Why have a global strategic advisory group
The Logistics Cluster is a community of partners actively working to overcome logistics constraints and to drive best practices and solutions aimed at improving the humanitarian response to emergencies.
Partnership is a core value of the cluster. As highlighted in the 2016-2018 Strategy, the Logistics Cluster is built on partnership, and as such it strives to involve a diverse and representative group of humanitarian actors, on the global, regional and local levels, that steers its strategic direction, allowing true involvement and ownership by partner organisations.
Since 2006, the biannual Logistics Cluster Global Meetings (GLMs) have been the fora for organisations to discuss common issues and experiences and take joint strategic decisions on the cluster governance. During the meetings in 2016 it was decided by large majority to create a Strategic Advisory Group (SAG).
The growing participation and involvement of partners and the increased number of operations called for stronger and better structured governance, hence the SAG was established to foster shared ownership of the cluster and improve decision making.
Structure
The overall objective of the SAG, as defined by the ToR, is to promote and drive the implementation of the strategy, ensuring that the decisions taken and the pursuing actions represent the diversity of the cluster partners.
The SAG is composed of eight members elected for two years. The Global Logistics Cluster Coordinator is the Fixed Chair of the SAG. The Chair only votes as tie breaker. WFP, as the Lead Agency of the cluster, has a permanent seat. NGOs and Governmental Organisations have three and two seats respectively. Representatives are elected during the GLM. One Field Logistics Cluster Coordinator is also elected to participate to the SAG as an observer.
The SAG meets twice a year in conjunction with the GLMs in addition to monthly teleconferences. Minutes and other pertinent documents are shared on this page. SAG members can be contacted regarding the strategy, governance and core functions of the Logistics Cluster.
Non Governmental Organisations
WFP
Susan Hodgson
Susan Hodgson, Head of Humanitarian Supply Chain at Save the Children. Prior to moving into the humanitarian sector in 2005, Sue served 22 years in the British Army in Finance and Administration, seeing service in Hong Kong, Nepal, Germany, peace keeping missions in Cyprus and in Sierra Leone as part of the operational force in 2000 and Desert Storm in Iraq. Following this, Sue moved into the humanitarian sector with the American Refugee Council as the Programme Manager for the TB Dots Programme and supporting logistics, before moving to the International Rescue Committee as Security Manager, and remaining with them as Field Coordinator Kono and Deputy Director of Operations in Sierra Leone. In 2008, Sue moved to Concern, working as the Assistant Country Director System (ACDS) in Timor Leste, before deploying to the Haiti response in 2010. Moving to GOAL in 2011 as ACDS in Sudan and then South Sudan in 2012, Sue then remained with GOAL as the Roving ACDS and then as Roving Country Director, responding to Typhoon Haiyan before taking up the position as Head of Procurement and Logistics in Dublin. Sue moved to her current role as Head of Humanitarian Supply Chain with Save the Children in 2017, part of the supply chain transformation programme ensuring Save the Children can better respond to disasters globally in a changing humanitarian world. In this role she manages a team of four staff and is responsible for improvements to the humanitarian supply chain.
Fabrice Perrot
Fabrice Perrot, Logistics Director at Solidarités International. efore he entered the world of humanitarian action, Fabrice started his career as a social worker, managing socio-cultural organisations in rural and urban communities in France. Entering into the humanitarian sector in 2010 with Solidarités International, he has worked in the field as Head of Base and Field Coordinator in DRC, Haïti and Bangladesh. Fabrice then spent two years overseeing logistics coordination from HQ for the West African and Haiti zone. Having headed up the logistics department since 2014, he now coordinates all of the organisation’s logistics activities, whether at head office or on the ground. Appointed Logistics Director on 1 September 2017, Fabrice heads four departments: Supply Chain, Operational Logistics, IT and Information Systems and Facility Management.
