In part one of this series, I explored empathy as the foundation of leadership, creating the trust and openness that allow people to think beyond conventional limits. In part two, I turned to science, showing how systematic methods and clear frameworks give leaders the structure to turn ideas into measurable progress. I also shared a complementary article on my own career growth from project manager to CEO, in which I reflected on the application of empathy to lead without authority.
This final article in the Empathy-Science-Technology trilogy focuses squarely on technology.
When empathy creates the right conditions and science provides the framework, technology transforms those ideas into real-world impact. One of the clearest demonstrations within CCE Group is SmartULD. What began as just an idea has evolved into a major breakthrough for the ULD industry: nurtured through empathy, refined through science, and delivered through technology.
Technology as a Competitive Advantage
Every era brings a defining technological innovation. The spinning jenny multiplied the productivity of textile workers. The steam engine transformed transportation, shrinking distances and expanding trade. The production line standardized manufacturing, enabling mass scale. Then, fast forward a few decades, and eventually came the internet: dismantling information barriers and reshaping how businesses operate. Each leap created winners among those who adapted and losers who did not.
Resisting technological change has always carried risks: the Luddites of the early 19th century – textile workers who smashed machinery they feared would replace them – are a reminder of what happens when opposition to innovation turns into irrelevance and obsolescence. And while technology continues to evolve, the speed of transformation seems to be getting exponentially quicker.
To illustrate the point, a recent report from McKinsey finds that companies that have leading digital and AI capabilities outperform slow adopters by two to six times on total shareholder returns across every sector analyzed. Thus, more revenue, more market share, and more investment in R&D to ensure that the next generation of technology is also mastered before competitors.
One tangible example of this digital transformation happening in real time comes from logistics: Maersk implemented data-driven platforms (including real-time tracking, AI-powered route optimization, and sensor-based insights) and achieved up to a 13% reduction in fuel consumption through enhanced analytics and speed monitoring on the projects trialled. For a company as woven into the global supply chain as Maersk, this is a potential saving of up to a billion dollars per year in fuel savings when rolled out across the entire organization.
These kinds of tangible results are driving digital interventions across all industries. And will likely have an oversized effect on the logistics and supply chain sectors as, for decades, freight movement has relied on clipboards, paper forms, and slow mechanical gains. That is changing. Digital platforms, connected equipment, and real-time data are turning cargo operations into networked systems: unlocking efficiency, visibility, and speed across global operations.
Leadership in a Digital Environment
These days, technology affects strategy, culture, and operations in ways too central for leadership to ignore. In the past, CEOs could delegate digital matters to an IT department with biannual check-ins on the latest trends. Today, with the speed of transition, that arm’s-length approach is no longer viable.
A more engaged leadership approach matters deeply. Research by MIT Sloan, examining a global sample of large firms, found that organizations classified as “Digirati” (those strong in digital and transformation management intensity) are on average 26% more profitable than their industry peers.
This does not mean CEOs need to be coders or engineers. But they do need fluency in the capabilities and limitations of modern tools, and the judgment to apply them in the right contexts. Nowhere is this more obvious than with large language models and generative AI.
These tools are already rewriting how teams draft proposals, analyze data, and generate creative options. However, tools like ChatGPT or Gemini from Google are merely the tip of the spear of digital transformation – providing a window into the rapid speed of progress, especially with regards to repetitive and boilerplate work.
By using them directly, leaders gain a tangible sense of the zeitgeist and ignite curiosity to explore more complex digital transformation initiatives within their organizations. A useful parallel lies in an earlier era. Previous generations of executives dictated letters to secretaries who handled the typing. Those who learned to type for themselves moved faster, communicated more clearly, and ultimately gained an edge. The same principle applies today. Leaders who engage directly with AI do not just move faster, they develop the judgment needed to separate passing trends from transformational tools.
Ignoring these shifts is not a neutral choice. Companies that fail to experiment with AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making are choosing to operate with less information, slower processes, and reduced creativity compared to their competitors. History shows what happens in those moments. The leaders who grasp new tools early set the pace. Those who hesitate end up playing catch-up.
