“I think a large part of the ESG model is about bringing each other up together – capacity building – and learning from each other.” - Adam Hunt, Global SVP Procurement & Subcontracting, Exyte While ESG is becoming a top-line priority for the C-suite, the regulations, laws, expectations, and concepts underlying ESG are still relatively new – new to procurement and to the business as a whole. They can be challenging to pin down.  ESG is broad and complex, with each region, industry, or organization defining and measuring success in different ways.   Philip Ideson recently had the opportunity to speak with Adam Hunt, Global SVP Procurement and Subcontracting at Exyte, about the most important issues driving the current conversation around ESG and how procurement can evolve and elevate their ESG programs to meet the increasing interest coming from company leadership.  Along with a discussion of AI’s role in all this, they also discussed:  How to build a globally successful ESG program by understanding regional and cultural differences and regulations How to use data to power your ESG program The art of setting ESG targets that balance the attainable with the aspirational Links: Adam Hunt on LinkedIn Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“There is this misconception that procurement pros are paper-pushers – that we are not strategic, or we are not business partners – and we are just there to move things from one place to another.” - KR Barron, Principal Product Marketing Manager at Productiv Sourcing and purchasing software, especially SaaS solutions, is often a source of major friction for procurement. Tight timelines, complex stakeholder networks, difficult collaborations, and entrenched misconceptions can lead to missed opportunities not only for procurement but for the business as a whole. Fortunately, many of the challenges associated with software purchasing are rooted in commonly held myths that, when looked at more closely, are easily busted, paving the way for procurement to elevate their role in the process.  In this episode, based on an AOP Live Session, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner engage in some much-needed myth-busting with Aubrey Zimmerman, Procurement Analyst at Lattice, and KR Barron, Principal Product Marketing Manager at Productiv. They also share insights from recent research on software procurement that explores how procurement can simplify software decisioning and better align with the business.  In this episode, they discuss: Common myths surrounding procurement’s role in software purchasing and how these myths can negatively impact the business as a whole How procurement can build a single source of truth for software decisioning and utilization How procurement can start to change negative perceptions about the role they play in software purchasing and demonstrate their full value Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement KR Barron on LinkedIn Aubrey Zimmerman on LinkedIn Watch again: Busted! Demystifying Software Procurement

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“In procurement, we have a perception of the world we’re in, and we put boundaries around ourselves. But we have to explore beyond those boundaries and think about what we can do that will be different and better.” - Stephen Ashcroft A seismic shift is underway in procurement. Teams are adapting to a rapidly changing global business landscape and new technological realities. The best procurement leaders will take advantage of this transformational period to develop new strategies, tactics, and tools that will elevate their impact and position procurement as an invaluable partner for the business. In this episode, Philip Ideson goes one-on-one for a second time with global procurement thought leader, entrepreneur, and influencer Stephen Ashcroft, founder of the innovative new procurement professional development program Map & Territory. Steve, the former Head of Procurement for the African Development Bank, shares the greatest lessons he learned from his procurement experience in over 40 countries. They discuss:  The 3 most valuable skills every procurement leader needs to succeed today Where procurement is most underrated, and how to turn that around How a different approach to professional development and community building, like Map & Territory, can help procurement rise and adapt to new global realities  Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Stephen Ashcroft on LinkedIn Setting the Standard for Procurement Across Africa w/ Steve Ashcroft Map & Territory: A Procurement Leadership Program  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Once you have clean data, it becomes a business asset. You can now answer questions from it. When it’s sitting there in a data swamp – it’s not even a data lake – you cannot leverage any type of insights from it.” - Robert Birch, Director, Data & Analytics, SpendHQ Without a strong foundation of reliable, clean, and accessible data, it is difficult for procurement to achieve and sustain success, and it may also expose the business to increased risk, waste, and missed opportunities.  Data underpins every decision procurement makes, and it should never be an afterthought. So how should procurement approach some of their most common data quality problems, and what kind of resources and approaches do they need to create the ideal data environment that will support differentiated decision making?  To answer these questions and more around procurement’s complicated relationship with data, Philip Ideson recently spoke with Andy Moir, Director of Product Marketing, Mitchell Couper, Vice President Delivery and Business Intelligence, Robert Birch, Director, Data and Analytics, all from SpendHQ. In this episode, they discuss: The importance of prioritizing, improving, and maintaining data quality Assessing your data maturity and the value of data enrichment Where AI can (and can’t) support data hygiene and management Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Andy Moir on LinkedIn Mitchell Couper on LinkedIn Robert Birch on LinkedIn  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“If procurement wants to have an outsized impact, they need to provide value in a way that alters how decision making happens.” - Philip Ideson, Founder and Managing Director of Art of Procurement In this episode, Philip Ideson, Founder and CEO of Art of Procurement, welcomes the procurement community into 2024 by continuing an annual tradition of sharing his perspective on the most important issues, challenges, and opportunities procurement is likely to face in the new year.   Technologies like AI are now changing the face of the profession we love and today’s uncertain macro environment shows no signs of abating. Collaboration between procurement, supply chain, finance, HR, operations, IT, and all other business functions are more important than ever before.  Amid all of these changes and existential reckonings, Philip encourages procurement to look inward and think deeply about 3 key questions in 2024: What is the purpose of procurement in your organization? How can you create a true competitive advantage, and what are you doing to achieve that? How are you driving differentiated decision making in 2024? Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Philip Ideson on LinkedIn 3 Key Messages to Procurement Leaders in 2023 2021 Annual Letter (Part 1): Day 1 for Procurement 2021 Annual Letter (Part 2): Celebrating Successes and Looking Forward 2019 Annual Letter (Part 1): Procurement In Review 2019 Annual Letter (Part 2): Art of Procurement In Review AOP 2018 Annual Letter (Part 1): Procurement in Review AOP 2018 Annual Letter (Part 2): Art of Procurement in Review  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“I think it is really important not to assume that just trying to tie everything to revenue is the right answer … I think we should tie everything to the value and the outcomes perceived by our stakeholders.” - Dan French, CEO at Consider Solutions Procurement has long struggled with feeling as though they are an underappreciated or undervalued function that receives less support, advocacy, and budget than other areas of the business – especially revenue-driving areas, like sales or marketing.  As Dan French, CEO at Consider Solutions, said in the opening session of Mastermind LIVE 2023, not only is this perception a little misguided (and likely not doing procurement any favors either), but it also can lead to an over-reliance on revenue contribution as procurement’s key performance metric.  Instead, he says, procurement has to understand that their existential angst is not unique. Every business unit is fighting for relevance (and resources) and delivering real value requires procurement to look at more than just cost savings and create a more “balanced scorecard” of what success looks like. In this episode, Dan talks with Philip Ideson about: How to build a balanced performance measurement framework that reflects procurement’s real value contribution The importance of aligning with the business versus going rogue when it comes to goals and KPIs What procurement keeps getting wrong about their own role in the business Links: Dan French on LinkedIn Mastermind LIVE 2023 on Demand Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

You can’t build a community based on the power of a podcast if you don’t love listening to them yourself. All year long, the Art of Procurement team is interviewing, producing, and promoting podcast interviews with some of the most interesting people in the field. In this episode, Helen Mackenzie, Head of Sales and Community at Art of Procurement, takes over hosting responsibilities to share the five interviews she thinks of as 2023’s chart toppers. She also enlists a bit of help from our Procurement 6 announcer to count them down. Listen in for a recap of Helen’s picks of the year: Stephane Morel and his category workbench, a place where all the tools procurement needs are in one place, making work so much easier. Advice on shifting priorities and procurement’s ability to adjust from Matt Reddington and Mu Wagh from Procure Analytics  Vendr’s Emily Campbell and Nick Pinkman digging into the darkness to address the topic of shadow spend Katherine McCleery, a B2B brand marketing expert, on how important procurement’s brand is to getting engagement and making an impact. And her #1 pick - A powerful example of using procurement as a force for good: Tim Nelson, CEO of the charities Hope for Justice and Slave Free Alliance, talking about how we can help combat slavery in today’s supply chains    Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Navigating the Perfect Storm Using Category Management with Stephane Morel Strengthening Your Corporate Culture to Survive Challenging Economic Times with Mu Wagh and Matt Reddington Stop Shadow Spend in Its Tracks With Improved Data Visibility with Emily Campbell and Nick Pinkman How to Know When Procurement Needs a Rebrand with Katherine McCleery Enlisting Procurement in the Fight to Eradicate Modern Day Slavery with Tim Nelson

Long time listeners of the Art of Procurement podcast will know that the team hosts a related podcast, Dial P for Procurement, every Thursday. The show, which is hosted by AOP Head of Content and Operations Kelly Barner, is part of the Art of Procurement family, but runs in its own podcast feed.  Episodes air every Thursday and they have a different format than Art of Procurement. Most of the topics are pulled from the headlines and are covered as heavily researched solo pods. Don’t worry though - there isn’t a dull moment. Dial P for Procurement provides up to the moment storytelling about trending supply chain and general business news. Looking all the way back to the beginning of the year has a way of putting everything into perspective. In this episode, Kelly does just that - following the lead of the listening audience: Going back to the beginning of the year to see which Dial P for Procurement episodes had the greatest number of downloads. Taking some of the ‘honorable mention’ episodes topics and running a LinkedIn pulse poll to see which one the procurement social media community thinks best represented the general tone of 2023.  Listen to this week’s episode to find out the social media ‘business sentiment’ pick as well as the top 3 downloaded episodes of the year. Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Listen to Dial P for Procurement on Art of Procurement Dial P for Procurement on Apple Podcasts  Dial P for Procurement on Spotify Dial P for Procurement on Google Podcasts    Episodes and newsletters referenced: The Power and Danger of Asking Good Questions Socrates: Ignorant Influencer or Disruptive Thinker? A GAAP in Judgement at Kraft Heinz I’ll Gladly Pay You Tuesday for a Hamburger Today Loss Aversion Theory and the Collapse of SVB We are Hardwired to Avoid Loss More than Risk Case Dismissed: Spencer Patton Prevails Over FedEx The Fine Line Between Free Speech and Commercial Speech Reading FedEx Ground the RICO Act  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“ESG… should be integrated as much as possible into existing processes, structures, and policies because there are so many synergistic effects to be gained.” - Alexander Hellwig, Editor Sustainability & Compliance, IntegrityNext Historically, regulatory requirements drove most of the momentum and investment in ESG. It was another, albeit critical, corporate box to tick, but rarely considered in relation to revenue-driving areas of the business.  Pressure from consumers, investors, and business leaders is causing a shift in this mindset, and ESG is quickly becoming a top-line business priority, one that cannot and should not be ignored.  To learn more about how to build and scale a strong ESG program, Philip Ideson recently spoke with Alexander Hellwig, Editor Sustainability & Compliance, and Jared Ridgley, Head of Sales US, both from IntegrityNext.  They also discussed: Perceptions and misconceptions around what ESG really means today The most important ESG topics everyone should be aware of in 2024 How to leverage emerging technology to build supply chain transparency and integrate ESG into every facet of the business Links: Jared Ridgley on LinkedIn Alexander Hellwig on LinkedIn Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Purchasing has always been finally responsible for quality, cost, and delivery, but with some of the global challenges we’ve had in the last five years, purchasing has mutated into supply chain, and we have taken over a lot of those responsibilities.” - Stephen Tonks, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Fujikura Automotive Europe Procurement and supply chain are usually designated as two separate functions within organizations, each with different lines of reporting and operational structures. As procurement’s role has evolved and the value they bring to the business has expanded beyond sourcing or cost and into strategy, purchasing and supply chain are becoming more intertwined than ever before. To understand the relationship between purchasing and supply chain and what this means for the evolving role of procurement as a key strategic partner and relationship facilitator for the business, Philip Ideson spoke with Stephen Tonks, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Fujikura Automotive Europe.  Stephen emphasizes the importance of purchasing and supply chain being constantly aligned and focused on the overall goals, challenges, and needs of the business as a whole.  In this episode, he discusses:  How purchasing and supply chain can support each other and find greater alignment to deliver more value for the business The importance of relationships, both internal and external, to supply chain health and transparency How procurement can leverage customer insights and relationships to drive business value and optimize the supply chain Links: Stephen Tonks Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“The most successful procurement teams have a strong ability to articulate what they’re doing in the context of overall business objectives.” - Aaron Addicoat, Senior Manager at Deloitte  We live and work in a time characterized by global supply chain disruptions, inflationary conditions, the pandemic, and a war for talent. As a result, procurement has come under increasing pressure to “do more with less,” and deliver value in areas where they have not traditionally made direct contributions.  To better understand the evolving nature of procurement and, in particular, what distinguishes the highest performing teams or, “Orchestrators of Value,” from the rest of the pack, Deloitte made this the focus of their 2023 Global Chief Procurement Officer survey.  Philip Ideson recently spoke with Aaron Addicoat, Senior Manager, and Ryan Flynn, Principal, both from Deloitte, about Orchestrators of Value and how procurement teams can adapt their strategies to increase performance and drive more impact.  In the episode, Aaron and Ryan discuss:  How procurement Orchestrators of Value outpace their peers in terms of savings, performance, and relationships How communicating procurement’s value proposition increases their reputation and influence within the business  Key areas of focus for procurement moving forward, including operating models, talent strategies, and digital maturity Links: Aaron Addicoat on LinkedIn Ryan Flynn on LinkedIn 2023 Global Chief Procurement Officer Survey Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Today, if we’re recruiting fresh talent, the right resource pool is not available. That talent incubation is not happening, which primarily means we need universities recognizing procurement as a discipline and making sure that individuals acquire a certain level of skills and are ready to be injected into the corporate setup.” - Nishish Saxena, Head of Terminals Procurement, India and Middle East, Maersk For years now, procurement has often been seen as a back-office function responsible for finding and managing suppliers and cutting costs, and not as a strategic superpower that can support the overall goals and growth of the entire business.  In part, procurement’s ‘perception problem’ and reputation as an undervalued and misunderstood function has to do with the way talent is, or isn’t, developed and how a lack of institutional and educational support is doing a collective disservice to procurement leaders and the discipline as a whole.  Philip Ideson recently spoke with Nishish Saxena, Head of Terminals Procurement, India and Middle East, at Maersk, about his personal views on why procurement is so often undervalued as a strategic partner. In this episode, they discuss:  The evolution of procurement’s value creation potential beyond supply chain and cost management How educational institutions can help establish procurement as a critical strategic business discipline and stop the perpetuation of misconceptions about their value potential The core skill set procurement needs to strengthen their capabilities and elevate their brand Links: Nishish Saxena on LinkedIn  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the LavenirAI team about the current and future impact of AI on procurement. In each episode, they explore key aspects of the topic to prepare procurement for the changes to come, and for the changes that are already here.  In this fourth and final episode in the series, Philip Ideson speaks with Clive R. Heal, Founder and CEO, and Bill Michels, Chief Commercial Officer, both from LavenirAI, to bring all the concepts discussed in the series together and consider the overall impact AI is and will have in shaping the future of procurement.  Key topics include:  How AI will change procurement-stakeholder and procurement-supplier relationships The rise of virtual reality, augmented reality, and conversational AI in procurement How procurement can embrace a new AI-powered reality Links: Clive R. Heal on LinkedIn Bill Michels on LinkedIn [POD] Special Series: AI-Empowered Procurement  

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the LavenirAI team about the current and future impact of AI on procurement. In each episode, they explore key aspects of the topic to prepare procurement for the changes to come, and for the changes that are already here.   In the third episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Bill Michels, Chief Commercial Officer at LavenirAI, to talk about how procurement can leverage automation to be more successful. Key topics include: Embracing automation to achieve next-level efficiency and stronger data sets Stronger predictive analytics, forecasting, and planning through automation The rise of data scientists and automation specialists as key players in procurement Links: Bill Michels on LinkedIn [POD] Special Series: AI-Empowered Procurement  

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the LavenirAI team about the current and future impact of AI on procurement. In each episode, they explore key aspects of the topic to prepare procurement for the changes to come, and for the changes that are already here.   In this second episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Bill Michels, Chief Commercial Officer at LavenirAI, to discuss the impact of automation on procurement and how procurement needs to adapt their skills to thrive in an increasingly automated, AI-powered world.  Key topics include: Procurement’s most valuable skills going forward Where procurement should invest in skills development today The impact of AI on job functions, individual roles, and hiring Links: Bill Michels on LinkedIn [POD] Special Series: AI-Empowered Procurement  

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the LavenirAI team about the current and future impact of AI on procurement. In each episode, they explore key aspects of the topic to prepare procurement for the changes to come, and for the changes that are already here.  In this first episode, Philip is joined by Clive R. Heal, Founder and CEO at LavenirAI, to explore what the procurement metaverse is, how to leverage it, and the transformational impact it is already having on procurement today. Key topics include: The procurement metaverse, what it is and how it will impact procurement’s day-to-day Procurement’s skill set of the future Embracing opportunity and facing fears around AI Links: Clive R. Heal on LinkedIn [POD] Special Series: AI-Empowered Procurement

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“We have the opportunity to do more, to shape the role of the procurement, shape the expectations that the C-suite has of procurement, define what procurement can do, and link that to the other capabilities that procurement has. That’s what a good procurement roadmap should do.” - Len Prokopets, Managing Director, Procurement and Outsourcing Advisory at KPMG Procurement has experienced unprecedented change and disruption in the past several years. Procurement operating models and priorities continue to evolve as new trends take hold, including economic turmoil, ESG, supply disruptions, shifting workforce dynamics, new regulatory requirements, and technology innovations such as generative AI.  Procurement must navigate these changes to help the broader organization adapt, innovate, and deliver. To help their clients understand this changing environment and benchmark their strategies and investment priorities, KPMG recently conducted a survey of 400 global procurement leaders. The study captured insights on procurement’s current challenges, goals, and priorities as well as the path forward. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Dipan Karumsi, Principal and Leader of Procurement and Outsourcing Advisory at KPMG, and Len Prokopets, Managing Director, Procurement and Outsourcing Advisory, discuss key market insights from the survey with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner. Their guidance for forward-looking procurement leaders includes: The key investments that procurement leaders are making in response to today’s challenges and priorities  What savings levels procurement organizations are targeting going forward How procurement budgets and headcount are likely to change Emerging technologies being adopted and implemented Links: Dipan Karumsi on LinkedIn Len Prokopets on LinkedIn Watch Again: Rising to the Challenge: Driving Procurement Excellence in 2023 Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“It's important for providers to understand it’s not just about providing technology, but a solution that actually drives value. They have a responsibility to ensure that the implementation and adoption go well because it has a long-term effect.”  - Chris Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group Evaluating P2P solution providers can be challenging, but it is critical for procurement to tailor how they assess and select their solutions to the specific needs and expectations of their stakeholders. Procurement should look for solution providers that fit into ongoing transformation initiatives and align with their organization’s maturity level while also relying on data-driven benchmarking to evaluate their best options. Philip Ideson recently spoke with Andy Warzecha, Principal and Chief Market Intelligence Officer, Christopher Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader, and Rick Gardner, Director, from The Hackett Group. They discussed how procurement can implement The Hackett Value Matrix to create new opportunities for innovation and improvement.  In this conversation they address:  How to drive more cost savings and value for the organization The impact of AI in the procurement solution space How to increase adoption to achieve greater spend visibility Procurement’s ability to generate value beyond savings   Links: Andy Warzecha on LinkedIn Christopher Sawchuk on LinkedIn Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Developing trustworthy and reliable suppliers is critical to your business, and maintaining those relationships is beneficial to the organization as a whole.” - Saurabh Mehta, Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Partner of Ops and Performance at Consus Global  Developing strong supplier relationships can have a profound impact on the overall health of a business and it is one of procurement’s most critical responsibilities.  While a certain subset of suppliers may fulfill a tactical role, others have the potential to be true collaborators alongside procurement in driving value for the business - if procurement can undergo a mindset shift in the way they think about, approach, value, and measure supplier relationships.  In this episode, based on an Art of Procurement webinar, Kelly Barner explores this mindset shift with Saurabh Mehta, Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Partner of Ops and Performance, and Manish Agarwal, Vice President of Supply Chain, both from Consus Global.  In the episode, they discuss: How and in what ways supplier relationships have changed in recent years Why procurement should work to understand the supplier’s perspective How a strong supplier relationship does (or doesn’t) affect pricing Tactical and strategic tips for building strong, healthy relationships with suppliers   Links: Saurabh Mehta on LinkedIn Manish Agarwal on LinkedIn Watch Again: Next Level Supplier Relationships Download: Procurement Digitization: The need of the hour? Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“You need to know your suppliers, what they can and what they can’t do, and what they’re ready to do on top of the relationship you have every day. In an unstable supply chain, you need to invent new rules.” - Olivier Berrouiguet, President & CEO, Synertrade The increasing complexity and volatility in the global supply chain is putting more pressure on procurement to level up their approach to risk management. But resource-constrained teams and a varied network of stakeholders with different understandings of “risk” means procurement has to work smarter, not harder, to be successful.  Philip Ideson recently spoke with Olivier Berrouiguet, President and CEO of Synertrade, to get his perspective on how procurement can improve their approach to third party risk management and, perhaps most importantly, how they can adjust their strategy to meet the needs of the moment, which is increasingly defined by instability, risk, and disruption.  In this podcast episode, Philip and Olivier discuss: How sustained supply chain volatility is changing the way procurement should approach risk management The often overlooked connection between supplier relationship management and supply chain risk management Why a more holistic approach to risk management is needed for direct, indirect, and services procurement The role of technology and generative AI in shaping the future of risk management solutions Links: Olivier Berrouiguet on LinkedIn Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“If you want to be successful in what you do personally or professionally, you’ve got to manage relationships because the show goes on. You need strong relationships with contractors and suppliers that you know can deliver.” - Matt Mehler, President of PROcurement Solutions Have you ever wondered what it is like to manage procurement for a large, high-profile venue? According to Matt Mehler, former VP of Procurement for Madison Square Garden, it’s exciting, but there’s also a tremendous amount of pressure. Madison Square Garden is a large corporate entity that hosts hundreds of sporting and entertainment events per year, welcoming millions of people to its facilities, which also include entertainment venues off site and even in other cities. In this podcast episode, the opening session of Categorypalooza 2023, Kelly Barner interviews Matt about the complexities and challenges that come along with managing procurement for a large venue with many different types of services. They discuss topics like: How to manage services procurement in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment The pivotal role relationships play in large-scale services spend management Managing expectations and measuring success in a complex organization with multiple stakeholders Navigating the nuances of supplier relationship and performance management in an advertiser- or sponsor-supported organization Links: Matt Mehler on LinkedIn Watch on demand: Categorypalooza 2023 Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“When you can demonstrate short-term success and communicate it – both inside and outside the company – it helps to smooth the pathway to the funding, staffing, and commitment required for longer-term impactful change.” – Lois Eichacker, VP of Customer Success, Supplier.io Supplier diversity is one of the most meaningful, impactful, and important corporate programs led by procurement, and a growing number of organizations are making supplier diversity a top priority. But creating a scalable supplier diversity program that can grow with the business, withstand changing political and economic landscapes, and sustain itself over time requires a unique set of strategies and tactics. To better understand how procurement can build a strong supplier diversity program, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner spoke with Daniel Dorr, VP of Marketing, and Lois Eichacker, VP of Customer Success, both from Supplier.io. As Daniel and Lois shared, a solid supplier diversity program is characterized by transparency, clear communication of expectations, and data-driven decision making. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Daniel and Lois discuss:  The importance of a solid spend baseline for supplier diversity growth How procurement can secure buy-in from decision makers Category-specific strategies for supplier diversity growth  Links: Daniel Dorr on LinkedIn Lois Eichacker on LinkedIn Watch the Replay: Simple Steps for Growing Supplier Diversity Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Services are relationship-based from a procurement perspective, whether that means the relationship procurement needs to have with the business to be successful or the relationship the company has with the service provider.” - Philip Ideson. This week’s episode of the podcast provides a behind the scenes look at Art of Procurement’s ongoing research into services procurement - research that everyone in our listening audience and social following is encouraged to participate in.  Management of services categories has changed substantially in recent years, driven by the rise of contract work, freelancing, and contingent labor. With an increasing number of professionals working remotely, the barriers to accessing external talent are undergoing yet another adjustment. In this conversation, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner talk through some of the data points that form the core of the survey, sharing their perspective on the business outcomes and procurement processes in question. Procurement organizations in all industries and geographies will want to benchmark themselves against the following themes covered in the survey, which only takes 5-7 minutes to complete: Ownership over ‘make v. buy’ decisions related to talent and staffing needs Procurement’s consultative role in the process for establishing service specifications How companies decide which services are strategic - and which are not Links: The 2023 Services Procurement Survey  Philip Ideson on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Subscribe to AOP’s This Week in Procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“If you look at the strategic sourcing process, I think it was made for complex categories. That’s one of the things that makes this so exciting as a potential lighthouse project. It’s a great opportunity for procurement to say, ‘This is why we do this. This is all of the value we can add.’” – Benjamin Lambert, Principal at Efficio Navigating complex spend categories can be challenging for procurement – the stakes tend to be high, stakeholder resistance is real, and the category may be nuanced or unfamiliar to procurement. At the same time, complex spend categories give procurement some of the best opportunities to flex their strategic muscles and demonstrate the depth and breadth of value they can provide across the business.  To understand how procurement should leverage the opportunity associated with complex spend categories, Philip Ideson spoke with Ben Lambert, Principal at Efficio. According to Ben, procurement needs a mindset shift when it comes to complex spend - it is time for procurement to get excited about complex spend categories rather than fearing the potential risks.    In this episode, Ben and Phil talk about:  What makes a category “complex” How procurement can establish their reputation as a true strategic partner beyond tactical execution Ways procurement can deliver maximum value even when the category is unfamiliar  Links: Ben Lambert on LinkedIn Whitepaper: Unlocking Procurement’s Opportunity in Complex Spend Categories  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“If this is something that you want to tackle, it is not a lone wolf-type project. You’re going to need the support of the business. Having the right partner or the right shepherd in the organization can make a really meaningful difference.”  --Brian Salkowski, Chief Operating Officer at Guidant Global Decisions about how a company manages their external talent management program should not be taken lightly. There are many factors contributing to complexity, including varied expectations, a high bar for efficiency and effectiveness requirements, and the fact that no two people on the planet offer quite the same combination of capabilities. In this episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner interview Brian Salkowski, Chief Operating Officer at Guidant Global, and Marie France, Contingent Workforce Management and Procurement Operations Expert at Guidant Global. They discuss opportunities to elevate services procurement without disrupting the internal team or the stakeholders that rely upon that source of talent: The impact this category of spend has on a company’s ability to operate, and the contributions it can make to procurement’s value proposition How to optimize spending decisions at the intersection of multiple options and talent fulfillment models The importance of gathering market intelligence and benchmarking data, making the most of quantitative and qualitative supporting facts to bolster the business case Links: Brian Salkowski on LinkedIn Marie France on LinkedIn Watch Again: A Deliberate Path to Success through Comprehensive Talent Procurement

