Empowering Global Logistics: Cogoport’s Partnership with IIM Amritsar for Skillful Supply Chain Leaders
Cogoport is collaborating with IIM Amritsar for a postgraduate certificate programme in global logistics and freight management. This programme addresses the skills gap in the industry, providing candidates with conceptual and soft skills training for effective contributions in the global supply chain, says Hrishikesh Kulkarni, the recently appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Cogoport. He delves into his transition from Chief Technology Officer (CTO), to COO and unveils the responsibilities and challenges of his new role. Kulkarni addresses the global logistics landscape, differentiating the Indian market and shedding light on Cogoport’s expansion plans. He explains how artificial intelligence (AI) plays a critical role in Cogoport’s daily operations, protecting against cyber attacks and guaranteeing operational efficiency.
Congratulations on your elevation to the role of Chief Operating Officer at Cogoport. How does this new role differ from your previous position as Chief Technology Officer, and what responsibilities and challenges does it entail?
As a CTO, the responsibilities encompass technological innovations around product development, ideation, and launches, whereas a COO is responsible for overall business maintenance and growth. The health and wealth of the business are managed by the COO.
As the Chief Operating Officer, what is your strategy for managing and enhancing Cogoport’s operations within India? How do you plan to leverage technology to improve operational efficiency and elevate customer experiences?
International trade operations have been manual for centuries, and the industry has achieved efficiency in driving manual operations. However, we are working to reduce the labour dependency of operations to increase transparency and reduce errors. The process shall be designed to reduce manual labour and eventually reduce the cost of operations, which jumps significantly in cases of human error.
Cogoport operates globally. How does the logistics landscape in India differ from other countries where you have a presence? Could you share insights into your expansion plans for the Indian market?
In India, we wish to capture more market share and focus on MSMEs by enhancing the customer experience. Large enterprises and forwarders/service providers have seen benefit for themselves in our services; hence, they use our services, but we will continue to park the majority of the resources towards the improvement of services for MSMEs and enhance their participation in global trade, thereby bolstering the economy. MSMEs across the globe face the same challenges of non-focus by large companies in the industry and struggle to find the right service partner that also offers great cost benefits. International trade processes remain the same regardless of the country of presence, with slight differences. The problem that we are addressing is global in nature and is not just limited to India.
In the logistics sector, technology plays a crucial role. How is Cogoport integrating emerging technologies like AI into its day-to-day operations? Additionally, with the increasing threat of cyber threats and data breaches, how does Cogoport ensure the security of its operations and sensitive information?
Cogoport is a prominent player in the logistics industry, building a global trade platform. Solving the complexities of the global supply chain requires leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other emerging technologies. One significant application of AI at Cogoport is in the realm of price prediction. Through advanced algorithms and data analysis, Cogoport employs machine learning models to accurately predict prices for various shipping and logistics services. This empowers users to make informed decisions by comparing and selecting the most cost-effective options available. Additionally, Cogoport introduces a conversational bot named ‘Cogo’. This intelligent bot serves as a virtual assistant, engaging with users in natural language conversations. Whether users seek information on shipping routes or wish to book a shipment, Cogo does it for them. Furthermore, Cogoport harnesses AI and ML for efficient data extraction from documents. In the logistics sector, where vast amounts of information reside in documents, automation reduces manual effort and minimises the risk of errors, contributing to the overall efficiency of the logistics workflow. It’s a fact that organisations that implement strong cybersecurity measures excel in operations and develop strong business resiliencies. At Cogoport, we ensure that our sensitive data is accessible to only authorised users via robust in-house-built identity and access management systems. We also perform regular security audits and application security testing that help discover new vulnerabilities in our ecosystem. Subsequently, we take measures to rectify such findings. A combination of strong firewalls and intrusion detection systems ensures that threats are dealt with proactively rather than reactively. Emerging technologies provide a competitive edge, especially in the logistics industry, which is on the way to digitalization, and Cogoport ensures they stay ahead in all these aspects.
With the industry evolving and technology playing a pivotal role, how is Cogoport approaching talent acquisition? Are there specific strategies in place to hire top talents as well as upskill existing employees to stay ahead in the dynamic logistics sector?
Talent acquisition and skill development are pressing challenges for the industry today. For the last 7 years, we as a company have relied on continuous coaching and on-the-job mentoring of tech employees to help them understand the industry. However, as we grow, it becomes difficult to train several employees; hence, we need a process and have launched an internal initiative called Cogoacademy to conduct internal employee training and training of those who wish to join this industry. Our team identifies the needs of various teams for training and conducts regular programs. Any new employee is given a weeklong industry and Cogoport training, and then the managers also act as mentors for employees. In terms of hiring, we reply to both lateral and campus hiring to identify candidates who are intelligent, dedicated, and have the quick learning ability to grasp the nature of this industry.
Could you provide some insights into the collaboration between Cogoport and IIM, Amritsar, especially regarding the Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Global Logistics and Freight Management? How does this programme contribute to the development of talent in the logistics industry?
We have started this programme to address the skills gap in the industry. IIM Amritsar conducts conceptual and soft skill training for candidates in global supply chain management so that they have a complete idea of the tools and knowledge needed to become effective from day 1 in the industry. Our managers and senior leadership team also train them on global operations and processes to help them develop a comprehensive and in-depth understanding. Our job is not just to train them but also to educate them on the nature of this industry, its ethics, and the importance of this business for customers and the country. With the Make in India initiative and the focus of the government on increasing exports, several jobs will open in the supply chain, and we believe we need more leaders tomorrow.
