Friday 13 October 2006
International logistics expert appointed as Chair
The University of Auckland Business School and Ports of Auckland are pleased to announce the appointment of the first
Ports of Auckland Chair in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
Professor Alan Stenger is a preeminent international expert with more than 40 years experience in logistics, supply
chain and transportation in both education and research and also as a consultant. He has undertaken the Chair position
while on two-year leave from the world's number one ranked supply chain research programme at The Pennsylvania State
University.
Ports of Auckland and the Business School recognise that efficient supply chain management is essential to ensuring the
future competitiveness of New Zealand's trade.
"Supply chain management and logistics skills are critical for New Zealand companies that want to operate successfully
in the international arena, and very valuable for competing domestically," Professor Stenger explains.
Professor Stenger says New Zealand is often at the beginning of the supply chain. "Thus, New Zealand companies have to
understand what is going on at the other end of the chain in order to make themselves and their products and services as
valuable and as competitive as possible to the downstream users."
The Ports of Auckland Chair in Logistics and Supply Chain Management was established to combine academic knowledge and
insight with commercial knowledge, practice and experience. Professor Stenger's role is to provide both academic
leadership and to act as a conduit for co-operation between academia, the commercial sector and Government, as well as
linking with prominent international centres of research.
Professor Stenger will help develop a first-rate programme of teaching and research in logistics and supply chain
management, housed within the Business School's Department of Information Systems and Operations Management and will
foster and promote research in the broad area of logistics and supply chain management.
Dean of the Business School, Professor Barry Spicer, says the creation of this important new position fits well with the
Business School's aspirations and goals.
"The partnership with Ports of Auckland is a good fit. The company is an innovative organisation committed to exploring
new frontiers in logistics, supply chain management and professional business practice in general. "Similarly, the
Business School is determined to become a dynamic forum in which business and economic issues and policies can be
researched and taught, for the benefit of the whole country," says Professor Spicer.
Ports of Auckland Managing Director Geoff Vazey also welcomes the initiative: "This type of partnership is important and
will be of significant value to the industry as a whole.
"The Port industry is an integral part of New Zealand supply chain with the rest of the world and Ports of Auckland is
committed to helping provide an optimal supply chain for New Zealand."
The Chair is funded by Ports of Auckland with a $1 million grant over five years.
ENDS