The science of supply chain management has its own alchemist; Martin Christopher, a visionary thinker in supply chain excellence. His concepts, theories and strategies have influenced supply chain professionals around the world for over two decades, and he will be in South Africa in 2013.

Christopher will share his expertise at the exclusive ‘Meet the Gurus’ Global Supply Chain Update hosted by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport South Africa (CILTSA) in October.

The ‘Meet the Gurus’ Global Supply Chain Update 2013 is a unique opportunity for South African supply chain professionals to discover innovative trends in supply chain logistics from three highly respected gurus in the industry. The workshops take place at the Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town, on Tuesday, 22 October and at the Maslow Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg, on Thursday, 24 October.

Southern Africa’s vast geographical scale and rapidly escalating trade opportunities means supply chain efficiency and effectiveness is vital to success. In fact, Christopher believes effective development and management of any supply chain network is a sustainable advantage in today’s global marketplace. 

Early on, Christopher recognised that the real competition is between supply chains, not companies. He created a number of guiding principles for supply chain managers to achieve a competitive edge, summarised as the ‘4Rs’; responsiveness, reliability, resilience and relationships.

A fellow supply chain guru who has worked closely with Christopher is Gerard de Villiers, a chartered member of the CILT and also a long-standing member and past president of the Institute.

“I am delighted that Martin Christopher is coming to South Africa to share his vast knowledge,” says De Villiers. “He is very well known for the ‘4Rs’ concept and his theory is heavily used as the basis for successful logistics and supply chain management strategies. He also has the ability to simplify difficult theories into easily understandable concepts, clearly explaining the important aspects of supply chain management and creating world class supply chains.”

Christopher will explore successful investing in the ‘4Rs’; how to keep a lid on supply chain complexity, aligning a supply chain with marketing and business strategies, and discuss the dynamics of creating a demand-driven supply chain.

Christopher’s bestselling book, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, is now in its fourth edition and is considered one of the 10 greatest supply chain management books of all time. The book focuses on managing risk in the supply chain, logistics and customer value, and integrated logistics versus network logistics. It also places major emphasis on responsiveness, reflecting the increased volatility of demand in many markets. 

“If I have to choose one title on logistics and supply chain management, it would be Christopher’s book,” says De Villiers. “We seldom have the luxury of meeting global supply chain gurus. This is a brilliant opportunity for local practitioners to meet world leaders in a vital global industry face-to-face.”

Christopher will discuss a range of topics related to handling mega trends predicted to shape the global supply chains over the coming years. Increased turbulence and volatility; new competitive realities; supply and demand imbalances for critical resources; the impact of demographic changes and the search for structural flexibility, will be discussed in detail.