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2018 Conference: Report | Programme | Speakers | Sponsors
The most prestigious event in Philippine supply chain returned on 2-3 October 2018 with more insights and perspectives into the role supply chain plays in connecting, engaging and moving lives. The 2018 SCMAP Supply Chain Conference once again saw over 350 delegates across the manufacturing, retailing and supply chain sectors, as well as other stakeholders across the public and private sectors.
The event once again boasted of a top-notch roster of speakers across industries, from top supply chain managers to respected members of the academe. The conference tackled issues and developments such as the rise of the last mile, the need to develop new supply chain talent, and the changing face of supply chain.
The changing face of supply chain
SCMAP’s 26th annual conference is set amidst a backdrop of change particularly in the Philippine supply chain sector. With new players coming into the fray seeking to fill new demands from an evolving customer base, there are opportunities to understand new, innovative approaches – and also to reaffirm universal truths about the role of supply chain in economic development and quality of life.
The keynote speaker for this year’s conference represents these new entrants. Dennis Uy, chairman of Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corporation, has made waves in recent years with his acquisition of the 2GO Group alongside his portfolio of real estate and business interests. He discussed not just the technological advances that are changing the way supply chain works, but also how supply chain has stepped up to the plate in the face of these new demands.
Staying one step ahead
The first session of the conference focused on how supply chain can keep pace with changing consumption patterns, particularly the need to fulfill customer demands whenever, wherever. Beginning the session was Danilo Mojica II, current president of Tailwind Digital Solutions, who previously held major roles in Cebu Pacific and Smart Communications. He provided an overview of how customer preferences have changed over the years, how technology has impacted these, and how stakeholders have adapted – and are continuing to adapt – to these changes.
Returning to the conference was Suzie Mitchell, country managing director of DHL Supply Chain Philippines. She stressed on the need for logistics providers to go beyond the old “wait and see” approach, and discussed how stakeholders must prepare for new omnichannel models. Finally, Paul Bell, chief information officer of OpenPort, discussed the potentials offered by blockchain technologies – whose applications go beyond supply chain – to ensuring security and traceability in the face of evolving supply chain models and demands.
After the session, David Wong of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council illustrated how Hong Kong has kept up with these challenges to supply chain, and the opportunities the city offers for stakeholders across Asia.
Ensuring continuity for the future
A new challenge facing the supply chain sector is ensuring that there are enough talent in the pipeline to allow for continuity in both capacity and capability in the years to come. Two different approaches were presented, both from veterans of the industry. Enrique Castillo leads the Victory Group of Companies after decades working for manufacturers and logistics providers; he highlighted how differently millennials approach supply chain education compared to the generations before them, and argues that while they remain interested in a career in supply chain, approaches must be altered to adopt to their needs.
Ian Claxton also comes in with decades of experience in the maritime sector, and is currently chief executive officer of Magsaysay Shipping and Logistics. While he acknowledges the new challenges in attracting and developing supply chain talent, he argues that the tools are already at our disposal: with supply chain already the home of new technologies affecting our lives, he says that what the supply chain sector needs is to make itself look cool, apart from forging further linkages and expanding education options.
The challenges of the last mile
The second day began with a gathering of key players plugging the gap on the last mile. Commonly acknowledged as the gap between the store and the consumer, it goes beyond delivery, with new processes and systems across the supply chain needing to be put in place to ensure transparency and visibility from end to end.
The session’s panelists represented different points in the last mile: Nico Gonzalez is part of new logistics software system XLog; Dannah Majarocon is managing director of delivery service Lalamove in the Philippines; and Marco Quiray is deputy managing director for retail delivery service Honestbee. Each presented varying perspectives on how the last mile goes beyond fulfilling new demands fueled by evolving technology: how it also empowers small players allowing them to penetrate bigger markets, how it allows stakeholders greater control over their supply chains, and how it provides growth to those taking part of their services, from principals to employees.
What supply chain is here for
Supply chain’s impact goes beyond ensuring it allows a company to serve its customers: in the long run, supply chain plays a major role in empowering everyone to improve their lives. The conference’s fourth session provided differing perspectives on how supply chain managers and stakeholders can realize this power. Puskar Mukherjee is supply chain head for Unilever in the Philippines, after spending years in various capacities at the multinational in India. Apart from discussing his company’s initiatives to give back to the community he also shared his insights into years of supply chain experience, particularly what he’s learned in his home country and how he is applying them to his new role in the Philippines.
Renowned motivational speaker and entrepreneur champion Paulo Tibig is also a supply chain practitioner, as he is currently head of VCargo Worldwide. He challenged the delegates to become the best supply chain manager they can be, providing real-world examples of how standing out from the crowd provides more value to stakeholders and consumers, and how they can ensure thus by paying close attention to the people they work with and the processes they espouse.
Where we are heading
With the whole conference tackling the impact of technology on supply chain, a session on the future would have to go further – where is supply chain heading, and how can we deal with it? Dr. Elisabetta Gentile of the Asian Development Bank kicked off the session with a look at how technology is impacting the labor market – a question that affects all aspects of supply chain, from the production of raw materials to the retail sector. She illustrated where attention must be paid to ensure the ever-widening reach of technology does not leave certain sectors behind.
Dr. Erika Fille Legara leads the data science program of the Asian Institute of Management, and is at the forefront of introducing data science to the country – a new field that has implications that go beyond supply chain. She presented how taking advantage of an increasingly data-driven society can impact one’s business, and provided real-world applications of how understanding complexity science can lead to supply chain improvements. Finally, Jayan Dy, chief information officer of Procter & Gamble in the Philippines, tackled how a multinational company is embracing these changes and ensuring it continues to serve its customers.
A gathering place for Philippine supply chain
As with previous conferences the 2018 SCMAP Supply Chain Conference was accompanied by an exhibit featuring top supply chain services and products from the country and the region. For the first time, we have sold out all our booths, with companies from logistics providers to software developers providing new approaches and perspectives in supply chain operations. The event’s delegates included representatives from top manufacturers, retailers, distributors and logistics providers, including a presence from our three chapters in North Luzon, Visayas and our recently established arm in Mindanao. In fact, almost 40% of our delegates this year are new to this event.
Just when we thought we would not be able to outdo the records we broke in our last conference, 2018 sees us make history again – truly affirming the SCMAP Supply Chain Conference as the most prestigious event in Philippine supply chain. We look forward to doing this all over again on 19-20 September 2019. We would like to thank our speakers, sponsors, delegates, partners and colleagues for making this event a success.
Thanks to Patrick Faustino Photography