BrazilSaudi's MELI partners with R&G for Lean Six Sigma capability building
The Middle East Logistics Institute has brought international consultancy R&G Global Consultants on board to help it build the Lean Six Sigma capabilities of Saud Arabia’s supply chain communities. The partnership spans supporting the delivery of Lean Six Sigma programmes and the design and development of a curriculum and trainings.
Established in 2010, the Middle East Logistics Institute (MELI) is an academic institute which provides capacity building in the area of logistics and supply chain to organisations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The institute develops and improves both the awareness and logistics skills of young professionals, practitioners, managers and executives by providing them with specialised training in logistics and supply chain management. MELI also supports professionals with obtaining levels of professional certifications and accreditation.
In delivering its training and services, MELI cooperates with several international institutes and universities, which include US-based Michigan State University, a highly regarded academic institute globally in the field of logistics, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT; which operates in 30 countries worldwide), and the Institute of Supply Chain Management (IoSCM; a global institute for supply chain operations).
The latest company to join MELI, which is part of Almajdouie, one of Saudi’s largest conglomerates, as a partner is R&G Global Consultants, an international consulting firm specialised in operations consultancy, process optimisation, lean and change execution. The strategic partnership was unveiled during the Saudi Supply Chain Conference held in Riyad last month, and focuses mainly on bolstering MELI’s execution capabilities and training in Lean Six Sigma within the supply chain environment.
Commenting on the partnership, Rudy Paiman Sadi, a Board member at MELI, said, “It is an honour for us and the supply chain industry in Saudi Arabia to work with a great company such as R&G. I am convinced that business excellence and operational efficiency will play a pivotal role in helping the business community realise the objectives of the Vision 2030 programme.”
Vision 2030 was launched by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman last year* as a response by the Saudi government to its high dependence on income from oil. While the price of oil stood at over $100 in 2014, it plunged to nearly $25 in the first quarter of 2016, putting large pressure on the fiscal coffers of the Saudi government, with it forced to cut spending as a result of the growing deficit. Under the new vision, which includes over 80 large projects and a massive $300 billion privatisation programme, the country aims at diversifying its economy and develop sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism.
R&G, which has its roots trace back to General Electric (the consultancy was founded in 2004 by a team of former GE managers specialised in six sigma), has over the years built a track record in delivering engagements in the Middle East. Although R&G does not have an on the ground base in the GCC, consultants from its thirteen offices globally have been leveraged to staff projects in the region. R&G Global Consultants is headquartered in the Netherlands, with its sweet spot lying in particular in Europe and Far East Asia.
Aart Willem de Wolf, Managing Partner of R&G, said, “MELI has an excellent reputation in Saudi Arabia and there is clear interest from the market in their services. We are excited by the prospect of working with MELI and look forward to a fruitful cooperation.”
* The development of the vision was supported by a number of consulting firms, including McKinsey & Company and The Boston Consulting Group.
