Art of Procurement

Profitability is more important than ever — and procurement leaders are more strategic than ever. Procurement is no longer just a cost center, a spender of money made by others in the enterprise. With the right tools and methodology, procurement can maximize every dollar of profit and discover every dollar of cost savings, positioning them to be critical drivers of the bottom line today - and into the future.. Adam Brown is Head of the Digital Garage at BT Procurement and a Senior Transformation Manager. In this podcast, based on an AOP Live session produced in partnership with Suplari, Adam talks about the expansive opportunities for value creation available to CPOs and procurement teams who have the vision to seize them. In response to questions from a live audience, Adam also explores cross functional collaboration, technology integration, and the measurable impact procurement can have on shareholder value. He answers questions such as: If procurement is trying to think forward into the future, how can we build a roadmap that helps us reach the outer extent of what’s possible. How can procurement leverage data visibility to support our internal influence without becoming a roadblock for others that need access to our data? What is the best way for procurement to reconcile the speed required for innovation and the typical (slow) pace of change seen in most large enterprises?

Today’s podcast is part of a special two-week series, our second annual sponsored StartUp and Growth Series, where we aim to shine a light on the early stage and growth companies who are changing the way that leading procurement teams are driving outcomes that truly align with corporate objectives. We will ask an entrepreneur from seven different companies questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action.  It’s a great way for you to get to know those who are leading the way. In today’s episode, I speak with Simon Geale, Managing Director of Suppleye.

Today’s podcast is part of a special two-week series, our second annual sponsored StartUp and Growth Series, where we aim to shine a light on the early stage and growth companies who are changing the way that leading procurement teams are driving outcomes that truly align with corporate objectives. We will ask an entrepreneur from seven different companies questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action.  It’s a great way for you to get to know those who are leading the way. In today’s episode, I speak with Jody Rowe, CEO of Promitheia.

Today’s podcast is part of a special two-week series, our second annual sponsored StartUp and Growth Series, where we aim to shine a light on the early stage and growth companies who are changing the way that leading procurement teams are driving outcomes that truly align with corporate objectives. We will ask an entrepreneur from seven different companies questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action.  It’s a great way for you to get to know those who are leading the way. In today’s episode, I speak with Adriano Garibotto, co-founder of Creactives

Today’s podcast is part of a special two-week series, our second annual sponsored StartUp and Growth Series, where we aim to shine a light on the early stage and growth companies who are changing the way that leading procurement teams are driving outcomes that truly align with corporate objectives. We will ask an entrepreneur from seven different companies questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action.  It’s a great way for you to get to know those who are leading the way. In today’s episode, I speak with Gregg Antenen, Executive Managing Director of Vistio.  Unlike the other providers in our series Vistio is not directly focused on procurement, but is a tool that procurement can help our stakeholder use in the call center category.

Today’s podcast is part of a special two-week series, our second annual sponsored StartUp and Growth Series, where we aim to shine a light on the early stage and growth companies who are changing the way that leading procurement teams are driving outcomes that truly align with corporate objectives. We will ask an entrepreneur from seven different companies questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action.  It’s a great way for you to get to know those who are leading the way. In today’s episode, I speak with Stephanie Lapierre, Founder and CEO of Tealbook. 

Today’s podcast is part of a special two-week series, our second annual sponsored StartUp and Growth Series, where we aim to shine a light on the early stage and growth companies who are changing the way that leading procurement teams are driving outcomes that truly align with corporate objectives. We will ask an entrepreneur from seven different companies questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action.  It’s a great way for you to get to know those who are leading the way. In today’s episode, I speak with Anders Lillevik, Founder of Focal Point.  

Today’s podcast is part of a special two-week series, our second annual sponsored StartUp and Growth Series, where we aim to shine a light on the early stage and growth companies who are changing the way that leading procurement teams are driving outcomes that truly align with corporate objectives. We will ask an entrepreneur from seven different companies questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action.  It’s a great way for you to get to know those who are leading the way. In today’s episode, I speak with Costas Xyloyiannis, CEO of HICX.  

Good negotiation skills are fundamental to procurement. They allow us to maximize value while simultaneously building resilient, low-cost supply chains. But now that procurement is moving towards collaborative partnerships with our suppliers, many are concerned that reducing direct competitive pressure will inadvertently allow higher pricing. Cost transparency allows procurement to balance collaboration and negotiation. By focusing on the primary material and service cost drivers of what is being negotiated, and using trends and should cost modeling, it is possible - and effective - to have fact-based pricing discussions with suppliers. Procurement can keep their prices in line with supplier costs and preserve the relationship by acknowledging the need to allow them overhead/gross margin and building both into the model. In this podcast, based on an AOP Live session, Rod Sherkin, Founder and President of ProPurchaser and a former CPO, answers live audience questions about: Whether procurement needs to take their relative size and buying power into consideration when using should cost modeling to manage a spend category If there is an approximate or ballpark overhead margin percentage procurement can use when building a first-pass should cost model How to introduce should cost models with incumbent suppliers where they have not been applied in the past

If you are relatively new to the field of procurement, there is a good chance you’ve never experienced an auction first-hand. With all of procurement’s focus on moving towards value and away from cost-only decision making, that’s understandable. Unfortunately, however, auctions are a valid tool in procurement’s vast toolbox, and in many cases we may be dismissing them - and their potential in a negotiation - without sufficient evaluation of the opportunity.  Jacob Gorm Larsen is the Head of Digital Procurement for Maersk and the author of the newly published book, “A Practical Guide to E-Auctions for Procurement: How to Maximize Impact with e-Sourcing and e-Negotiation.” From his perspective, an auction is simply “an online, market-driven negotiation, based on total value and with commitment.” That’s certainly not something procurement should take off the table when the conditions are right. In this conversation, Jacob and Host Philip Ideson discuss: The history of auctions as part of the longer timeline of procurement technology development How and when to use auctions to create maximum value for the business How to improve communications with suppliers so that both parties achieve their goals and to promote the creation of a lasting relationship The ways procurement organizations can structure themselves to ensure they get maximum ROI from their investments in technology