Alumnus is recognized as rising star in supply chain field

Negotiating savings of more than $40 million, launching blockchain think-tanks, and creating robust, global supplier development programs, are just some of the stellar achievements of the latest winners of the Institute for Supply Management 30 Under 30 Rising Supply Chain Stars Recognition Program.

The honorees include megawatt winner Jasdeep Sandhu, a Rutgers Business School undergraduate alumnus and a global category leader of digital and technology innovation for healthcare giant GlaxoSmithKline.

“The accomplishments and talents of this group are remarkable,” said Tom Derry, CEO of ISM. “They stand out for their entrepreneurial spirit, strategic innovations, digital problem-solving, and abilities to drive and showcase value enterprise-wide. These next-generation leaders are providing their organizations with a powerful competitive advantage on the worldwide stage.”

Now in its fifth year, the ISM program, sponsored by Proxima, honors individuals who are 30 or younger and demonstrate leadership, innovation, collaboration and other outstanding attributes – at work and through their professional associations. Intended to help bridge the talent gap in procurement and supply management, the program provides role models to millennials seeking exciting new career opportunities.

Sandhu, who graduated from Rutgers Business School-Newark in 2015 with a double major in supply chain management and marketing, said the opportunities at RBS, including internships Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb, set him up for the role he has today. "A Rutgers degree holds a lot of weight and creates opportunities," he said in an email.

At GSK, Sandhu has a reputation as a self-starter. He has created numerous blockchain pilots, including one that is meant to drive automation, leverage smart contracts and provide real-time visibility. It is projected to save up to 900 hours a year and nearly $3 million.

“My time at GSK has been absolutely transformative,” Sandhu said in an email. “After doing four different rotations in the U.S., GSK moved me to the company's headquarters in London in 2017. I now have a team that I manage, and I am the global procurement innovation lead across the innovation work streams that span across pharma, vaccines, consumer healthcare, digital supply chain as well as research and development."

“There's a rush to digitalize big pharma, and it’s an incredibly exciting time as we blend the line between science and technology," he said. "A Rutgers alumnus has a seat at the table to help drive this digital transformation globally as we work to create personalized healthcare."

A multilingual 26-year-old, Sandhu also founded and chairs a blockchain think-tank of more than 150 senior GSK colleagues and has helped to revamp the company’s approach to strategically engage startups.

“The latest 30 Under 30 winners exemplify the new generation of supply chain leadership,” said Derry. “They demonstrate daily what impactful high-performers can achieve in this profession.”

Working in the U.S. as well as the United Kingdom, the honorees are making their mark on the manufacturing industry (with the highest concentration of winners), as well as the aerospace and defense, business services, healthcare, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, automotive, military/government and retail.

See other 2018 winners.

Credit: Institute for Supply Management and Rutgers Business School.