CSCMP teams with Chi Studios to train future chief supply chain officers

Aspiring supply chain executives have gained a new tool to take their leadership skills to the next level, after the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) announced a partnership with Atlanta-based business consulting firm Chi Studios to launch an executive development program.

Its founders say the “CSCMP Executive Supply Chain Academy” provides the foundation to solve today’s biggest challenges in a facilitated, collaborative environment, surrounded by peers, innovators, and thought leaders. The program is limited to 40 seats and is now accepting applications through its website until October 5, with virtual and in-person sessions beginning January 2024.

Attendees will join a six-month program that guides small groups of aspiring C-suite leaders through the process of solving a significant business challenge. Groups will be assisted by current and former C-suite officers and leading supply chain technologists as they articulate the challenge, build a next-generation technology- and data-driven solution, and create a business case presentation with talking points to pitch to a mock board of directors.

Mark Baxa, president and CEO of CSCMP, stressed the need for a new paradigm of executive development. “We are in the midst of a once-in-a-generation evolution in the supply chain industry,” he said. “With major changes in the global trade environment, and an entirely new universe of technologies that can bring visibility, agility, and intelligence to supply chain teams, it is critical that we upskill our future leaders with a new set of capabilities. Chi Studios has mastered a collaborative approach that provides participants the opportunity to work on real problems alongside the industry’s leading experts, and build fresh approaches to novel opportunities and challenges. I’m thrilled to establish this executive leadership program.”

CSCMP says its partnership with Chi Studios is a corporate learning innovation built by and for practicing executives. It’s designed to accelerate CSCMP’s efforts in preparing future chief supply chain officers for the changing nature of the top role — readying C-suite candidates not only for executive-level responsibilities, but also for the rapidly changing world of technology, data, and analytics that support the function.

Ben Bellamy, CEO of Chi Studios added, “Mark and the CSCMP team are perfect partners for this kind of collaboration. They have led the pack with continued supply chain education for decades, and know firsthand the importance of collaboration, expertise, and diversity as we enter a new era of supply chain management — one that’s built around the new strategic imperatives of transparency and agility.”