John Earley

John A. A. Earley is a Founding Partner of SmartChain International LLP who provide consulting support to large companies to transform their supply chains. He has a long international career as both a consultant and in industry in a number of senior leadership roles, enabling him to see things from both sides. Lean has been at the forefront of John's thinking from his early days at Rolls Royce Aero Engines through a successful career in PriceWaterhouseCoopers to the role of Global Head of Lean at AstraZeneca PLC.

John has learned what works and what doesn't through over 30 years of practical experience in all walks of business and life. As a result, he is a pragmatist who strongly believes that a simple common sense solution, done well by people who understand it, will always deliver better results than a complex one which may be better in theory, but more difficult to implement.

John has a BSc in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Manchester UK and an MSc in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the University of Warwick UK.