‘I found my mission on Earth in supply chains’

Adebayo Adeleke is the CEO of Supply Chain Africa

What are your duties as CEO of Supply Chain Africa?

I amplify our mission to shine a spotlight on the uniqueness and significance of the African supply chain.

What makes you good at what you do?

Working in Africa and other parts of the world gives me the authority to speak about the African supply chain. My ability to network, connect the dots, provide collaborative platforms, influence decisions and communicate with stakeholders and shareholders helps me perform my duties optimally.

How has the pandemic and war in Ukraine affected the global supply chain, and what do these changes mean for consumers?

The pandemic revealed that globally, organisations have not viewed supply chain risk management as part of the core competencies of their framework. It exposed the fault line in our supply chain framework and revealed what works and what doesn’t.

The Russian war in Ukraine caused many supply chain disruptions in the Black Sea, which is a vital support to the EuropeanAsia area. Many logistical and trading routes were rerouted, and this caused a lot of mayhem. Other ports had to increase their capacity because of the ones that closed down or were rerouted.

These supply chain inefficiencies resulted in price hikes and the consumer shouldered these increases.

How does the African supply chain compare with those on other continents?

The African supply chain is unique. Because of our colonial history, ours is formed to drive opportunities and commodities out of the continent. This will be fixed only when the African Continental Free Trade Area is fully implemented.

Africans don’t trade with each other; we move commodities out of the continent to the rest of the world. However, it is crucial to mention that South Africa has a better logistical layout and more mature supply chains than most African nations.

What is your get-ready-for-work routine?

It begins with meditation, then I read my e-mails, exercise, then get to work.

What did you want to be as a child?

I grew up in Nigeria, and as a child I was influenced by the dreams of others. My friends wanted to be doctors, so I picked it up as well. Back then, if you didn’t want to be a doctor, lawyer, pharmacist or engineer, society didn’t think much of you.

As time went by, the world of supply chains found me in the military. I joined the US military and I found my purpose and my mission on Earth; I did not find supply chain, supply chain found me.

What is your go-to career advice?

Continue to learn. No knowledge is a waste. Knowledge and skills are transferable, so keep learning. If you’re not learning, your career, whatever it is, is over. Continue to learn new things and acquire knowledge outside your area of speciality. All these things make you well-rounded and give you deeper insight into a lot of issues.