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“If you were to step back and look at the output of all these companies’ RFPs, I think what you are trying to get as procurement is not these wonky proposals. You're trying to engage in a very dynamic conversation, because even in software, the way in which we configure and support and train are all really better had as a live dialogue.” - Chris Mele, Managing Partner at Software Pricing Partners Most procurement practitioners would probably acknowledge that there is plenty of room for improvement when it comes to the structure and process associated with RFPs, especially for SaaS spend. Creating a fair, level playing field in the RFP process is a common challenge, and there’s often a lack of agility or customization: too much reliance on a one-size-fits-all sourcing approach. To better understand the supplier’s perspective and what pain points affect overall business outcomes, Philip Ideson spoke with Chris Mele, Managing Partner at Software Pricing Partners. Chris first appeared on the podcast two years ago to represent a sales perspective on the RFP process. In this follow-up episode, he returns to talk about improvements he has seen and to break down what is still not working.  In this episode, Chris and Phil discuss: The most dysfunctional aspects of the traditional RFP process for SaaS procurement   Practical ways procurement can optimize the RFP process Whether standard RFPs are obsolete, and if so, what is might be a replacement Why procurement should opt for a two-way dialogue instead of a one-sided RFP Links:Chris Mele on LinkedIn“A Sales Perspective on Software Pricing and the RFP Process” with Chris Mele

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“The largest corporations that spend the most on business travel are generally at about 75% of their 2019 spend, and they seem to be plateauing there. The growth is really coming from the small and mid-sized enterprises – those are the ones that are powering the recovery.” - Scott Gillespie, Founder & CEO of tClara The current state of business travel is in an interesting place, characterized by a healthy dose of cautious optimism and adaptability that’s counter-balanced by concerns over climate implications and the rising cost of travel. The post-pandemic “recovery” that we all expected is indeed underway, but it has also exposed some hesitancy in the market as some business travelers have grown to prefer the convenience (and low cost) of Zoom over in-person travel.    To discuss this and more, I recently welcomed back Scott Gillespie to the podcast. Scott is the founder and CEO of tClara, a company that provides advice, thought leadership, and innovation to business travel industry stakeholders. Scott is an industry-leading expert on travel strategy, carbon emissions, justifiable travel, traveler friction, and trip valuation. He has also worked across the travel industry and got his start in the ATK strategic sourcing practice of the 1990s while managing the corporate travel category. Scott was first on the podcast all the way back in 2016, and we recently reconnected over a piece of research that he has undertaken called “The Justified Business Trip” that measures the ROI of individual business trips and its usage in managing travel demand. In this episode, we also discussed the current health of the business travel category. Scott has recently attended the 2023 GBTA conference, and I started by asking him some of his takeaways from the event. We covered things like: Key factors driving the recovery of the business travel industry Most common pain points in business travel Quantitative models for justifying business trip expenses How to differentiate low-value from high-value trips and prioritize your company’s or team’s travel budget accordingly Links: https://www.tclara.com/register-for-tjbt https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgillespie2008/  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Yes, change is hard to manage and process at any level which is why I always recommend that you give change in bite-sized pieces. Bring people along the way.” Chandell Shorter, Senior Consultant of Change Management, Corcentric   Change, especially large-scale change, can be hard, overwhelming, or even scary for some people, but it’s also an inevitable part of life and work. Procurement professionals often find themselves at the very center of critical change management projects, leading change around processes, technology, talent management, and skills development, all of which can have profound effects on the company morale and culture. How can procurement lead the business through this change without implementing it in a way that it backfires or creates resistance?  In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Chandell Shorter, Senior Consultant of Change Management at Corcentric, and Joe Payne, SVP Source-to-Pay at Corcentric, discussed everything procurement should know about change management with host Kelly Barner.  They covered: How to create meaningful communication and training strategies that help drive change and generate support from across the business Why it’s so important to frontload engagement and communication at the project level  Ways to lower common risks associated with change management, like personnel loss, concerns over cost and ROI, resistance, and skills gaps How the company’s past relationship to change should inform procurement’s approach   Links: Chandell Shorter on LinkedIn Joe Payne on LinkedIn Watch the live session here.  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“There are two ideal profiles for a procurement founder … you have industry veterans that live the problem, feel the pain, go out and create a solution to solve that pain. That’s been a tale as old as time. … There’s also serial entrepreneurs that don’t have a procurement background but understand a problem and want to go study it and bring on others to help them.” In recent years, there has been an “explosion” of procurement tech startups. But not all procurement startups are able to reach their full potential. In this episode from Digital Outcomes 2023, Philip Ideson speaks with Jack Freeman, procure tech investor and Partner at PeakSpan Capital, about the challenges and opportunities procurement tech startups face, particularly in category specialized solutions like SaaS, vertical software, finance, or construction.  Jack shares his perspective on: The most common reasons procure tech startups struggle  Strategies for avoiding the most common roadblocks founders and CPOs face when working with or launching young or emerging technologies The skills and background procurement tech founders should develop to successfully raise the capital they need to scale their technologies and go to market The nuances of what makes a successful procure tech founder Links: Jack Freeman on LinkedIn Watch Digital Outcomes 2023 on Demand  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

As companies face the weight of inflation and the potential for recession, executives are reevaluating their decentralized approaches to procurement management and decision making. Instead, many organizations are making the move back toward centralized procurement models to keep a sharp eye on the bottom line. The focus has shifted from viewing cost savings as a 'nice-to-have' to a necessity for operational continuity. In this episode, based on a recent AOP Live session, Mu Wagh, Chief Operating Officer at Procure Analytics, and Matt Reddington, their Vice President of Operations, discuss how a strong corporate culture can help companies navigate challenging economic times as they transition to centralized control in procurement. Mu and Matt provide valuable advice on how to strike a balance in the transition to centralized control without adding friction into the procurement process or doing harm to the organizational culture.  Strategies to increase compliance without disrupting procurement teams Tracking savings and spend analysis as a measure of purchasing efficiency and procurement success Establishing feedback mechanisms from different user groups to ensure procurement delivers what they need   Links: Mu Wagh on LinkedIn Matt Reddington on LinkedIn Watch the Webinar on Demand  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“If the C-suite doesn't understand the full procurement value proposition, then they will make decisions that impact procurement without really understanding the negative effects of those decisions.” Philip Ideson, Founder & Managing Director, Art of Procurement Believe it or not, 2023 if officially halfway over. It seems like just yesterday (or 10 years ago) that we were sharing our first podcast episode of the new year. In this week’s episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner sit down to talk about the half of the year gone by as well as what they think the second half of 2023 has in store. They talk about: The three key messages Philip laid out in his annual message and whether they have stood the test of time Major trends that have dominated news headlines this year and how they have (or have not) affected procurement New developments from AOP’s team, online presence, and content programs  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“The pandemic made everything about value. I believe that all healthcare premises – along with insurance systems and the patients themselves – became much more focused on the concept of value.”  Few industries faced the same level of challenge that healthcare did during the pandemic. Everyone from doctors, to support staff, to procurement was pushed to do their best on behalf of patients. As they cooperated to overcome these difficulties, each stakeholder group was changing a little bit - sometimes in ways that would alter their perspective on the experience forever.  In this episode, Philip Ideson interviews Heba Farouk, Chief Supply Chain Officer for Saudi German Health and one of the first practitioner executives Art of Procurement has featured from the Middle East. She shares her firsthand experience with the operational and perception-based evolution of procurement and supply chain in the healthcare industry. During the conversation, they discussed: Heba’s experience as a supply chain leader in a hospital system during the COVID-19 pandemic Subsequent changes to the role of procurement and supply chain within the patient care experience How the definition of value has changed forever for doctors, patients, and procurement  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“To increase confidence within the C-suite, procurement must show it can work within the business to address internal risks and create value. Procurement teams need to meet their internal stakeholders where they are and break down the barriers that prevent them from achieving the best outcomes for the business.” The global procurement landscape is rapidly evolving to better align with the strategic vision and mission of the organization. Business leaders value the impact that procurement teams can have in their organizations, and they’re especially pleased with procurement’s ability to tackle external risk. However, confidence wanes when they consider procurement’s ability to collaborate internally. At SAP Sapphire 2023, Philip Ideson had the opportunity to speak with Baber Farooq, Senior Vice President and Head of Market Strategy for SAP Procurement Solutions. They discussed the findings of a new research study by Economist Impact: Decoding Confidence in the Procurement Function. The study surveyed 500 executives, including CFOs, COOs, CPOs, CSCOs, and CHROs in early 2023 and the resulting report explores how these executives perceive procurement’s performance today and how it needs to evolve for the future. During the conversation they discussed: Key priorities and challenges facing the procurement function today and tomorrow, and what is needed to optimize results How senior leaders view procurement’s role in the enterprise Ways procurement can prepare to meet challenges and trends such as supply chain disruption, rising costs, growing macroeconomic uncertainty, and increasing ESG expectations  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

There are few categories of spend as large and operationally complex as construction. From different sourcing models, to right timelines, to a whole host of contractors and subcontractors to coordinate, procurement has to walk a fine line between being a roadblock and advocating for active spend management. Neha Kumar has experience working for companies like Barclays, Bloomberg, Deutsche Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation across the corporate services, facilities, and real estate categories. Most recently her focus has been on construction. In this episode, Neha takes Philip Ideson on a journey through the peculiarities of construction procurement - the first time we have covered this category on the podcast!  Understanding and deciding between the common models for construction sourcing Why scheduling is just as important as price How construction RFPs differ from other RFPs and the role they play in the sourcing and project management process  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

In this week’s episode, we’re featuring a crossover from Dial P for Procurement - a show hosted by Kelly Barner every week on the Art of Procurement platform.  Dial P for Procurement is for anyone with an appreciation for business storytelling who isn’t afraid to take a closer look at tough topics. It is also part of the LinkedIn Presents network, which features a limited number of shows hand-selected by LinkedIn to be a part of their own podcast programming. This particular episode tells the true story of what happened when Kraft Heinz procurement ran afoul of the SEC by illegally securing and reporting on supplier cost savings. It led to significant turnover at the executive level - including the CEO - as well as the restatement of two years’ worth of financial statements. Listen in and then subscribe to Dial P for Procurement wherever you listen to podcasts! Links: Listen to Dial P on Art of Procurement Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Google  Subscribe to the Dial P for Procurement LinkedIn newsletter   

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

According to 2022 research conducted by Economist Impact and commissioned by SAP, risk reduction is a top priority for corporate leadership.  38 percent of C-suite executives view risk reduction as a way to deliver increased value through procurement. Do the other 62 percent recognize the role procurement plays in risk management? In this episode based on an AOP Live session, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner are joined by Gordon Donovan, Global Market Research Director, Procurement and External Workforce at SAP, and Matthew Montgomery, Solution Management Director, Supplier Lifecycle & Third Party Risk Management at SAP.  They answered live audience questions about: How C-suite executives view procurement’s role in managing risk         Why procurement talent and skills shortages may be part of the risk management challenge  How companies are leveraging supplier management technologies to address these challenges   

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

The procurement talent space has been on a rollercoaster over the last couple of years.  First the pandemic disrupted everything, then companies started making a grab for procurement talent - in many cases hiring people before meeting them. Demand and salaries shot up in parallel. Then, at the end of last year, economic headwinds led to a correction and hiring slowed. There have even been layoffs in some sectors. Where does all of that leave the procurement talent market today? In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Andrew Daley, Managing Director of Digital Procurement and Supply Chain at Edbury Daley and a returning guest. Edbury Daley is a specialist recruitment consultancy formed in 2005, and Andrew is one of the most well-connected procurement professionals in the UK.  Andrew shares his up-to-the-moment perspective on: What he has heard at recent conferences season about digital literacy for procurement professionals Outlook and advice for provider-side procurement professionals who may recently have been impacted by company layoffs  Why CPOs continue to consider procurement talent such a struggle, and why they are allowing training budgets to go unused in some cases  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

The concept of a ‘business ecosystem’ has changed over time. In the early days, a business ecosystem would bring together enterprise technology and implementation partners, easing the transition and accelerating value realization. Today, however, business ecosystems are far more expansive. They include both software and service partners that are able to support a company on its digital maturity journey. At SAP Sapphire 2023, Philip Ideson had the opportunity to sit down with Claus Gruenewald, Global Head Partner Business SAP Intelligent Spend Solutions, and Conor Mullaney, Business Advisor, Sustainability, Procurement and Supply Chain Lead at excelerateds2p.  In particular, they focused on the importance and accessibility of business ecosystems for mid-market companies: The ability to accommodate the unique localized nature of a business that is geographically or functionally dispersed Unique challenges and opportunities for procurement organizations in mid-market companies How the business ecosystem makes it possible for companies to combine an enterprise solution that addresses 90 percent of their needs with partners who handle the rest  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Supply chain and procurement professionals are used to supporting informed decision making, but the last few years have been far from ordinary. Decisions are being made more frequently with less time to prepare, and each one has a far greater impact on business continuity and supplier relationships. This is even more true for direct materials. Sophisticated supply chain models and mature procurement strategy have been put to the test - each time the team must cross the ‘decision abyss’ could make the difference between competitive advantage and operational disruption. Keith Hartley is the CEO of LevaData and Lance Younger is the CEO of ProcureTech. They spoke at a live event co-created by Art of Procurement and LevaData earlier this year: Navigating the Decision Abyss: Managing Direct Spend in Chaotic Times. In this session, moderated by Philip Ideson, they address: What the decision abyss is and what it means to procurement, supply chain professionals, and category managers in today’s uncertain economic conditions The level of urgency being experienced by today’s corporate leaders, and how each decision making team is converting that urgency into action How LevaData is investigating the decision abyss to learn more about its causes and effects  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

There will always be things procurement does not know. Even if all of the data in the world were magically made available, there would be quality issues and analytics challenges to overcome. Data has to be validated - at scale - before the business can be confident making decisions based upon it.  In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Florin Tufan, Co-Founder and CEO of Veridion. Florin was recognized by the 2020 Romania Forbes 30 under 30 program for his willingness to take on the entrepreneurial risk associated with tackling the problem of firmographic data on an enterprise scale. During this conversation, Philip and Florin discuss: Why a company’s age impacts the data quality challenges they are likely to face through layers of legacy systems What firmographics are and why procurement should be investing in them The role that AI needs to play for robust firmographics data to be made actionable quickly and at scale  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

According to research conducted by CADDi, 28.1 percent of procurement professionals know what should-cost analysis is, but only 4.6 percent use it. Given the critical importance of efficient direct material sourcing to manufacturing companies, these numbers justify further investigation. In this episode, Kelly Barner is joined by Yushiro Kato, Co-Founder and CEO of CADDi. He is an advocate for should-cost analysis based on his first hand experience leveraging it as an effective cost reduction strategy and also for its potential to serve as a catalyst for collaboration with key suppliers. Yushiro and Kelly take this opportunity to discuss: Why there is an understanding gap around should-cost analysis How accurate should-cost analysis needs to be in order to be actionable What it looks like to conduct a collaborative should-cost analysis exercise with suppliers, and what results such an effort can deliver  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Years of supply chain disruptions have caused global organizations to rethink the role of procurement - and procurement teams are doing some reflecting of their own. This is the time for procurement leaders to reexamine their operating model in preparation for the next potential crisis.  In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Art of Procurement’s Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner are joined by Jake Taylor, Senior Director of Advisory at ProcureAbility. He provides his view on how leading procurement organizations are realigning themselves with the business and reinforcing that alignment with their operating model.  Jake answers questions on topics such as: The pros and cons of various procurement operating models Change management considerations that will put operating model adjustments into context Actionable insights that will help you make purposeful changes to your procurement operating model  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Procurement teams are tasked with moving the ball on so many ‘important’ projects in parallel that it can be hard to put them in priority order. In fact, procurement could ask five executives which effort - cost savings, risk mitigation, or ESG - is the most important to the company and get five different answers. Clearly, building a mechanism to decide is the right place to start. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Chris Riley, a Principal in Supply Chain and Procurement at Deloitte Consulting based in Perth, Australia. Chris has experience in a variety of procurement roles in the UK, Singapore, and Australia, with companies such as Ford, Cap Gemini, Lloyds Banking Group, and Rio Tinto.  During the conversation, Chris and Phil have the opportunity to discuss: Where procurement should go next, after the elevated role they have taken on over the last couple of years in response to supply and cost pressures How portfolio management and leadership strategies based on operational excellence can drive significant short and long-term improvements in procurement performance The role procurement can take on to support the corporate desire to spend with a social conscience

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Effective today, Art of Procurement has a new brand: an uploaded logo, look, and feel that align with our vision for procurement and the expanded content and events that are available to the AOP community. This rebrand comes after eight years of gradual shifts. Starting with the launch of the podcast in 2015, Art of Procurement has grown to become the leading source of trusted, actionable insights for forward-thinking procurement leaders. In this bonus episode, Partners Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner explain the intent and process behind this change: How our rebrand goes beyond just sporting a ‘new look’ The need for procurement advocacy across the executive suite How this brand update aligns with our larger mission to 10X the impact of procurement  

Supplier.io recently analyzed $1.4 trillion in spend looking for supplier diversity benchmarks that can be used to identify top performers and aid the advance of these programs regardless of maturity, size, or industry. In this episode, drawn from an AOP Live session, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner are joined by Aylin Basom, CEO of Supplier.io, and Lois Eichacker, their Vice President of Customer Success. They share the findings of the 2023 Supplier Diversity Benchmarking Report and discuss the importance of having an accurate, reliable, and consistent way to measure supplier diversity program results.  Listen to this interview to discover: Why actionable data and benchmarks are critical to advancing the mission of the supplier diversity movement What the data reveals when small supplier spend and diverse supplier spend are studied separately The role industry plays in determining relevant supplier diversity benchmarks

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Despite the efforts that have been made to eradicate slavery, the practice has adapted. People all over the world are being held against their will and forced to provide labor, endure inhuman treatment, and are even subject to forcible organ harvesting.   Tim Nelson is the CEO of the charities Hope for Justice and Slave Free Alliance. He was working in the banking industry when he met a ‘slave hunter’ through a friend - a chance encounter that started his mission to expose and address the slavery and human trafficking that exist within today’s supply chains. Today he is fighting both worldwide through an ever-expanding network of team members and partners. In this episode, Tim shares his knowledge and and advice with Philip Ideson about: Some of the products, services, and supply chains that are at high risk of involving modern slavery  Internal and external drivers of change that are starting to move the needle on modern-day slavery The role that procurement professionals can - and must - play in working to protect human rights and protect companies from reputational risk  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

The combined challenges of the global economy and digital competition are very real for most executive leadership teams. While many of the decisions they must make are focused on short term agility and operational resilience, they can’t allow themselves to lose sight of the investments required to fuel longer term growth. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Kelly Barner and Philip Ideson are joined by Yatin Anand, Principal and Procurement Leader at KPMG, and Michael van Keulen (“MVK”), Chief Procurement Officer at Coupa. They address how procurement can increase overall business resilience for the sake of short term agility and long term growth. Yatin and MVK answer questions about: How CEOs and leadership teams are approaching the challenges and opportunities they face today and the steps they are taking to prepare for the future Ways to enable companies to make better decisions across a range of strategic objectives by achieving better control over their spend  Where ESG targets fit into supply chain programs that are constantly being forced to emphasize risk and cost  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

