Desmond Cecil

Background

About Desmond Cecil

Desmond is a Chartered Procurement Professional with 43 years of experience spanning warehousing and materials management, strategic sourcing, negotiations, contracting, buying and supplier performance & relationship management. Higher level involvement includes directorship and chairperson/membership of several committees, forums and leadership teams, through his career. Ex Lead facilitator, with a leading National Learning Academy, on the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses, on a part-time basis. This sharing of knowledge and experience with fellow and aspiring-to-be procurement professionals, is a means of contributing to the further enhancement of the procurement profession in SA. His journey through procurement has included working in and leading sourcing and category management, contracting, logistics, shipping, procurement operations and warehousing organizations. Business and commercial acumen together with decades of experience provides the combination of both technical and commercial edge. A coaching and empowering leadership style with people + task focus helps build capability and reliability within Procurement teams under his leadership, which ultimately influences bottom line earnings. Regularly engages with key stakeholders to align with business needs and objectives in order to plan resources and workload and deliver the best, simple and effective, solutions. Communicates well at all levels within organizations ensuring successes and challenges are tracked, measured and shared. Through regular monitoring of supplier and team performance, deviations (actual and potential) are corrected and productivity proactively improved. Considers relationships, including the giving and receiving of feedback, as key to finding innovative solutions to current and future challenges. Team and self development are considered important. Performs best in challenging and stimulating environments.