11 November 2010 | Ian Russell
Ian Russell, commercial director, South African Breweries on teamwork, banking and keeping a poker face.
The day job
I look after the commercial management of all the supply chains that support the South African Breweries business – so everything from hops and malt, to glass and marketing. The team I manage is 60 people or so and the annual spend is significantly north of US $1 billion.
Biggest career achievement
In the early 2000s at Barclays, my team and I led a whole series of groundbreaking outsourcing/
co-sourcing deals that changed the way the back office of a financial services organisation was viewed and run. Today’s operating models in many banks owe a lot to those early deals.
My big break
While studying economics at university, I quickly worked out that the world revolved around buying, manufacturing and selling. I didn’t fancy getting my hands dirty making things and marketing jobs were over-subscribed, so I applied for the buying side. Ford took me onto their purchasing graduate scheme and the rest is history.
Where I think procurement will be in five years
As organisational boundaries become ever more blurred and supply chains ever more complex, the procurement function will become even tighter to the heart of most businesses
Successful buyers’ key attributes
The top three qualities for buyers are commercial acumen, tenacity and a poker face.
Best careers advice I’ve ever received
I owe much of my success to my boss of the late 90s, early 2000 at Barclays Bank, Toby Broome. Most of his advice is unprintable, but the focus was always on driving hard and fast to a fair and principled conclusion, that left a little (not a lot) on the table for the other guy.
CV: Ian Russell
Job history:
Oct 2010–present: Commercial director, South African Breweries
Jan–Sep 2010: Group integration director, Absa Group, Barclays Bank
Feb 2008-Dec 2009: Chief administration officer, Absa Group
2005-2007: CPO, Absa Group Barclays Bank
Jan-Aug 2005: Director, International IT Integration
Mar-Dec 2004: Operations director, Chief Information Office
Education:
MBA, University of Birmingham
BSc Economics, University College of Swansea
Song that sums up procurement: The First Cut is the Deepest
Guiltiest pleasure: Fast polo ponies
Favourite TV show:
Blackadder
