Procurement Leaders

MARCH 11, 2024

Hands up if you’re either thinking about, have recently been through or currently undergoing a procurement operating model change. I have a suspicion – if you were to play the game – that a lot of virtual hands would be reaching for the sky right now. Why? Anecdotally, I’ve had several conversations with CPOs recently that have landed on the issue, which is one sure indicator, but another stronger indicator was last week’s CPO community call on the subject.

Influencing 130

Influencing Procurement Sustainability Data 130

Procurement Leaders

MARCH 4, 2024

“Procurement is not a job, it’s a responsibility,” are words that will be nagging at the minds of a hundred procurement executives, following an impassioned speech by Henkel CPO Bertrand Conqueret in Frankfurt last week. As a founding member of Together for Sustainability (TfS) and a cofounder of the Sustainable Procurement Pledge, Bertrand was taking advantage of a prompt offered by the outgoing CPO of Innio, Thomas Janvier.

Procurement 130

Procurement Sustainability Collaboration Influencing 130

Procurement Leaders

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

A few weeks ago, a LinkedIn post from one of our members provided a tantalising and hopeful glimpse into the future. This might be a bold claim but when Amanda Davies, Chief Procurement & Sustainability Officer at Mars Wrigley, announced that she was adding R&D to her remit to become Chief R&D, Procurement & Sustainability Officer, it provided a welcome reminder of the opportunity we have as a function.

Cost of ownership 130

Cost of ownership Agile and Lean Supply Chain Sustainability Procurement team 130

Procurement Leaders

FEBRUARY 19, 2024

The well-worn adage of culture eating strategy for breakfast has been around a few years. Attributed decades ago to one of the gurus of modern business philosophy, Peter Drucker, it’s a motto that argues that even the shiniest, most creative plans are worthless unless people feel empowered. Drucker’s principles underpin the approaches of just as many CEOs and business leaders today as they did when he first floated his ideas in the mid to late 20th century.

Procurement 130

Procurement Strategy Sourcing 130

Procurement Leaders

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

If you live in the UK or keep on top of the British news agenda, you may have seen a story over the past few days concerning a political party announcing a U-turn on its signature green investment policy. What was said? Sir Keir Starmer, leader of opposition Labour party, announced that its flagship £28bn/year green investment pledge would be reduced to £15bn/year, of which only £5bn would be new money.

Sustainability 130

Sustainability Influencing Procurement Risk 130

Procurement Leaders

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

It can be draining just reading about the chaos brought about by global risks that continue to hit the headlines; from Houthi Rebel strikes in the Red Sea to ongoing speculation about Chinese intentions towards Taiwan, to the potential fallout from “the year of elections”. That said, being on the sharp end of having to respond to some of these events is a different matter entirely, and it’s a situation that many in the Procurement Leaders community find themselves in constantly.

Supply Chain Efficiency 130

Supply Chain Efficiency Risk Suppliers Contract 130

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 29, 2024

In association with SAP: Discover the actions and capabilities that are enabling leading organisations to improve supply chain visibility

Supply Chain Efficiency 100

Supply Chain Efficiency Supply chain Supply Chain Visibility Supply 100

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 28, 2024

As we, and more than 40 CPOs from our global community of leaders, embark on the process of judging the World Procurement Awards 2024 , it was a privilege to look through many of the entries before our panel of experts get stuck into the process this coming week. It’s reassuring and inspiring to see both the impact being made by procurement, but also the passion with which those working in the function are going about their business.

Supply Chain Optimization 130

Supply Chain Optimization Influencing Innovation Sustainability 130

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 23, 2024

The concept of ‘energy transition’ fascinates me. It’s a simple phrase; one that rolls off the tongue and suggests a satisfyingly straightforward process – stop using one form of energy, start using another. Simple, clean, impactful. The reality, of course, is very different. Energy transition will be spectacularly difficult, messy and eye-wateringly expensive to achieve.

