JACOBUS BERNER
Global Procurement Director: Believer Meats
Tel Aviv
Summary
Supply chain leader with more than 15 years of cross functional tenure in leading different operational, procurement and R&D teams. Impactful leader with a curious mindset, a passion for people, solving problems, and delivering value.
I work with a team of paradigm shifters, across different geographies, to develop and implement a novel food supply chain in the United States, to unlock the production of tasty and affordable cultivated meat.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
4
4
Languages
Work History
Procurement Director: Ingredients & Packaging
Believer Meats
01.2023 - Current
- USA Supply chain development, implementation and optimization.
- Develop and implement strategic category management processes.
- Strategic material sourcing, contracting and compliance management.
- Influence and deliver direct material COGS.
- Strategic supplier partnership development and innovation.
- People Leadership and Development.
- Change Management, communication and anchoring.
- Cost Management and budget control.
- Procurement governance and control.
Procurement Director: BU South and VIC Operation
AB-Inbev
04.2021 - 12.2022
- Sourced direct raw- and packaging materials for BU South brewery operational requirements (South-Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini).
- Implemented and managed strategic material contracts across 9 breweries (~30 million hectoliters / annum)
- Managed direct spend and implemented agreed business unit price initiatives.
- Implemented and delivered procurement S&OP process for the business unit.
- Supported and delivered applicable zone revenue and volume growth targets despite challenging local and global supply constraints.
- Provided leadership and direction for 4 x direct senior category managers and 2 x In-country procurement managers.
- Manage cross functional stakeholder relationships, driving efficiency and fast-tracking solutions to mitigate against operational challenges
Zone Agriculture R&D Manager
AB-Inbev
01.2020 - 03.2021
- Implemented the brewing raw material and adjacency initiatives to support 2025 Sustainability focus on 'Local for Local'.
- Implemented applicable alternative crop development programmes across the different zone markets to increase local access to fermentable starch.
- Developed and implemented the Africa Zone barley risk mitigation strategy for approved barley cultivars grown and stored under contract in South Africa.
- Delivered a company's first strategic raw material R&D pilot malting and brewing facility to pro-actively facilitate supply chain problem solving and support the evaluation of new varieties.
- Implemented the first phased approach to barley nitrogen storage management and improved malt house cycle time and brewing extract loss (Zone Green Belt Project).
VIC Implementation Manager (BU South)
AB-Inbev
08.2018 - 01.2020
- Successfully led the co-packaging procurement stream (can SKU’s) during the introduction of Smirnoff and Guinness brands within the AB-Inbev portfolio (an approximately $ 20 million co-packing contract).
- Monitored contract performance and implemented strategies to optimize value and mitigate relevant risks.
- Identified and implemented cost saving opportunities and efficiency improvements in manufacturing.
- Implemented cross-functional cost reduction initiatives without compromising quality or compliance.
- Developed and maintained strong business relationships with key suppliers and anchored a collaborative problem-solving culture.
Zone Brewing Coordinator (RSA North & Brewing Raw Materials)
AB-Inbev
02.2017 - 07.2018
- Improved technical interface between breweries and Vertical Operations scaling value creation and efficiencies.
- Improved technical interface between breweries and Vertical Operations.
- Successfully developed and anchored brewing process changes across seven breweries.
- Approved and allocated regional brewing CAPEX according to strategic focus and risk.
- Successfully supported RSA North Region brewing teams to deliver allocated CAPEX projects and "critical few" KPI's.
- Improved technical and leadership skills of RSA North brewing leaders through coaching and structured engagement.
Brewing Manager
SABMiller
02.2015 - 01.2017
- Managed all aspects of a large brewing operation (~3 million hectoliter/annum).
- Delivered step change improvement in global hygiene, extract loss, reliability and safety performance.
- Managed and developed 80 employees across different specialties (HR, Engineering, Quality, Brewing and Logistics).
- Led organizational change through Coaching for High Performance (during SABMiller and AB-Inbev acquisition).
- Led the department's operational excellence strategy through world-class manufacturing systems (TRACC).
Cold Block Brewing Area Manager
SABMiller
07.2013 - 01.2015
- Overall responsibility of the Lagering and filtration departments financial, safety, quality and reliability performance - ~2.5 million hectoliter / annum.
- Managed and delivered QCDSM KPI's for cold block operations (Fermentation, Storage, Filtration & Bright Beer).
- Managed and developed 15 direct reports.
Technical Brewer
SABMiller
09.2011 - 06.2013
- Delivered the consumer promise with respect to brand taste and quality management across the brewing value chain.
- Improved and sustained regional brew house variable cost performance by $35k through an applied focused improvement project.
- Awarded the national "Best Castle Lager Mick Stewart Award” for quality and taste excellence.
- Improved brewing processes by consistently monitoring and adjusting fermentation parameters.
