17-18 March 2027 - Sandton Convention Centre
This focused conference day brings together industry experts to explore critical elements of Good Distribution Practice in today’s evolving pharmaceutical supply chain. Key discussions will cover the importance of robust temperature management, integrated monitoring systems, effective cold chain packaging solutions, and the impact of defrost cycles on storage and distribution.
The programme will also delve into essential validation concepts and the growing role of AI in validation, offering practical insights to enhance compliance, efficiency, and product integrity across GDP operations.
WHEN: 26 March 2026
WHERE: Expo 1 Conference Area (located at the back of the hall)
| Duration | Time | Topic | Synopsis | Speaker | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mins | 09h30 | Welcome | Welcome and Opening | Sarantis Kosmas – Strategnos | Sarantis Kosmas is a highly experienced Supply Chain Management professional with over 18 years of experience in the field. He holds a Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management of the Cold Chain. Sarantis has worked in a variety of industries, including Pharmaceutical, Mining, Personal Care, Fashion Accessories, Food, and Retail. He brings a wide range of skills and accomplishments, including analytical and process thinking, strong interpersonal abilities, and published works. In 2011, Sarantis published a paper on Validation of Cold Chain Systems in the South African Pharmaceutical Journal and has presented at numerous conferences. He is currently the Business Development Director at Strategnos, leading New Business Development for both the Cold Chain and Supply Chain Consulting divisions. |
| 30 mins | 09h30-10h00 | Temperature Mapping: The Story Beyond the Process | Temperature mapping is a critical quality requirement in a GxP environment. In recent years, increased guidance on how to execute temperature mapping has helped align industry standards and best practices. The next step is to go beyond the process and the data—interpreting the story the data tells to deliver meaningful risk mitigation and quality outcomes. | Sarantis Kosmas – Strategnos | Sarantis Kosmas is a highly experienced Supply Chain Management professional with over 18 years of experience in the field. He holds a Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management of the Cold Chain. Sarantis has worked in a variety of industries, including Pharmaceutical, Mining, Personal Care, Fashion Accessories, Food, and Retail. He brings a wide range of skills and accomplishments, including analytical and process thinking, strong interpersonal abilities, and published works. In 2011, Sarantis published a paper on Validation of Cold Chain Systems in the South African Pharmaceutical Journal and has presented at numerous conferences. He is currently the Business Development Director at Strategnos, leading New Business Development for both the Cold Chain and Supply Chain Consulting divisions. |
| 10 mins | 10h00 – 10h10 | Q&A | |||
| 30 mins | 10h10-10h40 | A Case Study On The Benefits Of Using Multi-sensor Devices For Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Monitoring. | Temperature monitoring is a critical component of pharmaceutical product distribution; however, many challenges exist in ensuring effective and reliable data collection. This case study illustrates the benefits of leveraging enhanced sensing and location capabilities to address these challenges. | AJ Barnard – The Vaccine Bureau | AJ Barnard is a pharmacist and cold-chain logistics professional with over 20 years of experience across pharmaceutical distribution, hospital pharmacy, and temperature-controlled supply chains. He holds a B.Pharm (1999) and M.Pharm (2002) from North-West University. He began his career in clinical and retail pharmacy, including oncology compounding in the UK, before moving into senior operational roles within pharmaceutical warehousing and distribution. AJ is currently General Manager at The Vaccine Bureau, supporting vaccine distribution in collaboration with Biovac. He has led multiple Warehouse Management System implementations and GDP-aligned warehouse transformations across several pharmaceutical organizations, bridging regulatory requirements with real-world operational execution. AJ brings a unique combination of pharmaceutical training, cold-chain engineering insight, validation management, and operational leadership, with a strong focus on building compliant, scalable, and sustainable distribution models. |
| 10 mins | 10h40-10h50 | Q&A | |||
| 30 mins | 10h50-11h20 | BREAK | |||
