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Old boys from his high school and university days do shudder when they see him draped in immaculate suits and neckties. He is supposed to be wearing overalls and helmets, not business suits.
Having graduated as a chemical engineer, Eliud Abasa Omwoha was supposed to have a successful career in some factories somewhere around the world, designing and developing processes for transforming raw materials into products⏤ he holds a Bachelor of Technology in Chemical and Process Engineering from Kenya’s Moi University. However, he’s now a top-notch procurement and supply chain professional – something that was not even in his dreams as a young man.
“Not in my wildest imagination did I envision working outside the realm of a science and technology-related profession. I was very good at Sciences and Mathematics, thus being inclined towards engineering as a career,” says the Moi University graduate.
The dramatic career change came rather accidentally.
After graduating from university, Omwoha worked briefly as a salesman for Alvaro, a Diageo soft beverage, which he supplied to the Western Kenya region in partnership with a friend. A while later, Kenya Breweries Ltd hired him as a stock analyst, a job that involved interdepartmental collaboration for beer production schedules, demand forecasts and input materials.
That sparked his interest and set him on the path to the wider supply chain industry. Later, he was promoted to the position of logistics operations coordinator, working as a focal point person between the production unit and the customers and suppliers in the field.
“This elevated my interest as the synergies involved within the end-to-end management of the supply chain from the raw materials sourcing to consumption was much wider and more interesting than the restrictions of engineering,” he says.
In three years after graduation, logistics management had turned out to be his bread and butter and there was going to be no turning back.
Thankfully, he received overwhelming support from his family who also encouraged him to focus on acquiring more knowledge and skills in his new profession. That spurred him to pursue a Master’ degree in Supply Chain Management and later to embark on his PhD in the same field at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Luckily, Omwoha’s engineering background gave him an edge as it has helped to ground him in his new-found career.
“Engineers boast of possessing high analytical and solution-based skills. My engineering background has been fundamental to my daily work as I have been able to analyze, assess and manage complex supply chains at the same time identifying and mitigating risks,” he says.
As a principle, complex chains and projects have to be dissected to smaller manageable components through project management knowledge and skills. It involves understanding and dissemination of technical specifications, quality standardization and optimization of costs, which are all best executed with an engineering focus on accuracy and attention to detail.
Recognition
The more knowledge Omwoha gained, the more interesting supply chain management became and the more passion he developed. “The main goal of supply chain management is building and managing sustainable supply chains. This basic principle has grown to be my passion,” he says.
Of course, the market had to recognize that experience. For example, he was a key player in the establishment and commercialization of the modern integrated regional logistics hub focusing on food, pharmaceuticals, high value and specialized commodities, which is currently operating at Namanve, near Kampala.
Additionally, being one of the disruptors in the e-commerce space is also one of the attributes that have made the industry interesting, of course not forgetting the daily unique challenges, resolutions and learnings in his operations across the region.
Just over a year ago, Omwoha made the bold decision to switch from the traditional supply chain practice (which he did for 14 years) to Kyosk Digital Services, a new digital distribution company.
He says the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic was a major turning point for his career, as it brought global supply chains to a total standstill.
“The COVID-19 pandemic was an eye-opener for many of us in traditional businesses and their ecosystems. Kyosk Digital Services’ mission, vision and business model spoke straight through to my heart,” he says.
How Kyosk is empowering retailers and small-scale farmers to make more money through efficient and timely distribution has been revolutionary, and Omwoha saw a great opportunity going forward.
“The opportunity and future business prospects for Kyosk were key to my switch. The growing technology revolution that intermarries and solves our daily problems/challenges/needs is an area of great interest and is indeed where the world is moving,” he adds.
Over the 15 years of his career in supply chain management, Omwoha says it is unfortunate to note how local companies tend to underestimate the important role that supply chain professionals play in an organisation. This attitude, he says, is driven by the traditional mindset of business leaders who believe they are saving on costs when they merge roles.
“Organizations that embrace cost-leadership strategies in the short term and push for lean staff overheads, ignore the strategic importance that supply chain professionals play,” he notes.
He says focusing resources on other departments mainly sales, marketing and finance while neglecting the core department that provides balance in the organization, is counterproductive.
He advises that local organizations need to benchmark on international best practices to understand how changes in strategic and operations management would result in sustainability and growth.
In particular, the low level of appreciation for the enhancement of integrity within various supply chains in the health sector has been concerning for Omwoha.
“There is a need to invest in personnel and to upskill in health logistics and related systems. Organizations need to invest more in health systems, international certifications and accreditations that would revolutionize the industry,” he says.
Science and art
Indeed, Omwoha insists that procurement and purchasing – the supply chain industry generally – is both a science and an art. On one hand, there are key metrics set for every component and as guided by procurement principles, the legal framework and standard operating procedures; but on the other hand, there are also some scenarios and decisions that have to be qualitative, such as negotiating, relationship management and timely decision making.
Having previously worked in various countries – Eastern Africa, Egypt, Malaysia, etc and reporting directly to stakeholders in Europe and the Americas, Omwoha says he was impressed by how most of the companies operating in those countries have greatly invested in the supply chain profession.
“Working for these companies in various countries and capacities has greatly transformed my career,” he says.
“Their investment in people and supply chain management systems through IT and the ‘internet of things’ have revolutionized and enhanced efficiency in logistics systems. An appreciation of various cultures and their work ethic has personally moulded how I execute my daily tasks.”
Additionally, Omwoha has also mentored many young people in the course of his career. However, he says he is really concerned about the number of young people who live in what he calls an “illusion” – unrealistic expectations of career advancements and high salary – yet ignoring hard work, persistence, mentorship and skills development. That, he suggests, necessitates the support of all the industry stakeholders.
“I am passionate about talent development and nurturing the next generation of professionals,” he says. “We have a great skills gap that needs to be closed through upskilling and practical approaches. Most companies have very limited budgets on training and capacity development; hence individuals need to go out of their way to support the upcoming crop of professionals,” he observes.
On the academic front, Omwoha notes thatthere is an urgent need for a curriculum that focuses on practical training and industry engagement with hands-on support from industry practitioners and alumni associations.
“Emerging trends within the industry should be an insight not only for the learners but also the educators,” he adds.
But going forward, Omwoha is optimistic about the supply chain management profession on the continent, saying it is in line with the ‘Africa has risen’ dictum.
“Supply chain management as a practice is growing and has been supported by technological advancement and international trade agreements amongst countries and regional trading blocks,” he says.
He anticipates that within the next five years, given the rising levels of technological advancement, mobile phone and internet penetration, there would be further growth of the industry through various technologies from Artificial Intelligence and the ‘Internet of Things.’
Additionally, blockchain technology would also build on the security of the supply chain systems. E-commerce growth and penetration would be greater with tightly regulated industries such as health, law and government services moving onto e-platforms. E-procurement systems would minimize or eliminate personal interactions and reduce lead time in most processes.
Additionally, he expects that there would be more support in terms of infrastructure through government and multigovernmental support as well as international and regional agreements to ease international trade, movement of people and aligning major trading blocks across the continent.