If you lead a supply chain, retail, or manufacturing organization and want a clear, practical guide to getting ahead with AI, this is a strong place to start. Chapter Markers (00:00) - Episode Introduction (02:15) - What is driving AI urgency in manufacturing and retail (05:52) - The four future-of-work scenarios and what they mean for industry (07:39) - Why starting with technology is a mistake (09:27) - How to start: building from business outcomes (11:47) - Engaging people through value stream mapping and process data (15:21) - Making the process practical – scoping it down to what matters (18:53) - What AI-enabled teams look like (21:15) - One piece of advice for leaders starting this journey (22:57) - Key takeaways and close 🔗 Useful Links Christine Babington LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/christine-babington-smith Ron Crabtree LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roncrabtree RELEX Solutions Website: https://www.relexsolutions.com/

23 MIN

MAR 18, 2026

Beyond the AI hype: What manufacturing leaders actually need to know | Madhav Durbha

AI is everywhere in manufacturing conversations, but how much of it is real, and how much is noise? In the debut episode of Decision Loop, host Christine Babington sits down with Madhav Durbha, Group Vice President of Manufacturing Strategy at RELEX Solutions, to cut through the hype and get into what AI adoption actually looks like on the ground. They explore why so many transformation initiatives stall, what separates genuine automation progress from surface-level experimentation, and how manufacturing and retail leaders can build a strategy that holds up past the AI demo. If you're responsible for driving AI or digital transformation in a manufacturing or retail supply chain environment, this episode gives you the clear-eyed perspective you need to move forward with confidence. Subscribe to Decision Loop for more. Chapter Markers (00:00) - Welcome to Decision Loop (02:00) - Introducing Madhav Durbha (04:30) - Why AI in manufacturing is overhyped and underused (08:00) - What real AI adoption looks like on the ground (12:30) - Common mistakes in transformation strategy (17:00) - Separating automation from intelligence (21:30) - How to build an AI-ready manufacturing organisation (26:00) - The role of product positioning and thought leadership (30:00) - Key takeaways and closing thoughts 🔗 Useful Links Christine Babington LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/christine-babington-smith Madhav Durbha LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhav-durbha-460a3 RELEX Solutions Website: https://www.relexsolutions.com/

23 MIN

MAR 9, 2026

Introducing Decision Loop: AI for Retail & Manufacturing Leaders

AI is transforming how the world plans, produces, and performs, but faster doesn’t always mean smarter. Decision Loop is the podcast for retail, manufacturing, and consumer goods leaders who want clarity amid the AI hype. Hosted by Christine Babington from RELEX Solutions, each episode explores how organisations are using intelligent planning, automation, and data-driven decision-making to modernise operations and scale AI responsibly. New episodes every two weeks. Subscribe or follow Decision Loop to stay up to date with future episodes!

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