Expert in Logistics appointed Chair of the Logistics Research Network

Dr Vasco Sanchez Rodrigues, Reader of Logistics and Operations Management has been appointed Chair of the Logistics Research Network (LRN) in a first for Cardiff Business School.

Dr Rodrigues succeeds Professor Edward Sweeney, Heriot-Watt University, who ends a 6-year period as Chair this year.

LRN is a network of academics, researchers, practitioners and other interested individuals sponsored by the Charter Institute of Logistics & Transport.

The network generates research excellence and impact in logistics, supply chain management and operations management. Its main objective is to facilitate the generation, promotion and dissemination of relevant research through workshops, conferences, awards and seed corn research funds.

Dr Rodrigues’ appointment follows a long history of Cardiff University’s involvement with, and support of, the LRN. As one of the network’s founding members, Cardiff Business School hosted its first LRN Conference in 1999, chaired by Professor Peter Haines, and then again in 2009, chaired by Professor Anthony Beresford.

Cardiff Business School hosted the conference virtually in 2020 (chaired by Professor Mohamed Naim) and 2021 (chaired by Dr Vasco Sanchez Rodrigues), in the first online conferences for both the LRN and the School.

Record breaking registrations for these virtual events ensured a truly international conference, and developed LRN’s online presence in the logistics community.  The 2020 and 2021 conferences were also the first to run industry workshops. The iLEGO (innovation Lean Effective Green Operations) industry workshop was integrated into the conference schedules, combining academic and industry insights.

Dr Rodrigues, in his new appointment as Chair, hopes to build on this innovation and has exciting plans to continue the strong relationship the Business School has with both the LRN and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK (CILT).

“In addition to increasing the network’s visibility online to engage with a wider audience, we hope to also incorporate a Best Paper award for Impact, and for Research Excellence.  Continuing the School’s strong relationship with the CILT and LRN is of great importance, and I look forward to working closely with those teams as Chair of LRN.”