Yosef (Yossi) Sheffi

Elisha Gray II Professor of Engineering Systems
Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Yossi Sheffi is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he serves as Director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics. He is an expert in systems optimization, risk analysis and supply chain management, which are the subjects he teaches and researches at MIT. He is the author of numerous scientific publications and a textbook on transportation networks optimization. Under his leadership, the Center launched many new educational, research, and industry/government outreach programs, leading to substantial growth. He is the founder and the director of MIT's Master of Engineering degree. In 2003 he launched the MIT-Zaragoza program, building a new logistics university in Spain based on a unique international academia, government and industry partnership. From 2007 to 2011 he served as the director of the MIT Engineering Systems Division, where he set a strategy, revamped the PhD program, and set the division for future growth. In 2008 he launched the Center for Latin-American Logistics Innovation in Bogota, Colombia, with participation of dozens of Latin-American universities and businesses. In 2011 Yossi launched the Malaysia Institute for Supply Chain Innovation (MISI), a partnership between CTL and the government of Malaysia. His latest book "The Resilient Enterprise: Overcoming Vulnerability for Competitive Advantage" was published by MIT Press in September 2005.

Outside the university Professor Sheffi has consulted with governments and leading manufacturing, retail and transportation enterprises all over the world. He is also an active entrepreneur:

• In 1987 he co-founded PTCG, the leading supplier of optimization-based decision support systems to the transportation industry. He sold this firm to The Sabre Group Inc. (part of AMR, the parent of American Airlines) in 1996.

• In 1988 he co-founded LogiCorp Inc., the first non-asset based 3PLs in the US. In 1994 LogiCorp was sold to Ryder Systems Inc. and is now operating as Ryder Integrated Logistics (RIL).

• In 1998 he co-founded e-Chemicals Inc., an electronic commerce company providing Internet-based supply chain management solutions. E-Chemicals was acquired in 2000 by AspenTech of Cambridge, MA.

• In 1999 he co-founded Syncra Inc., a software company dedicated to the development of business-to-business collaboration software with an emphasis on the retail industry and the CPFR standard. Syncra was acquired by Retek Inc. in 2004.

• In 2000 he founded Logistics.com Inc., a decision support systems provider for the transportation and logistics industry. In 2002 Logistics.com was acquired by Manhattan Associates Inc.

Dr. Sheffi was recognized in numerous ways in academic and industry forums and was on the cover of Purchasing Magazine and Transportation and Distribution Magazine. In 1997 he won the most prestigious recognition given by the Council of Logistics Management - the Distinguished Service Award. In 2010 he became an honorary Doctor (Doctor Honoris Causa) of the University of Zaragoza in Spain and in 2011 he was awarded the Salzberg Medal and Award for "outstanding leadership and innovations in Supply Chain management" by the University of Syracuse. He is also a life fellow of Cambridge University's Clare Hall College.

He obtained his B.Sc. from the Technion in Israel in 1975, his S.M. from MIT in 1977, and Ph.D. from MIT in 1978. He now resides in Boston, Massachusetts.