The sooner procurement is engaged in a business need, sourcing project, or contract process, the better the outcome will be for the business. This principle is widely accepted within procurement as truth, but has it ever been proven? If procurement could provide data to support earlier engagement and stronger upstream relationships with the business, the entire value equation would change. Brian Peters is the Senior Director of Global Procurement Services & Delivery at Gilead Sciences, and he has a theory. He believes that if procurement has better upstream relationships, he will be able to measure the benefits in terms of: Higher savings Improved business outcomes Increased stakeholder satisfaction Shorter cycle times Improved supplier experience In this conversation with host Philip Ideson, Brian talks about his theory regarding the ROI of procurement’s upstream relationships and the process he and his team are going through to prove it is true.  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Many leading procurement professionals started out in completely different fields. And while they manage spend and suppliers today, those past practices, skills, and perspectives are still available to them. That diversity of perspective is part of what makes procurement teams so creative and resilient. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Fadi El Mouallem, a global procurement executive and digital transformation advocate. Fadi has experience working at companies like Salesforce and Apple, but his original field was architecture… something that has come in particularly helpful in a field that is constantly balancing art and science. When it comes to building and enabling amazing teams, Fadi has plenty of advice to share: The importance of being able to step back and take in the big picture while also keeping an eye on the details Purposefully pursuing a broad range of talent and backgrounds when introducing someone new the team The many forms that organizational influence can take, and why it always starts with human connection  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the Sievo team. In each episode, we discover a unique way that differentiated decision making can help procurement 10X their impact: procurement as an information hub, ESG analytics, investments in talent, and crossing the data to action gap. In the fourth and final episode in this series, he is joined by Sammeli Sammalkorpi, CEO and Co-Founder of Sievo, to bring the whole series together by looking at how procurement can cross the data to action gap. They take this opportunity to discuss:  What the next frontier in procurement analytics may look like  Whether automated decision making will replace procurement professionals  How procurement decision makers should think about procurement data assets  

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the Sievo team. In each episode, we discover a unique way that differentiated decision making can help procurement 10X their impact: procurement as an information hub, ESG analytics, investments in talent, and crossing the data to action gap.  In the third episode, he is joined by Deep Singh, a Presales Manager at Sievo, to talk about the current state of human decision making and the tools available to drive decisions into actions.  They take this opportunity to discuss:  How procurement can connect global sources of spend data with existing decision making processes What the decision making process looks like today with regards to managing risk Whether companies spend sufficient time cleaning and interpreting their data so they can improve their decisions

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the Sievo team. In each episode, we discover a unique way that differentiated decision making can help procurement 10X their impact: procurement as an information hub, ESG analytics, investments in talent, and crossing the data to action gap.  In the second episode, he is joined by Heta Pirttijärvi, a Product Manager at Sievo, to talk about ESG analytics.  They take this opportunity to discuss:  Why ESG topics are becoming more important and receiving more attention  The main obstacles companies struggle with as they try to translate their ESG vision into an actionable strategy  Procurement’s likely future role in ESG initiatives  

In this four-part special series, host Philip Ideson speaks with members of the Sievo team. In each episode, we discover a unique way that differentiated decision making can help procurement 10X their impact: procurement as an information hub, ESG analytics, investments in talent, and crossing the data to action gap. In this first episode, he is joined by Heta Ruikka, VP of Product Management at Sievo, to talk about how procurement’s role has adjusted in response to differentiated decision making. They take this opportunity to discuss:  How the last few years have altered procurement’s role The new challenges that are increasing procurement’s visibility and responsibility Examples of how increased complexity affects procurement’s analytical and sourcing work  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Art of Procurement recently passed a major milestone for any podcast - but one that is particularly exciting for a niche business podcast… our one-millionth download! Philip Ideson recorded the first episode of the podcast back in 2015 (he and Kelly Barner connected for the very first time to record episode 6!). Over time, the podcast has evolved and matured just as much as the procurement community has, and today it is the #1 downloaded procurement podcast in the world.  But if you thought that was our whole story, you would be missing out on a lot… To mark this occasion, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner recorded a special episode to share behind-the-scenes stories and answer listener Q&A. Here are just a few of the things they cover in this unprecedented and unfiltered episode: The master plan (or lack thereof) that motivated Phil to give up a perfectly good job to host a podcast Some of the low points on the journey, and what the team learned from them Episodes that were surprisingly well received… or didn’t resonate at all. Why the secret to this podcast’s success may actually be another unrelated podcast  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Procurement often talks about visibility and transparency. Data turns abstract goals into actionable insight. Having greater visibility makes it possible for procurement to negotiate maximum savings while making sure the company has what it needs to operate competitively in a digital world.  In categories where it is easy for distributed buyers to act independently - like cloud software for instance - visibility also provides procurement with opportunities for improved savings leverage and the centralized oversight required to stop ‘shadow spend’ in its tracks. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Philip Ideson is joined by Emily Campbell, Director of Product Design & Research at Vendr, and Nick Pinkman, Sr. Cloud Manager at Vendr.  Emily and Nick share their perspectives about: The importance of centralizing workflows for managing spend and headcount The different types of cloud savings procurement should pursue during contract negotiations What data procurement should have in hand before entering a cloud software negotiation  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

So much of what procurement does is about change management. Whether it is adopting new technologies, ensuring that soft skills continue to evolve, or understanding how procurement can best align with the business given their changing needs… something is always changing. Paras Sood has broad senior-level experience across the entire procurement value chain. He has worked as a practitioner, at a procurement tech company, and in procurement consulting. Most recently, Paras was the Global Head of Strategic Procurement Transformation for Deutsche Bank, until he made the move back into consulting at Future Purchasing.  In this episode, Philip Ideson taps into Paras’ experience in driving transformation to better understand his approach and how it has evolved to meet changing C-suite expectations.  How procurement can take a broad range of experiential and functional perspectives when planning a transformation journey Changes he has seen companies make to the business case required for both short and longer term funding for transformations Why successful transformation efforts require segmentation of transformational phases, stakeholder interests and enthusiasm, and technology implementation  

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

To support this need for balance, the Art of Procurement team brought together a broad range of experts to speak at Digital Outcomes 2023: one of our largest virtual events of the year. We heard about technical challenges and human growing pains… in addition to technical triumphs and human evolution.   In this episode of the pod, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner share their combined takeaways from this fast-paced two day event: How to take new ideas from a relatively safe incubation phase to full scale corporate programs The risks that exist for procurement teams that are not able to successfully leave the status quo behind and embrace new ways of working and thinking The opportunity that exists for procurement organizations that use digital platforms as impact multipliers, delivering expanded forms of ROI  

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Like most other companies, manufacturing companies have a problem with data. Many of them don't centralize much of the data they produce through regular transactions, and even when they do, they struggle to contextualize that information so that it becomes actionable. When procurement professionals in these companies sit down with engineers and supply chain planners, they need to be able to harness that data as the ‘common language’ for value. Keith Hartley is the CEO of LevaData - and a passionate surfer, a brand new combination for the Art of Procurement podcast. Keith joined the LevaData team in 2022, but he isn’t new to procurement - and he has deep experience helping manufacturing companies drive better decision making through the use of data.  In this episode, Philip Ideson and Keith discussed: The current state of direct material sourcing  How procurement and engineering teams can foster greater collaboration to everyone’s benefit How leading companies are using increased data visibility to differentiate their decision making - even in chaotic times  

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

All companies are works in progress, as are the many professionals dedicated to their operational performance and efficiency. Since today’s business conditions are far from being straightforward, having a better read of the macro landscape can represent a significant competitive advantage. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Art of Procurement’s Philip Ideson was joined by Rujul Zaparde, Founder and CEO of Zip, and Colin Glazier, VP of Solutions Consulting at Zip. They regularly hear different perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that will be presented to all of us, as well as suggestions about what we can start doing now to make the most of the new year. Rujul and Colin answered questions from the Art of Procurement community about three key areas: How macro-economic trends and pressures will affect providers and practitioners differently, and exhibit themselves in each group’s work The impact that no-code platforms and automation may have on user friction and compliance New approaches procurement can take to influence specific categories and relationships today and in the future  

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

The procurement job scene has been a wild ride for the last few years. Conditions are standing to change, and no one ever should have expected otherwise. As procurement begins to enter a new phase of recruitment under very different economic conditions, there are still plenty of op[portunities - but it may require a new approach to find them.   Mark Holyoake is the Managing Director of Holyoake Search, a recruitment specialist focused on procurement. Mark joined host Philip Ideson for a discussion about the general health of the procurement job market and how it has evolved over the past couple of years, along with his tips for any listeners who have been impacted by workforce reductions.   In this interview Mark and Philip discuss: How the spike in demand for procurement professionals during the pandemic caused years’ worth of overdue salary increases to hit hiring companies all at once Why recent news of mass layoffs, especially within the tech sector, should not be seen as a proxy for the market as a whole - and certainly not for procurement Why hiring managers and candidates all have to keep an open mind about which skills and experiences can apply to which open positions

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement often talks about being limited by others’ perception of them. But how is that perception created? In some cases, experience dictates what stakeholders expect from procurement. In other cases, it stems from procurement’s internal brand, the combination of voice, tone, and values they use when communicating with the business. Katherine McCleery is a good friend of the Art of Procurement team. She is a marketing and branding expert who has significant experience working with procurement services and SaaS companies. She understands the power of a good brand as well as immediate opportunities for procurement to build one of their own. In this conversation, Katherine and host Philip Ideson discuss: Why branding is important for procurement leaders to understand and invest in How to build and then scale an effective procurement brand How the efforts that go into building a brand could also make procurement a better partner to the business

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Could there be any better qualification to compete in Ironman events than a 20-plus-year career in procurement?  We find out in this week’s podcast, as host Philip Ideson is joined by procurement leader turned Ironman Vytas Sliesoraitis.  Vytas has a diverse procurement background that includes time in procurement at Intel in his native Brazil, leading procurement at Google X (Google’s R&D company), and Global Head of Procurement at Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite.  In this conversation, Vytas and Philip discuss many of the lessons learned from his long and varied career in procurement: The balance he learned to achieve while in procurement at Intel, balancing global strategy with local nuance Building trust based partnerships while establishing the procurement function at Google X What made him want to train for Ironman competitions and the lessons he has learned that current procurement professionals can benefit from

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Do fish know they are wet? Every creature on earth has a natural habitat. Procurement’s habitat is digital. And yet, the digital aspects of procurement’s work are so pervasive, they surround us like the air we breathe. It is easy to forget to look at the nature of digital business when we are focused on individual technologies… just like fish may not notice they are wet. Digital Outcomes is an annual virtual event that creates a space for procurement to think about the macro trends associated with digital business. In this episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner reveal the topics, speakers, and session scope featured in this year’s agenda. Attendees to the live virtual event on February 15th and 16th will discover: Why procurement can only improve their results by making the user experience frictionless The context and terminology required for procurement to address cybersecurity concerns with stakeholders and suppliers The upsides, downsides, and disruptive complexities of today’s robust procurement startup landscape

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Category management has its fair share of supporters and detractors - and that is just within the procurement community. But rumors of its pending demise may be premature. Rather than rejecting category management because circumstances and strategies are constantly changing, procurement should embrace category management because circumstances will always change and strategies must adapt accordingly. In this episode, Philip Ideson welcomes the first guest of 2023: Stephane Morel, a Global Process Owner within Strategic Procurement at Novartis. He is responsible for advancing, aligning, alleviating, accelerating, and automating strategic procurement processes. He also had the opportunity to lead Novartis’ highly successful stakeholder mapping exercise in 2016, an experience which shaped many of the perspectives on stakeholder partnership he shares in this interview. Philip and Stephane take this opportunity to discuss and debate: When and where category management should be applied, and how this connects to the future trajectory of the procurement operating model Whether digital maturity can address procurement’s previous failed attempts to engage the business in category management efforts The five essential workstreams that may make it possible for procurement to navigate the combined challenge of the economy, aggressive ESG targets, supply chain risk, and ever-evolving automation

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Over the course of the year, the Art of Procurement team is privileged to speak to a LOT of people from across the procurement ecosystem. In 2022, we created almost 200 podcasts, three multi-day events, ran a monthly webinar series, and facilitated a number of roundtables and CPO dinners. I personally traveled to eight procurement and supply chain conferences across North America. We see and hear a lot - the vast majority of it in candid, off-the-record conversations that can never be shared verbatim, but that inform our perspectives and opinions.  Based on these experiences, I want to share three key messages for procurement leaders to consider at the beginning of this new year.

In addition to being the Head of Content and Brand Partnerships at Art of Procurement, Kelly Barner is also the host of The Sourcing Hero podcast, a collaboration with Una. New episodes air every Wednesday at 6am ET and they cover a wide range of topics… everything from soft skills to sales, and category management to digital transformation. In this specially curated podcast, Kelly shares excerpts from three recent interviews featuring authors: Simon Horton, a negotiations expert, talks about persuasion.  Tim Hughes provides a lesson on Social Selling for procurement  Jonathan O’Brien talks about the challenge of sustainability - and how procurement can rise to meet that challenge. So get in your most comfortable book position, grab a cup of tea or coffee, and join us to hear Kelly’s selected highlights.

Art of Procurement is best known for our podcast, but did you know that we also host a number of virtual conferences each year as well? These longer form events allow us to have in-depth discussions about the opportunities and challenges procurement professionals face. All of those opportunities and challenges can be met with a combination of digital solutions, data, and powerful relationships - and we get to hear real world examples of how that works from our event speakers.  In this specially curated podcast, Helen Mackenzie shares her most memorable excerpts from this year’s virtual events: Melissa Drew, Associate Partner at IBM, speaking about how AI can elevate procurement's focus from tactical to strategic SpendHQ Chief Operating Officer Doug Van Wingerden talking about how technology is changing the ‘game’ of category management Tanya Manning-Grant, CEO of TMG Professional Services Consulting Firm, focusing on driving supply chain value in disrupted times

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Digital procurement is no longer a ‘next level’ approach to spend and supplier management. Digitized procurement processes have fast become the table stakes for any procurement team that hopes to become a true business partner.  And yet, procurement often still struggles to ‘connect the dots’ between multiple strategic and technical considerations - a business-wide effort. In a recent LinkedIn Snap Poll, Art of Procurement community members told us that alignment with the business is the most important input to digital transformation. That in and of itself is an important indication of procurement maturity. This episode features a recent AOP Live session where Philip Ideson was joined by Alpar Kamber, Julie Brignac, and Chris Eyerman from WNS Denali. They took the opportunity to dig deeper into the connection between alignment with the business and procurement’s digital transformation goals. They discussed: What the concept of a digital ecosystem really means - to procurement and to the rest of the company How procurement should perceive the connections between digital transformation and their own maturity journey The important role that experienced and objective third parties can play in accelerating both transformation and maturation

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

In challenging economic times, each company has to eke the most value out of every contract. But are there limitations to that? A recent article from CIPS’ Supply Management Magazine, How the Actions of Procurement Teams Are Contributing to Insolvencies, brought this question to the forefront. In a LinkedIn Pulse Poll, Philip Ideson asked, should procurement be responsible for what they ask for in situations where they hold a high amount of leverage or is it up to the supplier not to offer what they cannot afford? In this episode of the podcast, Philip is joined by Kelly Barner to discuss the results of the poll as well as some related ‘ethical’ questions that procurement teams may be facing today: How can procurement ‘protect’ suppliers from bankruptcy if those suppliers are not fully transparent about their cost model? Who should decide what it means to make a ‘fair profit?’ Could holding a supplier’s feet to the fire lead to brand damage for the buying company?

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

It is not easy to strike a balance between the need for speed, control, and compliance.  Get it right and you’ve unlocked the X factor. Get it wrong and the customer experience will suffer. The business wants more convenience but procurement is wired to ensure control. Can procurement satisfy both at the same time? In this session from Mastermind LIVE 2022, Radhika Samant, VP of Finance and Head of Global Procurement at Optimizely, and Lalitha Rajagopalan, Co-founder and Head of Strategy & Marketing at ORO Labs, share their thoughts on the procurement X factor and why it is so critical to transformation. They shared their perspectives about: How procurement can be a revenue driver as well as a cost manager What is driving the shift towards decentralized procurement activity and ownership Ways that new digital capabilities are allowing greater freedom spending without sacrificing oversight

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

The procurement talent landscape has always been complex, and the last few years have accelerated the rate of change and amplified the impact on companies of all sizes. First there was the pandemic, and the transition to working from home. This gave way to the Great Resignation, which saw people leaving their jobs in droves. Some exited the workforce altogether, others switched jobs or industries, and many decided to take the opportunity to dabble in entrepreneurship.  Now, with trouble looming on the economic horizon, the pendulum is starting to swing back in the other direction, and news of large scale layoffs is making people think twice about leaving a secure position. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, Joe Payne, SVP of Source-to-Pay, and Jennifer Ulrich, VP of Advisory, from Corcentric answered a range of questions about these employment trends and how they are impacting procurement talent: The challenges created by the 59% of procurement professionals who told us that when faced with talent shortages they just “work harder” The opportunity that exists to leverage hybrid insource/outsource procurement delivery models - particularly at the strategic end of the hiring market How the combination of so much disruption in the overall employment market is expected to affect hiring managers and procurement organizations into next year

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

What does it take to formulate an ambitious vision and then go hands-on to bring it to fruition? Tony Uphoff is a growth advisor, tech mentor, and turn around expert. He was the President and CEO at Thomas (formerly ThomasNet), and personally drove the effort to transform the 100 year old business into a modern media enterprise, what he calls a “125 year old startup.” This week’s episode is from the first session of Mastermind LIVE 2022. Tony joined Kelly Barner to kick off the two day event by sharing his experiences with driving organizations towards a big goal or vision - despite enterprise inertia in a challenging market. Listen to hear Tony share his point of view on: How to drive significant change quickly without jeopardizing the future success of the company One of the most common mistakes turnaround leaders make when they are approaching a new project Strategies procurement can use to liberate themselves from traditional roles, perspectives, and results

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

The last few years have seen an explosion of new investment and startups to serve leading procurement organizations. While procurement is certainly worthy of such attention and enablement, they are also the ‘innovation gateway’ for the company as a whole. Keeping them inspired is a critical job - one that this week’s guest takes personally. Matthias Gutzmann founded DPW in 2019 to deliver against an unmet need that he recognized in the procurement community. He didn’t want to host another conference, but rather to create an event, one that would bring together the most diverse community of professionals possible. In this conversation, Matthias joins host Philip Ideson to share his founder’s story and talk about where his attention is focused right now: The lengths he and his team go to in their efforts to avoid the ‘same old stuff’ onstage at DPW The genesis of the ScoutLab initiative and how it is making it possible for innovation to scale within large procurement teams and large organizations The potential downside of having so many digital options at a time when procurement is facing constant challenges and change

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Professional athletes represent the top 1% in their sport. While talent will take an athlete a long way, the key differentiator between those that reach the top and those who come close is mindset: the ‘athlete's mindset.’ This powerful but intangible way of thinking makes it possible to achieve seemingly insurmountable goals - no matter what arena you compete in. In this week’s episode, we are sharing the final session of Mastermind LIVE 2022. Philip Ideson was joined on the virtual stage by Lou Alexander, a former NFL and Division 1 football player who now works with procurement teams daily as part of his role at ProcurementIQ.  Join Philip and Lou to hear how the determination required to build an athlete’s mindset is critical for anyone who wants to embark on their own journey to 10X the impact of procurement: Why the most important thing a leader may do is stop talking and start listening How procurement professionals and teams can redefine what is means to be successful

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

According to research done by Globality, "90% of global procurement leaders are committed to the urgent transformation of their operating models and processes to be more resilient and agile.” And yet, committing to an idea does not necessarily guarantee that it will gain operational traction. For that, procurement needs to change the way they engage with the business. During this fireside chat moderated by Philip Ideson as part of Mastermind LIVE 2022, BP Director of Digital and Innovation Sourcing Nicholas Wright and Global Category Manager for Talent and Consulting Ben Weston were joined Globality’s Graham Moore to discuss how agile sourcing can deliver increased efficiencies and ROI by moving more spend to a self-service process.  In this session, they explored topics such as: How procurement should rethink the sourcing process to be more responsive to the needs of the business.  The corresponding adjustments that requires to engagement with specific suppliers and stakeholders How the team at BP, one of the world's largest integrated energy businesses, approached transforming their sourcing process to become more agile by placing a particular focus on services categories.

