Abu Dhabi Ship Building, a specialist in the construction, repair and refit of naval, military and commercial vessels, discussed procurement mechanisms at a premier supply chain conference in Dubai recently.

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) Middle East Conference, which returned after a three-year hiatus was held at The Atlantis, The Palm Jumeirah.

The summit held under the theme “Supply Chain and the CEO Agenda: Taking Procurement to Where It Belongs,” also discussed how management should place greater importance on procurement and supply chain activities.

Saeed Al Ameri, Abu Dhabi Ship Building’s vice president for Materials and IT, delivered a presentation on “Taking Procurement To The Board” which explained how the region’s management board views the role of procurement within an organization.

Al Ameri was chosen to speak at the conference due to his extensive experience in the supply chain field.

He has helped develop purchasing training programs for UAE Nationals working for oil companies and has already helped one organization attain CIPS Silver Certification, a global benchmark of excellence in organizational procurement competence.

At the CIPS conference, Al Ameri spoke about procurement tools, the alignment of procurement tasks with corporate agendas, and the vital role of procurement in regional growth.

“This is a good time to assess the importance of procurement and its impact on regional development, since organizations have learned valuable lessons from the downturn and we are seeing signs of global recovery,' he pointed out.

'A lot has changed since the last edition of the CIPS conference and so, as expected we witnessed spirited discussions on how to harmonize procurement and supply chain tasks with the vision of the board and the overall development of the region.'

'This conference provided a platform for us to convey how our streamlined logistics has helped us emerge as the Gulf’s top ship builder,'' he commented.

CIPS, established in 1932, is the leading body representing the field of purchasing and supply chain management. It has been awarded a Royal Charter in recognition of its status as a centre of excellence and support for the purchasing and supply profession.

The CIPS Middle East conference is designed as an executive and management forum for discussing how purchasing and supply chain innovation can enhance competitiveness, support the company strategy, and boost financial growth.-TradeArabia News Service