Simon Afewerki
Johns Creek,GA
Summary
International procurement professional with over 10 years of experience in sourcing and supplier management in Chinese and Asian markets. Demonstrated success in managing purchasing activities exceeding $50 million annually, focusing on building materials, machinery, and specialty packaging. Skilled in developing procurement strategies that align with cost efficiency, quality, and supplier innovation to enhance supply chain performance.
Overview
1
1
Language
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder | International Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
ERNET International Trading Co., Ltd.
01.2017 - Current
- Develop and execute comprehensive procurement strategies, managing international sourcing and supplier identification.
- Work directly with manufacturers in China and other Asian markets to optimize pricing, quality, capacity, and delivery performance.
- Supported purchasing activity of approximately $50 million annually across multiple product categories, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
- Evaluated suppliers based on total commercial value, assessing cost, quality, reliability, and supply risk to inform procurement decisions.
- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, and specifications with overseas suppliers to achieve cost efficiencies.
- Visited factories to verify capabilities and monitor production, addressing quality issues to ensure timely deliveries.
- Resolved supply chain issues, including production delays and unexpected logistics costs, to maintain customer commitments.
China & International Markets | Sourcing, Procurement, Supplier Development & Export Logistics
Ocean Links Limited
Shanghai, China
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Cultivated expertise in China-based sourcing and supplier development, enhancing procurement strategies.
- Strengthened relationships with Chinese suppliers, improving communication and responsiveness to market changes.
- Collaborated with factories and trading partners to enhance supplier market insights and improve sourcing decisions.
- Managed negotiations and quality control specifications, ensuring successful international shipment compliance.
Education
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Business Administration
08-2008
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Marketing
Skills
- Category strategy development
- Commercial procurement
- Supplier & quality management
- International supply risk management
- Cross-functional collaboration
- China & Overseas sourcing
- Supplier relationship management
- Cost management and optimization
- Negotiation and value engineering
- Systems: Excel, ERP workflows, QuickBooks Enterprise
Personal Information
Title: INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT | STRATEGIC SOURCING | SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
SELECTED INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT EXPERIENCE
- Building materials and construction-related products - overseas supplier sourcing, commercial comparison, production follow-up, quality, and container shipment planning.
- Hotel furniture and project products - supplier coordination, materials/specification follow-up, production monitoring, inspection, and delivery execution.
- Packaging and food-service disposables - supplier and country-of-origin comparisons involving freight, tariffs, anti-dumping exposure, lead times, and total landed cost.
- Machinery and industrial products - manufacturer evaluation, technical/commercial quotation comparison, negotiation, and international shipment coordination.
- Global logistics - practical experience with 20-foot and 40-foot containers, Incoterms, bills of lading, freight providers, ports, transshipment, routing alternatives, delays, and storage exposure.
ADDITIONAL
International Travel: Extensive supplier, factory, and sourcing travel experience
Languages
Chinese (Mandarin)
Professional
Timeline
Founder | International Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
ERNET International Trading Co., Ltd.
01.2017 - Current
China & International Markets | Sourcing, Procurement, Supplier Development & Export Logistics
Ocean Links Limited
01.2016 - 01.2017