Academic Committee
The Academic Committee serves to guarantee the highest academic standards of the conference and selects the presenters, panel participants, moderators, and conference awards. This year, the Academic Committee consists of twelve members. Please see their linkedin-profiles for further biography information. For academic enquires please contact us through the link: https://www.acoscm.com/support
Prof. Joubert van Eeden
Prof Joubert van Eeden is Professor and Chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering at Stellenbosch University. He lectures in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, obtained a PhD in Industrial Engineering and an MBA through Stellenbosch University. Joubert is a Registered Professional Engineering with ECSA. He developed the Container Demand Model used by Transnet Group Planning to inform port and rail infrastructure planning in terms of national port and domestic container volumes. He has an interest in macro-logistics modelling and conduct research within logistics management and sustainable freight transport. Joubert provides research guidance to graduate students in the fields of supply chain and logistics management and freight modelling.
Prof. Joubert van Eeden (Co-Conference Chair) linkedin
Prof. Dr. Lester Brian Shawa
Prof. Dr. Lester Brian Shawa is Regional Director at LEARN Logistics by Kühne Foundation and Chairman at Kühne Foundation Tanzania (KF TZ). A higher education and development expert, he holds a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington, a Master of Education from Stellenbosch University, a Master of Social Science (Development Studies) from University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management from Guglielmo University. Prof. Shawa builds Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) capacity in universities across Africa. A widely published scholar, his research and/or activities have included LSCM capacity development, ubuntu ethic, decoloniality, transformation, epistemological and ontological dimensions in higher education, the scholarship of teaching and learning, governance and international development. Prof. Shawa's works include a co-authored book, Towards an Ubuntu University: African Higher Education Re-imagined (Palgrave-MacMillan, 2023). In 2024, with three other scholars, he guest-edited a special issue: Healthcare Supply Chains in Africa in the Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management. In 2025, together with Prof Walid Klib and Prof Marcia Mkansi, he is finalising guest-editing a special issue: Supply Chains in Africa: Current Status and Emerging Trends in Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal.
Prof. Dr. Lester Brian Shawa (Co-Conference Chair) linkedin
Prof. Leila Goedhals-Gerber
Prof Leila Goedhals-Gerber is a supply chain specialist with focus areas including cold chain logistics, sustainable logistics, driver behaviour and issues relevant to the maritime industry. She obtained her PhD from Stellenbosch University based on research that developed a model that can determine the efficiency of the individual links or nodes in a supply chain as well as determine the efficiency of the entire supply chain. The model also identifies the bottlenecks in a supply chain and therefore makes it easier to determine the steps needed to improve the levels of efficiency in the supply chain under investigation.
Leila is a Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Stellenbosch University and is the academic coordinator of the focal area in Logistics and Supply Chain Systems. She is rated as an established researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and has been involved in research projects in the South African fruit industry, the port sector, assessing driver behaviour in the South African road freight industry as well as projects that investigated regional connectivity in Southern Africa. Leila is currently conducting research in the field of export supply chain emissions calculation and smart logistics.
Prof. Leila Goedhals-Gerber linkedin
Dr. Bonny Bagenda
Dr Bonny Bagenda is a Senior lecturer and the Head of the Department of Transport and Logistics Management at Makerere University Business School. He holds a PhD in Public and Development Management from Stellenbosch University (Risk Management in Public-Private Partnerships), an MSc in International Transport and Logistics Management from the University of Dar es Salaam and a Bachelor of Procurement and Supply Chain Management from Makerere University.
His research interests are supply chain management, logistics management, transport management, and public-private partnerships. Beyond academics, Bonny is a procurement consultant, having consulted for the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Authority, AH Consulting, Abet & Co, and Scaled Solutions Ltd
Dr. Bonny Bagenda linkedin
Dr. Michelle Smit
Michelle Smit is a lecturer in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Before joining SU, she worked in industry as a business analyst at a multinational logistics company, contributing to major projects to drive organisational efficiency and strategic growth. She supported the implementation of financial consolidation systems and developed workforce consolidation models and operational cost optimisation strategies to enhance overall business performance.
Michelle obtained her BEng (Industrial Engineering) and PhD in the field of Engineering Management from Stellenbosch University. Her research focuses on innovation and technology management, specifically on contemporary and forward-thinking issues shaping the industry.
