Trade uncertainty has become one of the biggest challenges facing North American businesses today. While tariffs continue to impact costs, many organizations are finding that the real challenge is navigating constant change, shifting trade policies, evolving regulations and an increasingly complex global trade landscape. Businesses are being forced to make critical decisions about sourcing, shipping, inventory and supply chain strategy without knowing what comes next.
In this webinar, Purolator brought together a panel of industry experts to discuss the findings from new research conducted with HelloInfo, exploring how Canadian and U.S. businesses are responding to tariff uncertainty and what actions organizations can take to build more resilient supply chains. The conversation examines the operational, financial and strategic impacts of trade volatility while providing practical guidance for businesses shipping across borders.
Read the full global trade report
What you’ll learn
- Why many organizations see uncertainty as a greater challenge than tariffs themselves.
- Key findings from the research involving North American shipping and logistics decision-makers.
- How companies are adapting their sourcing, routing and supply chain strategies in response to continued trade volatility.
- The role customs compliance plays in mitigating risk and protecting business continuity.
- Industry-specific insights for retail, industrial, healthcare and technology organizations, including how businesses in each sector are responding to trade uncertainty, adapting their supply chains and preparing for future market shifts.
- Actionable steps organizations can take today to strengthen resilience and prepare for future trade disruptions.
- How integrated logistics, transportation and customs expertise can help businesses navigate an increasingly complex trade environment
Key insights from the discussion
“The conversation has moved well beyond tariffs. It’s really about resiliency. It’s about flexibility. It’s about speed to market.”
Paul Tessy, Chief International Officer & SVP, Purolator
Trade volatility is prompting organizations to rethink supply chain strategy beyond tariff mitigation. The focus is shifting toward building more agile, resilient operations that can adapt to changing market conditions.
Download our research report to access industry-specific findings and a practical 12‑month framework for building a resilient supply chain
“Use this period as an opportunity to reimagine your end-to-end supply chain and also strengthen your competitive position.”
Paul Tessy, Chief International Officer & SVP, Purolator
Rather than reacting to disruption, leading organizations are using uncertainty as a catalyst to evaluate sourcing strategies, distribution models, inventory placement and cross-border operations.
Download our Free Trade Agreements whitepaper to discover how businesses are using international trade agreements to build more resilient supply chains and reduce dependence on a single market.
“The organizations that we spoke to that were the most prepared had already worked to de-risk their supply chain.”
Tanya Humphrey, Co-Founder, HelloInfo
Research shows the most successful organizations are diversifying suppliers, reducing dependency on single markets and building flexibility into their networks before disruption occurs.
Ready to evaluate your supply chain strategy? Connect with a trade expert to discuss practical approaches for managing trade uncertainty, identifying supply chain risks and strengthening cross-border operations.
“Customs compliance needs to be a key piece of how you’re planning your supply chain.”
Jill Hurley, Senior Director, Global Trade Consulting, Livingston International
As trade regulations become increasingly complex, customs data, classifications and documentation are emerging as strategic tools for reducing risk and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency.
Discover how customs optimization strategies can improve efficiency, reduce cross-border shipping costs and help strengthen supply chain performance.
“What I would say is don’t panic and don’t make instantaneous decisions based on one key piece that might be changing.”
Jill Hurley, Senior Director, Global Trade Consulting, Livingston International
While trade policies and tariffs continue to evolve, organizations should avoid reacting to every headline. Instead, the panel emphasized the importance of analyzing data, assessing potential impacts across the business and developing informed contingency plans before making major operational changes.
Take a deeper dive: Explore how business leaders can navigate trade uncertainty with confidence while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and strengthen supply chain performance.
“The companies that are investing in these capabilities, agility, flexibility, will be better positioned to take market share in the future.”
Paul Tessy, Chief International Officer & SVP, Purolator
Organizations that proactively evaluate alternative sourcing models, routing options and operational scenarios are positioning themselves to navigate uncertainty more effectively and capitalize on future growth opportunities.
Take the next step: Speak with a trade expert to explore practical ways to strengthen supply chain agility, navigate trade uncertainty and position your business for future growth.
Meet the Speakers
Paul Tessy
Chief International Officer & SVP, Purolator
Paul Tessy is SVP & Chief International Officer of Purolator, leading the enterprise’s cross-border and global freight forwarding businesses including trade compliance and customs brokerage. He also heads Purolator International, the company’s U.S. subsidiary. His mandate covers international strategy, market expansion and premium growth in healthcare, industrial, technology, retail and e-commerce. Paul joined Purolator in 2019 from DHL, where he was CEO, Latin America and Canada, and previously led TNT Express W.W. (Spring) Americas. Paul holds a B.A.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto, and has served on the board of the U.S. Parcel Shipping Association.
Jill HurleySenior Director, Global Trade Consulting, United States, Livingston
Jill Hurley is Senior Director, Global Trade Consulting, U.S. at Livingston, and a non-practicing licensed attorney specializing in trade. As the practice leader, she spearheads U.S. import and export projects, offering comprehensive reviews of clients’ business models for risk assessment, crafting, and implementing import/export compliance programs, conducting audits, navigating export licensing requirements, and providing support in U.S. trade remedy matters.
Tanya Humphrey
Co-Founder, HelloInfo
Tanya Humphrey is Co-Founder of HelloInfo, a research and intelligence firm that helps organizations make confident business decisions through customer, competitive, and market insights. With more than 20 years of experience in strategic research and consulting, Tanya has led hundreds of projects for global organizations across industries including technology, healthcare, financial services, logistics, and manufacturing. Tanya was the project lead on The Burden of Uncertainty: How North American Businesses are Shaping Their Response to Tariffs and What Trade Volatility Really Costs.
Janine O’Flanagan (Moderator)
Senior Director, Marketing, Purolator
Janine O’Flanagan is Senior Director, Marketing at Purolator, Canada’s leading integrated freight, parcel, and logistics solutions provider. As a strategic marketing and business leader, Janine brings deep expertise in customer growth, business transformation, and commercial leadership, with a rare combination of financial discipline and creative marketing expertise shaped by experience across the world’s most recognized organizations including TELUS, York University, adidas, Salomon, TaylorMade, and MAC Cosmetics. As the leader of Purolator’s enterprise marketing function, Janine oversees brand, digital, demand generation, customer engagement, sponsorship, sales enablement, and integrated go-to-market strategies. With diverse experience across various sectors, her experience gives her a broad perspective on brands, customers, and commercial business growth across industries. Janine has a strong reputation for translating complex business challenges into focused growth strategies. She connects marketing investment to measurable business outcomes, leads high-performing teams, and drives transformation at scale.
Key Takeaway
One message emerged consistently throughout the discussion: businesses cannot afford to wait for certainty. Organizations that are successfully navigating today’s trade environment are building flexibility into their supply chains, diversifying suppliers, investing in compliance readiness, and developing contingency plans before they need them. Those that move from uncertainty to action will be better positioned to adapt, compete and grow in a rapidly changing global market.
Watch the recording to hear expert perspectives on the current trade landscape and learn practical strategies that can help your business prepare for what’s next.