Chief Procurement Officer 268

Chief Procurement Officer Sustainability Procurement Supply chain 268

Procurement Leaders

DECEMBER 31, 2023

Today marks an inflection point for the world and for procurement. Climate change, artificial intelligence, geopolitical uncertainty, and demographic changes are among the trends reshaping the world as we know it. This great reshaping brings with it challenges, but also opportunities – especially for procurement. From driving down carbon emissions to embedding new autonomous AI technologies and reformatting supply chains, the function is one of the central enablers of these trends and the grow

Sustainability 130

Sustainability Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Efficiency Networking 130

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 16, 2024

Procurement Leaders’ CPO community will gather next Thursday to discuss the concept of early supplier involvement – a simple idea that formalises how key suppliers are involved early enough to contribute maximum value to a buying organisation’s strategic initiatives. Those procurement functions pursuing a deliberate supplier-enabled innovation programme will see the early involvement of suppliers as a positive thing.

Innovation 130

Innovation Suppliers Supply chain management Supply chain management 130

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 8, 2024

Just before the holidays, Jim Ridgwick, director of procurement at Save the Children, led a Procurement Leaders community session to share how he and his team had executed a significant digital transformation at the charity. The results of the transformation were profound: a 50% reduction in the number of days to delivery, as well as much tighter financial controls and supplier visibility in a sector where “because it’s a matter of life and death, speed is of the essence”.

Real-time Visibility 130

Real-time Visibility Procurement Inventory Suppliers 130

Procurement Leaders

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Global supply chains have endured severe disruptions in recent days as attacks on vessels in the Red Sea have forced some of the world’s largest shipping companies to reroute carriers around Africa. With this resulting in delays to shipments and – potentially – another spike in oil prices, here are the facts you need to know and some steps you can take now to manage the disruption.

Procurement 147

Procurement Price Supply chain Procurement team 147

Procurement Leaders

NOVEMBER 21, 2023

Like many within the procurement community, dsm firmenich’s deputy chief procurement officer Gianluca Colombo is a keen chef in his spare time. “I like cooking and discovering new recipes, he told Procurement Leaders. “I mean, sometimes the result is not that amazing but at least I discover new cultures.” Following the completion of the merger between DSM and Firmenich in May 2023, in his day job, Colombo finds himself breaking silos like a chef might eggs to ensure the s

Sourcing 130

Sourcing Chief Procurement Officer Sustainability Procurement 130

Procurement Leaders

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

In partnership with GEP: Insights into the long-term technological, geopolitical and ESG trends that will impact procurement teams this decade

Procurement team 100

Procurement team Procurement Risk management Sustainability 100

Procurement Leaders

AUGUST 25, 2023

Under increased pressure to save money, CPOs are being asked to do more with less. With the emergence of ESG and resilience in recent years as top priorities alongside the function’s bread and butter of cost savings, teams must now simultaneously deliver on short- and long-term corporate goals while maintaining the maximum levels of operational efficiency.

Strategic planning 130

Strategic planning Procurement Influencing Procurement team 130

Procurement Leaders

AUGUST 2, 2023

In my 27 years in procurement, I’ve rarely encountered a savings opportunity as lucrative as that offered by IR35 – the UK tax rules on off-payroll working. Implemented correctly, you’ll deliver seven- or even eight-figure annual savings, directly impacting the bottom line, not cost avoidance. The reality is that far too many procurement teams are missing the trick, believing that IR35 is too complex and that they face too many internal hurdles.

Procurement 182

Procurement Vendor management Procurement team Contract 182

Procurement Leaders

AUGUST 2, 2023

In association with Ivalua: Leaders must rethink their priorities, metrics, and how they position procurement as the function becomes synonymous with ESG

Procurement 100

Procurement Sustainability Strategy 100

Procurement Leaders

JULY 19, 2023

In partnership with Tradeshift: Making the right move before anyone else can deliver significant business benefits.

