Ashish Gupta, Global Logistics Manager
Region: Jaipur, India
Position Held: Global Logistics Manager
Years of Service with CE: 4 and half years
Nationality: Indian
Can you tell us about your current role and responsibilities?
I am currently serving as the Global Logistics Manager. I am responsible for supervising and providing strategic and tactical direction to Logistics teams operating in production plants and operation offices worldwide.
I work closely with the Regional Supply Chain and planning team, as well as the Customer Service and sales team, to ensure that we meet the urgent needs of both internal and external customers while minimizing freight costs.
Can you tell us about your journey at Clear Edge?
I joined Clear Edge in August 2019 after working in the Freight and Logistics industry for 19 years. I started as a Commercial Manager, focusing on handling freight activities for India. In May 2020, my responsibilities expanded to include Southeast Asia.
In Southeast Asia, we established a shipping platform for Clear Edge Malaysia, and with the assistance of our team, we achieved great success. This platform has greatly benefited the production plant in Malaysia by enabling them to receive materials directly from suppliers, resulting in significant time and cost savings.
In May 2021, I was promoted to Logistics Manager for the APAC region. In this role, I implemented valuable strategies that helped Clear Edge Asia Pacific save on freight costs. I also introduced shipment mapping tools, which improved accessibility and tracking of shipments.
In January 2023, I took on the role of Global Logistics Manager. This role allows me to oversee logistics operations on a global scale.
What first drew you to want to work for Clear Edge?
When I received the opportunity to join Clear Edge, I was excited as this group was not new to me and during my freight and logistics days, I used to handle shipping opportunities for Clear Edge India since 2008. I was impressed with the company’s working culture and its unique product.
Effective logistics is delivering on-time shipping solutions with competitive freight. Market knowledge of the shipping process and tactics is important. This is not a part-time profile for a company with a global presence.
What is the driving force behind everything you do? What keeps you motivated and driven daily?
Your workplace atmosphere and your team are the most important elements to keep your interest alive in your job.
I believe every individual is an entrepreneur, and the freedom of working will enhance your entrepreneurial skills and risk-taking capacity. This gives clarity on what needs to be done at the right place and time to meet the desired common goal.
I am fortunate enough to get this kind of working culture in Clear Edge across all entities.
What’s something you do to start your workday?
Being in a global profile, I plan my work day to meet different time zones. Starting my day with the Australia and New Zealand team followed by Southeast Asia and India, then Europe, and finally the US.
I focus on not leaving anything for the next day, and unless that’s not so urgent, this helps me start every new day with a fresh set of required jobs to be taken care of.
Tell us about your biggest achievement/proudest moment at Clear Edge to date
Joining Clear Edge was quite a tricky decision for me to leave an industry where I spent 19 years and join a new industry. But I wanted to do it to challenge myself.
But I proudly say that it worked for me, and joining Clear Edge is like diving into a deep ocean of opportunities where no one was exclusively looking for logistics. My past experience and the scope of improvement at Clear Edge have allowed me to grow with the company.
Receiving appreciation and enhanced opportunities from time to time is really giving me good exposure.
Who has been the biggest mentor in your professional career and what was the most important lesson they taught you
It would be unfair if I named any individual because everyone whom you meet makes you learn something. Everyone who helped me reach this level are my mentor.
What advice would you give to new employees joining the organization
Clear Edge is one of the best platforms to grow. Keep on doing your assigned job with full dedication and honesty, and always think out of the box. According to the job profile, understand your responsibilities for the company and never run away from it.
Clear Edge is running with a mission of making the world safer, healthier and more productive and team is important to achieve this mission.
If you could sit down for dinner with anyone, who would it be and why
Hmm. My first and foremost preference is to enjoy my dinner with my wife and my kids. Every day we eat dinner together, as this is the valuable time we spend discussing our day. Then occasionally, with friends, with drinks and some live singing music.
What is one thing that very few people know about you?
I am very sentimental and emotional.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
I start my day with badminton without fail and evening with family and friends. On weekends I enjoy social life.
What do you enjoy most about being a supply chain/logistics professional?
Logistics is the job where you are committed to delivering based on outsourced resources that are not in the control of anyone. Despite this fact, logistics is the backbone of the supply chain and plays a very vital role for the company.
I enjoy dealing with the trust of the internal team in Logistics professionals. I enjoy seeing reliability in the team’s eyes for the Logistics desk and assurances that we are passing to meet deadlines.
This challenging job allows me to start my day with a new level of passion to meet required urgencies.
Centralization of logistics and dealing with different regions as per their time zones is not easy, but also this allows me to get exposure as an individual and plan my day to respond all without any delays.
