Insights over breakfast with Brett Smith, Woodside Energy

Don’t miss your chance to attend the CIPSA WA Region’s next event: A breakfast with Brett Smith from Woodside Energy. With 35 years of supply chain experience, Brett will provide us with insight into his career, presenting: “Supply Chain-A Challenging Profession”. This presentation will explore the challenges and influences impacting the supply chain management at Woodside Energy, questioning: “What education, skills and experience should a supply chain professional develop to become future supply chain professionals and leaders?”

The event will be hosted at the Parmelia Hilton on4 May. Tickets are still available. To book, please email: ebony.lowther@cipsa.com.au or phone: 1300 765 142.

Members: $40, Non-Members: $45

Committee Member Profile - Ian Watt

Ian Watt is a Procurement Analyst for Wesfarmers Energy, and a member of the Procurement Team engaged in strategic sourcing and contract management activities for the Energy wide business units.

Ian has worked in various industries, including Retail, Mineral Exploration, Manufacturing, Global Mining Supply & Logistics and Gold Mining. Some of Ian’s most challenging roles were in the isolated greenfield projects of the Gidgee Gold Mine in Western Australia and the Damang Gold Mine in Ghana, West Africa.

Ian was the Procurement Manager of the Gidgee project from 1996 to 1999, and responsible for the establishment and operation of all supply chain functions. One of the most challenging functions was the global logistics involved in supplying the mining operation with all its raw materials, spare parts and consumable requirements, which originated from Africa, Australasia, Europe and the Americas.

On working overseas in the late 90’s, Ian says: “Global variations in export and import regulations, bulk fuel pricing and availability, multiple currency transactions and the general volatilities associated with international political activities made life, for the Procurement Professional, very interesting”. Ian currently supports CIPSA as the Secretary of the CIPSA WA Regional Committee.

CIPSA WA Region has heard you!

Thanks to the region members and guests who participated in the "Open" CIPSA WA Region Committee event on 21 February 2006. The purpose of this session was to share the WA Region Business plan and seek feedback on what events and activities our members (and the broader supply chain community) would most value. We also enjoyed an excellent networking opportunity courtesy of the generous sponsorship provided by the ICN (WA).

On the basis of the feedback provided we had adjusted several items in WA Region Business Plan:

1. Our events calendar has been modified to include two new sessions - one focused on the career aspects of supply chain and another on globalisation/internationalisation. These will help round out a very healthy annual program of events that is further augmented by the CIPSA Conference in Perth early in September.
2. We need to promote our profession and individuals within it, particularly to celebrate and promote diversity. We will invite member profile submissions to be included in subsequent editions of this newsletter.

The WA Region will be following up on both issues over the coming months. As always we welcome your feedback. Please send any suggestions to David Lunn, WA Region Chair: info@cipsa.com.au

The CIPSA-Portland Group Capability Benchmarking Survey 2006

A joint survey between CIPSA and The Portland Group is seeking to benchmark the relative capabilities of the strategic procurement role within the Australian profession. In addition to a base questionnaire, to be sent to several hundred practitioners, over 50 face to face interviews will be conducted with strategic procurement professionals from across the profession including: private sector, public sector, academics, consultants and trainers who are active in the procurement field. The final results will be published at the CIPSA annual conference, to be held in Melbourne at the Crown Promenade Hotel, between 17 and 18 October. Detailed feedback on the survey will be revealed at the ‘CPO stream’ series of seminars during the first day of the conference, and will be published in booklet format for the second day of the event.

Managing the Tail Explored

Our “Managing the Tail” Conference took place at the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney last month. Almost 100 attendees listened to a variety of speakers who dissected and deliberated over the ‘tail’ – an often-neglected area of expenditure. Informative and practical sessions were held on managing, making over, capturing and outsourcing the tail. The CIPSA white paper, “Managing the Tail” was provided to all conference attendees. To request a copy, please contact the CIPSA office on 1300 765 142. 18% of the delegates rated the overall conference as excellent, 79% good, 3% average and 0% poor.

Global Supply Management Awards

CIPS welcomes entries from Australian organisations for the CIPS/SM Global Awards 2006. These awards recognise excellence in a variety of procurement categories – public sector, private sector, large organisations and SMEs. The award will be presented at a gala dinner in London in October. Telstra are a previous winner. For further information and application details, please visit the CIPS website, www.cips.org.