The Rise of Connected Assets
The scale of connected technology is expanding at remarkable speed. IoT Analytics estimates there were 18.8 billion devices by the end of 2024. By 2029, that figure is expected to reach 29 billion devices worldwide, almost doubling in just six years. This growth shows how quickly physical infrastructure is being transformed into digital networks.
Automotive companies are using connected vehicle data to schedule maintenance and reduce failures before they occur. Shipping firms employ IoT-enabled containers to track humidity, security, and location, improving reliability and reducing spoilage. Aerospace and cargo are beginning the same transition, with connected assets becoming integral to safety, efficiency, and competitiveness.
The value of visibility also extends to asset recovery. In airports, warehouses, and ports, containers or equipment can go missing for hours, days, or even permanently. According to SITA’s 2025 Baggage IT Insights report, baggage mishandling cost airlines an estimated $5 billion in 2024. The same principle applies to cargo equipment. Lost assets drive up costs and emissions because they are often replaced rather than recovered. Conversely, tracking enables retrieval, repair, and reuse, which lowers total cost of ownership while cutting waste and reducing the carbon footprint.
Connectivity also strengthens aviation’s ability to manage its most pressing safety concern: lithium batteries. Almost every flight carries hundreds of them, and failures can escalate quickly. As of mid-2025, the FAA has verified 600 incidents involving smoke, fire, or extreme heat since 2006, with 89 cases recorded in 2024 alone. Real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, and battery integrity gives airlines earlier warning signals, enabling intervention before minor anomalies become critical. This is where connected technology moves from efficiency to safety: creating resilience in the face of risks that cannot be ignored.
From Principles to Practice
Throughout this series I have argued that leadership capable of sustaining performance over time rests on three core elements: empathy to create the right conditions, science to provide the framework, and technology to deliver real-world results.
A strong example is SmartULD, developed by AviusULD, a CCE Group company. I was involved with the project from the beginning. Empathy encouraged the team to look directly at challenges that had long been accepted as unavoidable: lithium battery risks and the loss of containers in sprawling airports and warehouses. By creating an environment where ambitious ideas could be voiced without hesitation, new solutions emerged. Science then provided the discipline for product development, testing, and iteration, ensuring that every idea was tested against evidence and refined until it met the highest safety and performance standards. Finally, technology turned these concepts into reality, moving from sketches to a device that is ready to reshape the cargo industry.
SmartULD is a compact tag, paired with a central dashboard, that transforms standard ULDs into intelligent, connected assets. Powered by kinetic charging, the tag generates energy from movement without requiring external infrastructure. Its integrated sensors monitor conditions in real time, tracking temperature, humidity, and battery integrity, and surfacing alerts to operators. This gives airlines an early warning system for lithium-battery anomalies, one of aviation’s most pressing safety concerns. At the same time, SmartULD enables full visibility of assets across global hubs, dramatically reducing the time containers go missing and supporting recovery, repair, and reuse. The impact is both economic and environmental: lowering total cost of ownership while cutting waste and emissions.
Final Thoughts
For leaders outside our industry, the lesson is not to replicate SmartULD but to apply the same sequence. Start by creating a culture where people feel safe to raise unconventional ideas. Use science to bring discipline through clear processes, testing, and data-driven decision-making. Then, lean into technology not as a side project but as a central part of strategy. This cycle can be applied in any business, whether in manufacturing, services, or digital industries. The combination of human insight, systematic structure, and technological execution is what turns ambition into impact.
In aerospace, SmartULD stands as proof of what this philosophy makes possible. The same cycle is visible in CLEO360 from Driessen Catering Equipment, which turns catering fleets into connected networks by centralizing data and tracking trolleys in real time, cutting losses and streamlining operations. It is also reflected in the way Trip & Co and AviusULD align their strengths to deliver integrated solutions. This is more than project-level innovation; it is the compass for every future acquisition, ensuring that new companies within CCE Group embrace trust, systematic thinking, and a commitment to progress. By embedding these principles across our ecosystem, CCE Group is building not just better products, but a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable cabin and cargo industry – one that is fully connected for the future.