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Helen Mackenzie, Art of Procurement’s Head of Community and Events. They recently had the opportunity to attend ProcureCon EU in Barcelona, Spain.  Not only was the conference a great place to meet with colleagues face to face, it also presented an opportunity to consider today’s key economic, geopolitical, and business challenges from a uniquely European perspective. During the conversation Philip and Helen discuss: Some of the most memorable procurement executives and points of view shared during the trip The changes procurement needs to make if they really want to form partnerships and drive innovation by working with smaller suppliers Setting sustainability targets that ensure progress is being made and the right kinds of change are driven by the business

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement’s role in integrations and separations is often overlooked – and understandably so. Corporate development teams and M&A professionals are chartered with identifying, negotiating, and closing the deal. Execution on the investment thesis is paramount. However, the untapped potential in procurement represents an opportunity to ‘sweeten the deal’. At its core, procurement is chartered with the management of third party spend and partner relationship oversight. The inherent supply base influence on profitability and risk is only magnified in a M&A environment. Thus, sidelining procurement in inorganic activities such as acquisitions or divestitures could mean missing the opportunity for deal upside and value acceleration. This episode of the podcast is based on an AOP Live session with Chris McCarney and Marcos Cortes from KPMG, LLP.  Chris and Marcos joined host Philip Ideson to explore… Procurement’s role at each stage of the deal cycle Overlooked and under-estimated procurement opportunities in integrations and separations Pre-deal, post-deal, and no-deal elements to consider

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

There has been a lot of talk about ‘experience’ in procurement during the last couple of years, but how important is it really? Could it be that improving the employee experience is the only way for procurement to fully leverage their ability to drive value? We wanted to know more, so we partnered with the team at Zip Intake-to-Procure to run a survey that looked at how the procurement-created employee experience impacts procurement performance. The findings were really compelling, as you will hear.  In this episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner share their perspectives on the report findings as well as the changes procurement can make to improve experience and results in parallel: Increasing transparency so that buyers know the status of their purchases and also which functions other than procurement may be holding up their approval How the meaning of risk and compliance change when procurement expands from traditional indirect spend categories into technology and knowledge-based service spend Why procurement should stop worrying about maverick or rogue spend and instead invest in the convenience of digitally-enabled processes

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Some categories of spend are dependable and constant. Their reliability makes them seem like they’ve been the same forever, which gives procurement a comfortable opportunity to manage them with equally consistent strategies and results. It is hard to think they will ever change; until they do. How can you stay ahead when disruption strikes your spend category?  How can procurement introduce the required flexibility while continuing to achieve steady results? In this episode, we’re sharing a session from Categorypalooza 2022 during which SpendPro and marketing category expert Steve Trussell shares the core approaches that will serve you well during times of change. He also describes the strategies he uses to stay on top of evolving categories while continuing to deliver value. Listen to the conversation facilitated by Kelly Barner to learn: About the current state of marketing: what has changed and what has remained the same? Time-tested approaches that will serve you well during times of volatility and change, regardless of what category of spend you manage How to ensure that procurement’s strategies and execution align with what the business really needs

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Many of us work in what we consider ‘global’ organizations, but we do it from the comfort of our home or at a local office. Actually going global, relocating to an entirely different part of the world may not be for everyone, but the opportunities to broaden your perspective and have a lasting impact are second to none. Steve Ashcroft is the Director of General Services and Procurement for the African Development Bank Group. He has spent many years in the world of procurement, including time as a consultant, an educator, and a practitioner.  Most interestingly, Steve has vast global experience, and is currently based in Cote d'Ivoire, a country on the coast of Western Africa.  In this episode, Philip and Steve discuss: Working successfully across cultures The opportunities that exist when building a procurement capability that spans 44 countries across Africa  Why anyone thinking about a career in procurement should take the leap

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

One of the industries most impacted by the pandemic was travel, and while leisure travel has rebounded in many parts of the world, how companies and employees see business travel has undergone a change as a result of multiple overarching trends.  In this week's episode of the podcast, Philip Ideson interviews Martin Biermann, Chief Product Officer at the HRS Group. HRS is a global tech company with a focus on business travel and one of the top hotel travel partners in the world.  Martin and his team are keeping a close eye on the megatrends affecting business travel today, looking for ways to optimize travel spend while protecting traveler safety and experience. In particular they focus on: Why leaders of corporate programs such as risk management and ESG/sustainability that are taking a closer look at business travel Why traditional hotel booking methods fail to leverage available data on security, sustainability, safety, and satisfaction  How AI can be applied to reduce the ‘paradox of choice’ during the purchase decision making process

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Many highly-praised books are written every year. And yet, this week’s guest quotes one that we’ve never had come up in an Art of Procurement podcast before: The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. Even at 635 words, there are five characters, heroes and villains, danger, hope, an escape, and a happy feel, good ending. Not a word is wasted. And that’s when you realize this is not a typical episode of AOP. Philip Ideson is joined for this unique conversation by Simon Geale, Executive Vice President at Proxima. They recently had the opportunity to sit down - face to face - and have a wide ranging exchange about some of the bigger picture dynamics at play in our professional lives. The discussion opened with a focus on the art of storytelling, something Simon knows a great deal about. He has been telling stories to influence executives for years, making appearances on media outlets like the BBC, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, and many more. But their conversation went a lot deeper than that. They also discussed The health of the procurement profession: what is exciting and where frustration persists  The vulnerability associated with being an introvert or speaking publicly, and potential ways to overcome those fears Why it is so important to try and see a story through our audience’s eyes - long before we tell it

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

It’s easy to think that in this world of access to information, being able to forecast, anticipate and (most importantly) RESPOND to changes is a straightforward task. Just Google search the category or read articles from credible news sources and off you go. Right? If the last few years have taught procurement anything it is that casual, high level research is not enough.  We need to understand what changes are coming and develop the insight required to help the company prepare for that change. Because of the importance of market intelligence to procurement’s work, we kicked off Categorypalooza 2022 by talking about how it can be used to generate insight that offers actionable value to the business. In this session, Host Philip Ideson speaks with ProcurementIQ’s Embry Davis and Ben Kempenich about how all of us can be prepared for the uncertainty and disruptions to come: How to know which data is the most reliable How the speed of business is impacting the shelf life of intelligence Which stakeholders and suppliers procurement should turn to as potential sources of category insights

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

This week we are featuring a special crossover episode from The Sourcing Hero podcast, a collaboration with our partners at Una. Hosted by our own Kelly Barner, The Sourcing Hero brings together professionals from a broad range of roles to share their stories of  business heroism and optimism. In this episode, Kelly welcomed Ashley Sieb, a creative, energetic marketing and communications specialist who knows her way around procurement. She also knows how to get - and keep - people’s attention… and then (to use her personal mantra) “find a way forward” that works for everyone. Listen in as Ashley shares her tips and perspective on how anyone can drive higher levels of engagement from different types of audiences: The components of her personal model for driving engagement: the REAL model Whether all personality types are equally effective at doing what needs to be done to drive engagement When and how engagement and communication are the same, and when communication is a channel for driving others’ engagement

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement teams often struggle to connect their business case for S2P and the systems-related work and change required to deliver ROI. Platforms are chosen for the wrong reasons, system administrators turn over, catalog setup work becomes a secondary priority, and hastily made configuration choices add friction over time. This episode is based on an AOP Live webinar titled “Digital Procurement Is Not Easy: Don’t Go It Alone.” Host Philip Ideson was joined by Anthony Mignogna and Claire Sexton from Corcentric who shared their advice for getting the most out of a source to pay technology investment.  Anthony and Claire answered questions on implementation-related topics such as: How to strengthen the connection between your S2P business case and your S2P business benefits Why post go-live maintenance and configuration will either enable or prevent continuous improvement How managed services can help procurement seize the upside potential of digitization by driving adoption and utilization

In this Art of Procurement special series, host Philip Ideson asks members of the WNS Denali team: How do you design an end-to-end ecosystem based procurement operating model? Throughout the four parts of this series, they provide their insight about the basics of an ecosystem approach, and then each set of guests digs into specifics across category management, source to contract, and procure to pay processes. In the fourth and final episode in this series, he is joined by Sushant Adhikari, Director, and Sanjeev Singh, Director of Capabilities and Solutions, both at WNS Denali.  In this interview, Sushant and Sanjeev focus on the procure to pay process: Why it is a mistake (and a lost opportunity) to think of procure to pay as a tactical process The critical role that data quality plays for organizations that are trying to maximize the ROI of their procure to pay capabilities The most important challenges that leading procurement organizations are overcoming through mature procure to pay

In this Art of Procurement special series, host Philip Ideson asks members of the WNS Denali team: How do you design an end-to-end ecosystem based procurement operating model? Throughout the four parts of this series, they provide their insight about the basics of an ecosystem approach, and then each set of guests digs into specifics across category management, source to contract, and procure to pay processes. In the second episode, he is joined by Lynn Rideout, Vice President of Global Category Advisory, and Sanjeev Singh, Director - Solutions both at WNS Denali.  They focus on taking an ecosystem approach to the category management process: What does true category management entail and how does it benefit when procurement takes an ecosystem approach? What are the common pain points companies work to overcome?  What role do digital transformation, investments in talent, and business alignment play in category management success?

In this Art of Procurement special series, host Philip Ideson asks members of the WNS Denali team: How do you design an end-to-end ecosystem based procurement operating model? Throughout the four parts of this series, they provide their insight about the basics of an ecosystem approach, and then each set of guests digs into specifics across category management, source to contract, and procure to pay processes. In this first episode, he is joined by Satyen Pathak, Vice President Solution and Capabilities, and Lynn Rideout, Vice President of Global Category Advisory, both at WNS Denali.  They take this opportunity to discuss how to start the planning process for taking an ecosystem approach to procurement:  What do we mean when we talk about an “ecosystem approach to procurement?” Should procurement organizations start with a process similar to baselining? How can decision makers determine what should be changed, especially to ensure ‘fit’ over time? What factors determine a ‘best fit’ solution?

In this Art of Procurement special series, host Philip Ideson asks members of the WNS Denali team: How do you design an end-to-end ecosystem based procurement operating model? Throughout the four parts of this series, they provide their insight about the basics of an ecosystem approach, and then each set of guests digs into specifics across category management, source to contract, and procure to pay processes. In the third episode, he is joined by Sushant Adhikari, Director, and Sanjeev Singh, Director of Capabilities and Solutions, both at WNS Denali.  Their conversation focuses on the source to contract process: Which stakeholders should be involved in source to contract vs. procure to pay? How can procurement work with the leadership team to achieve better alignment? The approach to talent - whether through hiring or upskilling - and how it positions procurement for sustained success

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Most of the improvements procurement has achieved over time have been incremental. And while there is nothing wrong with incremental change, the challenges presented by today’s economy and global supply disruptions demand more. This is procurement’s “hour of change and challenge” as J.F.K. said in the famous speech quoted above. During the last 20 years or so, procurement has operated within a narrow band of capabilities and strategies. And while we have certainly had to contend with external limiting factors, many of the guardrails that constrain us are ones that we put in place for ourselves. If procurement wants to reach the next level, we have to break free from those guardrails and break down traditional notions of what procurement is and what we can deliver to the business.  From day one of Art of Procurement, our intent has been to help procurement organizations become and remain relevant. To meet the demands of this moment of change and challenge, we have chosen to embark on a mission to 10X the impact of procurement. In this special podcast, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner share the philosophy behind 10X: Where did the idea originate, and how is the Art of Procurement team holding themselves to a 10X standard on a daily basis? What are the six principles that we must balance in order to achieve the mission’s end goal? How are we challenging the Art of Procurement community and our brand partners to join us on the mission?

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Although most corporate conversations about data focus on quality, data utilization is also a critical concern. 95% of data never gets used, and since the useful life of data can be as short as a few days or weeks given the industry, value is being lost every day.  Fortunately, new data is being created at an even faster rate; the decision to get started is ours to make. This episode is based on an AOP Live session focused on the results of the fifth annual Data Quality and Governance Study conducted by The International Association for Data Quality, Governance and Analytics (IADQGA).  Kelly Barner was joined by Joseph Yacura and Vishal Patel to answer live questions related to data quality and actionability: How to get started on a data quality journey despite the complexity of today’s business environment Best practices and rules of thumb about the lifespan of corporate data What procurement should be doing differently and/or better with the system-generated data to which they already have access

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.     Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement understands that suppliers offer critical opportunities for advantage and risk resilience - but does the rest of the company? A recent book, Profit from the Source: Transforming Your Business by Putting Suppliers at the Core, makes the case for more involvement and understanding from CEOs. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by two of the four authors of that book, Daniel Weise, a Partner and Managing Director in Boston Consulting Group’s Dusseldorf office, and Dr. Wolfgang Schnellbächer, a Partner and Managing Director based in BCG’s Stuttgart office. Their combined expertise in procurement and game-theory-based negotiations are evident in the book, which was written with their colleagues Christian Schuh and Alenka Triplat. Philip takes this opportunity to draw out addition thoughts from Daniel and Wolfgang about: Their firsthand experience working with some of the world's leading companies to drive bottom-line and top-line growth  How procurement leaders can help increase the profile of procurement across the C-suite and demonstrate the ROI for additional procurement investment  The importance of deliberately putting suppliers at the heart of procurement strategies

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

If procurement were based upon comic book rules, sales professionals would be the arch nemesis. The funny thing is, sales feels the same way in return. If we could just achieve more understanding, everyone would benefit. This week’s episode uses a roundtable format to dig into the timeless struggle between procurement and sales - more honestly and personally than we’ve ever done before. Philip Ideson is joined by Donna Donato, CEO Americas at ChainIQ, in the ‘procurement corner,’ and in the ‘sales corner’ he welcomes Chris Donato, Founder & CEO of esellas, a revenue management company, and Megan Dimmer, CRO, esellas.  And yes, Donna and Chris are married. They explore procurement and sales alignment and discuss whether there are actually any opportunities to support each other.  As you might expect, they also had some interesting differences of opinion about the tactics and strategies sales and procurement use to make life more difficult for the other.  Listen as they debate topics such as: Why sales needs to feel good about the relationship with their customers and prospects before they can advocate internally for competitive pricing How procurement can work with and through sales to gain entry to the buying process when the rest of the business is not actively engaging with them The importance of procurement and sales being able to come together to agree upon desired outcomes and what success will ultimately look like

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Although the challenge of managing supply chains and supplier relationships has compounded in recent years, most procurement teams are still over-reliant on fragmented internal information that slows their response in a negotiation. What procurement needs is an empowering source of insight that combines internal and external information in one place, providing optionality and agility so they can make changes in response to changing economic and geopolitical conditions. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Rajesh Kalidindi, Founder and CEO of LevaData, about his background in electronics direct materials management and why he decided to leave his position to start his own company. The opportunity that exists to augment existing human potential with technology that empowers faster decision making The requirement to do so at scale, so that procurement can strategically manage spend in all categories without adding headcount Why gathering insights alone isn’t enough without a way to ensure they are actionable

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

There are multiple ways of looking at every business topic. Provider and practitioner are the ones procurement is most familiar with, but there are also third parties like researchers and academics. When we are trying to master a subject - especially one that we will have to manage cross-functionally - the more perspectives we can compare and synthesize, the better. Art of Procurement recently had an opportunity to bring multiple perspectives together in one panel-based live event, an AOP Live session focused on connected planning.  Philip Ideson was joined by three guests, each of whom shared examples from their experience demonstrating how procurement and finance can connect sustainability with financial planning, making everything measurable in the process. Attendees heard actionable advice from: The Practitioner: Nick Wingbermuehle, Sr. Director, Capabilities and Continuous Improvement at Anheuser-Busch The Expert: Adrian de Groot Ruiz, Executive Director at the Impact Institute The Solution Provider: Bryan Baum, Head of Supply Chain Solutions, Sourcing and Procurement at Anaplan

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

One of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development goals is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, for their own sake and for the sake of economic growth and development. The UN has a number of specific targets that address violence, discrimination, and other harmful practices and there are other third party organizations doing work in this area as well. Is there something procurement can do to move companies towards global gender equality goals? That is the topic of this conversation with David Latten, Head of Global Indirect Procurement at Logitech. Not only is he convinced that there is a lot procurement can do to support gender equality, he feels that we are particularly well positioned to do so. How a consumer-focused effort to evaluate how “Gender Fair” companies are became his cause internally with B2B suppliers The organizations helping with measurement and monitoring of individual companies’ relative gender equality His advice for starting a procurement-led effort to emphasize gender equality in your company

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement currently finds themselves at the intersection of many challenges. The war in Europe, inflation (possibly recession?), sustainability, diversity, and the Great Resignation are just a few. All of these need to be balanced with the core deliverables of cost and risk management, making data, digital experiences, and measurement more important than they have ever been. SAP has recently commissioned a number of research studies with The Economist, IDC, and Harvard Business Review, all looking at different opportunities for procurement to impact the business. In order to get some idea of their findings, Philip Ideson recently interviewed Baber Farooq, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy, Procurement Solutions at SAP, at SAP Sapphire in Orlando, Florida. In this conversation, Baber shares his perspective on: Why initiatives like sustainability will struggle to have an impact without the measurement and reporting that procurement is already well-suited to provide The importance of SAP sponsoring studies on the topics of greatest importance to procurement, and not to support a specific product or functionality rollout The two top findings that stood out to him from all of the data and research he has had the opportunity to review

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.  Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Diversifying your supplier base is most likely near the top of your organization’s highest priorities this year, but is it enough to really make an impact outside of the four walls of procurement? How are we addressing the challenge of creating equity for diverse business owners, and are we truly taking an inclusive approach to sourcing? A corporate initiative to increase diverse spend needs depth in purpose from the people and teams working to achieve it. Whether your organization has a dedicated DE&I team leading and supporting company-wide projects, or it’s on you and a small group to implement new processes to hit diverse spend targets, understanding who you are impacting and why it matters is essential for success. In this week’s episode of Procurement for the People, show host Katherine McCleery explores the challenges of both the buy and sell side of supplier diversity programs with special guest Jason Roberts, CEO and Founder of Kaleida. In addition to sharing some of his personal experiences that shaped and motivated him, Jason takes us on a deep-dive to teach us:   Why accessibility is the catalyst for increasing equity for diverse business owners How diverse businesses can overcome unconscious bias in the sales process Three ways to ensure a successful diverse spend initiative: executive buy-in, public communication, and working with a technology partner to identify diverse suppliers Why making stereotypical diverse supplier selections actually perpetuates discrimination and how to avoid it in the tender process

Why do so many P2P implementations fail or fall short of ROI expectations? The majority of these failures are the result of three problems:  1. Procurement selects and implements solutions they believe are best fit without seeking input from the business.                    2. Procurement works with the business to implement a solution, not for what it was designed to do, but for what they want it to do. 3. Procurement forgets to address the supplier experience: enablement, onboarding, messaging, and everyday usability.  During this AOP Live based episode hosted by Kelly Barner, Joe Payne, Jennifer Ulrich, and Tom Pellescki from Corcentric answer questions about why procurement’s ability to lead a successful change management initiative is so critical and how procurement can overcome the common P2P implementation challenges of the past.

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement.   Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

There has been an explosion of startups and investment interest in the digital procurement space over the last few years. As companies with new and diverse perspectives tackle shared problems in unique ways, the type and variety of ‘best of breed’ options available in the ecosystem broadens as well. In this week’s episode, we bring you a session from our recent AOP Digital Outcomes 2022 virtual event. Philip Ideson was joined by Jack Freeman, a Partner at PeakSpan Capital, to talk about the tech trends he is seeing - and how lasting he thinks they will be. Key takeaways from the interview include: The pace of change within procurement, and how well that matches the pace of change in enterprises and markets How he sees the battle to be the ‘single source of truth’ playing out Ways that today’s technology is pushing processes to adapt, and improving the user and supplier experience in the process

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement has a troubled relationship with the notion of ‘best in class’ practices. On the one hand, all teams want to be considered best in class. On the other hand, how procurement teams align with their organization as a whole is very nuanced, and should vary company by company. What should procurement strive to be? Rendi Miller is the Vice President of Strategic Sourcing and Procurement at Zendesk and a passionate supporter of the procurement community as a whole. Rendi and host Philip Ideson recently connected in person at the ProcureCon Indirect West event in Phoenix, AZ.  They took that opportunity to discuss Her experience working to build a procurement group in a high-growth tech environment  What the procurement experience should look and feel like and how she and her team make that vision a reality How she is working to future-proof procurement’s strategic role in times of significant change and disruption 

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Contingent workforce spend is often seen as a risky, cost-based category. While lowering cost and risk is important, there is a whole range of strategic benefits available to companies that take a broader approach.  Procurement needs to think bigger and take the category to the next level so they can deliver value beyond savings.  In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Morten Petersen, the co-founder and CEO of Worksome, as well as James Nicholls, Worksome’s Head of Enterprise, about contingent workforce trends and best practices. They discuss a number of audience-driven topics, including:  How contingent workforce is changing,  Procurement’s role in helping organizations think about talent more broadly,  How contingent workforce spend can deliver a lot of value and innovation,  And finally, how to avoid doing more harm than good!

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Far more teams talk about category management than successfully carry it out, but is the challenge one of talent or scale? It is certainly one of the more creative processes procurement engages in, which opens the door to more value creation - as long as procurement has the right metrics and KPIs guiding their work. In this week’s episode, we bring you a session from our recent AOP Digital Outcomes 2022 virtual event. Kelly Barner was joined by Gary Levitan from WeWork and Remko Van Hoek from the University of Arkansas to discuss whether or not category management initiatives can be executed at scale. Key takeaways from the interview include: Category management can facilitate stakeholder collaboration when products, services, and/or suppliers overlap How the automation of rote and even ‘boring’ procurement tasks can make it possible for procurement to invest more time and effort in strategy  Why it is important to consider automation part of a process or a subset of spend categories instead of waiting to include 100% at the same time

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

We all know what digital transformation is, right? The two words together sound simple enough, but it has become an increasingly complicated process that might start with the intention to improve the business but ends up as a band-aid for problems that never see the light of change. So where have we gone wrong? Don’t worry, it’s not all on you! Dr. Epstein reveals from a consultant’s point of view the many missteps she’s seen at the executive level that have perpetuated a cycle of inept transformations. But there is hope – in the data flowing through the enterprise and the people working together to use it. But, Dr. Epstein reminds us – there is no magic button. It takes work. There’s a new skill set that requires a general digital literacy, but it also requires working with people that perhaps have been the roadblock for a long time. Show host Katherine McCleery takes listeners on a journey through Dr. Epstein’s comprehensive view of where procurement’s gone wrong and a closer look at the path she sees ahead:  How procurement leaders can build a business case for better data and what it takes to close the gap with CIOs  Why open-sourcing data analysis and business strategy is one way to move procurement and supply chain forward Predictions on the state of the supplier experience and where we can expect to see new investment in 2022

Procurement’s time, energy, and attention are being pulled in a million directions today - but the ‘loudest’ issues are not always the most important ones. Despite constant disruption and economic uncertainty, we still need to maintain our investment in sustainability, an effort that provides an opportunity for procurement to show what we are truly capable of in terms of organizational impact.  In this week’s episode, Philip Ideson is joined by one of the giants of the procurement industry, Thomas Udesen, Chief Procurement Officer at Bayer and the Co-Founder of the Sustainable Procurement Pledge. They took this opportunity to discuss his unique procurement philosophy. Of particular interest are Thomas’ comments on: What sustainability means to him and the role procurement can play in addressing this important challenge  The key ideas he heard at the recent World Sustainable Procurement Day event How procurement can ensure that ideation about sustainability leads to associated actions

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

In late 2021, LinkedIn selected Art of Procurement Head of Content and Brand Partnerships Kelly Barner to be one of 100 creators - and the only procurement professional - to go through their first ever Creator Accelerator Program. For ten weeks starting in January 2022, Kelly had to post four pieces of new content per week related to her project, which was focused on supplier diversity. Although the program wasn’t easy to complete, it was a great opportunity for Kelly to learn more about a critical topic, to receive personalized coaching about how to make the most of LinkedIn, and to show a broad audience how valuable and interesting procurement is. In this episode, Host Philip Ideson interviews Kelly about: Having the opportunity to be an early Beta tester for LinkedIn’s new live audio event functionality Best practices for being engaged on LinkedIn in a way that increases the size of your network and reinforces the value of active connections Challenging and surprising takeaways from her 50+ interviews with supplier diversity professionals, certifying organizations, and diverse-owned businesses

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement wants to have an impact on the organization we support. Usually that impact is measured in terms of savings, but with the advancement of digital tools and sophisticated processes, we have the opportunity to take that ‘impact’ to the next level, making it scalable and sustainable. In this week’s episode, we bring you a session from our recent AOP Digital Outcomes 2022 virtual event. Helen Mackenzie was joined by Johann Raunig, a Partner at McKinsey, who has undertaken a lot of work to identify key disrupting elements.  Key takeaways from the interview include: A number of disrupting imperatives that are impacting procurement, the procurement delivery model, and our ability to accelerate our impact How procurement can achieve a response speed that matches the kinds of uncertainty we must navigate Why and where we should bring select suppliers into the procurement transformation process as well

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement is finally a ‘labor of love’ for many of the professionals who make up its ranks. And while enthusiasm within the profession is a huge step in the right direction, there is still work to be done to win the hearts and minds of broader cross functional teams. Each CPO has the opportunity to place their team at the intersection of company culture and employee experience, determining how procurement can advance and align at the highest levels of the company. The ultimate goal of this approach is for procurement to become a trusted advisor to the business. In this interview, created as an AOP Live session, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Colin Glazier, VP of Solutions Consulting at Zip, and Joe Frederick, Senior Director of Procurement & Sourcing at Snowflake. They share their unique perspectives on the important role procurement plays as a key enabler for innovation: The qualities and actions that define a world class procurement experience The most common friction points that exist in procurement processes and the impact their have on the business How technology can help solve these issues, and what people and process steps need to be taken first A new discussion of the classic ‘make v. buy’ decision and how enabling technologies can improve the employee experience.

