As a Professor of Supply Chain Management at Arizona State University, Lisa Ellram is a leading strategic thinker in the field, specialising in purchasing and procurement. Ellram has a remarkable ability to orchestrate strategies that achieve and maintain optimum competitiveness for a diverserange of logistics and supply chain companies all over the world.

She has accrued an extensive academic publications record and built up a high international profile in the industry. She also occupies numerous posts on editorial boards and advisory panels, and has become a highly-sought after speaker. Ellram is one of the select speakers appearing at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport South Africa (CILTSA)‘Meet the Gurus’ Supply Chain Updateevents in October.

The two exclusive sessions will take place in Cape Town at the Mount Nelson Hotel, on 22 October 2013, and in Johannesburg at the Maslow Hotel, Sandton, on 24 October 2013.

“CILTSA is giving its industry leaders an unprecedented opportunity to attend one of the most exciting supply chain gatherings to arrive on South African shores,” says Barlow Manilal, President of CILTSA and CEO of the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC).

Strategic Sourcing – A Supply Chain Cost Reduction Windfall

Strategic sourcing is a systematic management approach for improving an organisation’s purchasing activities. It enables a company to identify opportunities, both internal and external, for total cost reductions. According to Ellram, strategic sourcing can significantly enhance operational revenuebymeeting the needs of the customer: getting products and services to market faster.

“Strategic sourcing is a key activity that enables a company to reduce costs and increase value,” says Ellram. “This includes identifying the best suppliers and leveraging their ideas, recognising the true costs of various purchasing options, and matching the items purchased to a company’s true needs,not over-specified needs.”

The primary objective of strategic sourcing is to develop supplier contracts with preferred suppliers that maximise purchasing power. Many companies are successfully adding value to their purchasing function through strategic sourcing.

Tania Davey-Smith, former management consultant for supply chain units at Deloitte Consulting and KPMG,agrees with Ellram’shypotheses and believes strategic sourcing does increase value and reduce costs. Smith has extensive experience in supply chain optimisation and urgesall industry professionals to take advantage of Ellram’s visit to South Africa.

Ellram will examinenumerous elements in strategic sourcing and how they fit into a supply chain. These include supplier segmentation as a key step, supplier relationship changes, forging alliances with suppliers and value-based sourcing. Herconcepts have enabled purchasing professionals to streamline decision making, save millions in purchasing expenditure and also explore new opportunities.

20 Years in Academia in the Field of Supply Chain Management

Ellramis the co-author of Supply Chain Management: From Vision to Implementation, Purchasing for Bottom-Line Impact, Value Enhancement Strategies in Supply Chain Managementas well as Fundamentals of Logistics Management. She is also co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Supply Chain Management.

Her extensive consulting experience has given her the opportunity to work with various esteemed multinational firms such as Deere and Company, Toyota, American Express, LG Electronics, and Johnson & Johnson. She has also conducted training for the Dutch Purchasing Association and the United Nations Institute for Trade.

Ellram will also discusstopicsrelated to strategic value management and how supply chain management can contribute to both the top and bottom line, and the similarities and differences between total value and total cost.

For more information or to register for the event, please contact Catherine Larkin or Bonnita Becker at CILTSA.Tel: 011 789 7327/011 787 9127E-mail: cvlarkin@ciltsa.org.za www.ciltsa.org.za