PANEL SESSION
"Transitioning into the Digitally-enabled Age” – How equipped is your Chemical Supply Chain? Mini-Conference - Hosted by Chemical Business Association (CBA)
Time & Location
Wednesday: 10.30 to 11.30, Stage 1
Session Host
Heather CarrollPeople & Skills Lead - Chemical Business Association
About this Session
“For all the effort that companies devote to improving the performance of their supply chains, relatively few have unlocked the full potential of digital technologies. A recent McKinsey study found that the average supply chain has a digitization level of 43 percent, the lowest of five business areas that were examined. A mere 2 percent of the surveyed executives said the supply chain is the focus of their digital strategies. Are their priorities misplaced? Perhaps. The same McKinsey research suggests that, on average, companies that aggressively digitize their supply chains can expect to boost annual growth of earnings before interest and taxes by 3.2 percent—the largest increase from digitizing any business area—and annual revenue growth by 2.3 percent.”1
This panel session will discuss why companies need to understand their chemical supply chain, what digital transformations could mean and how equipped it is to withstand these changes. The panel will discuss security and transport aspects of moving the chemical supply chain into the digital age, and the need to understand how companies can ensure they have the people and skills required for this transition.
The panellists have been drawn from all sectors of the chemical supply chain and include Richard Gilkes the Chair of the CBA and Managing Director of the Stort Group who will outline the benefits of belonging to a trade association when tackling such important details.
Panel Host, Tim Doggett the CEO of the CBA
Panellists:
Richard Smith, Managing Director, Road Haulage Association
Richard Gilkes, Chair of the CBA and Managing Director of The Stort Group
Craig Wallbank, Implementation Manager, Chemical Weapons Convention UK National Authority
Heather Carroll, People & Skills Lead, CBA
Speaker Bio:
In 2023, Heather was appointed as People & Skills Hub Lead at the Chemical Business Association, where she drives initiatives such as the Future Council, Generation STEAM and the CBA’s 5050Vision.
Central to her role is the strategic development of the association’s People & Skills agenda, through engaging with members, partners and stakeholders, to ensure initiatives and support programmes align with industry needs.
Heather has worked in the chemical industry for 25 years, building a wealth of experience in people & skills. She has a passion for education, mentorship and developing our future workforce, and an extensive knowledge of designing, delivering, and providing HR services, for the chemical industry, across a broad range of organisations.
While in industry she collaborated with colleges, schools and technical institutes to deliver workshops, seminars, & guest lectures on the latest industry trends, demonstrating to audiences that the chemical sector is a great industry to work in. She has built excellent education business partnerships to enable the chemical sector to bridge the gap between industry requirements & academic curricula.
In recent years, Heather’s work has focussed on apprenticeships, degree level apprenticeships and government-funded training. Working with stakeholders such as the DfE, IfATE and IChemE, she has successfully facilitated the preparation of the ChemEng Degree Apprenticeship to meet the evolving demands of the sector. More recently, she has developed and supported industry engagement focus groups to establish the National Occupational Standards for hydrogen production, storage & transport.
Heather is a passionate advocate for the chemical supply chain and as a Generation STEAM Ambassador she continues to showcase the wealth of career opportunities across the sector, and the abundant opportunities the chemical supply chain presents.