Dr. Andrew Parris holds a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of California (UC/USA), a Master of Science in Technology & Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT/USA), and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, also from the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA.
After completing his Bachelor’s Degree, he started his professional career as a Manufacturing Engineer for two years at 3Com in the technology and electronics division. Following his PhD, he moved to Lockheed Martin, where he spent eleven years in the aerospace sector, primarily as a Process Improvement Lead for the Atlas and Titan Rocket Programmes. He then joined the NGO/non-profit sector, where he worked for nine years at World Vision International (including three years in Nairobi/Kenya) and eight and a half years at Medair. He has trained and coached around 2,000 people in Lean Continuous Improvement, including Quality Champions in Nepal, Iraq, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines on behalf of the International Trade Centre in Switzerland. He also co-developed and taught the five-day seminar “Humanitarian Operations and Supply Chain Management” at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ).
Dr. Andrew Parris has been a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with Smarter Solutions in Austin/USA, since 2013, and also holds a Diploma in Christian Theology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton/USA.
Thanks to his extensive qualifications and experience, he is now regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on the application of lean methods in humanitarian aid and development work. He teaches and coaches people on how to make their work simpler, better, faster and more cost-effective. Due to his international experience in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, he also has high-quality intercultural skills in dealing with people from different cultures around the world. He has developed and published his own vision of process excellence, which includes, amongst other things, seven habits of process improvement.
Dr. Andrew Parris your top Expert in the fields of Training, Coaching and Facilitation in Lean Management Methods & Tools, Continuous Improvement as well as Operational Excellence.
- PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
- Master of Science in Technology & Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
- Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering, UC (University of California) Berkeley, USA
- Diploma in Christian Studies, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, USA
- Certified as Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Smarter Solutions, USA
- Training, Coaching & Facilitating Lean Continuous Improvement (CI)
- Lean Transformation
- Empowering & Inspiring organisations, teams and individuals to improve processes, leading to enhanced business performance.
- Making work simpler, better, faster and more cost-effective.
- Industry expertise: NGOs/non-profits; Lean CI applies in all sectors.
- Functional expertise: Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement across all functional areas.
- Process Excellence Manager at the Swiss NGO Medair, with particular responsibility for:
- Training, moderating & coaching in the field of Lean Continuous Improvement (CI) at Medair and other NGOs from Switzerland to South Sudan, e.g. on the topics of ‘Process Excellence Energiser’ and ‘Lean Green Belt’.
- Training & coaching of World Vision colleagues in East Africa, enabling them to reduce costs by over 1.5 million USD per year, cut lead times by around 60% and reduce the error rate by around 70% in certain processes.
- Lean Consultant at the International Trade Centre in Switzerland, responsible for training & coaching quality experts in quality & lean management in Laos, Nepal, Iraq, Myanmar and the Philippines, who in turn went on to work as trainers & coaches in their own countries.
- Senior Process Advisor at World Vision in the USA and Kenya, with particular responsibility for supporting the conception & implementation of the internal project management information system, leading process improvements in the East Africa Region (EAR), as well as creating a guide for collaboration with stakeholders.
- Process Improvement Lead at Lockheed Martin, a global American defence & aerospace manufacturer, responsible for resp. jointly responsible for process optimisation within the Atlas and Titan rocket programmes, development of the ‘Perfect Product Delivery Vision of Excellence’ and the continuous improvement (CI) strategy of the United Launch Alliance (ULA), training staff and managers in Lean Six Sigma concepts & tools, as well as project improvements & team coaching.
- Manufacturing Engineer at 3Com, at the time an American digital electronics manufacturer, which was later acquired by HP; with particular responsibility for assisting with the set-up & commissioning of an automated production line for the surface-mount assembly of printed circuit boards, conducting capacity studies, ensuring quality control, drafting operating procedures, training operators, as well as solving problems & process optimisation.
Theology, philosophy, cycling, hiking, running, writing, good books and good music.
Serving the poor and those in need, as well as promoting justice, peace and personal transformation.
