The Institute of Operations Management (IOM) has announced the addition of IOM Africa to its growing regional network. Under the presidency of Dr Douglas Boateng and through the IOM Africa Region, operations and supply chain management professionals throughout Africa will benefit from the increased availability of world class and practical education, training and membership programmes. The IOM's key qualifications framework moves professionals up through the IOM's membership grades (and corresponding designatory letters) which demonstrate an individual's professional credibility and commitment, wherever they are in their career. “IOM is the oldest focused professional body for manufacturing and the service in Europe,” Dr Boateng noted. “I opted to exclusively partner with IOM after a careful investigation of many professional bodies over a 24-month period; and believe IOM is the best available to transform operations and supply chain management related human capital in Africa.” Dr Boateng said the establishment of IOM Africa was driven by pragmatic findings which emerged from its evaluation of other professional bodies. “IOM impressed on a number of essential features, including flexibility, practicality, focus and more importantly its successfully tried and tested human capital development formula,” he explains. IOM Manager, Leonie Edwards, notes: “The relationship with Dr Boateng reinforces our strategy to extend our professional reach in supply chain and operations, human capital development solution sets into amongst others agriculture, mining, manufacturing/production, services, state owned enterprises and public sectors on the entire African continent and the emerging world. “Under Dr Boateng’s Presidency, we look forward to assisting and supporting our current and future members in the region as they embark on major sustainable supply chain, operational and service delivery improvements within their respective organisations.” IOM membership are given the skills to among others make a real and sustainable difference to bottom-line results within their organisations and realise their ambitions and progress throughout their career in the fields of operations and supply chain management by keeping them informed of the latest news and information as well as by providing unparalleled opportunities for continuous professional development . The Institute of Operations Management (IOM) is the principal UK professional society for operations management in the manufacturing arena, service industries and the public sector.