Cécile Terraz
Cécile Terraz, Head of Logistics & Supply Chain at Medair. Prior to this position, Cécile worked in INGOs in Southeast Asia and started her career at Procter & Gamble as operation leader for internationally renowned brands. Cécile has also led the global supply network operations, E2E supply chain management, for a Gillette brand across Europe, Africa and Asia. She is also certified as a coach and professional in public speaking and communication, and she regularly trains organisations on these topics. Cecile holds a Project Management Professional Certification and has a background in engineering and supply chain.
Jakob Kern
Jakob Kern, Director of Supply Chain Division, WFP. Jakob was WFP Representative and Country Director in Syria for 2.5 years (2016-2018), one of the largest and most complex humanitarian emergency operations in the world. Jakob joined WFP in 1998 as Head of Special Operation in Liberia. In 2001, he moved on to Eritrea followed in 2003 by a posting in DPR Korea as Deputy Country Director. In 2006 he became Deputy Chief Information Officer and was selected as Chief Information Officer in 2012. Before joining WFP, he worked for 10 years on civil engineering projects in several countries. Jakob has a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering.
Governmental Organisations
Fixed Chair
Field Cluster Coordinator
Didier Merckx
Didier Merckx, Team Leader Transport and Logistics & ECHO Flights. Didier has fifteen years of professional experience in the humanitarian and development sectors, including five years with the EU delegation in Kinshasa, DRC. Didier joined ECHO in April 1994 and has been Desk Officer for several countries in Central Asia, North and Southern Caucasus and Central Africa. More recently, Didier started working on logistics, dealing with ECHO Flight and UNHAS projects and successively joining the unit dealing with EU Civil Protection mechanisms. Didier is an Industrial Engineer.
Theo Lingens
Theo, Deputy Head of Logistics Division, German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). Theo first joined the humanitarian logistics as a red cross volunteer in Germany. Theo’s first mission was in support of the refugees from German Democratic Republic (GDR). In 1990 Theo became a permanent staff member of the Red Cross and deployed to several mission for the German Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and International Committee of the Red Cross. Since 2002 Theo has been working in the HQ of the THW responsible for all Logistics issues on THW Missions abroad. Theo has been active in Logistics Cluster activities since 2005 after the humanitarian reform.
Stephen Cahill
Stephen Cahill, Global Logistics Cluster Coordinator since September 2015 and previously Head of Logistics for WFP in Ethiopia, WFP's largest operation worldwide. For the past ten years, Stephen has worked in a variety of emergencies including Sierra Leone for the Ebola Response and the Philippines, where he managed WFP emergency operations in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Prior to joining WFP, Stephen was a director at a major international shipping company in London in addition to working extensively in South America and the Middle East. Stephen has a background in Economics and Shipping.
Fiona Lithgow
Fiona Lithgow, Logistics Cluster Coordinator for South Sudan since 2014. Fiona has been with WFP since 2010 working in logistics operations in DRC, the Philippines, South Sudan and in the Regional Bureau for East Africa in Nairobi. Prior to joining WFP, Fiona worked with NGOs in Uganda and with UNICEF in Sri Lanka for three years. She has a commercial sector background, working in Operations Management in New Zealand. Fiona holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science and a Post Graduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
Meeting Minutes
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Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 12 April 2019
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25 April 2019 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 26 February 2019
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06 March 2019 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 7 February 2019
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25 February 2019 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 16 January 2019
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22 January 2019 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 19 December 2018
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03 January 2019 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 7 November 2018
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13 November 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 19 September 2018
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28 September 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 29 May 2018
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11 June 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 23 May 2018
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04 June 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 16 May 2018
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04 June 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 2 May 2018
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14 May 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 6 April 2018
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13 April 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 28 March 2018
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05 April 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 8 February 2018
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19 February 2018 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 30 November 2017
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18 December 2017 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 28 November 2017
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18 December 2017 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 16 November 2017
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24 November 2017 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 25 October 2017
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08 November 2017 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 27 September 2017
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04 October 2017 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 12 September 2017
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19 September 2017 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 13 July 2017
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01 September 2017 -
Global Logistics Cluster - SAG - Meeting Minutes, 6 June 2017
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31 August 2017