EXECUTIVE INSIGHT
PHIL ’ S LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
ERP – in our case SAP , so we have a very strong backbone in our supply chain . When I joined , we were successfully implementing the rollout of SAP Integrated Business Planning ( IBP ) for Supply Chain and that is a really strong foundation for our end-to-end integration , which we are now taking to the next level . At the front end of the supply chain , we ’ ve established a central material planning organisation for our non-tobacco materials and we ’ ve also invested in direct connectivity with suppliers , which is taking our relationship with strategic suppliers to the next level when it comes to sharing information and data .
For Phil , it ’ s an absolute given that people are at the heart of the supply chain .
“ In my first interview with JTI , they asked me about my management style ,” he says . “ I spoke then about servant leadership and I ’ m really pleased that philosophy is now being infused across the organisation .
“ Servant leadership revolves around the three Es : envisioning what we can achieve and what ’ s possible ; energising people and building passion ; and the most important ‘ E ’ is enabling . The role of the leader is to set the direction but then work with the teams and individuals to make sure barriers are removed , obstacles are overcome and training is provided . Leaders should be part of every conversation asking what they can do to help .
“ I saw an internal article recently written by a new hire at JTI , a young lady who is working in our Jordan factory . She recalled the factory leader being asked how many people work for him , but he turned it around and said : ‘ I actually work for 200 people in my factory ’. That was quite humbling to hear , but it ’ s the sort of mindset we want to adopt as we move forward .”
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