Fast Tracked Brewing Management Trainee
SABMiller
09.2011 - 09.2012
- In recognition of performance, selected by the manufacturing and technical director to complete a fast-tracked brewing management traineeship.
- Successfully published a national shared learning supporting the national flavor stability and shelf-life COE strategy.
Regional Quality Assurance Manager (SAB Maltings)
SABMiller
08.2007 - 08.2011
- Delivered an agrochemical passport system for the South African Barley industry in-line with legislative- and food safety system requirements.
- Delivered an integrated Quality Assurance system designed around the requirements of the ISO 22000, ISO 14000 and NOSA CMB 253 standards.
- Achieved the highest NOSA CMB 253 effort score for the region and regained NOSCAR status.
- Awarded the MicroMega NOSA industry award for the best safety performance within the FMCG and agricultural sector.
Quality Assurance Manager
PenBev (Coca-Cola Bottler)
01.2004 - 07.2007
- Awarded the Coca-Cola gold bottler quality award for best overall product and packaging quality
- Delivered compliance to mandatory Coca-Cola SHEQ franchise bottler requirements.
- Successfully implemented the first SABS certified HACCP food safety system for South Africa franchised bottlers.
- Successfully led the quality assurance Coca-Cola approval protocol for a refillable PET (RefPet) bottle inspector for the returnable plastic bottle market.
- Successfully led the implementation of the Coca-Cola Company "Evolution 3" integrated management system (SHEQ).
Education
Leadership Capabilities: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (Certified) -
The GAP Partnership
London, United Kingdom 01.2021 -
M.Sc: Brewing- and Engineering Science (Cum Laude) - undefined
University of Nottingham
Nottingham, NH 01.2019 - undefined
MDP: Executive business management (Best Syndicate Group and Project) - undefined
Gordon's Institute for Business Science
Pretoria, Gauteng 01.2014 - undefined
Diploma in Brewing Science: Brewing Science - undefined
IBD
London, United Kingdom 01.2012 - undefined
MDP: General Management - undefined
University of Stellenbosch Business School
Cape Town, WC 01.2007 - undefined
Bachelor of Science: Biochemistry & Microbiology - BiochemistryGeneticsPhysiologyMicrobiology
University of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 01.2004 - undefined
Skills
Leadership
undefinedAccomplishments
- 2022: BU South solution developed to integrate high risk de-centralized planning materials into MRP (supply security).
- 2021: Delivered +$5.79mio VIC Price BU South during within an unpredictable landscape and challenging supply chain.
- 2021: Delivered c.$4.5mio (cost avoidance) through a barley Green Belt - improvement of barley quality (reduced process cycle time).
- 2020: Developed and formed a new organisational structure to mitigate and pro-actively manage the barley value chain "from seed to brewery."
- 2020: Amber Hills - Blank Canvas to a WORLD CLASS facility - "One of a kind in ABI" raw material R&D facility to support plant breeding & commercial process optimization
- 2019: Successfully led the co-packaging procurement stream (can SKU's) during the introduction of Smirnoff and Guinness brands within the AB-Inbev portfolio (an approximately $ 20 million co-packing contract).
Timeline
Procurement Director: Ingredients & Packaging
Believer Meats
01.2023 - Current
Procurement Director: BU South and VIC Operation
AB-Inbev
04.2021 - 12.2022
Leadership Capabilities: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (Certified) -
The GAP Partnership
01.2021 -
Zone Agriculture R&D Manager
AB-Inbev
01.2020 - 03.2021
M.Sc: Brewing- and Engineering Science (Cum Laude) - undefined
University of Nottingham
01.2019 - undefined
VIC Implementation Manager (BU South)
AB-Inbev
08.2018 - 01.2020
Zone Brewing Coordinator (RSA North & Brewing Raw Materials)
AB-Inbev
02.2017 - 07.2018
Brewing Manager
SABMiller
02.2015 - 01.2017
MDP: Executive business management (Best Syndicate Group and Project) - undefined
Gordon's Institute for Business Science
01.2014 - undefined
Cold Block Brewing Area Manager
SABMiller
07.2013 - 01.2015
Diploma in Brewing Science: Brewing Science - undefined
IBD
01.2012 - undefined
Fast Tracked Brewing Management Trainee
SABMiller
09.2011 - 09.2012
Technical Brewer
SABMiller
09.2011 - 06.2013
Regional Quality Assurance Manager (SAB Maltings)
SABMiller
08.2007 - 08.2011
MDP: General Management - undefined
University of Stellenbosch Business School
01.2007 - undefined
Quality Assurance Manager
PenBev (Coca-Cola Bottler)
01.2004 - 07.2007
Bachelor of Science: Biochemistry & Microbiology - BiochemistryGeneticsPhysiologyMicrobiology
University of Stellenbosch
01.2004 - undefined
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