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement has the best seat in the business right now with more influence on spend than ever before, yet still remains incredibly elusive to the sales teams 18 months into pursuing them. We have to ask – is procurement the problem or is sales just not getting it? Regardless of which side you’re on, that answer is probably blocking deals and opportunities for innovation in your organization. It’s the seemingly age-old question asked in this episode of Procurement for the People that now has a very clear answer bridging the gap between those that hold the spend and the ones looking to win their business.  Show host Katherine McCleery brings the two worlds together with guest Jill Robbins, for a masterclass on selling to procurement and how to make an impact on the value chain. Jill opens up her own sales playbook built upon years of experience in procurement.

The self-service approach has been used in a number of corporate process areas, such as requisitioning, contingent labor, benefits, employee onboarding, mobility, and travel booking. What’s more, it has been in use for decades - it is no longer an untested method. Procurement must catch-up with stakeholder expectations for scalable, digital enablement in purchasing as well. At Art of Procurement’s Digital Outcomes event in March, session moderator Philip Ideson had the opportunity to speak with Elisabeth Schlag Lawrence, SVP, Head of Procurement Governance & Enabling at Bayer, and Mita Gupta, Senior Vice President at Globality Inc., about this topic. The central question was whether self-guided buying can enable the business to scale quickly and easily - and how procurement can adjust to the change as well.

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

The common legacy of procurement software is one of overpriced technology that no one uses (if they can avoid it). Procurement technology is perceived as a tool intended for process enforcement rather than enabling insight or competitive advantage. But it doesn’t have to be that way. For all of procurement’s talk about wanting to change, it seems as though the desire for a new way of doing things is stronger outside of procurement than within. Before procurement can actively drive change for ourselves, through technology and analytics, we have to embrace a whole new mindset - one that creates a culture of insight by providing open access to actionable data. In this episode - based on an AOP Live session, Heta Ruikka, Vice President of Product Management at Sievo, and Flavio Monteleone, an Expert Partner in Procurement at Bain & Company, discussed ways for procurement technology to be user friendly - even in the midst of data heavy activities. Why collaborating with the business to leverage the power of data is where the magic happens The ‘people challenges’ that have to be resolved before any technical challenges can be addressed or deliver ROI What Sievo has learned from their clients about the power of self-service dashboards

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

In September of 2021, Art of Procurement collaborated with BT Sourced, the procurement services group at BT, to produce a hybrid event called Dare to Discover: Reaching New Heights for Procurement. As part of this event, Philip Ideson had the opportunity to facilitate three executive panel sessions.  In this week’s episode, you’ll get to hear the last of those panels, a discussion focused on the formation of procurement companies. He interviewed three leaders who work, not just in internal procurement departments, but companies that spun procurement out of their organizations to create independent procurement companies.  The panel featured Cyril Pourrat, Founder and Chairman of the Board at BT Sourced; Vanessa Pepperell, Global COO and Strategy Procurement VP at Aquanima; and Beatrice Felder, CEO of BuyIn, who support companies like Deutsche Telekom and Orange. The conversation they had gives all procurement organizations and leaders an opportunity to consider what it is like to think like an external service provider. Of particular interest are their comments on: The stories and journeys behind their move from internal procurement lead to externally facing service providers What suppliers of the companies they support think about the shift in model and how it affects their experience How they think the model of a procurement operating company will evolve from this point forward

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Talent management is one of the hottest trends in business today. Talent has always been a key differentiator, but recent changes have been accelerated by COVID and stressed by the great resignation, leading us to total talent management - also known as contingent labor.  In this episode, host Philip Ideson is joined by Mathias Linnemann, the Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Worksome, a marketplace and workforce management systems for freelance and contract labor. He and his team have had a front row seat for the recent changes in talent, and they have not just monitored trends - they have found ways to innovate the space as well. They take this opportunity to discuss: The rise of the freelance economy and what it means for companies and procurement teams Recent changes in how companies are accessing talent, and how that provides new opportunities to access talent and experience were previously out of reach Who owns the talent spend category, and the role that procurement can play in driving business outcomes that extend far beyond savings

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement has struggled to achieve alignment with the business for a long time, and we’ve always owned that disconnect - feeling that we were somehow falling short, or not communicating clearly, or just plain misunderstanding what is needed of us. But what if the root of the problem is something else… what if it is ‘them?’  In the first episode of Procurement for the People, host Katherine McCleery welcomes Daniel Barnes, contract management extraordinaire and founder of World of Procurement – which began as a blog and has expanded to so much more including a Discord community.  Katherine takes this opportunity to speak with Daniel about why no one ‘gets’ procurement, and what we can do about it: How procurement can present a value proposition to stakeholders that fosters understanding The harsh reality of supplier contracts and what stakeholders should get out of a good contract review Why procurement should have the endgame in mind, no matter where they are in the process

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the whole world has watched unbelievable scenes unfolding before our eyes on television. And while most people have a feeling of helplessness, procurement and supply chain skills are critically important for securing and moving the goods that the Ukrainian people require right now. The biggest challenge of all is harnessing all the goodwill from the procurement community and making sure we use it to hit what is undeniably a moving target. In this short but very important podcast, host Philip Ideson is joined by a good friend of the show, Sammeli Sammalkorpi. Many of our listeners know Sammeli as the CEO and Co-Founder of Sievo, based in Helsinki, Finland. What you may not know is how Sammeli has mobilized his team in support of Ukraine. In this conversation, Sammeli shares what procurement professionals can do right now, starting with Procure4Peace, the brand new resource for anyone who wants to help.

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Procurement is in the midst of a period of significant change - driven in large part by an exploding ecosystem of digital solutions. With these new options comes new expectations, specifically the need to provide a consumer-like buying experience for all categories.  For instance, the way that procurement buys technology is changing - from a one-size-fits-all model, to one where care is taken to architect a tech stack that can meet the needs of the business.  In this episode, host Philip Ideson welcomes two guests: Dr. Ferhat Eryurt, a Partner at ap-solut Group, and Lukas Wawrla, Co-founder and Managing Director at Archlet. They took the opportunity to discuss: Where procurement is on the digitization journey today How procurement should manage the many options presented by combining platforms and best-of-breed solutions Whether procurement is giving enough weight to the stakeholder experience when building out a technology ecosystem

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

In this special 4-part series, Managing Supplier ESG Risk, produced by Art of Procurement in partnership with Dun & Bradstreet, Host Philip Ideson is joined by Brian Alster, General Manager of Finance and Risk Solutions, and Rochelle March, Head of ESG Product, both at Dun & Bradstreet. They dig into the emerging imperative for procurement to understand the ESG (or Environmental, Social, and Governance) profiles of their suppliers, and provide actionable tips and recommendations on how to manage ESG in the context of broader supplier and supply chain risk management.

In this special 4-part series, Managing Supplier ESG Risk, produced by Art of Procurement in partnership with Dun & Bradstreet, Host Philip Ideson is joined by Brian Alster, General Manager of Finance and Risk Solutions, and Rochelle March, Head of ESG Product, both at Dun & Bradstreet. They dig into the emerging imperative for procurement to understand the ESG (or Environmental, Social, and Governance) profiles of their suppliers, and provide actionable tips and recommendations on how to manage ESG in the context of broader supplier and supply chain risk management.

In this special 4-part series, Managing Supplier ESG Risk, produced by Art of Procurement in partnership with Dun & Bradstreet, Host Philip Ideson is joined by Brian Alster, General Manager of Finance and Risk Solutions, and Rochelle March, Head of ESG Product, both at Dun & Bradstreet. They dig into the emerging imperative for procurement to understand the ESG (or Environmental, Social, and Governance) profiles of their suppliers, and provide actionable tips and recommendations on how to manage ESG in the context of broader supplier and supply chain risk management.

In this special 4-part series, Managing Supplier ESG Risk, produced by Art of Procurement in partnership with Dun & Bradstreet, Host Philip Ideson is joined by Brian Alster, General Manager of Finance and Risk Solutions, and Rochelle March, Head of ESG Product, both at Dun & Bradstreet. They dig into the emerging imperative for procurement to understand the ESG (or Environmental, Social, and Governance) profiles of their suppliers, and provide actionable tips and recommendations on how to manage ESG in the context of broader supplier and supply chain risk management.

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

We are going to be discussing ‘experiential procurement’ in detail throughout 2022. In short, the experience procurement creates for all stakeholders - both while interacting with us and while navigating the buying process - is fundamental to determining the impact we can have and the role we can play in the businesses.  In this week’s episode, host Philip Ideson is joined by Tim Jones, former Chief Procurement Officer for Google, now Vice President of Business Operations at Epic Games. They last spoke (via podcast anyway) seven years ago - an entire lifetime in the procurement maturity progression. Tim and Phil take this opportunity to catch up and dig into the concept of ‘experiential procurement’  What procurement ends up getting tangled and tripped up by an overly internal focus, when the organization definitely needs us looking outward How procurement technology has changed in the wake of the eCommerce boom, and how our processes need to hurry to keep up Why procurement needs to be ‘on the lookout’ for evidence of buyer arrogance in the RFP process

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Despite the fact that it isn't frequently discussed as a spend category, health insurance represents an ideal opportunity for procurement to create value for the business. It is a large category in terms of spend, involves a lot of nuances and complexity, and it has been the exclusive domain of Human Resources - until now.   ​​This episode is based on a recent category briefing held within the AOP Mastermind community. Philip Ideson was joined by Eric Krieg, the Managing Director of Risk International Services, experts in helping organizations manage the health insurance spend category. He provided a category overview and then answered live questions.    In the conversation, Eric shared how procurement can strategically manage the health insurance category, including:  The nature of the health insurance market today  Tips on how procurement can engage with stakeholders to manage this critical and sensitive category The opportunities that exist for procurement to create lasting value once we are engaged

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Supplier diversity programs offer access to innovation, new markets, and localized socioeconomic impact. And yet - despite all of these benefits - most public sector entities have yet to make a persuasive and actionable case for diversity. There are several obstacles preventing governments from realizing the value potential and cost savings associated with supplier diversity. For instance, a preference for known suppliers and the complexity associated with onboarding new suppliers are just two barriers that limit the potential supplier pool.  As unprecedented levels of Federal funding become available, it is more important than ever that part of these resources are used to support diverse suppliers and build communities in alignment with federal and state stipulations.  Sean Correll, Head of Ivalua’s Public Sector team, and Jarrod McAdoo, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Ivalua recently joined Art of Procurement for an AOP Live session. In this podcast version of the event, host Philip Ideson asked Sean and Jarrod questions about: Making public sector supplier diversity discovery, onboarding, and management easier through fit-for-purpose digital procurement technologies The need for effective contract administration in response to new and changing regulations and legislation The advantage associated with making specific diversity spend commitments to incentivize municipalities and agencies to work with new suppliers and therefore drive innovation

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.  Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Historically, procurement has focused too much on savings and not enough on revenue and growth - the true heartbeat of any competitive enterprise. Rather than trying to reposition savings as top line impact, procurement needs to insist upon more suitable performance metrics.  This insistence has to be backed by concrete examples of the spend categories procurement believes they can manage in such a way that it fuels corporate growth. If these categories have been ‘off limits’ in the past, procurement is going to have to make a results-driven pitch for access, followed by the delivery of measurable outcomes. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session run in late 2021, Host Philip Ideson speaks with Greg Anderson and David Clevenger about what procurement needs to do differently in 2022 and beyond: The importance of user experience, improved by breaking free from legacy thinking and out-of-date business models How procurement can connect company-wide value drivers with strategic supplier relationships to support sustained growth Why there may be more of an opportunity to move away from savings as the key procurement performance metric than we think

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.  Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Climate change, habitat loss, and plastic waste threaten our environment. Social issues such as modern slavery, inequality, and discrimination blight the lives of millions of people. As procurement professionals, we have the ability to use our buying power to help address these issues and drive change around the world. But how?  In this episode, Host Philip Ideson welcomes back two repeat guests, Mark Perera, CEO at Vizibl, and Peter Smith, Managing Director at Procurement Excellence, to discuss their new book: Procurement with Purpose. And yet, this is more than a book - this is an opportunity to have conversations with purpose-led procurement organizations and leaders all over the world. They use this conversation to share their perspective on: How purpose-driven procurement is spreading around the world and leading to scope and focus changes for many Chief Procurement Officers The differences between corporate approaches to sustainability and government or NGO approaches to the same initiatives What procurement can do to help our stakeholders make decisions that are not only good for business, but for the environment and social causes as well

Procurement 6 is a new short podcast from Art of Procurement that will be published in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.  Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode will have 6 short segments that summarize this week in procurement. Segments will range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that have captured our attention this week.

Entrepreneurs have a unique way of looking at the world. They identify gaps that need to be solved, and develop solutions so strong they create a brand new competitive advantage. This is even more true of ‘serial entrepreneurs,’ because they have perfected the ability to spot the opportunities to revolutionize how we live and work.  In 2021, Art of Procurement collaborated with BT Sourced, the procurement services group of BT, to produce a hybrid in-person and virtual event called Dare to Discover: Reaching New Heights for Procurement. This episode of the podcast is one of two panel sessions recorded at that event - the other recorded session will be published soon. The panel was brought together to discuss (and debate!) some of the ‘big bets’ that have been made to spur procurement innovation. Charlie Clark founded Rosslyn Data Technologies and Darkbeam, Ulf Zetterberg founded Seal Software and Time is Ltd.; and Chirag Shah founded MarketMaker4 and is now Executive Chairman at Simfoni. Towards the end of the discussion, they pulled Adam Brown, Head of the Procurement Digital Garage at BT Sourced, up out of the audience to add in his perspective.  During this one-hour session, Moderator Philip Ideson asks the guests: About at least one big bet they are willing to make about the future of procurement innovation and the personal perspective or philosophy underpinning that bet The difference between enabling technology and infrastructure technology in terms of ROI and in what level of engagement is asked of users and beneficiaries The responsibility that employees and employers now have to protect corporate assets against the risks of the digital economy

This time of year provides a natural opportunity to pause and reflect; standing on the boundary line between old and new, past and future. After skipping the tradition of writing a pair of annual letters in 2020 - because what was there to say that hadn’t already been said? - Philip Ideson uses this week’s episode to consider the foundational philosophy of the AOP team as we head into 2022. In addition to sharing his reflections on 2021, Philip elaborates on the importance of mindset and culture in the face of what would seem to be never-ending disruption: The difference between a ‘Day 1’ and ‘Day 2’ mentality, and what each means for procurement Why leading teams will need to drive results through experience, outcomes, and insight to continue fueling their transformational journeys The activities that will NOT pave a new path for procurement, despite continuing to be table stakes

We often refer to “the business” when we are trying to ensure that we take a larger perspective on procurement’s work. But at the end of the day, “the business” is made up of many individuals, each one of them is a different type of procurement stakeholder. We want to share more stakeholder voices because procurement is always at risk of misunderstanding or misinterpreting what they really need from us. At Mastermind LIVE Fall 2021, Philip Ideson moderated a session with Chet Patel, Chief Commercial Officer and President of the Americas at BT, and Cyril Pourrat, CPO at BT Sourced, BT’s procurement services company.  Art of Procurement has had a front row seat to watch the transformation of the BT Sourced enterprise procurement team, one that we believe is setting the standard for the future of procurement. In this session, focused on stakeholder collaboration, we got to hear: What a procurement digital transformation journey looks and feels like to stakeholders observing from the outside How closely related partnership with the business and partnership with suppliers are for procurement How procurement can establish themselves as a trusted advisor to the business - even when that means telling them ‘no’

Data was a major topic in 2021, whether the focus was on quality, access, or analytics. There always seems to be too much data, not enough data, or trust issues from procurement and/or the business to make our decision-making processes as data-driven as we would like. At Categorypalooza 2021, Betsy Pancik, Joe Adamski, and Nick Buitrago from ProcureAbility considered the challenge of getting accurate data to inform procurement’s buying strategies and offer their personal tips on how to overcome those challenges.  Betsy Pancik moderated the session, which included deep dives on topics such as: The impact that procurement’s data problems have on the business and what we can do about them How much time procurement should spend digging into their data versus building relationships (for instance) What leading procurement organizations are doing with (or about) their data and what others can learn from them

In 2021, we facilitated a lot of discussions about category management. Is it still fit for purpose or does this 25-year old business process need to evolve faster to keep up with the ways procurement continues to change? At Mastermind LIVE Spring 2021, Nancy Nicoll, VP of Indirect Sourcing Center of Excellence at Retail Business Services, and Jaime Robles, CPO of Caseys General Stores, joined Philip Ideson for a panel session to discuss procurement operating models - specifically, whether category management is 'dead' or 'alive' and if procurement should pursue a relational or expertise-based model for working with the business. They answered questions such as: What are some of the challenges that a category management-driven procurement structure brings and how can we overcome them? How might procurement’s approach to category management affect their relationship with the business? Where should procurement get category expertise from if it doesn't reside in the person running the sourcing process?

Supplier experience management is a new area of focus for most procurement teams, even though we often serve as the primary point of contact for suppliers. We just haven’t thought about it before. If we want to improve the supplier experience, becoming customers of choice in the process, we are going to need to revisit many of our policies, processes, and programs. In an effort to better understand the supplier experience and the opportunity associated with improving it, we partnered with HICX to run a three-part AOP Live series. We were joined by leading practitioners to answer audience questions on three topics: Making a Business Case for Supplier Experience Management Looking at the present and future of Supplier Experience Management in Practice, and Articulating the ROI associated with World Class Supplier Experience Management The three hours of conversation were full of insights and inspiration, and we’ve edited the best portions of them into this podcast. In the first session, Charlotte Anabelle de Brabandt and Ramit Mahajan talked about the benefits associated with creating a good enough supplier experience to be seen as a customer of choice - what that looks like in practice and whether the disruptions of the last two years have impacted how executive leadership regards that objective.  In part 2, Adam Brown and Costas Xyloyiannis talked about the misalignment between how highly procurement would rate themselves as a partner and what the supplier experience is actually like in practice. In the final installment of the series, Robert Bonnar and Mary Beth Lang explored the meaning of supplier experience management and how it connects to other types of value and initiatives that procurement is already leading.

Leading procurement organizations are constantly reimagining their processes and operating models, but in today’s unpredictable and fast-changing world they are under more pressure than ever to deliver a high-level roadmap to building the procurement function of tomorrow. In TRANSFORM - a thought-provoking new podcast series from Art of Procurement in partnership with Globality - we spotlight the agenda-setting procurement leaders and companies who are changing the game and redefining the Future of Procurement. In the third episode in the series, host Philip Ideson talks with Vanessa Pepperell, Global COO and Strategy Procurement Vice President of Aquanima, the procurement company of Santander. Their two decades’ worth of expertise now allows them to support external clients as well. In this interview, Vanessa explains how Aquanima is driving digital transformation in services procurement: How investing in ESG can help companies build brand value and ward off risk Why strategic partnerships require transparency, but they also require development from the buy-side organization The change management effort that will be required over time to account for the fact that sustainable supply chains are often more expensive

There are multiple ways for procurement to achieve savings - and some are more collaborative than others. The more planful we can be about the overall process, the more opportunities we are creating to work arm-in-arm with the business in pursuit of those savings.  Art of Procurement recently hosted an AOP Live webinar with Joe Payne, SVP of Source-to-Pay at Corcentric, and Dave Quillan, Senior Manager of Procurement at Alliant Credit Union (ACU) to discuss how procurement should discuss savings with the business and what incentives can be used to ensure the business feels rewarded by the process. Dave and Joe share their experiences and points of view to these topics and more: How procurement can work with leadership to incentivize savings and minimize compliance problems at the same time Partnership oriented ways for procurement to increase their category-specific credibility with the business without stepping on their toes The critical step of defining - or potentially redefining - addressable spend before developing strategies to deliver savings How to build and execute a sourcing roadmap to ensure annual savings targets are met and the resources that can help procurement reach their savings goals

Each change journey is unique - and yet - can benefit from embracing proven best practices that have been formalized by specialists with equally unique expertise. The benefits of taking such a journey are becoming clear at the University of Massachusetts, as they bring their print, marketing, and branded merchandise spend under management through a partnership with SupplyLogic. David Cho is the Chief Procurement Officer and Managing Director at the University of Massachusetts. His team began their change journey with an investment in their partnerships (both internal and external), technology, and data that helped them achieve a deeper understanding of their marketing and print services spend. They worked at the category level to inform strategies and decisions that would have a lasting impact and deliver multiple forms of ROI for the university. In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, David is joined by Phil Schoonmaker, CEO of SupplyLogic, and Host Philip Ideson to answer live audience questions about what he and his team have learned on their change journey: The importance of centralizing procurement so that there can be one ‘attack plan’ for managing large numbers of suppliers and transactions and one approach to influencing stakeholders When and why to leverage experts outside of the organization to advance the partnerships being built internally Insights and intelligence that can be used to advance corporate social responsibility in the form of local, diversity-owned, and environmentally friendly supplier partnerships

Leading procurement organizations are constantly reimagining their processes and operating models, but in today’s unpredictable and fast-changing world they are under more pressure than ever to deliver a high-level roadmap to building the procurement function of tomorrow.  In TRANSFORM - a thought-provoking new podcast series from Art of Procurement in partnership with Globality - we spotlight the agenda-setting procurement leaders and companies who are changing the game and redefining the Future of Procurement.  In the second episode in the series, host Philip Ideson talks with Adam Brown, Head of the Procurement Digital Garage and Senior Manager of Transformation at BT Sourced. Adam and his team are leading the way in transforming the role and the impact of procurement beyond traditional boundaries.    This interview gives Adam a forum to talk about the importance of building a digital procurement ecosystem to enable lasting transformation: Why procurement needs to think about transformation as a process of constant reinvention How his perspective on procurement talent is shaped by the emphasis BT Sourced places on their best-of-breed digital ecosystem Building self-service capabilities that distributed buyers really don’t have to worry about getting right

