International representation on The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply set to increase
February 25, 2010
International representation in the purchasing profession is set to increase significantly, as The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS), the world’s largest procurement and supply institute, prepares to appoint new members for its governing body to reflect its 54,000 global member reach.
In November Stephen Rowe, CPO at Parmalat Australia, will take up post for the newly-created Australasia seat on the CIPS council.
A founder member of CIPSA (Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply Australasia) and one of its first Fellows, Rowe was originally elected to the council in 2009 to hold the Rest of the World seat.
Rowe says of his new role: “This significant step for CIPS represents the dawning of a new journey, the global body, to which CIPS has been aspiring and is now taking steps to achieve.
“The transformation to being an international body that CIPS has committed to undertake reflects the ever-increasing international growth and influence that CIPS has successfully generated.
“Because of that growing sphere of influence, the need to appropriately represent the international membership within the council forms a critical part of being a global body.
“As the current ‘Rest of the World’ CIPS Council Member I’m delighted with this awakening and look forward to the doors that it will open for the other ‘Rest of the World’ jurisdictions.
“This transformation is consistent with the mandate against which I was elected and from November, I will be privileged to represent Australasia on the council and with the support of the membership in this region I will continue to urge CIPS towards the global transformations and journey that these opportunities now present.”
This is part of a two-phase program running over the next two years, bringing the total number of international regional seats on the CIPS Council to six: Africa, Southern Africa, Australasia, Asia, Europe and Middle East, Rest of the World.
Jonathan Dutton, MD of CIPS Australia, says of the move: “CIPS Australia is delighted to be offered its own dedicated representative seat on the CIPS Council. The increased representation of overseas-based members is an important step in recognising that CIPS is becoming a genuinely global body.
“It also illustrates just how far CIPS has grown around the world, and in such a relatively short time.
“Members based in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are enthusiastic stakeholders, and have real needs from the Institute. As do their organisations. And the heightened culture of business probity ‘down-under’ takes governance seriously.
“This essential step will serve the profession well in this region.”
With Stephen Rowe moving to the Australasia seat in November, a fresh election is being held to fill the ‘Rest of the World’ vacancy.