Alumni Success Story – Ignacio Lobato, MDSC 2018 and Logistic & Operation Manager at PARIS64. See profile on Linkedin
“Studying a Master in Supply Chain Management at ZLC marked a before and after in my professional career, because it opened a door of knowledge and contacts that until then I did not know, getting to collaborate and address new professional challenges.”
What motivated you to study the Master’s in Supply Chain Management at ZLC, and how has it influenced your professional career?
I have always been a very curious and proactive person, so my main motivation for pursuing the MDSC was the desire to further improve and professionalize my career path. Choosing ZLC was no coincidence; to improve, you always need to learn from the best, and ZLC is the logistics center par excellence. For me, it marked a turning point in my professional career, as it opened the door to knowledge and connections I hadn’t encountered before, allowing me to collaborate and tackle new professional challenges.
During your time at Libelium, a company known for its innovation in IoT solutions, what challenges did you face in supply chain management, and how did the MDSC help you overcome them?
The biggest challenges were inventory optimization and adapting to supply issues caused by a global shortage of components. Inventory optimization was the focus of my final project, and the MDSC pushed me to analyze data coherently to improve inventory management.
Now that you work as Logistic & Operation Manager at PARIS64, a handcrafted fashion brand committed to sustainability and quality, what are the main differences you’ve noticed in operations management between the two sectors?
Technology vs. retail may seem very different, but when it comes to operations, they share more similarities than one might think. In the end, the key is to supply production on time and in the right manner to achieve a final product, and to deliver it on time at the end of the supply chain. I sincerely believe that the goal is the same, and the problems are similar, but with different players. If I had to highlight a difference, I’d say that in a fashion brand like ours, the seasonality of the sector greatly facilitates planning, as collections are well-defined in time and help streamline supply chain planning.
Could you share a notable project or initiative that you’ve recently developed at PARIS64?
The major project is PARIS64 itself. In terms of operations, over the past two years, we have tackled the opening and digitalization of PARIS64’s logistics center, expanding from 100m² to nearly 800m². This has provided the space we needed while also professionalizing internal logistics. It’s been a challenge to move from an analog warehouse to a 2.0 warehouse (for now), achieving remarkable results in a short period by optimizing warehouse space and preparation times for online customer orders to be shipped worldwide, as well as restocking our four stores and pop-up shop across Spain.
Additionally, we’ve undertaken the rapid creation of a handbag factory in Illueca (Aragón) to gain control over the production process and meet the demand for final products that couldn’t be fulfilled solely with suppliers in Ubrique.
During peak times such as Singles’ Day, Black Friday, and the holiday season, how do you prepare to ensure smooth and efficient operations in the distribution of fashion products?
At PARIS64, Black Friday is the only day of the year when we offer discounts, so preparation starts months in advance with a robust forecast for supplies.
For online sales, team preparation is key. In the weeks leading up to the event, we organize warehouse routes for the picking and packing teams to optimize time. We are committed to shipping orders within 24 hours, so training the team beforehand is fundamental. I always say it’s like our big theater production—we rehearse for weeks (team training) so that on opening night (Black Friday), there are no doubts, no fears, and everything runs at full speed.
For product restocking in stores, preparations are made weeks in advance to ensure they have everything they need on the day, while also enabling them to manage orders omnichannel, allowing them to sell all central warehouse stock as well.
What advice would you give to current MDSC students considering combining their master’s studies with work, as you did?
The key is to have clear goals and remember that this is your gateway to improving your professional career. It’s a period of effort and sacrifice, but the results far outweigh the challenge. It will open their minds and encourage them to question aspects of their daily work, as the academic professionals and peers will challenge issues that are often done out of habit rather than effectiveness.
