Christine Rutherford

Christine Rutherford is a Professor of Supply Chain Management at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh Business School and currently serves as Associate Executive Dean (Education & Student Life). She holds visiting professorships at Copenhagen Business School, Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, and the Northern Institute of Technology Management. With over 25 years in academia and industry, her expertise spans supply chain strategy design, logistics optimization, and educational leadership. She leads the academic integrity of over 60 programs across Heriot-Watt's global campuses, overseeing 12,000+ students.

Her research focuses on practical supply chain solutions, including horizontal collaboration in FMCG logistics, reverse supply chains for WEEE, and blood product supply chain integration. She has collaborated with organizations like the Kuehne Foundation to enhance logistics education in developing countries, supporting academics in Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Nigeria. Her educational innovations emphasize experiential learning and employability skills.

Rutherford has held leadership roles such as Head of Business Management and Director of Logistics Programs. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and has received awards including the 2013 Best Teacher Award. Her work aligns with UN SDGs related to sustainable cities, responsible consumption, and industry innovation.

• Education:
  • PhD in Physical Chemistry (University of Hull, 1994)
  • Executive MSc in Logistics & Supply Chain Management (Cranfield School of Management, 2002)
• Labs/Teams: Leads the Logistics Education Programme with the Kuehne Foundation and collaborates on global supply chain resilience initiatives.
• Grants/Awards: Recognized for best conference paper (2005) and educational excellence (2013).