Supply chain industry body SAPICS is looking for dynamic speakers for the 2025 SAPICS Conference, Africa’s leading event for the supply chain profession.

The organisation has announced that the call for speakers for next year’s conference is open. Confident, engaging professionals who have success stories, insights, knowledge and skills to share with the supply chain community are invited to submit their proposals before the deadline of 17 January 2025, for consideration by the SAPICS speaker selection committee.

The 2025 SAPICS Conference will be held from 8 to 11 June 2025 in Cape Town under the theme “Innovation in Motion”. Now in its 47th year, the SAPICS Conference enables supply chain managers to learn, network and share knowledge, which is increasingly important for this vital profession in today’s volatile and uncertain environment.

The 2025 theme, Innovation in Motion, conveys the imperative for organisations to innovate and strive for the agility and adaptability needed to rapidly respond to potentially chaotic changes and disruptions in today’s turbulent supply chain landscape. “In the face of continuous technological advances, shifting global dynamics and the pursuit of seamless efficiency, customer satisfaction and sustainability, one thing is clear: innovation is a necessity for supply chain managers,” stresses SAPICS president MJ Schoemaker.

“Adaptability and innovation are the keys to success in supply chains today. Whether this means leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, accelerating sustainability or rethinking traditional supply chain models, the need to innovate is more critical than ever. This year’s theme, Innovation in Motion, encapsulates the dynamic and forward-thinking approach that today’s supply chain professionals must adopt to stay ahead,” she states. 

Speakers who can share inspiring or educational experiences, enlightening expertise and insights, new technology and concepts, and case studies are sought for the 2025 SAPICS Conference. Speakers’ contributions can take the form of a 40-minute presentation, a panel discussion or a workshop. Solo or multiple speakers will be considered for general presentation sessions at next year’s event. Robust panel discussions also form part of the programme, and SAPICS welcomes topic proposals as well as applications to manage a panel. The workshops offered are interactive educational sessions for small groups.

“Whatever form your input takes, the SAPICS Conference is the ideal platform for supply chain professionals to advance our profession’s body of knowledge,” Schoemaker notes. “By sharing your supply chain experiences and expertise, fellow professionals from around the globe will be able to benefit from your knowledge. Being a speaker at the annual SAPICS Conference is also a way to give back to the supply chain community and to grow professionally,” she says.

The SAPICS speaker selection committee is looking for fresh perspectives to ensure innovative and diverse content for 2025 attendees. All speakers are selected on merit and relevance, and presentations that directly promote specific products, services or monetary self-interest will not be considered. “There is the opportunity to exhibit products and services at the conference,” Schoemaker explains.