Linda Venables appointed Chief Supply Chain Officer at PwC Australia

PwC Australia has appointed experienced logistics and supply professional Linda Venables as its inaugural Chief Supply Chain Officer.

The new role will see Venables work with PwC Australia’s clients and the firm’s own people on building resilience in supply chains, and helping senior executives and businesses better understand and control supply chain infrastructure and practices.

Venables is a former Chief Logistics Officer for Metcash, and has worked at Woolworths and Exel Plc/DHL across a range of supply chain, logistics and technology roles. She has a Masters in Manufacturing Management from Cranfield University.

“Across key markets, senior executives are focused now more than ever to understand, invest and better control their supply chains. In this new role, we intend to provide our clients with the expertise and advice they need to confidently make critical investments and improvements,” Venables said.

PwC Australia is investing in a Chief Supply Chain Officer to enhance our firm's growing Supply Chain Consulting capability and to support clients who are facing increasing complexity and volatility across their local and international supply chains.  Venables’ expertise in building resilience, data and systems, automation and managing complex Supply Chain change ideally positions her to support our teams and our clients. 

“Many businesses are also facing increasing demand and expectations from their key stakeholders to address ESG issues that arise out of their supply chains, and ensure they are suitably diverse and ethical,” said PwC Supply Chain and Procurement Lead Partner Oliver Sargent.

“Across the board, we’re seeing a heightened awareness from our clients over the need for optimised supply chain infrastructure, from capability and warehousing to local and international distribution.”

PwC Australia’s appointment of a Chief Supply Chain Officer is another key component of our landmark new global strategy, The New Equation, which responds to fundamental changes in the world, including technological disruption, climate change, social equity, fractured geopolitics, and the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It focuses on two interconnected needs facing clients in the coming years: to build trust, and deliver sustained outcomes in an environment where competition and the risk of disruption are more intense than ever and societal expectations have never been greater. 

Venables begins her role this month.