- Kerry Logistics Chairman and Singapore’s former Foreign Minister,
Mr George Yeo, to deliver Keynote Address at SCAF 2013 - Ten teams from eight Asian Tertiary Institutions, including three polytechnics in Singapore, to compete for the top spot in the inaugural AP-SCMC 2013
SINGAPORE, 4 September 2013 – Lured by the booming logistics sector in Asia,more than 300 Logistics / Supply Chain leaders – from small-medium enterprises (SMEs) to multi-national corporations (MNCs) – will converge in Singapore from 3 - 5 September, at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel for the Supply Chain Asia Forum (SCAF).
Organised by Supply Chain Asia (SCA), a not-for-profit professional body for logistics and supply chain professionals in Asia, SCAF, which was launched in 2006, continues to capture global-wide interest amidst the robust Asian economic boom in the past decade.
The Asia-Pacific region continues to be the world’s main growth engine, contributing to about 44% of world trade (APEC, 2012) and 40% of global growth (World Bank, 2012). Driven by strong domestic demand, the region also grew at 7.5% in 2012, outpacing growth in other regions of the world.
In Singapore, the Logistics / Supply Chain sector alone contributes to about 8% of the nation’s GDP and employs more than 200,000 workers. With a compounded annual growth rate of over 6%, this sector is expected to reach US$40.79 billion by 2016, and is one of the hottest growing industries in Singapore and Asia.
In light of Asia’s digital revolution and rapid economic growth which will fuel the next Asian logistics and supply chain management (SCM) boom, experts and speakers at SCAF 2013 will offer insightful perspectives on how the paradigm shift in the logistics industry can bring their businesess to the next level of growth.
Among the experts is Mr George Yeo, Chairman of Kerry Logistics and Singapore’s former Foreign Minister, the Keynote Speaker of SCAF 2013.
This year’s SCAF will also have two panel discussions led by top industry professionals and and practitoners from companies like Singapore Post, DHL, AEB, Unilever and Accenture. The panel discussions will focus on strategies to counter the new challenges posed by the growth of consumerism in Asia (Consumer Supply Chain) as well as the ongoing developmental challenges and opportunities for the logistics and SCM industry in Asia.
Mr Paul Lim, Founder and President of SCA, said: “The digital revolution that is sweeping across Asia will provide a wealth of new opportunities for logistics / SCM players. Asia-Pacific's e-commerce market is seen as one of the fastest growing logistics markets in the world, and it has the potential to become the largest region for e-commerce sales within a few years.
“The main drivers of the market's growth include the increased adoption rate of mobile devices, the expansion of Internet connectivity and encouragement from governments across Asia for e-commerce to be used as a platform for buying and selling internationally.
“However, all this fervent growth can be jeopardised by the increasing strain that the growth has placed on the region's infrastructure. Despite the incremental investments made by logistics players in Asia to meet this surge in demand, there is currently a lack of efficient and reliable last-mile delivery providers, warehousing and distribution centres, as well as differing preferences for payment, which will limit market growth. This is why we will be addressing these compelling topics at SCAF this year.”
AP-SCMC 2013
Another key feature of this year’s event is the inaugural Asia-Pacific Supply Chain Mangement Challenge (AP-SCMC), where ten teams from eight Asian Universities / Tertiary Institutions will unveil innovative solutions for real-life logistics problems faced by organisations in Asia. The aim of this is to generate awareness among the young and to encourage talent development in the logistics / SCM industry.
Nine students from three local Polytechnics – Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic – will compete against 21 other students from five other Asian Universities / Tertiary Institutions from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Taiwan, to vie for the top honours in the first-ever competition.
The panel of judges for the inaugural challenge include:
* Ms Roxane Desmicht, Senior Director, Corporate Supply Chain, Infineon
* Ms Christine Lee, Senior Director, Service Parts Logistics, DHL Supply Chain
* Mr Mark Millar, Managing Director, MPower Associates
* Mr Roland Chong, Senior Director, Supply Chain Initiatives, Estee Lauder
About Supply Chain Asia
Supply Chain Asia is a non-profit professional body that aims to bring professionals from within the logistics and supply chain industry together for sharing of knowledge, learning from one another and creating opportunities for collaborations.
The 3 main focus of the company are connecting people from various sectors of the industry, encouraging communication amongst professionals and creating opportunities for collaborations. The 4 main pillars of the organisation include memberships, events, academy and publication.
SCA holds various events annually to provide networking and learning opportunities for the community. Supply Chain Asia also provides training courses in the area of logistics and SCM, equipping attendees with skills that are applicable to the real working scenarios in the industry. As for membership, the company aims to serve its members to the best of its ability by providing them with truly beneficial benefits. SCA also has its own publication – Supply Chain Asia Magazine – which is a bi-monthly magazine that provides professionals in the industry with up-to-date news, exciting cover stories and exclusive interviews.
About Supply Chain Asia Forum
Supply Chain Asia Forum (SCAF) began in Bangkok in 2006 and has since grown progressively into a regional event. In 2013, SCA will host its 9th annual forum.
Every year, SCA hopes to provide delegates an enriching networking and learning experience through SCAF. In 2013, SCA started its first-ever Asia-Pacific Supply Chain Management Challenge (AP-SCMC) to be held in conjunction with the SCAF. The challenge is open to all tertiary students aged 18 – 25 years old in Asia. The top teams from countries around the region will come together on Day Two of SCAF 2013 for a final showdown.
By extending a special platform for young talents to compete in the challenge, SCA hopes to engage a wider audience in the community and create awareness for the industry among young talents.
