Prof De Villiers has made many contributions in the field of supply chain management. He obtained a BSc Eng (Civil), a BSc Eng Hons (Transportation Engineering) qualification as well as a Certificate in Logistics Management from the University of Pretoria. He also completed a BCom Hons (Transport Economics) at UNISA and a postgraduate Diploma (Logistics) at the University of Aston (UK). He is currently enrolled for an MSc (Logistics Management) at the University of Aston (UK).

Prof De Villiers started his career as a civil engineer at the former Transport Services (Spoornet) where he gained experience in railway engineering. After registering as a professional engineer he joined Jordaan and Joubert Consulting Transportation Engineers, later called African Consulting Engineers, where he was involved with transportation studies. He became Director of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Thereafter he joined Viamax Logistics in a management role. This position developed into logistics consultancy and he was transferred to LGA Logistics Consultants, a related company of Viamax where he specialised in the development of logistics strategies. In 1996 he merged business logistics, transport economy and transportation engineering at BKS Engineering and Management. He was subsequently transferred to Khuthele Projects, an associated company of BKS and was appointed as Divisional Director and Office Manager in Johannesburg.

During this period he was responsible for transportation planning, solid waste management strategies, logistics and supply chain management as well as part-time lecturing. In 2004 he joined the CSIR Centre for Logistics and Decision Support in Pretoria as a logistics specialist, where he focused on the development of the new Freight Logistics Strategy for South Africa. He later started Supply Chain Advantage (Pty) Ltd and continued with consulting and part-time lecturing at the University of Pretoria.

Prof Gerard De Villiers is a member of various local and international societies and has presented papers and seminars at conventions locally and abroad. He lectured on many occasions in logistics and supply chain management and acted as guest lecturer at the University of Auburn in Alabama and the University of Lugano in Switzerland. He served on numerous councils such as the SAICE Council, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and was a member of SAPICS. He was Chairman of the Interim Committee of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in South Africa (CILTSA) and the Panel of Judges of the Annual Logistics Achiever Awards. Since 2000 Prof Gerard de Villiers is Consulting Editor of Logistics News and was co-editor of Strategic Logistics Management in 2008.

According to Prof De Villiers, academic education is a prerequisite for a lucrative career. Professional positions require appropriate qualifications without which one will not be allowed to apply. However, achieving qualifications should never be seen as an objective in itself, but rather to prepare the student to add value in the working environment. The real importance is not the knowledge itself, but the process of learning. The best curriculum is a combination between good theory and world class best practice to prepare the students for a career which will allow them to work anywhere in the world. An academic qualification is the key to entering the global business world

Logistics and Supply Chain Management has developed into a professional discipline that provides the competitive edge for companies in the private as well as the public sector. Highly qualified logisticians and supply chain management practitioners are in great demand throughout industry and government sectors. “This is a global trend and we recently experienced in World Vision International a particular challenge to get suitably qualified and competent logistics professionals. Good academic qualifications in logistics and supply chain management will always be in high demand” says Prof De Villiers. He will be lecturing in Supply Chain Management and Logistics at the University of Pretoria.