Talking Supply Chain: Bridging the IT–OT divide

This week’s Talking Supply Chain podcast tackles one of manufacturing’s most pressing challenges: bridging the divide between operational technology (OT) on the shop floor and information technology (IT) that runs enterprise systems.

Podcast host Brian Straight is joined by Fares Sakka, director of smart industry for Orange Business, who has spent his career helping companies modernize operations and bringing these two historically siloed domains together.

Sakka begins by breaking down the differences in culture, mindset, and risk tolerance between IT and OT teams. While IT focuses on agility, speed, and data protection, OT values stability, safety, and continuity above all else. For decades, these functions operated in parallel with little interaction, but the rise of Industry 4.0, digitalization, and cyber threats has made integration essential. He describes this as creating “hybrid worlds” where IT and OT must collaborate to enable both efficiency and resilience.

A major barrier to progress, Sakka notes, is legacy systems and the fear of downtime. Many plants still operate with decades-old infrastructure where any disruption can cause multimillion-dollar losses. Leaders must balance modernization with risk management by starting small, documenting knowledge before it’s lost to retirements, and layering IT enhancements around critical OT processes rather than replacing them outright. Just as important, he stresses, is building trust through cross-training and cultural exchange so teams understand each other’s priorities.

Cybersecurity is another critical factor driving IT–OT collaboration. Manufacturing is now the top target of cyber extortion, and vulnerabilities in IT often lead directly to OT disruptions. Sakka recounts real-world examples of ransomware and network failures that halted production lines, underscoring the stakes. He urges companies to view CISOs as translators between the two worlds and to build unified teams with shared KPIs so IT and OT aren’t pointing fingers but working toward common outcomes.

Looking ahead, Sakka points to cybersecurity, AI, and generative AI as transformative forces in manufacturing. While cyber defense remains the top priority, the ability of AI to enable predictive maintenance, condition monitoring, and quality control depends on a unified data architecture that breaks down silos. Ultimately, he concludes, successful IT–OT integration is not just about technology—it’s about people, culture, and leadership commitment to a shared vision for the factory of tomorrow.

Listen today.

SC
MR