In an effort to fast track the professional skills development of current and future senior executives in various aspects of supply chain management, the UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership ( SBL) - one of Africa’s largest and most respected leadership development schools - has appointed Douglas Boateng as its first ever Professor Extraordinarius for Supply Chain and Value Chain Management. Professor Extraordinarius or Professor of the Practice is the rare non-tenured appointment by leading institutions of higher learning of individuals who have demonstrated major academic and industrial excellence as well as global leadership in specific fields. In all cases, the appointee must have attained national prominence and international recognition of outstanding achievement. 

Commenting on this landmark appointment, Professor Elmarie Sadler, acting Executive Director and CEO of the school said. “The SBL is fully committed to solving the serious senior level skills shortages in supply chain and value chain management. In South Africa and on the rest of continent, the situation is more acute, both in academia and industry. This is the reason why we are experiencing major competitive and service delivery challenges, locally and on the continent. Professor Douglas Boateng’s extensive expertise and ongoing impact on supply chain management is universally acknowledged. As the first ever continentally-wide functional specific Professor Extraordinarius to be appointed, we are optimistic that he will assist us in fast tracking the implementation of our targeted leadership development programmes in this discipline”.

The SBL’s determination to accelerate the strategic roll-out of much needed senior and director level supply chain management skills development initiatives in support of government, public and private initiatives must be commended”, said Prof Douglas Boateng.  As part of his duties Prof Boateng anticipates to guide related doctorates and other postgraduates in the area of supply chain management as well as foster, through lecturing, afro-centric supply chain thinking within (and between) industry, academia and government. He is further looking forward to stimulate supply chain management professional activities in a manner that supports local and regional industrialization, wider socio economic development, industry competitiveness, export led growth and more importantly intra African trade.

The SBL is the business school of preference for students and staff from Africa and further afield offering cutting-edge leadership and management development programmes tailored to the needs of the African continent concurrent with international business trends. The school is committed to pioneering research excellence that advances the creation of new knowledge and innovation in management and leadership.

Driven by a philosophy of innovation, social responsibility, ethical engagement and global connectedness, the success of the SBL’s approach is demonstrated daily by achievements of the people and organisations who have participated in their programmes.  Many SBL alumni hold senior executive positions in world-class local and international companies. For more information about the SBL, visit www.sblunisa.ac.za.