Barloworld Supply Chain Software is a world class supply chain planning company with more than 600 international clients, offices in the United Kingdom, France, South Africa, Dubai, Spain, China and the USA, and a complement of agents and partners around the world. Parent company Barloworld Ltd is one of the largest companies in South Africa with a turnover of $7.2bn, operations in 42 countries around the world and a listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
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WLN – What brought you to this industry?
My logistics career started at the age of 18, driving a 7.5 tonne truck in the summer holidays for my father’s carpet company in Huddersfield! After university, I was taken on as a sales & marketing graduate trainee with a national wine wholesaler, it was there that the logistics director noticed my skills with a pc, so he offered me a car and a real salary to help implement routing & scheduling software into the company’s distribution operations. It was my first experience of using supply chain planning software & I realised that was the field I wanted to be in.
WLN – What’s the most exciting thing about your job?
Helping design & optimise supply chains for the world’s leading manufacturers, retailers and distributors.
WLN – Who inspired you most in your career?
I know it’s a cliché, but its probably my dad, as well as running his own carpet manufacturing company for a time, he also had senior UK distribution & procurement roles with global manufacturing companies… I definitely got my work ethic & interest in supply chain & logistics from him.
WLN – If you were an item in a warehouse, what would you be?
Probably the warehouse management system, I’ve always believed software makes supply chain operations & processes more productive.
WLN – If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
When I was running our north American business in Canada, I turned down a supply chain software position in California to return to the UK; with all this rain I sometimes question that decision!
WLN – What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you at work?
Singing in front of my work colleagues ‘a policeman’s lot’ from the pirates of Penzance, whilst wearing a policeman’s helmet & holding a plastic truncheon, all as part of a team building day… definitely outside my comfort zone.
WLN – Who or what makes you laugh?
Stand-up comedians who digress & make it up as they go along, Billy Connolly was one of the first, his ‘Springburn party sketch’ from the early 80’s will make you cry… Eddie Izzard is similar, both were brilliant live on stage.
WLN – Do you have any hidden talents?
I can play a tune on the trombone.
WLN – Who would your favourite party guest be?
Bradley Wiggins.
WLN – What is the greatest luxury in your life?
Sundays with my wife & son.
WLN – What is your favourite guilty pleasure?
Dance music when I exercise.
WLN – Do you have any secret ambitions?
Going into politics one day.
WLN – What is your dream holiday destination?
Koh Phangan in the gulf of Thailand.
WLN – What are your three favourite movies of all time?
Goodfellas, Bladerunner & A Bridge Too Far… showing my age here!
WLN – What is your favourite book?
“The Goal” by Eliyahi Goldratt, I first read the novel at Manchester university in the 90’s & still find myself problem solving with the ‘theory of constraints’ & bottlenecks, 20 years on.
WLN – What is your favourite pastime?
Running, nothing else gets the endorphins going as quickly.
WLN – If you won the lottery what would you do?
Buy the supply chain software company from Barloworld and infuriate my colleagues by continuing to be a ‘hands-on’ owner!
WLN – What would be our advice to someone coming into the industry (apart from don’t do it!)
Far from it, supply chain & logistics offers the perfect blend of technology & hands-on operations management. I truly believe that innovative design & management of the supply chain is critical to a company’s competitive advantage and businesses that put supply chain capability at the heart of their product & service offerings will realise more profit than those who don’t.
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