| 30 mins | 11h20-11h50 | The Next Stage Of Cold Chain Packaging Development In South Africa | Packaging protects product integrity across the supply chain. While single-use solutions remain necessary in some cases, their environmental impact is increasingly scrutinised, prompting evaluation of reusable, validated alternatives. Under GDP, packaging acts as a control measure supported by reliable data. In collaboration with Strategnos, advanced temperature loggers track shipments in real time and produce tailored, audit-ready data. This discussion provides insight on the practical implementation of validated packaging with dependable monitoring. | Sean Petzer – ESBD | Sean Petzer is the Founder and Managing Director of ESBD, a specialist provider of validated cold chain packaging and compliant distribution solutions. Having cut his teeth in the logistics industry, Sean spent 18 years in the field before identifying a critical gap in South Africa’s market: the absence of an exclusive focus on validated thermal packaging. Determined to address this, he introduced the first PCM-based solution dedicated solely to compliant packaging in South Africa, independent of traditional 3PL models, offering both rental and sales options. Recognising that Africa’s supply chain challenges are unique—and that no single solution fits all—Sean expanded his portfolio to represent leading global innovators, enabling tailored, fit-for-purpose solutions. Today, he works closely with pharmaceutical, healthcare, and export clients to align Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliance with practical, cost-effective strategies that reduce temperature excursions, minimise waste, improve efficiencies, decrease costs, and eliminate risk. Through a strategic partnership with Strategnos, Sean ensures every solution is grounded in data, accuracy, and transparency—because in cold chain logistics, performance isn’t optional, and compliance cannot be compromised. |
| 10 mins | 11h50- 12h00 | Q&A | |||
| 30 mins | 12h00-12h30 | What is AI thinking? Or is it? | We often talk about AI as if it is thinking, but what is really happening inside these systems? This session explores the breakthrough behind modern generative AI and explains the mechanics that drive it, providing leaders with a grounded perspective on how the technology works and what it means for organisations. | Joe van der Walt – Kohde | Joe van der Walt is the Founding Director of Kohde (Pty) Ltd and a seasoned software leader with roots in enterprise application development. He co-founded Kohde in 2015 with a clear mission: to build custom software that delivers measurable, strategic value. Under Joe’s leadership, Kohde has grown into a high-performing South African technology partner, specialising in end-to-end solutions—from UX/UI and mobile development to cloud architecture, DevOps, and Azure integrations. Recognised as a Microsoft Solutions Partner, Kohde supports clients across banking, telecoms, logistics, agriculture, and security. Joe is committed to keeping the business at the forefront of modern engineering practices, driving innovation in cloud, AI, data platforms, and intelligent automation. With nearly a decade of leadership experience, he focuses on designing scalable, resilient systems that bring clarity, momentum, and long-term value to every engagement. |
| 10 mins | 12h30-12h40 | Q&A | |||
| 80 mins | 12h40-14h00 | LUNCH | |||
| 30 mins | 14h00-14h30 | Key Updates for Computer System Validation. | In the ever changing technology environment, computer system validation is becoming increasingly important, as well as a constraint to the deployment of innovative technologies in Pharmaceutical distribution. The purpose of this discussion is to share key updates in GAMP that support the efficient deployment of new Technologies such as AI and Agile methodologies. | Micaela Costa – Strategnos | Micaela Costa is a Senior Systems and Test Analyst at Strategnos. She studied BCom Informatics and holds an Honours in BIT, specializing in Information Systems, from the University of Pretoria. Her knowledge and interest in the IT industry have enabled her to create solutions that address business challenges using systems. At Strategnos, Micaela specializes in system validation and assurance within regulated industries, ensuring that systems comply with regulatory standards and operate effectively. Her work involves assessing and verifying systems to meet quality, performance, and compliance requirements, supporting risk management and regulatory adherence across organizations. In addition, her role spans data-related projects, change management, and internal applications, ensuring that interconnected systems are validated, well-governed, and aligned with both regulatory requirements and business objectives. |
| 10 mins | 14h30-14h40 | Q&A | |||
| 30 mins | 14h40- 15h10 | Defrost Cycle: A Necessary Evil In The Cold Chain | A defrost cycle is a key element of refrigeration systems; when poorly specified equipment and incorrectly configured parameters are used, this introduces real risk to the product. We will work through the key technical elements to be considered with refrigeration systems and their related defrost cycles. | Sarantis Kosmas – Strategnos | Sarantis Kosmas is a highly experienced Supply Chain Management professional with over 18 years of experience in the field. He holds a Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management of the Cold Chain. Sarantis has worked in a variety of industries, including Pharmaceutical, Mining, Personal Care, Fashion Accessories, Food, and Retail. He brings a wide range of skills and accomplishments, including analytical and process thinking, strong interpersonal abilities, and published works. In 2011, Sarantis published a paper on Validation of Cold Chain Systems in the South African Pharmaceutical Journal and has presented at numerous conferences. He is currently the Business Development Director at Strategnos, leading New Business Development for both the Cold Chain and Supply Chain Consulting divisions. |
| 10 mins | 15h10- 15h20 | Q&A | |||
| EXHIBIT BROWSING |