Dr. Michelle Smit linkedin
Dr. Julia Kleineidam
Dr. Julia Kleineidam is Senior Manager at LEARN Logistics by Kühne Foundation. She holds a PhD in LSCM from Technical University of Berlin. She has extensive research experience in sustainability and food loss reduction in LSCM in Europe and Africa.
Dr. Julia Kleineidam linkedin
Dr. John Oredo
John Oredo is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Nairobi and served as a Researcher at the Kenya Education Network. Dr. Oredo is a Visiting Fellow at the Northumbria University (UK) in the School of Business and Law. He holds a PhD in Business Administration (Strategic Information Systems) and MSc. IT degrees. Dr. Oredo’s research is at the interface of digital technologies and society, focussing on digital transformation, Applications of AI, ethics for AI, Data Science and humanitarian supply chain. He has published in ranked information systems and supply chain journals. He currently serves as a Senior Editor for the Information Technology & People journal and a member of the Scientific Council of Studies and Research Journal, University of Warsaw. Dr. Oredo is an active member of Professional associations that include ISACA, INFORMS, PMI, and AIS (President, East African Chapter) and holds industry certifications in Project Management (PMP) and Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT).
Dr. John Oredo linkedin
Prof. XN Iraki
XN Iraki is a professor at the University of Nairobi School Faculty of Business & Management Sciences . He previously taught at Kentucky State University In USA and Strathmore Business School in Kenya . In addition he is a columnist with Kenya’s oldest newspaper , The Standard. His teaching and research interests includes data science , operations , innovations, technology and Sinology. He also previously worked as a researcher with the government of Kenya's think tank, national economic and social council( NESC). Iraki currently coordinates the DAAD funded Centre of excellence for sustainable operations in resource management and food supply at university of Nairobi. Beyond academia, Iraki is an ardent golfer, a mountain climber, and a space science enthusiast. He is also much sought after certified dowry negotiator.
Prof. XN Iraki linkedin
Prof. Odewumi Samuel
ODEWUMI Samuel (FICLT, FInSTA, FICLM) is a professor at the School of Transport and Logistics of Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria, where he was the immediate past Dean. He focuses on the growth of logistics and supply chain education in Nigeria and research interests on the performances of the Africa Continental Free Trade Market Area (AfCFTA) with funding support from the Kuehne Foundation and safety Issues in Nigeria’s transport system sponsored by Volvo Research and Educational Foundation, Sweden. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA), the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (CILT) and the Chartered Institute of Courier and Logistics Management (FICLM)
Prof. Odewumi Samuel linkedin
Dr. Mia Mangaroo-Pillay
Mia is an Industrial Engineer, who strongly values communication and ethics. She firmly support the idea that the correct systems can solve the majority of problems, showcased within any industry. Her interests are rooted in people and process, with a focus on the improvement and innovation thereof. Mia's philosophy in life stems from the principle of every experience yielding new knowledge. This causes her to enthusiastically welcome new experiences and learning opportunities. She is currently researching the cultural implications of Lean, within the Operational Excellence field of Industrial Engineering.
Dr. Mia Mangaroo-Pillay linkedin
Dr. Gerald Tinali
Dr. Gerald Zachary Paga Tinali, who holds a PhD (Management) from Capital University of Economics and Business, is a Senior lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam Business School. He obtained an MSc. in International Transport and Logistics and a Bachelor of Commerce (Management Science) with honors from the University of Dar es Salaam. Dr. Tinali is also a Certified Procurement and Suppliers Professional (CPSP). Apart from teaching, Dr. Tinali is also a researcher and consultant in transportation and logistics management, supply chain management, innovation management, Sustainability management, strategic management, and project management. Dr. Tinali has also organized and conducted numerous trainings such as resilient and adaptive supply chains, green procurement and purchasing, monitoring and evaluation, supply chain performance and benchmarking, strategic sourcing and analytical tools, research methods and management.
Dr. Gerald Zachary Paga Tinali linkedin
Dr. Makoena Sebatjane
Makoena Sebatjane is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Stellenbosch University. Holding a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pretoria, his research lies in the area of inventory management, with a particular focus on food supply chains.
Dr. Makoena Sebatjane linkedin