Procurement 130

Procurement 130

Procurement Leaders

JULY 10, 2023

With inflation driving down sales, manufacturers can only push costs up so much and they’re feeling the pinch. While the reflex for many will be to squeeze suppliers, this isn’t the solution. Pressuring suppliers to drop prices only limits the resources with which they can work. This blocks the value that manufacturing brands can draw from these businesses, such as dependable supply and information that prevents risk and attracts opportunities.

Suppliers 147

Suppliers Data Risk Sustainability 147

Procurement Leaders

JUNE 20, 2023

Every year, Procurement Leaders’ research team explores category planning for the next 12 months. In previous years, we have looked at competitive pressures, market dynamics and savings forecasts. This time, we are looking at maturity. There is a vigorous debate in the world of procurement about the speed at which we transform categories. Some pioneering CPOs launch ‘big bangs’ in which categories are rolled out across the business in one rapid blast.

Procurement team 147

Procurement team Procurement Influencing Buyers 147

Procurement Leaders

APRIL 6, 2023

UCB CPO Sebastien Bals sits down with Procurement Leaders’ chief product officer David Rae to share some insights into his function’s response to the ongoing polycrisis. Among other subjects, Bals reveals how the purchasing team at the Anderlecht-headquartered global pharmaceutical company has leveraged machine-learning technology to create a digital twin of its supply chain to uncover previously hidden vulnerabilities, as well as the steps buyers are taking to pre-qualify suppliers

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 130

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Efficiency Supply chain Supply 130

Procurement Leaders

MARCH 22, 2023

Tony Roberts, CPO of Urenco – the UK-headquartered international supplier of enrichment services and fuel cycle products for the civil nuclear industry – discusses the impact of his function’s new organisational structure, how the company’s journey to net-zero will impact its supply chain, as well as the importance of supporting suppliers in both the short and long term as businesses continue to grapple with the sustained impact of the polycrisis.

Supply Chain Efficiency 130

Supply Chain Efficiency Risk Supply chain Suppliers 130

Procurement Leaders

MARCH 10, 2023

Risk has become an increasingly important focus for Stockholm-headquartered consumer goods giant Electrolux, which has thousands of Tier-1 suppliers. With such a large supply base, it’s not surprising to hear the business faces many different threats, including cyber risks, material availability challenges and logistics risks – to name but three.

Collaboration 147

Collaboration Supply chain Management Risk management 147

Procurement Leaders

MARCH 6, 2023

From simmering geopolitical tensions to soaring energy costs and staff shortages, the challenges faced by businesses in recent months have been complex and interlinked, and procurement has a key role to play in tackling this “polycrisis”. At Procurement Leaders, we’ve been seeking out the community’s insights into how they’re dealing with these challenges and how they see things panning out in the months to come.

supply chain budgeting 189

supply chain budgeting Suppliers Risk Procurement 189

Procurement Leaders

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

Miguel Gonzalez is no stranger to choppy waters. Long before he embarked on his career in procurement, the CPO of multinational chemicals behemoth DuPont spent six years in the Spanish Navy before his circumstances changed and he came to realise life at sea was not conducive to raising a family. “I thought that was going to be my career. But, I met my wife, we got married and had a kid, and I realised that being in the navy and having a family were not compatible, so I quit,” he tells Proc

Risk 130

Risk Risk management Import Price 130

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 27, 2023

It has long been said that procurement has a unique 360-degree view of the value chain and that is especially true of Tim Snow, CPO and VP of procurement, commercial contracts and insurance at satellite service provider Inmarsat. As the individual in charge of money coming in and money flowing out, it’s only natural that Snow has set his team up in a way that differs vastly from many traditional procurement functions. “Procurement is structured based on the stakeholders we work with,

Risk 162

Risk Supply Chain Efficiency Management Supply chain 162

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 16, 2023

As a former farmer with some 10 years’ experience, Nestlé CPO Patricia Stroup is all too aware of the threats that can impact Nestlé. “I grew up on a farm and I had a farm for 10 years as my first job out of college. My after-school job during high school was milking cows,” she says. “Geopolitical crises, supply chain disruption, inflation – all of those, of course, are a problem.

