Driving organisational sustainability through strategic procurement practices is the focus of the 3rd Annual Smart Procurement World Conference in KwaZulu-Natal. A three-day smorgasbord of educational sessions will provide delegates from the public and private sectors with access to the latest trends and best practice in procurement and supply chain intelligence.
Hosted by the eThekwini Municipality at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (previously the ICC) in Durban’s CBD from 17-19 July, the conference boasts a comprehensive line-up of highly knowledgeable local and international speakers from both the public and private sectors.
Last year’s event attracted hundreds of delegates, over 1 200 attendees and over 100 SMME representatives.
According to Smart Procurement World’s Head of Content, Mediacy Mudekwa, the increased adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain as we accelerate through the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR), necessitates changing one’s mindset with regard to the necessary skill sets of procurement specialists.
“The conference will address and discuss topical themes around what procurement professionals can expect from the coming year and what changes are imminent. We will be sharing a number of success stories with delegates and the two panel discussions provide a highly interactive forum for attendees to extrapolate pertinent information from our panel members,” says Mudekwa.
The first two days of Smart Procurement World are dedicated to the conference. On both days there will be common content sessions which are relevant for both the public and private sectors. In addition, a portion of each day is dedicated to the SmartSourcing & Supply Management private sector stream and the Public Sector Supply Chain Summit stream.
This allows delegates from the relevant market sectors to attend sessions with the highest level of applicability for their professional interests and job responsibilities.
The speaker portfolio is a sought-after collection of leading specialists in the procurement industry and includes Bill Selekane CSP, SASHoF, and Speaker Expy recipient (SA). The prestigious Expy® Award, presented by the National Association of Experts, Writers & Speakers® (NAEWS), honours entrepreneurs and professionals around the world for their contribution to education, enlightenment and the advancement of business. Another prominent speaker is Professor Douglas Boateng, Africa’s first-ever appointed Professor Extraordinaire for supply and value chain management.
At the end of the first day, the ESD Expo will be opened by Andre Petersen, Head of Supply Chain Management, eThekwini Municipality. The Expo is the ultimate platform for those involved in the procurement and inbound supply chain space to share their products and services with a captive audience.
On the final day, four practical and interactive Learning Labs will allow delegates to learn more about critical skills such as:
- Collaborating with and influencing shareholders;
- Getting a grip on irregular expenditure in municipalities; and
- Effective public sector tendering and supplier management.
Various conference packages are available and group bookings attract a customised discount.
For a full conference programme or to book your seat, please visit the website at: http://smartprocurementworld.com/kzn/
