THE AUSTRALASIAN Supply Chain Institute has appointed Abdul Jaafar and Leesa Chen directors. 

ASCI Board chair Dr Tom Janoshalmi said Mr Jaafar and Ms Chen’s expertise and divers perspectives would be “invaluable”.

“Undoubtedly, their leadership will help us achieve our goals and drive our organisation forward,” Mr Janoshalmi said.

As directors, Mr Jaafar and and Ms Chen will lead ASCI’s initiatives and offer professional recognition and development opportunities to its member community, according to a statement from the institute.

Mr Jaafar has more than 20 years of experience managing supply chains. He holds a Bachelor of Computing Science and Computer Software Engineering from Macquarie University and a Master of Business Administration from CQ University.

Mr Jaafar said he is passionate about ethics and integrity.

“[I] consider ASCI as the right vehicle to drive a heightened awareness of what good looks like across supply chains throughout Australasia,” he said.

“In terms of ASCI’s strategic framework, I could add value as a board member utilising my supply chain and manufacturing skills to assist with many areas of the desired outcomes and outputs.”

Ms Chen is a corporate strategy advisor in food and beverage manufacturing. She holds a BCom/BA, International Business and Chinese Studies from Macquarie University and a Master of International Business from Melbourne Business School.

Besides being an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate, she holds an APICS Certificate in Logistics, Transport and Distribution.

“I would like to combine my passion and professional expertise with my formal governance training from the Australian Institute of Company Directors to support the continuous growth of ASCI and its members,” Ms Chen said.

“My vision for ASCI is the continuous development of its industry professionals and its community, one of which encourages knowledge transfer, mentorship, and shared opportunities. I view the role of the director to define the strategy with management, monitor the risk against the organisation’s risk appetite and continuously identify opportunities for exploration that are driven by data and analysis.”