Training program off to a flying start

In April, CIPSA kicked of their first training course for the year - ‘Strategic Price Management’, held at the CIPSA office in Melbourne. The course proved so popular, it was a sell out weeks before-hand. Future training courses are scheduled in both Sydney and Melbourne, on a range of relevant topics, such as: Contract Law, International Procurement, e-Procurement and Procurement Strategy. To view the CIPSA training brochure, please visit: www.cipsa.com.au and click on “Training”.

New Strategic Alignment with UK Government Procurement Service

A new strategic alignment between CIPS and the UK’s government’s procurement service (GPS) was announced at a launch event on 20 March. As part of this new relationship, CIPS will set up a public sector faculty as a central reference point and resource for public sector purchasers. DCEO Keith Trower will be revealing more about this exciting alliance at the Public Sector Procurement Forum, at the Hyatt hotel in Canberra between 17 and 18 May. For further information, please visit: www.cipsaconferences.com.au

International Council Election Nominations

Nominations have now closed for the RoW seat on the CIPS council. At the closing date, the valid nominations are:

• Nick Bennett MCIPS, Strategic Development Director, Glanbia plc, Republic of Ireland
• Tony Clare MCIPS, Purchasing Manager, Auckland District Health Board, New Zealand
• David Freeman MCIPS, Supply Chain Manager, Vodafone, New Zealand
• Derek Gaynor MCIPS, Procurement Officer, National University of Ireland, Republic of Ireland
• Rene Kling MCIPS, Chief Executive, RMK Business Consulting, Australia
• Paul Maras-Hilling MCIPS, Senior Purchasing Manager, Teligence Communications, Canada

Ballot papers are being printed and are currently being dispatched from Easton House, UK directly to all full members of CIPS, who are eligable to vote i.e. those which are MCIPS only.

Wanted: Your Top 10 Issues!

Currently, each CIPSA region is collating the Top 10 procurement issues specific to each region. Once compiled, CIPSA intend to publish a White Paper that explores each issue in more depth. CIPSA would welcome your contributions. Please email: CIPSA at info@cipsa.com.au with “Top Ten Issues” in the subject line.

REMINDER: University of Melbourne Survey-Supply Chain Uncertainty

Just a reminder that CIPSA members are invited to participate in the new University of Melbourne survey of Supply Chain Uncertainty. Download the pdf document, complete the survey and return it to the University of Melbourne. It should take no more than 15 minutes of your time, but shall no doubt provide some valuable insights for all of us.

Renew your membership before the end of the Financial Year

As you may be aware, we are coming up to the end of financial year, which means your membership may be up for renewal. Renewal forms will be sent out as early as the end of May. If your details have changed since renewal last year, please forward through your change of details to: info@cipsa.com.au. And of course, renewing before the end of the financial year means claiming your tax back!

Expansion of CIPS International Conferences

CIPS is expanding its conference programme internationally. May sees the inaugural CIPS Middle East Conference being held in Dubai, as well as the 2nd IPSA/CIPS Pan-African Conference being held in Johannesburg. IPSA is the South African purchasing institute, now affiliated with CIPS to support practitioners in South Africa.

Queensland Supply Chain Conference

The 2-day Queensland Supply Chain Conference kicks off on 13 July. The theme is “Availability”, and conference attendees will delve into issues such as: right price, right price, right place and right time. This conference is designed for all professionals - ranging from logisticians, practitioners to procurement and supply chain managers. An earlybird rate is available for CIPSA members.

Click here to download the pdf attachment to secure your seat now! For further information go to www.qldscc.com.

How do we measure up? Performance Measurement Conference

Measuring performance is one of the key areas of interest for many procurement organisations. “How do we measure up” will address specific ideas and suggestions for improving performance measurement of the procurement contribution via expert presentations and case studies. Held at the Crown Towers Melbourne, this conference is not to be missed. To register or for further details, please visit: www.cipsaconferences.com.au

CIPS Australia Level 10, 520 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Tel: 1300 765 142, Fax: 1300 765 143, Email: info@cipsa.com.au, www.cipsa.com.au

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