In 2009, Procurement Insights did a series of interviews and a panel with the leaders for providers I called the New Titans of the SaaS World series.
Joining me on June 25th 2009, to discuss their take on this changing of the guard were Anurag Dixit, Vice President, Marketing (Zycus); Steve Wargalla, Vice President, Foundation & Managing Director (QStrat); Rob Bernshteyn, Chief Executive Officer (Coupa), Leonora Valvo, Chief Executive Officer (aventri) and Rich Becks, Senior Vice President (E2open).
It would be an understatement to say that this was one of my most enjoyable and energized broadcasts, especially considering where these companies are today.
What prompted me to take this stroll down radio memory lane? The following graphic from October 2023:
What is your first thought when you look at a graphic like the one above?
Probably the same as mine – I know many of them by name, and only some by personal interaction and research. It also reminded me why I came up with the Emerging Titans of the SaaS World 2009 and wrote the recent article “Why it’s time for service provider leadership to step out from behind their organizations’ logos.”
“With today’s digital tech, the reliability of solutions from each provider working is not questioned. In short, it is no longer a “features, functions, benefits” Ben Franklin play . . . The critical play is not the tech but the expertise behind the tech – the market expertise and experience to leverage tech to solve a problem.”
Eating The Elephant – Figuratively
Having been in the high-tech world for over 40 years – and almost as long in procurement- I have witnessed some pretty impressive technological breakthroughs first-hand. By selling my software company for $12 million in 2001, I have even been a part of the evolutionary process.
In the old days, there was a saying that “no one ever got fired for buying IBM.” It was a time when the Big Blue sales team would enter a boardroom and, outnumbering the client at the table, offer a solution they could not get anywhere else. Today, it is no longer a land of the giants world as smaller, more creatively nimble providers have the technology stability to deliver outstanding results.
The gap we must now bridge, e.g., better understand, is the procurement industry experience and expertise behind that technology, as this is the key to converting opportunity and promise into tangible and optimal outcomes.
However, unlike in 2009, when the field of players was relatively small compared to the 2023 landscape, getting to know the people behind the tech can be like trying to eat an elephant in one bite.
A One Bite At A Time Plan
Starting today, I will go through each level of the provider stack from top to bottom and share with you my interviews and articles on the service provider leaders with whom I have personally engaged.
I am not talking about a “features, functions, and benefits” overview. I am talking about an unrehearsed, unedited, off-the-cuff discussion with the leaders behind these organizations. By getting to know the leaders, you will see their company and solutions in a brand new light. It will be a fun and enlightening process.
This week, we will kick off the series with a May 2020 video interview with TealBook’s Stephany Lapierre.
What About The Others
Referencing the Deloitte Chart, what do I know about the other data management companies?
To start, not much. However, I will be reaching out to these leaders in the coming weeks to see if I can connect with them so that you can also connect with them.
Remember, the strength and vision of any company begin with the leader. Here are the other leaders:
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Procurement Insights 
Posted on October 12, 2023
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