In 2021, 62% of the companies in the S&P 1500 index did not provide an annual forecast - some even stated that there is just too much uncertainty for them to be accurate (WSJ, 9/22/21). This is a reality that all companies in all industries worldwide have accepted; market conditions will remain uncertain for the foreseeable future.  In this episode, based on an AOP Live session, host Philip Ideson talks with Sherri Barnes, Director of Market Intelligence Services at ProcureAbility, and Kristen Rellihan, Senior Manager of Advisory at ProcureAbility. They discuss how procurement can develop strong buying strategies despite the certainty of uncertainty in the market and what tactics may be best suited in our current inflationary environment.  Sherri and Kristen also answer live audience questions about: The current state of the economy and how long ProcureAbility expects the uncertainty to last What economic information sources procurement may want to consult, and how we can turn what we learn into actionable insights How to bring market information into conversations with internal stakeholders, especially when the news is not positive

Usually the transformation journeys we hear about are focused on a single company, but there are instances of industry wide transformation efforts as well. The oil and gas industry is a perfect example. These companies are looking to evolve into broader chemical and energy organizations for the sake of sustainability, and procurement has the opportunity to become a strategic partner in this transformation.  ​​In this episode, host Philip Ideson gets a look into the role of procurement transformation in the oil and gas industry by interviewing Artem Sherekh, the Global Oil and Gas Practice Lead at SAP, and Ferhat Eryurt, a partner at apsolut Group. Headquartered in Germany, apsolut Group is an SAP and SAP Ariba consulting partner that delivers on-premise cloud and hybrid procurement solutions.  After shining a light on the role of procurement in the oil and gas industry, Artem and Ferhat talk about: How companies are overcoming the cost-based hurdles associated with transitioning from conventional oil and gas to more expensive but sustainable renewable energy sources Ways for procurement to reevaluate their value proposition to the company as conditions change, and how that should guide their activities Why high quality, centralized data is an absolute must, even in fast-paced, regulated organizations going through a lot of M&A activity

Leading procurement organizations are constantly reimagining their processes and operating models, but in today’s unpredictable and fast-changing world they are under more pressure than ever to deliver a high-level roadmap to building the procurement function of tomorrow.  In TRANSFORM - a thought-provoking new podcast series from Art of Procurement in partnership with Globality - we spotlight the agenda-setting procurement leaders and companies who are changing the game and redefining the Future of Procurement.  For the first episode in this special series, host Philip Ideson talks with Dr. Elouise Epstein, a partner at Kearney and the acclaimed author of Trade Wars, Pandemics, and Chaos: How Digital Procurement Enables Business Success in a Disordered World. She is surely at the forefront of driving the procurement profession to an elevated future. Dr. Elouise shares her honest perspectives on: How she thinks most procurement leaders need to change their thinking about the profession How technologies like AI can enable companies to achieve their ESG goals and tap into new sources of innovation, growth and enterprise value The traits that distinguish the companies that have best positioned themselves for long term success

The State of the Procurement Profession report, one of the largest studies of the profession, is now in its fourth year. Among the key takeaways is data that suggests cost-related objectives remain dominant, with sustainability initiatives far down the list of priorities, despite discussions and content that suggest more progress has already been made. The silver lining is that the entrepreneurial procurement movement seems to be taking hold, and may usher in a time of accelerated change.   In this episode, host Philip Ideson is joined by Dr. Marcell Vollmer, Partner and Director at Boston Consulting Group, and Christoph Bode, Professor at the Business School of the University of Mannheim and Endowed Chair of Procurement. They recently collaborated, with the assistance of ISM, to survey the procurement profession, and have published their findings in the newly released report “State of the Procurement Profession 2021.”   The key findings of the research focus on entrepreneurial orientation, digitization, and ESG, as well as considering procurement reporting structures: Early indications that the first ‘big wave’ of procurement digitalization may be coming to an end Why recent concerns about supply chain risk are changing how companies approach sustainability, and why this shift plays to procurement’s strengths The mindset and risk tolerance that are observed in entrepreneurial procurement teams - who also appear to be outperforming their peers

In a recent Art of Procurement survey, access to market insights was cited as the second most pressing challenge for procurement professionals. Even when procurement is able to access the insights they need, they still have to ensure that they are up-to-date, harder than ever given the level of uncertainty and unpredictability in today’s business climate. In this week’s episode, Host Philip Ideson is joined by Ashley Cruz, Manager of Client Services at ProcurementIQ, and Thomas Lawson, their Product Development Manager. Starting by providing an honest look at procurement’s legacy relationship with market intelligence, they share some of their best tips for making insights actionable and provide a behind the scenes look into how ProcurementIQ builds their market intelligence reports. In particular, Ashley and Thomas answer questions about: Why the time has come (or passed) for procurement’s market intelligence to move beyond supplier discovery and cost/price benchmarking The value of incorporating market trends and dynamics as well as models into the negotiation and bid review process The most frequently asked questions they hear from procurement teams when it comes to accessing and acting upon market insights and intelligence

The high number of low-cost transactions is just the beginning of the challenges with tail spend management. Spend often finds its way into the tail through multiple ‘wrong turns,’ each of which requires a different approach by procurement and a correspondingly different resolution. There is no one ‘cause’ of tail spend and therefore there is no one solution.  In this episode, which is based on an AOP Live session, host Philip Ideson speaks with Jean-Baptiste Anne, Head of Enterprise Sales and Professional Services Teams for Amazon Business, and Vishal Patel, VP of Product Marketing at Ivalua about all things tail spend. How do they define it, how to integrate self-service models, and ways to look at the ROI of your tail spend program. Jean-Baptiste Anne and Vishal Patel answer audience questions about: The differences between a dedicated tail spend solution and integrating that same capability into a platform How to know that you are making the right investment to deliver a tail spend ROI for your company The criticality of understanding what is in your tail spend to being able to direct it through self-guided buying options such as Amazon Business, new procurement-led sourcing projects, or incorporation into existing contracts

Procurement has been working hard to expand our value proposition beyond savings for a long time, and the current conditions in service-based industries may provide a perfect opportunity. Many service and people-based industries are being hit hard by what is being called ‘The Great Resignation.’ Managing these categories on cost alone will definitely not be enough. In this episode, host Philip Ideson speaks with ​​Amy Fong, Vice President of Sourcing and Vendor Management at Everest Group. Amy has had a front row seat to procurement transformation as both practitioner and an advisor, and she is currently focused on services categories. This interview was recorded as part of PASA’s (Procurement and Supply Australasia) ninth annual PASA Premier Confex. Amy answers service-specific questions about: The roles and industries where labor shortages are the greatest - and therefore the potential price increases are the highest Evidence that companies may be pre-buying digital services the way they were hoarding toilet paper in 2020 The trends she sees with regard to service providers integrating technology and automation into their delivery models

We have observed a huge surge in investment in procurement technology startups over the last 12 months, and many of them are leveraging new ‘cognitive’ technologies to be smarter and more intuitive than the procurement technology of years past. In order to truly understand the value proposition of these solutions, procurement needs to have a solid grasp of what cognitive technology is and how its introduction will impact current technology, processes, and talent. ​​In this episode, host Philip Ideson speaks with Melissa Drew, an Associate Partner at IBM. Melissa has 27 years of procurement and supply chain experience, from both an industry and consulting perspective. She collaborates with organizations to reimagine how companies should look in order to remain competitive and was recently recognized as a global leader in consulting in the ‘Excellence in Influence’ category. Since most procurement organizations are in the early stages of thinking about cognitive technology, Philip asks Melissa questions about: What is cognitive technology really versus what we might read and hear in ‘hyped’ product marketing literature? Where should companies be looking to apply the advantages of cognitive technology to their current procurement processes? The critical need for procurement leaders to invest in the data literacy of their organization

Everyone who works for the Clorox Company is encouraged to lead ‘with their head, heart and guts.’ For procurement, this meant boldly accepting - and even driving - change by reimagining their indirect procurement operating model.  Art of Procurement was recently joined by Kathy Thrasher, a Senior Procurement Manager at The Clorox Company, and Mike Caldron, Senior Group Manager at WNS Denali, for an AOP Live session all about their transformation journey. When asked what made the greatest difference in their success, Kathy knows the answer offhand, “Communicate, communicate, communicate.”  Clorox transformed their indirect P2P - half of their total spend as a company - in the middle of the pandemic, during a time when they were ‘all hands on deck’ trying to support the global spike in demand for antibacterial products. They were able to move from operating without any purchasing system to empowering distributed buyers and suppliers to meet their own transaction and information needs. In this episode, host Philip Ideson speaks with Kathy and Mike about: The role of IT in the transformation of Clorox’s indirect procurement How the team revisited their talent and staffing to ensure that skills and system-related changes were addressed The investments they made to improve the supplier experience, enabling their external partners in very challenging business conditions

News of supply shortages and price increases seem to be everywhere. For consumers, that means their dollar doesn’t buy quite as much as it used to, but for procurement, it means every supplier email or call is likely to be a request for a price increase. What is procurement to do? In this crossover episode from The Sourcing Hero podcast, produced in partnership with Una, Host Kelly Barner flips the tables to interview AOP Founder and Managing Director Philip Ideson. His advice on how to address supplier price increase requests is timely - as is his input on how procurement can avoid being ‘re-pigeonholed’ as a cost-only team. If you enjoy this interview, subscribe to The Sourcing Hero podcast for weekly conversations on topics of interest to procurement with a wide-ranging group of guests. In this conversation, Phil shares his perspective on: How procurement should respond to a supplier that reached out with a request for a price increase What options procurement has for mitigating the increase once it has been determined to be a valid request from the supplier If procurement needs to worry about getting TOO GOOD at protecting the bottom line in challenging times

It isn’t often that procurement has the opportunity to hear the sales perspective on our work, but that is precisely what we bring you in this episode of the Art of Procurement podcast. Chris Mele is the Managing Partner of Software Pricing Partners. In this interview, he provides an outsider’s perspective on two topics that are important to procurement: How pricing works in the software industry: whether suppliers are being fair and how to negotiate when you feel like you’re examining a ‘black box,’ because the pricing is value-based rather than input cost-based  What the typical RFP process looks like to sales reps. You won’t just hear Chris’ perspective on RFPs - he solicited input from other sales professionals as well.  Before hitting play, we would like to offer a special listener’s caution on this conversation...  There are two ways to listen to this episode. You can either hear a salesperson advocating for process changes that might make his job easier (not recommended), or you can hear honest input that will help you design your sourcing strategy to better deliver what the business needs from its supply partners. Which way you listen is entirely up to you.

Procurement, treasury and accounts payable have one set of shared objectives when it comes to supplier engagement and management, but all too often they operate in silos. This complicates supplier management and does little to improve their experience while working with a company. Restructuring how these groups work together through procurement transformation can create opportunities to support each other’s goals and therefore better deliver against business expectations. In this episode, Host Philip Ideson is joined by Joe Payne, SVP, Source-to-Pay at Corcentric, and Jennifer Ulrich, Senior Director of Advisory at Corcentric. They are both return guests on Art of Procurement and are two of four authors of the recently released book: Managing Indirect Spend. This conversation is based on a recent AOP Live webinar titled, “Bridging the Gap Between Procurement, AP, and Treasury through Procurement Transformation.”  In that session Joe and Jennifer answered questions from a live Art of Procurement audience about: Where procurement, treasury, and accounts payable tend to fall out of sync and why How fragmented processes not only negatively impact suppliers, but reduce the ROI to the company from those relationships  The additional benefits - such as reduced overall effort and improved data quality - that result when all three groups work collaboratively

“I'm going to change your mindset. You're going to want me to help you. You're going to want my team. You're going to want more procurement and you're going to advocate for us. I love watching it shift.”   Many procurement leaders have been tasked with building the first procurement organization at their company. It is always a challenging journey, with many unexpected twists and turns. For fast-growth companies with a global footprint, establishing formal procurement is absolutely critical, but it has to be done in a way that does not impede the growth trajectory.   Sarah Kaye is the Director of Procurement at Spin, a part of Ford Mobility, an electric scooter and bike-share company. She is combining her passion for marketing with the procurement experience she gained working at organizations such as Target, Radisson Hotel Group, and WeWork.   Sarah’s responsibilities at Spin began at the beginning; building and growing the company’s very first procurement team.   In this conversation, Host Philip Ideson and Sarah discuss how she is building procurement capabilities that truly align with the needs of the business, and how she is leveraging her marketing skills to build and sell the procurement value proposition: The level of sophistication she is able to bring to procurement’s internal relationships by making personal connections aimed at delivering long term value Why the best problem she has is too many contracts to negotiate and execute The importance of procurement taking programs like diversity and inclusion or sustainability and moving beyond tracking and reporting to full advocacy with the business

Corporate travel is one of the most complex spend categories that procurement has management responsibility for. For almost two years now, business travel has been in a state of flux resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic, leaving most companies and procurement teams with a whole series of unanswered questions:   How should your corporate travel policy change to reflect new realities? How do you negotiate deals when volumes are uncertain? How do you account for traveler safety? And how do you integrate sustainability into your travel program? In this four-part special series brought to you in partnership with Egencia, the world’s business travel platform, we will cover all of these pressing issues and more. In the final episode of the series, host Philip Ideson speaks with Kristina Zdrilic Siljedahl, Global Account Manager and Sustainability Ambassador at Egencia, to discuss the tactics and metrics that companies can use to integrate sustainability into their travel program.

Corporate travel is one of the most complex spend categories that procurement has management responsibility for. For almost two years now, business travel has been in a state of flux resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic, leaving most companies and procurement teams with a whole series of unanswered questions:   How should your corporate travel policy change to reflect new realities? How do you negotiate deals when volumes are uncertain? How do you account for traveler safety? And how do you integrate sustainability into your travel program? In this four-part special series brought to you in partnership with Egencia, the world’s business travel platform, we will cover all of these pressing issues and more. In the third episode of the series, host Philip Ideson speaks with Caitlin Deegan, Senior Director of Strategy at Egencia, to discuss the elevated responsibility organizations have to protect traveler safety, and what actions they can take to minimize risk as much as possible.

Corporate travel is one of the most complex spend categories that procurement has management responsibility for. For almost two years now, business travel has been in a state of flux resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic, leaving most companies and procurement teams with a whole series of unanswered questions:   How should your corporate travel policy change to reflect new realities? How do you negotiate deals when volumes are uncertain? How do you account for traveler safety? And how do you integrate sustainability into your travel program? In this four-part special series brought to you in partnership with Egencia, the world’s business travel platform, we will cover all of these pressing issues and more. In the second episode of the series, host Philip Ideson speaks with Delphine Boulton, Director of Consulting at Egencia, to discuss different approaches procurement teams can take to negotiate travel deals when traveler demand is uncertain.

Corporate travel is one of the most complex spend categories that procurement has management responsibility for. For almost two years now, business travel has been in a state of flux resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic, leaving most companies and procurement teams with a whole series of unanswered questions:   How should your corporate travel policy change to reflect new realities? How do you negotiate deals when volumes are uncertain? How do you account for traveler safety? And how do you integrate sustainability into your travel program? In this four-part special series brought to you in partnership with Egencia, the world’s business travel platform, we will cover all of these pressing issues and more. In this first episode of the series, host Philip Ideson speaks with Ann Dery, Director of Global Travel at S&P Global, and Rob Fodor, Global Account Manager at Egencia, about the changes companies are making to their travel policies in the short term and their perspective on when different types of travel will resume.

Anyone who has worked in procurement for more than a year or two has probably found themselves in a situation where they suspect that they are overpaying on a supplier contract. How can you be sure and what should you do if you uncover overpayment? In some cases overpayment issues are based on billing errors, and in other cases, agreed upon contract terms are not being adhered to by suppliers. Either way, third-party compliance audits can be essential. Ben Evans is the President at Auditech Solutions, a company that provides accounts payable and contract compliance audits to help companies determine whether they are overpaying on invoices. He points out that not only may audits need to be done when a company suspects something is wrong with a set of invoices, but that it may be advantageous to include an audit clause in certain contracts. In this conversation, Ben and host Philip Ideson:  Discuss the value of inserting audit causes into supplier contracts, what they should look like, and how to negotiate them.  Take a deeper dive into compliance audits and how to make them a regular part of a supplier governance program.  And cover the ‘nuts and bolts’ of updates, including the different types of commercial models for hiring and compensating an audit firm.

Procurement has been working to digitally transform spend and supplier related processes for years, but even the companies that have succeeded can always do more. Each procurement process connects to other enterprise processes, functions, and systems. The more integrated all of those components are, the better positioned the company is to respond to disruption and seize competitive advantage. In this conversation, Tony Harris, Global Vice President, Global Business Network Solutions at SAP, and host Philip Ideson discuss what today's integrated business networks actually are and what use cases he has seen. In addition to sharing his detailed thoughts about data models, spot buying, and business networks, Tony also shares some tips for procurement leaders that want to start on their own business network design and implementation journey. For example:  Looking for ways to speed up the typical RFP process so that it supports the business instead of hindering progress Ensuring that third party services and contingent workforce providers are included in distributed sourcing and buying platforms Opportunities for supplier value creation associated with leveraging global business networks

Since Philip Ideson started Art of Procurement almost six years ago, a broad range of executives, practitioners, academics, and more have shared over 3.2 Million words of wisdom through our podcasts, webinars, virtual events, and long-form writing. Regardless of their focus or point of view, each person shared our singular goal of helping forward-thinking leaders change the game for their company by elevating procurement’s impact.  In this week’s episode, Philip Ideson delivers a solo show update on the year to date, looking at everything we’ve all been through and how it has changed our lives, our work, and our perspective on the future.  Listen in to hear his opinion on: The overall impact of COVID on procurement as a result of how it has affected supply markets, talent availability, investment in technology, and socially-driven initiatives. How the Art of Procurement team is working to make sure that we never get too comfortable, remaining open to feedback and inspiration and continuing to raise the bar on ourselves Purposeful changes we are making to the availability and delivery of our content and events to ensure that we remain aligned with what you need most

Procurement professionals are always plagued by the fact that no one seems to understand what we do. While this is often blamed on language barriers and the fact that procurement is always evolving, at the end of the day it comes down to one harsh reality - procurement does not have a well-established, recognisable brand. Steve Wills is the Founder and Managing Director of Procurement Central, a specialist training provider based in the UK. Steve formerly served as the Procurement Advisor to the 2012 London Olympic Games’ organizing committee. He has extensive business experience with blue chip organizations and has worked with leaders in industry and commerce as a CPO to transform complex procurement functions.  In this conversation, Steve and Host Philip Ideson discuss procurement’s brand and how function is positioned strategically. This is a topic that is central to procurement executives and leaders, and will only become more so as procurement pushes to change how they are perceived internally and externally. Steve provides the following thoughts and examples to make the case that procurement should purposefully invest in their brand: Whether procurement’s brand should be across the professional community or defined specifically within each company The lasting damage that can be done when procurement prioritizes short term goals and objectives over their longer term vision The difference it can make when the CEO or executive team ‘gets’ what procurement can do and why they are so valuable on the journey to organizational success

In this week’s episode, which is based on an Art of Procurement Mastermind Community Category Briefing, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner ask J. Grant Caplan, President of Procurigence, Inc. and Chairperson  of the GBTA Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, detailed questions about the current state of the meetings and events to better understand the conditions companies are dealing with and possible steps they can take to restart their meetings programs without incurring unnecessary risk. He shared his knowledge and experience regarding: The nuanced differences between ‘meetings’ and ‘events’ and how procurement needs to manage them How companies can navigate the complex web of policies and guidelines that help meeting and event planners decide how much to spend on what elements of their gathering Why he believes travel is a service sold as a commodity, and how that should influence procurement’s handling of the category

Every time someone interacts with procurement’s people, processes, or technology, it influences what that person thinks of procurement. This perception determines how early procurement is brought into a sourcing decision, if they are approached about a new business need, and how willingly stakeholders participate in procurement-led projects.   Procurement may not often focus significant resources on the ‘intake-to-procure’ process, but distributed buyers are likely to feel different. By meeting buyer needs through an improved intake-to-procure experience, procurement has an opportunity to recast their internal image and finally realize the level of business engagement they have always sought.   In this podcast, which is based on an AOP Live session, Liem Hua, Michael Denari, and Rujul Zaparde discuss  How procurement is currently perceived in many organizations, and the opportunities they have for improving the ‘customer experience’ associated with distributed buying  The common pain points in the intake-to-procure process that procurement may not even be aware of, but which are affecting distributed buyers on a regular basis How technology can empower distributed buyers without endangering procurement’s ability to manage spend and suppliers

“A lot of procurement managers think, ‘I have my process. It will be digitized, but I'm still in control of the process and it will remain with procurement.’ But digitalization is one step further where you really question everything.”  Procurement has been focused on digital transformation for so long that we accept the change it will have on our work and team structures. That said, none of us is certain how emerging technologies such as RPA and AI will be incorporated into existing platforms, where we should start the process of automating procurement tasks, and what the future implications will be. To find out, akirolabs worked with Cognitive Corporate Consulting to apply the scientific method to different types of procurement tasks to capture the efficiency impact of automation. Christoph Flöthmann is one of four co-founders at akirolabs, a new and growing procurement collaboration tool focused on helping procurement professionals develop and execute more impactful supply and category strategies. His experience includes time at organizations such as Bayer, The World Bank, DB Schenker, and KPMG.  In this episode, Christoph joins Host Philip Ideson to discuss:  The methodology used by Cognitive Corporate Consulting and akirolabs to research the task-level impact of automation on the future of procurement and what they learned What he sees as the seven ‘next generation’ skills for strategic procurement professionals and teams Some of the actionable insights uncovered by their research and shared in their new whitepaper

When the first edition of Managing Indirect Spend was published, Joe Payne and Bill Dorn often spoke to customers about what strategic sourcing was and what value it could bring to their organization. 10 years later, much has changed, but a lot has remained the same. Procurement is now much better known and recognized as a valuable corporate function, and yet we are still facing many of the same challenges we were back then. Authors Joe Payne, Bill Dorn, Dave Pastore, and Jenn Ulrich all work for Corcentric, where they spend their time working with procurement teams to help them transform and mature. Many of their real life experiences are included in the book, allowing procurement leaders to learn from the journeys of others. In this conversation, the authors speak with Host Philip Ideson about: How procurement can secure ‘sponsorship’ for strategic sourcing projects and encourage the business to engage them as early as possible The common mistakes or ‘landmines’ that undermine procurement’s efforts to bring spend under management Options for procurement organizational design that make it possible to address all of the levels of project complexity that naturally arise

Between corporate efforts to digitize operations and an increasingly remote workforce, telecom and technology spend is now more important than ever. Changes to the ownership or structure of a business often lead to opportunities to optimize this category - but only if procurement has it actively under management and knows what to be on the lookout for. Jeff Poirior is the President & COO of Valicom. He joined us for a recent AOP Live session focused on the unique nuances and opportunities contained in telecom spend. This category requires a specific approach, because - despite the size of the category - very few procurement organizations have a dedicated telecom specialist. This makes it a real challenge to navigate huge data sets and detailed requirements without inflating costs or impacting connectivity and service quality. In this AOP Live-based session, Jeff Poirior answers live audience questions about: How to navigate the distributed ownership typically associated with telecom spend and make a solid business case for optimization Common sources of savings, including avoiding late fees and changes to the business that justify re-analysis Supplier management strategies, including negotiation and benchmarking

We recently partnered with UNA to bring their The Sourcing Hero podcast into the Art of Procurement stable.  The Sourcing Hero is a weekly 20-30 minute podcast that captures the stories of people who are rising up and beating the odds to create exceptional value within procurement, and is hosted by Art of Procurement General Manager, Kelly Barner.   Today marks the launch of Season 2 of the podcast, and the first of our collaboration with UNA, and we’re going to run the episode in full in the AOP feed. --- Learning to Recognize Heroes feat. Dr. Dred Scott and Anthony Clervi Over the last year, most of us have expanded our concept of what it means to be a hero. From teachers to truck drivers, and grocery store workers to hospital staff, we have plenty of community members to look up to. We’ve also learned that anyone, anywhere, in any role has the opportunity to be a hero to the people around them every day - whether it is in their job description or not. In this very special episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Dr. Dred Scott, President of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas City, and Anthony Clervi, Principal at Una, to talk about the importance of heroism in all its forms. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City has been helping at-risk youth for over 100 years. While much has changed during that time, heroes have always been present - sometimes in the form of the adults working at the club, and other times in the children themselves.

