Press Release February 2014

Oliver Wight sponsor second Australian Sales and Operations Planning Forum
For the second consecutive year, business improvement specialists, Oliver Wight, will be supporting the Akolade Annual Sales and Operations Forum. The event, which is designed to equip senior sales, demand, finance, supply chain and logistics professionals with the tools and techniques to make S&OP an integral part of business planning, will take place at the Rendezvous Grand Hotel in Melbourne on 17-19 March 2014. Oliver Wight Partner, Rod Hozack will give the keynote address, kicking off the three-day event with an insightful presentation on the evolution of S&OP to Integrated Business Planning (IBP). Sales and Operations Planning has come a long way since it was originated by Oliver Wight in the 1980s. It has evolved from its production planning roots into a fully integrated management and supply chain collaboration process, which incorporates product portfolio management and, crucially, finance, says Hozack. Today, IBP sits at the heart of many leading organisations as the management process that runs the business. Oliver Wight, together with Oracle, will also be hosting an interactive workshop on the third day of the event, taking a fresh look at Integrated Business Planning. Stuart Harman, Partner at Oliver Wight Asia Pacific, will be leading the workshop. He says: More and more companies are discovering the power of IBP in allowing senior management to plan and manage the entire organisation over a 24-month horizon or more. Workshop delegates will get the opportunity to review real-life case studies and receive practical advice on how to progress on their journey to business excellence. The best practices of IBP and how to close the gap with technology will also be covered, as well as how to visualise data and performance for the five key IBP elements. For more information and to register for the event visit: http://www.akolade.com.au/singleproduct/404

Notes to editors About Oliver Wight Oliver Wight has a 40 year track record of delivering business improvement to some of the worlds bestknown organisations. With a team of professionals offering a wealth of experience, Oliver Wight is the largest consultancy of its type, with offices throughout Europe, South Africa, North and South America, and the Asia Pacific region. We believe that sustainable business improvement cant be delivered by external consultants but only by our clients own people, so unlike other consultancy firms, we transfer our knowledge to them, helping deliver performance levels and financial results that last. Integrated Business Planning At the leading edge of management thinking and practice, our Integrated Business Planning (IBP) model lies at the heart of our clients journey to outstanding business performance. Oliver Wight are the originators of sales and operations planning (S&OP) and IBP can most simply be described as advanced S&OP. However, unlike S&OP, IBP brings a truly strategic perspective, integrating diverse processes - in the extended supply chain, product and customer portfolios, customer demand and strategic planning - into one seamless management process. Supply Chain Optimisation In an uncertain business climate, volatile demand and unpredictability can expose weaknesses in supply chain performance. Supply Chain Optimisation helps companies improve sub-standard systems and processes, delivering a significant return to the bottom line. Meeting the Class A Standard The Oliver Wight Class A Checklist is the longest standing and most successful business assessment tool. The latest, Sixth Edition, raises the bar, and sets ever more demanding standards for companies on their journey to business excellence and the Oliver Wight Class A standard.

More information Yolanda Muser Oliver Wight AP +61 (0) 3 9596-5830 YMuser@oliverwight-ap.com www.oliverwight-ap.com Clare Sutton RONIN Marketing Limited +44 (0) 20 3326 5039 clare@roninmarketing.co.uk www.roninmarketing.co.uk