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Best Inspiring Leaders of the Year 2022
CIO Bulletin
One may not think of Napoleon Bonaparte as a logistician. But his maxim that “an army marches on its stomach”—i.e., keeping forces well-provisioned is central to success in war—launched logistics as a field of military concentration.
According to a Statista study, US businesses spent $1.63 trillion on logistics in 2019, moving goods from origin to end user through various supply chain network segments. By 2025, 5.95 trillion ton-miles of freight are expected to move across the United States.
Any successful company leader understands the critical nature of well-organized logistics. They recognize that delivering frictionless logistics is crucial in meeting consumer needs and surpassing the competition.
Your supply chains are a vital foundation of your success. In recent years, the rise of businesses like Amazon has helped revolutionize supply chains, particularly in a customer context. Products being “always available” and next-day delivery options are now considered standard. Moreover, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chains have come under unprecedented pressure. Various geopolitical and economic factors, along with the continuing pandemic, mean this pressure will likely stay for the foreseeable future.
Once a business has a firm grasp of its customer’s expectations, it must devise a plan for achieving them via logistics. This requires the corporation to have a firm grasp on or appraisal of its strategic direction. The importance of using supply chain management software is notable because of the significance of the supply chain itself.
When you’re trying to control the entire procurement process within the supply chain, ensure that you have the best software and logistics services for your needs at your side so that everyone— suppliers, vendors, and you, are all getting your needs met within the logistics and supply chain.
Since 2005, Aaron Poole has led BR International Logistics Pty Ltd, delivering global supply chain management solutions and logistics services from Australia to destinations around the world, serving customers from small businesses to large enterprises. During his tenure as Director of BR International, Poole and the firm have established a proven track record of working with customers to understand their business issues, priorities, and needs, then providing a genuinely tailor-made and custom end-to-end supply chain solution.
Recently, CIO Bulletin spoke exclusively to Aaron Poole, the Director of BR International Logistics, about leadership, the skills required to be a great leader, and how he has grown BR International to become a leading firm in the industry. The following are excerpts from the conversation.
Q. What personality traits should a leader have?
I believe that great leaders need to be both extremely motivated and highly strategic. Not only do they need to have a vision for the future, but also they need to be able to effectively communicate that vision to their team and foster a deep sense of loyalty. They should also be personally accountable, confident, creative, and innovative.
Q. How did BR International get started?
The company began as Barry Rogers & Co in 1984. My business partner and I were both executives in the company in the 90s, but we had a vision to grow the company to bring it to another level. So together we bought out the original owner in 2005 and rebranded as BR International Logistics.
What started as a simple customs brokerage is today an innovative and dynamic provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions with a global presence. We are proud to rank among Australia’s most recognizable supply chain brands and a leading provider throughout the world.
The company has come a long way. We endured some of our most challenging times over the past couple of years during the pandemic, but we have emerged stronger and more vital than ever. And we are very excited for the future.
Q. Why focus on growth?
Growth is one of the most critical metrics of a business, both at an individual level as well as for the company overall. We have completed multiple company acquisitions throughout the years, which have contributed to the overall growth of our company and also given BRi a truly global presence.
At an individual level, we constantly drive towards achieving new goals and growing our business model to give our clients the best service possible.
Without an intense focus on growth, we would not be as successful as we are today.
Q. What sets BRi apart from its competition?
Our team. Everything we do begins with our team. It’s truly our people who set us apart from our competition, offering an unparalleled customer focus, going above and beyond for our clients every day on every job. We invest in our staff. And we’re always open to hiring great people who suit our vision and company culture. If a prospective candidate is going to bring something significant to the company, even if we don’t have a role open for them, it’s worth it for us to invest in that person. This is not something our competitors seem to do.
Another highlight is, of course, our end-to-end supply chain solutions, and our commitment to providing professional freight services that are tailor-made to every customer’s specific requirements. We learn about our client’s businesses and their needs so that we can develop a solution that covers everything.
Our competitors tend to make customers fit into their model. Instead, we fit into our customers’ needs. What’s more, we make sure we are across everything. At times we even help refine our customers’ own internal processes, if it will enhance the end-to-end solution. This keeps our clients very happy.
Q. How does BR International make a difference for its customers?
We invest the time to truly understand each and every customer’s unique business. We then devise strategies and tailor-made solutions that are entirely in sync with the goals and requirements of each customer and their individual situation.
We pride ourselves on our strong customer focus and our commitment to tailored solutions to our clients, delivering fantastic service, each and every time.
Q. What products and services are unique to your company?
Our end-to-end supply chain solutions have been a game changer for our company and for the industry. Being able to offer tailored supply chain solutions for our clients, from the very beginning at the manufacturer, right through to the end consumer, is truly unique. It’s a great feeling to assist our clients in delivering something they didn’t even know was possible!
Our tracking services have also proven to be extremely helpful for many clients. For our customers who have tight timelines and need to monitor their freight closely, this service provides a competitive advantage, enabling them to keep track of particular orders and where exactly they are in the supply chain.
Q. Can you tell us more about your tracking service?
Our in-house IT department offers ready-to-implement applications, with in-depth coverage of functional requirements. Yet we also offer enough configurability to tweak process flows for the unique business practices of our diverse client base.
Our immediate solution is similar to an ERP system, with its core focus being end-to-end, extending through to business smarts, report management, and part or full integration. Our system has proven integration with SAP, Pronto, Movex, Manhattan, and other leading-edge systems.
Our IT Architecture’s most significant assets lie in its simplicity and flexibility. It is a base system that is scalable, multi-database compatible, and, most importantly, flexible to suit individual customer needs. We cater to both small and large business needs, allowing further adaptability in customer-specific report writing.
All our products and services sit under one roof, so our clients have a single point of call at any time. With the addition of customer portal access and web-based environments, our customers have everything they need at the click of a mouse.
All our customers use BRi’s systems, so even new customers receive immediate benefit from accessing these superior business practices.
Q. How has the company responded to changes in global supply chain demand?
From our inception in 1984 to our rebranding in 2005, we have overcome many challenges by staying informed and flexible. BRi is constantly evolving. We always take the time to understand the market and supply chain dynamics, both locally and globally. By remaining nimble, we can flexibly adapt our approach as conditions shift, allowing us to provide the best possible solutions to our customers, no matter what changes are happening in the market.
Our focus on knowledge and agility has proven especially important over the past few years in dealing with the global pandemic and helping our customers to navigate these unprecedented times.
Q. Why is community involvement important at BRi?
We are very proud of our community involvement. In fact, giving back is an essential part of BRi’s culture. We are committed to and passionate about assisting local groups, clubs, associations, and individual pursuits. Our entire team strives to make a positive impact and be active community members.
Some of the community ventures we currently support include:
Providing leading global supply management solutions and logistics services
Aaron Poole is the Director of BR International Logistics. He founded the company with his business partner, Michael Bourne, after they structured a buyout of Barry Rogers & Co, which was started in 1984.
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