We recently had a great conversation with Ben Jansen van Vuuren, our new head of supply chain planning, to talk about his journey from building one of the UK’s leading planning consultancies to joining us at The Config Team. Ben also shared his perspective on the evolving planning landscape in SAP and his vision for building a future-ready planning practice that puts people, innovation and impact front and centre.
“I’ve worked in supply chain planning and transformation for over two decades. The journey began 24 years ago when I joined a UK consultancy called Xansa. That role gave me the chance to explore Europe, a lifelong dream, and sparked my passion for solving complex supply chain challenges.
“From there, I moved into a successful contracting career with global brands like Unilever and Cadbury’s, collaborating with some of the smartest people in the supply chain field. These experiences laid the foundation for co-founding Olivehorse Consulting, and one of my proudest career moments was helping build what became the UK’s leading supply chain planning consultancy. But beyond the business success, it was the people, the network of like-minded professionals, that made it truly special. I’m a people person through and through. Being stuck on a deserted island would be tough for me… unless I had a few fishing partners!
“After Olivehorse was acquired by PwC, I spent nearly three and a half years managing the supply chain team within their operations transformation practice. It was fast-paced and rewarding, but eventually, I felt ready for a new challenge.
“I’ve known Andrew, founder and CEO of The Config Team, for over 20 years and have always admired what he and Carolyn had built, especially the culture. There was always a strong mutual respect between Olivehorse and The Config Team, and that connection stayed with me.
“When Andrew approached me with the opportunity to build a supply chain planning practice here, it felt like the natural next step. Planning fills a key gap in the company’s offering and completes the full supply chain picture. The Config Team is a well-run business with passionate, highly skilled people. I couldn’t think of a better place to build something new.
“We already have fantastic planning talent on board, and I’m excited to grow the team, developing skills internally and bringing in fresh talent through initiatives like the Associate Academy.
“What sets The Config Team apart is its DNA for delivery. We’re highly respected by SAP and our clients, giving us a strong platform to build from. Completing the supply chain circle with planning is hugely exciting. I’m motivated to replicate the success we’ve seen in logistics, in our planning practice.
“I’ve also joined at a pivotal moment in The Config Team’s AI journey. The development team is outstanding, and the pace of innovation is inspiring. There’s lots of exciting updates on the horizon, so watch this space!
“Planning today faces a new set of challenges. Disruption is constant, from geopolitical shifts and natural disasters to the lasting impact of pandemics. These events are now part of everyday business reality. Planning systems must evolve to be resilient and intelligent, enabling planners to make fast, informed decisions in the face of uncertainty. It’s no longer enough to focus solely on cost, service and quality.
“The days of relying on Excel for planning are behind us! Today’s planners expect more, and rightly so.
“This is where I see The Config Team making a real difference. With our strong foundation in supply chain and logistics, coupled with our fantastic S/4HANA digital core team and a growing planning capability, we’re well positioned to help clients navigate complexity and drive technology adoption.
“SAP IBP has matured significantly, and with SAP’s clean core strategy and streamlined integration, businesses now have the opportunity to achieve end-to-end visibility and real-time data within their advanced planning systems. Add to that the rise of Joule, SAP’s AI copilot, and we’re entering a new era of intelligent planning.
“Throughout my career, I’ve focused on adoption. I’ve never been the most technical SAP practitioner, but I’ve always worked hard to translate business needs into lasting, usable solutions. That’s where the real impact happens.
“We’re focused on building a team that not only understands the technology, but knows how to make it work for real business needs. Our role, as I see it, is to help clients focus on the use cases where AI and planning technology can drive real impact, improving adoption, boosting efficiency and delivering measurable value. With deep SAP expertise and in-house development capability, The Config Team is uniquely positioned to advise on the best solutions and build tailored approaches that work.
“Soon after joining, I sat down with our planning team to define a clear ambition for the practice:
“We will be the trusted SAP supply chain planning partner for UK-focused clients and beyond. Delivering innovative, end-to-end solutions harnessing the power of AI, we’ll drive user adoption, operational excellence and measurable ROI. We will be known for our deep expertise and quality of delivery, ensuring successful implementations. Our mission is to turn complexity into clarity, enabling clients to plan smarter and perform better.
“We’ve also set six core values that guide everything we do. My vision is for us to live these values day in, day out:
- Expertise and Excellence
- Innovation Driven
- People and Culture
- Client Centricity and Adoption Focus
- Integrity and Partnership
- Value Realisation
“My biggest motivator is seeing a team I’ve helped shape deliver lasting solutions to clients. I’m not a micromanager. I place a huge amount of trust in my teams to execute the vision, goals and strategy we’ve agreed. How they achieve those is up to them, as long as they deliver with skill, integrity and customer success in mind.
“I’m genuinely excited about what we’re building here. Planning is evolving fast, and so are the needs of the businesses we support. At The Config Team, we have the right mix of expertise, energy and curiosity to help clients plan smarter and perform better. For me, it’s all about creating something meaningful, with great people, for great clients. And we’re just getting started!”
Get in touch to find out how we can support your SAP supply chain planning goals and help your business plan smarter.