As digital transformation progresses, corporate leadership teams are increasing their focus on the quality and availability of data. Spend analysis is just one internal data resource in a sea of data ecosystems, but it has the potential to serve as the foundational connection point for all procurement analytics. For this special series, Art of Procurement partnered with Sievo and Buyers Meeting Point to take a deep dive into procurement data ecosystems. We will explore how procurement leaders can meet their analytical requirements while also exploiting the full cross-functional value of data – data that enables corporate growth and competitive advantage. In this episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner provide a series recap and reflect back on the major take-aways from each interview and identify the connecting opportunities that bring them all together into one cohesive vision for data-driven procurement. What we learned about data from these diverse points of view, including what makes it valuable and how to approach the problem of poor quality data How to identify the breaks between people, systems, and processes that prevent data from driving strategic insights and actions The ways in which procurement has to approach data differently for the sake of its future potential, and how this connects to our vision for procurement as a whole

As procurement places greater and greater emphasis on building supplier relationships, what impact will that have on the role played by our contracts? Kate Vitasek has been studying the role of contracts in relational procurement for years, and she has seen the contract v. relationship question go wrong many times. She has seen companies tell suppliers that they are in a partnership, only to terminate their contract on 60 days’ notice, and she has seen effective contracts fall into disarray when the buy-side company is acquired by someone else. As the architect of the Vested business model, she is dedicated to helping companies and their suppliers thrive with the right combination of contracts and relationships. Her latest book is Contracting in the New Economy: Using Relational Contracts to Boost Trust and Collaboration in Strategic Business Relationships, published in May 2021. In this episode of the podcast, Kate joins Host Philip Ideson to talk about: What a formal relational contract looks like in practice and how the change management process should work How to establish governance frameworks around contracts that are based on principles and behaviors rather than specific deliverables and KPIs Whether suppliers are open to the differences between traditional contracts and relational contracts

As digital transformation progresses, corporate leadership teams are increasing their focus on the quality and availability of data. Spend analysis is just one internal data resource in a sea of data ecosystems, but it has the potential to serve as the foundational connection point for all procurement analytics.   For this special series, Art of Procurement partnered with Sievo and Buyers Meeting Point to take a deep dive into procurement data ecosystems. We will explore how procurement leaders can meet their analytical requirements while also exploiting the full cross-functional value of data – data that enables corporate growth and competitive advantage.    In this episode, Kelly Barner and Magnus Bergfors, Global Business Director of Basware, discuss the evolving role of procure-to-pay in helping procurement satisfy business objectives while also improving the internal user and supplier experiences. How to ensure that any P2P implementation or digitalization project delivers what the business needs over the long term The barriers to supplier adoption and what additional requirements are being added through efforts to bring small and diverse suppliers into the enterprise supply ecosystem How CPOs should approach P2P in the coming years, and how they should evaluate their success

The bi-annual Deloitte CPO Report has been a source of insight and information for procurement leaders for years. In the last report, released in 2019, the core topic was mastering complexity. Little did Deloitte - or the participating CPOs - know, the whole world was about to get a crash course in mastering complexity. Ryan Flynn is a Principal at Deloitte Consulting and one of the co-authors of the 2021 CPO Report: Agility serves as the solution to an increasingly complex procurement landscape. Their research and the resulting report focus on top CPO priorities, talent, risk and suppliers management, and what allows procurement leaders to be “agility masters” in today’s complex business landscape.

As digital transformation progresses, corporate leadership teams are increasing their focus on the quality and availability of data. Spend analysis is just one internal data resource in a sea of data ecosystems, but it has the potential to serve as the foundational connection point for all procurement analytics. For this special series, Art of Procurement partnered with Sievo and Buyers Meeting Point to take a deep dive into procurement data ecosystems. We will explore how procurement leaders can meet their analytical requirements while also exploiting the full cross-functional value of data - data that enables corporate growth and competitive advantage.  In this episode, Kelly Barner and Pierre-Francois Thaler, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of EcoVadis, discuss the different scopes, organizational models, and ways of tracking, certifying, and reporting on investments in sustainability. The current state of sustainability initiatives and what large enterprises can do to scale their impact How procurement can use metrics and scorecards to ensure that investments in sustainability are recognized from the end consumer to the boardroom Whether risk mitigation is a natural outcome of sustainability programs and how technology can carry these efforts successfully forward into the future

Procurement has been swept up in nearly non-stop change for the last two decades, and yet, we continue to talk about the need for transformation? Is this due to their failures or their successes? In Conrad Snover’s opinion, it is a little bit of both. Conrad Snover is the President of ProcureAbility and he was joined by Betsy Pancik, their Vice President of Customer Success, for a recent AOP Live session. They believe that how procurement is structured can either help them achieve overall business alignment and an improved customer experience, or can slow processes down and hold them back from delivering full value.  In this AOP Live-based session, Conrad Snover and Betsy Pancik answer live audience questions about: What a procurement operating model is and how that aligns with procurement’s organizational structure The evolving requirements of procurement talent and how the available skill sets may need to change during and after transformation  Which transformational concerns can be addressed - and even advanced - by selecting the right procurement operating model

As digital transformation progresses, corporate leadership teams are increasing their focus on the quality and availability of data. Spend analysis is just one internal data resource in a sea of data ecosystems, but it has the potential to serve as the foundational connection point for all procurement analytics. For this special series, Art of Procurement partnered with Sievo and Buyers Meeting Point to take a deep dive into procurement data ecosystems. We will explore how procurement leaders can meet their analytical requirements while also exploiting the full cross-functional value of data - data that enables corporate growth and competitive advantage.  Every two weeks between April and July 2021, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner will speak with senior level executives at Sievo, riskmethods, Basware, supplier.io, and EcoVadis - companies at the forefront of the procurement data revolution. Listeners can also download the ebook behind the podcast series in the Links section below. In this episode, Kelly Barner and Neeraj Shah, CEO of supplier.io, discuss the new sense of urgency many companies have around supplier diversity programs and the data management requirements that creates. The diversity-specific transformation journey many (especially large) companies have taken and what has changed Procurement’s responsibility to the suppliers that are brought into the bid process through supplier diversity outreach The role that spend analytics data plays in advancing supplier diversity and tracking progress against states goals, both internally and in publicly-released reports

The book “Profit from Procurement: How to Add 30% to Your Bottom Line by Breaking Down Silos” was recently published by Alex Klein, Simon Whatson, and Jose Oliveira of procurement consultancy Efficio. To mark the official release, they invited AOP Founder and Managing Director Philip Ideson to moderate their virtual book launch.  In this podcast conversation, the co-authors discuss the key themes of the book which was written to help inspire action and provide a roadmap for readers to increase profitability through the levers of strategic procurement.  The key themes of the book highlighted and discussed by Philip, Alex, Simon, and Jose are: Why challenging times - such as a pandemic or a global recession - represent the best opportunity for procurement to draw attention to their capabilities The importance of using the right language when procurement talks to the business, aligning our thoughts with their objectives How procurement can address ‘value beyond savings’ while still acknowledging that savings is important

As digital transformation progresses, corporate leadership teams are increasing their focus on the quality and availability of data. Spend analysis is just one internal data resource in a sea of data ecosystems, but it has the potential to serve as the foundational connection point for all procurement analytics. For this special series, Art of Procurement partnered with Sievo and Buyers Meeting Point to take a deep dive into procurement data ecosystems. We will explore how procurement leaders can meet their analytical requirements while also exploiting the full cross-functional value of data - data that enables corporate growth and competitive advantage.    Every two weeks between April and July 2021, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner will speak with senior level executives at Sievo, riskmethods, Basware, supplier.io, and EcoVadis - companies at the forefront of the procurement data revolution. Listeners can also download the ebook behind the podcast series in the Links section below. In this episode, Philip Ideson and Heiko Schwarz, Founder and CEO of riskmethods discuss the complex web of data, automation, and human skills that are required to proactively monitor and manage risk worldwide from one central location. Finding the optimal balance of automation and human ingenuity in the fight against risk The two sides of the ‘risk management coin’ that can help procurement better monitor risk and build out enterprise resilience The multi-tiered conversations that every corporate leadership team needs to have (and have again) to establish their detailed risk appetite

Marketing has always been a difficult category for procurement to bring under management. In the earliest days, it was placed beyond our scope, and more recently, the lack of alignment with the business around ‘value’ versus savings has created an impasse. As a result, marketing operations spend (including branded merchandise, print, and point of sale) have fallen victim to fragmentation, maverick spending, and underdeveloped category strategies.    In this episode, which is based on a recent AOP Live session with Phil Schoonmaker, CEO of SupplyLogic, we discuss the current state of the marketing supply chain and how procurement can assess their baseline environment using both quantitative and qualitative data. How procurement may have been missing out on the opportunity to have a greater top line impact by defining the marketing spend category too narrowly The importance of achieving total price transparency across suppliers for specific product and service categories How Phil sees leading procurement organizations giving control back to requestors in the marketing category

As digital transformation progresses, corporate leadership teams are increasing their focus on the quality and availability of data. Spend analysis is just one internal data resource in a sea of data ecosystems, but it has the potential to serve as the foundational connection point for all procurement analytics. For this special series, Art of Procurement partnered with Sievo and Buyers Meeting Point to take a deep dive into procurement data ecosystems. We will explore how procurement leaders can meet their analytical requirements while also exploiting the full cross-functional value of data - data that enables corporate growth and competitive advantage.  Every two weeks between April and July 2021, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner will speak with senior level executives at Sievo, riskmethods, Basware, supplier.io, and EcoVadis - companies at the forefront of the procurement data revolution. Listeners can also download the ebook behind the podcast series in the Links section below. In this episode, Philip Ideson and Sievo Co-Founder and CEO Sammeli Sammalkorpi discuss procurement’s expanding mandate from the business and how - with the help of quality data and analytics - they can deliver above and beyond expectations: Why it has been so difficult up to this point to get a solid grasp on procurement analytics The evidence suggesting that humans and automation will be working in partnership for a long time How procurement can manage and benefit from the data ecosystem that surrounds them

At Mastermind LIVE Spring 2021, Art of Procurement had the opportunity to bring together a visionary panel of procurement leaders to discuss the urgency of the present moment and what can and should be done to support corporate growth. The panel included:  Adam Brown, Senior Manager of Procurement Transformation & Head of the Procurement Garage at BT Amy Fong, Vice President, Sourcing and Vendor Management for Everest Group Keith Browning, Managing Director, Supply Chain Management at Delta Air Lines Keith Hausmann, Globality’s Chief Revenue Officer Reunan Varene, Global Head of Procurement at Dropbox Facilitated by Philip Ideson, this discussion-based session was focused on procurement’s sense of urgency as we pursue a growth agenda, the need for supplier collaboration and mutually beneficial third-party relationships, and the strategies and technology that will empower procurement to scale. While we heard some reflection on the challenges of the past year, most of the discussion was forward looking, taking procurement’s capabilities today and building on them. In this episode, which was recorded live at Mastermind LIVE Spring, Philip asked the panelists about: How they each define growth - both in terms of how they are developing procurement’s capabilities and in how that empowers them to contribute to the corporate top line Ways procurement can better communicate and demonstrate their top-line, value-oriented investments to the rest of the business The absolute criticality of partnering with suppliers while seeing them as much more than suppliers: current customers, potential customers, and/or sources of differentiation and market expertise

Procurement’s organizational structure is as important as the processes and technology they use. Their operational model has to position them to deliver what the company needs most - requirements that may not remain fixed. When the business needs something different from procurement, their structure will have to evolve as well. Robert Bonnar is currently the Global Procurement Director at SHV Energy, but he has worked in procurement in a number of industries. As he puts it, “I did cars, drugs, booze, and now energy.” But even that colorful description doesn't capture the breadth of his experience. He has also focused in a number of procurement disciplines, including direct and indirect procurement and supplier-enabled innovation. In this conversation, Robert speaks with Host Philip Ideson about: Whether it is possible to bring innovative or high-performing suppliers from one vertical to another, and what procurement needs to do to help them succeed His perspective on how to manage the complex puzzle of qualitative KPIs, quantitative KPIs, and data quality How procurement can use access to information to ease the burden placed on stakeholders and shorten the time to results

According to the Procurement 2021 Pulse Check by WNS Denali and ProcureCon Europe, only 9% of CPOs are satisfied with the current level of stakeholder alignment in their organization.  9%. In 2021. I was so surprised by that number that I decided to dedicate this episode of the podcast to it. In this podcast, we’ll explore the differences between what the alignment journey and the corresponding operating model changes mean for small, mid-sized, and larger companies, as well as the solutions to be considered. As you listen, think about how aligned YOUR procurement function is with the business and what you might do to address it.

In today’s fast-paced world, imagery is just as important for communicating meaning as the words we use. That is why the Mastermind LIVE Spring logo includes a clock with its hands set at 5 minutes until midnight.  This is a moment for urgency - but not panic. The business world needs leaders, and the AOP team firmly believes that those leaders are currently in the ranks of the procurement profession. Stepping up to lead is a serious decision, not one to be taken lightly. That is why we have built a very purposeful agenda for our spring event, one that will inspire you, help you feel the strength of the community, and prepare to take action. In this special podcast episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner and joined by Gravitas Detroit President and Founder Jan Griffiths, who will be the MC for Mastermind LIVE Spring on April 13th and 14th from 10am - 1pm ET. Listen in and you will hear: The AOP leadership team’s perspective on this specific moment and how we plan to supporting you and your journey through the speakers, panels, and topics we have chosen Which sessions or speakers Jan, Philip, and Kelly are most looking forward to and why How to access all of the sessions, either live or on demand, for free through the rest of the month of April

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

Traditionally, procurement has been focused on driving corporate profitability by putting pressure on suppliers, rationalizing specifications, and managing demand. While these strategies have delivered some benefits to the business, their diminishing returns came at the cost of procurement’s internal reputation. As procurement’s focus turns to top-line growth, they will have to change more than just their strategies and tactics before they can be successful. This podcast is the last in a 4-part series focused on how procurement can contribute to efforts to restore corporate growth. In this episode, Host Philip Ideson shares why a focus on growth is so important to the future of the procurement profession before concluding the podcast series by sharing some of his key takeaways from the first three episodes. In this episode, Philip wraps up the series by considering points such as: Why procurement doesn’t need to fix how we are perceived, so much as we need to address the attitudes, styles, and behaviors that have led to that perception How procurement can pivot to a focus on corporate growth, and what we need to understand about our organization before knowing which actions to take The opportunity associated with a partnership between procurement and sales, and which corporate KPIs this will allow procurement to contribute to

The pandemic has caused a rethink of many past assumptions, from just in time inventory to offshored supply chains. Moving forward, leaders need to avoid jumping from one extreme to the other. Traditionally accepted priorities such as efficiency and cost containment suddenly must be assessed against the risk involved. Success will increasingly depend on how well organizations strike the optimal balance among such priorities. This podcast is the third in a 4-part series focused on how procurement can contribute to efforts to restore corporate growth. In this episode we welcome Alex Saric, Ivalua’s Chief Marketing Executive. For over 15 years he has evangelized spend management, shaping its evolution and working closely with hundreds of customers to support their digital transformation journeys.  In this episode we will look into: What risk factors are most critical and how can procurement best manage them? What strategies can best minimize the tradeoffs between risk and growth? What can procurement / supply chain leaders learn from investors by taking a portfolio view of supply chain risk?

As organizations look beyond Covid-19, restoring growth is top of mind for many. Specific strategies vary by industry and company, but suppliers often play an integral role. This is especially true as organizations have become more dependent on the supply chain than ever before and their innovation is increasingly key to growth and success. This podcast is the second in a 4-part series focused on how procurement can contribute to efforts to restore corporate growth. In this episode we welcome Vishal Patel, VP of Product Marketing at Ivalua, where he is focused on ensuring product - market fit, understanding customer needs and driving market trends. In this episode we will look into: What are the best ways for suppliers to contribute value? What does procurement need to improve their collaboration with suppliers? How can organizations establish themselves as customers of choice so suppliers are willing to collaborate and share innovations?

Procurement’s stature has grown during the COVID-19 crisis as costs, cash flow and supply continuity quickly became top priorities and homepage news. To maintain its slot on the boardroom agenda going forward, procurement leaders must show that they can contribute to restoring growth beyond the pandemic and support a longer list of objectives. There are ample opportunities for procurement to contribute to this broad enterprise growth, but unfortunately, few procurement teams have experience doing so. In order to be successful in this new endeavor, procurement will have to expand their influence in the organization through effective engagement of and collaboration with other parts of the business. This podcast is part of a series focused on how procurement can contribute to efforts to restore corporate growth. In this episode we welcome Sylvie Noel, CPO at Covéa Group, the #1 in property and liability insurance provider in France. She has held this role for nearly a decade, and in that time she has led a complete overhaul of Covéa Group’s purchasing process, including new systems implementations and a change effort involving new manager priorities, procedures, and compliance. In this first installment in the 4-part series, we’ll dive into : What are the top opportunities for procurement to contribute to growth? How can procurement leaders effectively expand their influence in the organization? How can you best collaborate with other departments? Key to gaining executive support for required investments? What are the requirements from a people and technology perspective?

Risk management may not always be a formal part of procurement’s scope, but it is a natural extension of our current work. As a result, the difference between procurement’s ability to effectively manage risk may be as simple as officially declaring that it is in scope and embracing all of the activities and metrics that come with it. Canda Rozier is a multiple-time CPO with experience working across a number of leading global organizations and the President and founder of Collabra Consulting. She has always regarded risk management as important as part of the supplier life cycle, but it has risen in both priority and prominence since the start of 2020. In this conversation, Canda speaks with Host Philip Ideson about: How to measure and set expectations for the ROI associated with a formal risk management program How risk management efforts change for product v. service categories Where data security and cybersecurity intersect with more traditional supply chain risk management efforts

Marketing is just one of the functions that procurement has a somewhat ‘rocky’ history of past relationships with. When you extend that existing internal friction into the relationship with creative agencies, the problems and disconnects seem to compound. Leah Power is the EVP, Strategic Operations Consultant at the Institute of Communication Agencies. Prior to this, she served as the COO at Grey Canada and the Finance Director at DDB Canada. Her primary focus is helping agency executives resolve business issues related to new business growth, finances, procurement, and agency remuneration.  In this conversation, Leah speaks with Host Philip Ideson about: Why RFPs are not the best sourcing strategy for creative agency spend Why a ‘price first’ approach drives innovation in standardized product categories but inhibits it in value-based service categories like marketing  How procurement can help determine a good or ‘best’ fit between a company and the capabilities of a range of creative agencies

Despite the fact that the need to manage tail spend is hardly a new idea in procurement, it continues to be one of the greatest challenges we face. Tail spend is messy, risky, hard to analyze, and - if you take the wrong approach - very costly to address. Merck was faced with a huge, global tail spend management problem, but they refused to let it fester or get the best of them. Starting with a U.S.-based pilot in their life science division, they partnered with WNS Denali to get a grip on their tail spend without alienating the business or breaking the bank. Tom Cicale is the VP of Procurement for Merck KGaA, where he is responsible for global plant services consisting of MRO, CAPEX/OPEX, site services, utilities and logistics, and Sameer Sharma is a client engagement leader in WNS Denali’s delivery organization. They have worked together to design and implement a truly unique tail spend management program. In this podcast, which is based on an AOP Live session that one attendee described as “the most impactful webinar I have ever been on in my entire career,” Tom and Sameer candidly answer questions such as: How do you measure the impact and success of your tail spend program in such a way that procurement showed positive ROI and secured finance’s validation for your numbers? Did Merck’s global footprint (and complex technology landscape) present a problem in the wider program rollout and, if so, how did you overcome it? If you had to do something differently, what would it be?