Risk 246

Risk Management Risk management Strategic planning 246

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 13, 2023

From the technology sector to banking and retail, soaring costs and persistent uncertainty have led companies to cut thousands of jobs in the second half of 2022. US employers announced a total of 76,835 job cuts in November 2022 – a 127% increase on the October figures, according to a report from employment consultant Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Sustainability 130

Sustainability Procurement team Procurement Risk 130

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 5, 2023

On the face of it, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent decision to abandon much of the country’s strict ‘zero-Covid’ protocols in December 2022 has the potential to be a boon for global businesses. After three years of severe restrictions, the opening up of the world’s second-largest market provides huge trading opportunities that could have knock-on benefits for the global economy.

Supply Chain Efficiency 130

Supply Chain Efficiency Procurement Supply chain Suppliers 130

Procurement Leaders

JANUARY 3, 2023

Despite the external difficulties that swirl around his function, IBM CPO and chair of Procurement Leaders’ advisory board, Bob Murphy, remains calm and focused. This is something he, in part, ascribes to his exercise regimen. “I’m an avid golfer… but one of the things I do regularly, and it really helps me – especially in these times of turbulent change – is I practise yoga.

Procurement 147

Procurement Innovation Suppliers Collaboration 147

Procurement Leaders

DECEMBER 9, 2022

As the conflict in Ukraine compounds the effects of supply chain and economic upheaval wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic, organisations are increasingly reviewing their networks to avoid future disruption. Amid heightened sensitivity towards risk, much attention has focused on China, where evolving relations with the US and others, as well as factors such as the country’s zero-Covid policy and tensions surrounding Taiwan, have helped fuel unease.

Export 217

Export Risk Supply chain Strategy 217

Procurement Leaders

DECEMBER 9, 2022

Privately held Italian food company Barilla, which started life almost 150 years ago in the northern Italian city of Parma, is today the world’s leading pasta maker – having almost 25% of the Italian market and producing the beloved food staple in 160 different shapes and sizes. Along with several leading pasta brands, it produces a wide range of breads and other cereal-based products, via production plants throughout Europe, as well as North and South America.

Risk 130

Risk Suppliers Risk management Buyers 130

Procurement Leaders

DECEMBER 9, 2022

Swiss biopharmaceutical company Ferring is a leader in reproductive and maternal health, with manufacturing facilities in Europe, the Americas, China and India. Here, CPO Eric Espinasse describes some of the strategies he has employed to manage the market volatility, from building up inventory to advanced segmentation and closer supplier relationships.

Suppliers 147

Suppliers Bill of materials Raw materials Supplier relationship management 147

Procurement Leaders

DECEMBER 9, 2022

Danish biotechnology company Novozymes is a leader in the research, development and production of industrial enzymes, microorganisms and biopharmaceutical ingredients. With operations all over the world, and sourcing offices in Denmark, North America and China, its supply chain is exposed to a huge scope of complex challenges, across categories of spend including agriculture, chemicals, and enzymes, among others.

Collaboration 162

Collaboration Supply Chain Efficiency Raw materials Supplier relationship management 162

Procurement Leaders

DECEMBER 9, 2022

After years of firefighting, CPOs are leading their teams into an era of data-driven resilience – enabling their teams to deliver new sources of value. Dive deeper to discover the future of the function.

Sourcing 246

Sourcing Data Risk management Sustainability 246

Procurement Leaders

SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

Speakers and panellists took to the stage at this year’s World Procurement Congress (WPC) in London accompanied by the thumping strains of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’ Given the events roiling the supply chain at the time, the rock’n roll veterans’ ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ might have been a more appropriate soundtrack.

Supply Chain Efficiency 195

Supply Chain Efficiency Procurement team Buyers Procurement 195