The 2021 Smart Procurement World Indaba, South Africa’s longest-standing event for procurement and inbound supply chain professionals, will focus on redefining the profession, which has faced enormous pressure during the COVID-19 crisis.

This year marks the 15th annual Smart Procurement World Indaba. The two-day online conference takes place on 14 and 15 September 2021, followed by online event workshops as well as three physical workshops on 20 and 21 September 2021. The Indaba will highlight the role that procurement must play in organisations’ revenue generation and risk management, says Smart Procurement chief operating officer Debbie Tagg. “Procurement can also improve working capital and contribute to lean operations that are well placed to survive any storm, from pandemics to other chaotic business disruptions,” she expands.

The key themes that will be covered at the 2021 Smart Procurement World Indaba include pandemic recovery strategies; disruptive legislation; digitalisation strategies; the global economy’s impact on procurement; infrastructure procurement; strategic alliances; operational models; and restructuring and business rescue from a procurement perspective.

The programme for the 2021 Smart Procurement World Indaba features a host of renowned local and international speakers, including experts from both the private and public sector. Keynote speaker, Professor Dr Karsten Machholz from Germany’s University of Göttingen will share his insights on the global economy and procurement. Machholz is the university’s International Professor for Supply Chain Management and Procurement and a strategic consultant and post COVID-19 supply chains activist. “His compelling presentation will address the question of whether the age of globalisation is coming to an end. It has been top of mind for business leaders in recent years as Brexit and the US-China trade war fuelled the emergence of a more segmented global economy,” Tagg explains. “This was followed by the COVID-19 crisis, which impeded the flow of critical parts and essential goods and exposed the vulnerabilities built into long-distance supply chains. This powerful presentation will examine how, amid all the uncertainty, procurement can redefine itself to lead and stabilise countries in this fractured global economy.”

In his keynote address, internationally renowned business transformation, strategy and growth specialist Michael Pleuger will highlight the importance of innovation, expansion and revenue generation strategies in the middle of the current crisis. Pleuger co-founded new procurement technology startup akirolabs and is passionate about the digital future of procurement. 

“Supply Chains in Crisis” is the topic of a global address by Erica Bosio, who is the Programme Manager of the Growth Analytics unit in the Development Economics Vice Presidency of the World Bank, where her work focuses primarily on public procurement. This presentation will look at the resilience of global supply chains and is based on the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report 2021.

Among the other not-to-be-missed speakers at the 2021 Smart Procurement Indaba are Judge Professor Mervyn King, Chairman of the International Integrated Reporting Council; Econometrix Director and Chief Economist Dr Azar Jammine; EWN journalist and news report Gia Nicolaides; and investigative journalist Professor Anton Harber.

This year, Smart Procurement World is proud to have partnered with Platinum sponsor Deloitte and global technology platform for business spend management, Coupa, to host the CPO (Chief Procurement Officer) Forum breakfast, which will take place at the Deloitte Waterfall Office on 15 September 2021.

To find out more about sponsorship and partnership opportunities at the 2021 Smart Procurement World Indaba, contact Keshni Reddy on keshni@smartprocurement.net