All companies have been affected by the pandemic over the last year, but companies in the healthcare industry - like Kaiser Permanente - have felt the pressure and the change to their operating procedures more than most. Mary Beth Lang is the Chief Supply Chain and Procurement Officer at Kaiser Permanente, an integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California. In this conversation, Mary Beth tells Host Philip Ideson: The importance of understanding your suppliers’ supply chains: how they produce or secure volume, whether their demand is met by contracted demand or spot buys, and where they are reliant upon imports to fill orders How Kaiser Permanente revamped its procurement resources and became more agile during the COVID-19 pandemic. What Kaiser Permanente learned from the pandemic about its procurement processes and what will be changed in the future How the Kaiser Permanente procurement team plays an active role in helping drive community impact Tips on how procurement teams can leverage their spending efforts to support their communities through working with diverse suppliers

In the spring and summer of 2020, there were plenty of stories about professionals and teams rallying to get their jobs done while working remotely, in some cases even going above and beyond to achieve levels of performance that no one would have thought possible. As the pandemic stretches on, and reaches a second wave or additional shutdowns, widespread fatigue is starting to set in. In this conversation, Tom tells Host Philip Ideson: How to be an effective leader while moving from an operational focus to one based on preserving and fostering employee engagement The social and lifestyle differences between employees that have been exacerbated and highlighted by the need to work from home in varied personal circumstances The critical role that authenticity and trust play in building professional relationships that are strong enough to overcome situations when people are not okay

Casey’s General Stores is the 5th largest convenience store chain in the United States and owns one of the largest pizza brands in the nation. With 2,200 locations in 16 midwestern states, they have $10 Billion in revenue and a double-digit growth rate. What wasn’t going well for Casey’s? They had no procurement team. When a new CEO came in, one of the first things he did was to bring in Jaime Robles as his Vice President of Procurement and Sourcing. With a career of successes in procurement team building and transformation, he was uniquely qualified to build Casey’s brand new procurement organization from scratch. In this podcast, Jaime tells Host Philip Ideson: What he sees as the top two factors in procurement’s evolution over the last decade How he achieves a balance between procurement talent and technology What he believes procurement should be doing other than strategic sourcing

Despite the fact that Jan Griffiths has had a successful career as a tier-1 CPO and entrepreneur, she still wasn’t prepared for the personal and professional impact of the pandemic. After indulging in a full day of Netflix, she decided to push herself out of her comfort zone and into a non-judgemental accountability project with a pop-up group of peers. What started as a ‘therapeutic’ accountability clinic evolved over time to become the accountability lab: a group of people that connect daily for 30 minutes at 6:30 a.m. to make commitments to themselves in the supportive presence of others. The learnings from this experiment have changed the way she feels about her own situation and will no doubt impact her leadership seminars going forward. As Jan tells Host Philip Ideson, “I love, love, love leadership.” In this conversation, Jan shares her candid perspective on: The power of incremental change, whether it includes improvement over time or small course corrections Why procurement needs to change their approach to goal setting before they can increase their impact on the enterprise The rallying impact of having a brand identity at the functional level, and the need to ensure that the brand aligns with company objectives

We are all customers in our personal lives, and most of us can easily distinguish between a good customer experience and a poor one. But can procurement create a positive customer experience in a B2B setting for all of our different stakeholder groups consistently and at scale? Absolutely - but we have to set the right expectations and priorities first. This interview, based on one of the most popular sessions from AOP Mastermind LIVE 2020, features Stephanie Thum, CCXP, Founding Principal of Practical CX, discussing the fundamental principles of customer experience with Art of Procurement General Manager Kelly Barner.  Key takeaways from this session include: The core values emphasized in formal customer experience development and how procurement stands to benefit from putting proven practices into use  Suppliers are not one of procurement’s customer groups, but they are absolutely vital and we can’t create a positive customer relationship without them The difference between creating or fostering a good customer experience and putting in the energy and effort to repair a poor or damaged customer experience

After years of investment in talent and technology, procurement has become a catalyst for enterprise transformation. No other function is in a better position to lead disruptive change and reinvention than procurement. But if we want to thrive in the ‘next normal,’ we must be able to go let go of the past, be bold, and embrace intelligent risks.  This interview, based on one of the most popular sessions from AOP Mastermind LIVE 2020, features Chris Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group, and Keith Hausmann, Chief Revenue Officer at Globality. They join Host Philip Ideson to discuss how leading CPOs are helping their teams re-imagine the ‘art of the possible’ and to drive new sources of value for their companies and for their stakeholders.  Key takeaways from this session include: Digitizing legacy processes is not enough to be agile in today’s challenging, fast-paced environment Procurement should not try to generate revenue, but rather work to enable revenue through creative strategies Since large companies tend to buy from other large, stable companies, procurement needs to be focused on incentivizing suppliers to deliver their very best work Capabilities that can be leveraged - regardless of where in the organization they sit - should be pulled into procurement projects rather than expecting to increase headcount

To meet today’s challenges in supply chain spend management, we must embrace automation. Gone are the days of being able to throw bodies at a problem. Systemic inefficiency not only creates unsustainable processes, it creates enormous waste and revenue risk. Now is the time for procurement to lead through change. Procurement teams are uniquely positioned to lead supply chain resilience initiatives. That’s because procurement brings together the right suppliers, products, and materials needed to fulfill customer demand.  In this podcast based on an AOP Live session, Tom Kieley, CEO and Co-Founder of SourceDay, and Go Kamiyama, Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives from NetSuite, answer audience questions about: How we can better understand supply chain-related spend management challenges What resilience and responsiveness to demand signals look like in practice, and how procurement can incorporate them in their existing processes and frameworks Opportunities for procurement to embrace automation for the purpose of increasing supply chain visibility and resilience

For all the stories of stress and struggle we heard in 2020, there have also been some amazing examples of heroism and success. Procurement teams worked long hours with little information to go on to keep their operations running, often partnering with suppliers and colleagues to find creative solutions on the fly. Art of Procurement recently partnered with Ivalua to interview several CPOs about what they learned in 2020 and how that will change their approach going forward.  In today’s bonus podcast, I thought I would share just a couple of short outtakes from two of the CPOs - Dan Symon, the CPO of New York City and Sajid Kunnummal, the Vice President and CPO at Navistar. January 1, 2021 won’t bring a return to normal, but it does mark a new beginning. Procurement has never stopped maturing and evolving, and the past year brought on an enormous growth spurt. We’ve uncovered hidden weaknesses, seen the benefits of transparency and risk management, and forged new partnerships both inside and outside of the company. To read more about how CPOs are pivoting their teams to enable success in 2021, you can get the full paper at artofprocurement.com/2021pivot.

Financial services spend has never been what you might consider ‘low hanging fruit,’ but many procurement organizations are getting to the point where they are not only ready to manage it, the organization needs them to bring consistency and transparency to these critical supplier relationships and operational requirements. Diego De la Garza, Senior Director Global Services & Delivery at Corcentric, brings over a decade of industry experience to the table to address this complex spend category. Whether the company is B2B or B2C, the increasing role of technology in global business is increasing the range of financial services requirements most companies have and raising the bar on what current partners need to be capable of.  In this interview, Diego describes the financial services category with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner: How new or disruptive technologies are redefining financial services or altering how companies partner with providers meet those needs The key internal relationships procurement needs to manage when sourcing financial services and how those other functions measure success The nuances and opportunities to switch suppliers and how they compare to other, less regulated, categories of spend

In the current moment, companies are finding themselves at the intersection of digital transformation and the varied but extreme pressures of the pandemic. And who is positioned to address the opportunities and challenges of this intersection? Procurement. Tony Uphoff is the President & CEO at Thomas - formerly ThomasNet. He has enjoyed a successful career leading and growing media and information businesses such as The Hollywood Reporter, UBM TechWeb, and business.com. In this conversation, Tony speaks from the perspective of a multiple-time CEO about: How procurement can demonstrate their expanded impact on the business and what is required to gain access to the most strategic discussions in the company How investments in supply chain risk, diversity, and sustainability are starting to affect the valuation of publicly traded companies The impact of COVID-19 on sourcing trends in PPE and beyond based on Thomas’ treasure trove of data, including some really interesting predictors of still trends to come

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

On November 4, 2015, the Art of Procurement podcast officially launched. In 5 years, we’ve released 345 episodes and surpassed 500,000 listens. We’ve gone from being a new, unproven idea to being a trusted voice in the community and the #1 weekly podcast in all of procurement. To celebrate this occasion, we are running a special series that will extend through the rest of November. For the next three weeks, there will be a daily 5-minute show that answers one of the most interesting and frequently-asked questions we have received from listeners. The questions will be answered alternately by AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson and AOP General Manager Kelly Barner. (Fun fact: Kelly was AOP podcast guest #6.) Thank you for joining us for this series and for being part of the AOP community - whether you have been with us since episode #1 or not!

MRO - or Maintenance, Repair, and Operations spend - is one of those categories that procurement has managed, and managed, and managed again… but don’t make the mistake of thinking there is no value left to realize. Mike Croasdale has been focused on helping companies manage their MRO spend for years. If you listen to him describe the opportunities in this category, you’re very likely to walk away thinking it is one of the most nuanced and interesting spend categories in the company. MRO presents opportunities for complex analytics, operational understanding, and competitive advantage - if procurement knows where to look. In this interview, Mike shares his point of view with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner on: How procurement can combine and leverage many models for managing MRO spend, including GPOs, specialized providers, and large dominant players The status of the ‘customer experience’ enjoyed by procurement’s internal MRO customers What he has observed and expects to see going forward in the PPE subcategory of MRO spend

Regardless of how you might choose to describe your journey through 2020, it is finally coming to an end. And while some of its effects will be with us for a long time, we have reached the point where it is not just appropriate to start thinking forward to 2021, it is absolutely necessary. Christopher Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group, and Vishal Patel, VP of Product Marketing at Ivalua, joined us for an AOP Live session on September 15th. As they pointed out during the live event, the preparations procurement originations make now will determine their readiness to succeed in the ‘next normal.’ Making good decisions now about digital transformation, agility, and supply chain risk will pay dividends later on. In a podcast based on the AOP Live session, Christopher and VIshal answer audience questions about: How they think procurement actually performed during the spring and summer of 2020, now that we’ve had an opportunity to gain some perspective Making the transition from mid-crisis to post-crisis, including the changes that are likely to remain a part of procurement’s priorities for the foreseeable future The actions we can start taking today to position procurement for success in 2021 and beyond

After months of planning, weeks of preparation, and days of sleepless nights, Mastermind LIVE 2020 is officially in the books. We had set an extremely high bar for ourselves: to run the most unique and meaningful event in procurement. From the session engagement and participant feedback, we believe we achieved our goal. Our speakers spanned a number of industries and disciplines, and our attendees joined us from around the globe. Everyone walked away with a new idea, and we laughed together more than once as well. In this podcast, Host Philip Ideson shares his primary take-aways from the two-day event, and shares what is to come next!

For many years, Peter Smith wanted to write a book that was fundamentally about procurement but would appeal to a wider business audience, One that would peel back the onion on the role of procurement, with tales of what happens when good buying practices are not followed.  Following a career as a practitioner, and most latterly leading Spend Matters in the UK, Peter got to work.  The result: Bad Buying – how organizations waste billions through failures, frauds, and fk-ups.  In this interview, Peter discusses: Examples of bad buying from across both the public and private sectors Whether the growth of the procurement function has become a double-edged sword Learnings that procurement professionals can apply to turn “bad” buying into “good buying”

Telecom has been on an interesting and unique journey as a spend category. Gone are the days when all that was needed to deliver significant savings was a professionally conducted third-party audit or service rationalization/optimization. Today, most organizations are several years post audit, looking for new efficiencies in a category that is not only evolving, it is also encroaching on other categories of spend. Dave Pastore is a Senior Director of Sourcing Operations at Corcentric where he specializes in telecom spend. It was his analytical background that led him to specialize in this category, plus a noticeable gap in procurement ownership over telecom, a traditionally siloed category.   In this interview, Dave shares his point of view with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner on: How the line between IT and telecom has blurred over time, and why this is likely to continue Why telecom is simultaneously like the ‘Wild West’ from a new entrant perspective and also a rapidly consolidating industry The opportunities that exist to nurture collaboration between team members and between companies and third parties, and the value procurement can deliver by supporting these opportunities

AOP Host Philip Ideson starts each interview with a question about what brought that particular guest to procurement. With this week’s guest, business consultant and coach Juergen Scherer, it might have been better to ask what brought him THROUGH procurement, because he has held influential roles across procurement, supply chain, sales, and operations. While he isn’t in procurement today, Juergen’s doctoral thesis on Procurement Marketing received the Scientific Award of the German Industry Association for Purchasing and Supply Management. His knowledge of the function has unquestionably improved his ability to excel in each of his other roles, as well as in his current coaching practice. Today, Juegen splits his time between Germany and the US West Coast as a business consultant and coach, leading his business called BXB-Exchange. He reached out to Art of Procurement in response to our podcasts about the flywheel effect and its applicability to procurement. We took that opportunity to probe deeper into his thoughts about how procurement can better align with the business as a whole. In this conversation, Juergen shares examples from his extensive background that illustrate the key part of his business philosophy: How procurement can push suppliers to deliver more value while investing in them so that their capabilities are developed at the same time. Why, despite the fact that every buyer/seller relationship is unique, there are common success factors that have to be consistently present: trust, open communications, and mutual respect, to name a few. How procurement can develop and effectively communicate a “USP,” or unique selling proposition, to both suppliers and internal stakeholders.

Although procurement professionals don’t usually think of ourselves as making ‘cold calls,’ we do it all the time. If you’ve ever sat down with a stakeholder for the first time and immediately realized they either don’t understand procurement’s role or don’t particularly care for our processes, you’ve survived a cold call.   In that moment, you can either explain or listen, and although listening is the better way to build understanding and rapport, most procurement professionals aren’t prepared to structure this kind of conversation.   In this week’s podcast, Host Philip Ideson discusses how to master this type of first meeting using an approach that sales professionals use - and have no doubt used on you - called the discovery call. He explains: Why discovery calls are important and how they set the tone for the long term success of the relationship The three components of a typical discovery call: the planning, the call itself, and then the follow up How to prepare in advance to ensure your discovery calls are productive for procurement and for your stakeholder(s)

One year ago, all procurement could talk about was digital transformation. Enter the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of those plans were thrown overboard.  We may not be doing what we expected to be working on as we approach the final quarter of 2020, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a strong appetite for procurement change, both at the executive level and within the procurement community. The difference is that we are now trying to lead transformation in the midst of a disrupted landscape without the benefit of any forward-looking certainty. Christopher Eyerman is the Head of Procurement Innovation at Denali - A WNS Company and David Clevenger is their Director of Procurement and Operational Excellence. They are focused on the factors that influence digital maturity and readiness for change in the context of the entire procurement ecosystem. In this podcast, which is based on an AOP Live session made possible by Denali, Christopher and David share their point of view on: How procurement can get the digital journey started - in reality, not just in theory The types of change management investments procurement will need to make in order to ensure that transformation is successful and sustainable What additional trends we should be preparing for as we close out 2020 and attempt to ready ourselves for the new year

Technology is an extremely broad spend category and it is expanding by the day because of our emphasis on digital transformation. Nearly every function and category has an IT software or services component to it. Technology truly forms the foundation, or “lifeblood” as Rene Mathis put it, of corporate initiatives. Rene Mathis is an Associate Director at Corcentric where he specializes in technology category spend. He is currently working side by side with companies that are reevaluating their IT contracts, redefining their uptime definitions and service level agreements, and attempting to put plans in place - despite the fact that no one knows what the next 6-12 months will hold. In this interview, Rene shares his point of view with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner on: The current state of IT sourcing, including what has (and has not) changed because of the COVID-19 shutdowns The health of procurement’s relationship with in-house IT, and some suggestions for building collaborative bridges while still achieving spend-related objectives Trends in emerging technologies and automation that procurement should be prepared to address in cross-functional sourcing projects

For the rest of August, I’m taking a roadtrip across the United States, and so because I’m out of the recording studio, I’m going to dip into the archive all the way back to 2016 to share some of my favorite episodes from that year with you that are still just as relevant as today - and if you found the podcast after 2016, there’s a good chance that you haven’t yet heard these conversations. Today’s I rewind to a conversation that I had with Tim Jones, Head of Sourcing at Google.  Our conversation documents Google’s journey to become a trusted advisor. Google’s approach includes tactics around stakeholder engagement that I often recommend to procurement teams who are on their own journey from tactical to strategic, regardless of the size of your company.

For the rest of August, I’m taking a roadtrip across the United States, and so because I’m out of the recording studio, I’m going to dip into the archive all the way back to 2016 to share some of my favorite episodes from that year with you that are still just as relevant as today - and if you found the podcast after 2016, there’s a good chance that you haven’t yet heard these conversations. Today’s I rewind to a conversation that I had with Jack Miles.  There are few, if any, leaders in the procurement profession with the depth and breadth of experience as Jack.  Jack has enjoyed multiple CPO roles at some of North America’s largest companies and has served as Secretary of the Florida Department of Managed Services.  He serves, and has served, on a number of corporate boards, and has become a key advisor and friend to me personally, and to Art of Procurement. In today’s show, Jack shares seven of the key lessons that he has learned from his career in both the private and public sectors. If you have any interest in growing your procurement career at any level, this episode is a must listen!

For the rest of August, I’m taking a road trip across the United States, and so because I’m out of the recording studio, I’m going to dip into the archive all the way back to 2016 to share some of my favorite episodes from that year with you that are still just as relevant as today - and if you found the podcast after 2016, there’s a good chance that you haven’t yet heard these conversations. Today’s is a conversation with former procurement practitioner Sylvain Mansottee, now the CEO and Co-Founder of Whispli. It is a story about procurement fraud.   As a practitioner, Sylvain received the call from the newly appointed CPO of a large Australian based construction company to assist in building a new procurement function.   Within 2 months, he had uncovered a $20M fraud that spanned 12 years and led to the perpetrator admitting to the crime, and ultimately being sentenced to 15 years prison. Today’s Art of Procurement is Sylvain’s story.  Sylvain discusses how he uncovered the fraud, and the decisions he had to make in blowing the whistle. We then talk more specifically about procurement fraud.  Sylvain shares a number of fraud red flags and provides tips on how you can ensure you have an environment where a whistleblower feels safe in coming forward if they have information to share. Sylvain’s story is really absorbing, and also, for me, a wakeup call to realize that procurement fraud is real, and that any one of us in procurement may find ourselves in the same position as Sylvain given the nature of our roles.

For a long time, procurement has gotten feedback that our terminology - and, more specifically, our abbreviations - have a distancing or alienating effect on internal stakeholders and budget owners. But if language has the power to push people away, it can also be used to purposefully clarify, align, and collaborate. Steve Wills is the founder and Managing Director of Procurement Central and formerly served as the Procurement Advisor to the 2012 London Olympic Games. He has extensive business experience with blue chip organizations and has worked with leaders in industry and commerce as a CPO to transform complex procurement and supply chain functions. In this interview, Steve outlines: Some of the ways procurement can use language and messaging to bridge the gap between ourselves and the other functions in the organization The more expansive notion of stakeholder management procurement should embrace if we want to build stronger relationships with the business What to do when circumstances call for pragmatism instead of our polished procurement processes

Marketing is one of those spend categories that procurement often has a hard time breaking into. They are less concerned with cost than their counterparts in other functions, and most of the services they contract are not only complex, project-based efforts, they are usually evaluated from a highly subjective point of view. Kathleen Jordan is an Associate Director at Source One, a Corcentric Company, where she has been focused on the marketing category for years. She is familiar with the opportunities in marketing spend as well as the common disconnects that may prevent procurement from bringing marketing spend under management and cost marketing professionals the ability to make their budgets go further. In this interview, Kathleen shares her point of view with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner on: Some of the most effective sourcing strategies for marketing spend and which specific categories should be looked at by procurement as good starting points The trends and implications hitting the marketing industry and consumers of B2B marketing services as the world transitions from traditional to fully digital marketing Tips and best practices procurement can use to bridge gaps in understanding or priorities between their team and their marketing colleagues

It has been well established that having a diverse and inclusive workforce increases results and employee satisfaction, so why wouldn't’ the same be true for companies that invest in building a diverse supply chain? That question is the one that started Jaime Crump down the path to become a supplier diversity expert and consultant. Jamie is the president of The Richmond Group where she provides consulting and coaching services to corporate and certified diversity-owned businesses in the areas of strategic sourcing and procurement strategies, supplier diversity initiatives, and optimizing the leverage of a diversity certification. Although supplier diversity programs are well-intentioned, they also have to be good for business, and as Jaime points out, there is a lot of research highlighting the correlations between a more diverse supply base and quantitative business improvement. The American Sociological Review, Harvard Business Review, and McKinsey have all studied the issue and found strong evidence to support true supply chain diversification.  In this interview, Jamie explains: Why the majority of diversity spend is associated with indirect suppliers. How stakeholders (or distributed buyers) are ultimately the ones with the power to make the greatest difference in supplier diversity. The fact that the effort to ensure supplier diversity is never done, and why it can’t be put on ‘cruise control.’

In last week’s podcast, Host Philip Ideson described the concept of the flywheel, a consistent pattern of small but deliberate actions designed to build momentum and deliver business results described in the book Good to Great by author Jim Collins.  This week, we apply that idea to procurement directly to ensure our strategies and tactics become (and remain) aligned with the goals and objectives of the enterprise as a whole. This focus has to permeate every effort we are involved in and the benefit can drive competitive advantage through cost optimization, risk mitigation, revenue growth, regulatory compliance, or operational agility.  Listen to Part 2 of this series on the flywheel to learn: How procurement can apply the flywheel to reposition procurement at the organizational level  How we can harness the flywheel principles to help build more adaptable project management processes for efforts such as category management and strategic sourcing How it is possible to turn seemingly tactical efforts into full strategic alignment with high-level business decision makers

At Art of Procurement, we believe that helping procurement teams effectively align their capabilities and outcomes with the goals of the businesses underpins the transformation of a team from transactional to strategic. In this podcast, we discuss a concept that is a big part of our Procurement, Inc approach and a core part of how we manage the Art of Procurement business itself: the flywheel. Because this concept may be new to many of our listeners (it was new to us when we discovered it), we’re going to cover the idea in two episodes. This week we provide the broader business context of the flywheel concept, and in part two (next week) we will contextualize the flywheel for procurement teams and discuss ways to put it into practice. In this podcast, you will learn about the following from Art of Procurement Founder and Host Philip Ideson: What is a flywheel and what value does it generate for a business? The sub-elements of the flywheel concept and where you have likely seen one in action as an individual consumer (whether you received it or not) Why it is the accumulation of smaller efforts, executed consistently, that is more important to success than one ‘big bang’ moment

Due to the risks posed by the coronavirus, procurement teams responsible for managing facilities services are currently experiencing quite a change. Services such as janitorial have quickly gone from transactional contracts established based upon cost to highly strategic relationships that must be in place and meet a new high standard for a facility to operate or even open. Arthur Piszczor is a Consultant at Corcentric, where he has been helping organizations manage their facilities services spend since long before our current elevated requirements went into effect, and he has helped a number of clients manage not only the transition, but the process of planning for the future. In this interview, Arthur shares his point of view with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner on: Whether smaller localized or large national players are more commonly used, and how a company’s existing supplier base and contracts affected their ability to respond to the COVID-19 shutdowns The combined involvement of HR and procurement in cases where employees not only need to be kept safe by third party janitorial and sanitation providers, but need to feel safe as well. How the elevated standards that we expect to be in place going forward may be restructuring not only facilities services markets, but also the relative leverage of the buyers and suppliers in those relationships.

It is never easy to request additional headcount, so making sure the timing is right and having a solid business case are critical to protecting your internal reputation and hopefully getting an affirmative response. There are plenty of ways procurement can stack the deck in their favor, and most of them have to do with demonstrating alignment with enterprise objectives and a vision that explains the value associated with that position in the longer term. Alexis Ryan has been in procurement for 2 decades, the last 5 years of which have been spent in leadership positions. After starting her career in Legal, she ended up in procurement with no preconceived notions about the function’s value proposition or focus. In this interview, Alexis provides her advice about how and when to request additional procurement headcount and how to increase the chances of the request being approved: Which procurement metrics can be most effective at supporting requests for additional headcount The objections to growing procurement’s headcount that leaders should expect to face in the enterprise-wide competition for resources What a documented headcount business case should look like, and the type of information it should include

When it comes to governance during the sourcing process, your experience probably matches one of the following two scenarios: You have a strict 7 or 8 step process, and at the end of each step you have to get an approval of some sort to move to the next.   You have an approval council that wants to see proof that you checked every single box during the sourcing process.   What do these scenarios have in common? They are burdensome, create mountains of paperwork, and really slow down the process. No wonder stakeholders want to bypass procurement altogether. In this podcast, AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson shares his easy 2-step governance process, one that he created when he was an Indirect Sourcing Manager earlier in his career. This process - and the templates required to carry it out - are part of one of the AOP Mastermind mini-courses that you member companies will be able to access on July 1st,.

For many procurement teams, risk management is now priority #1. If that sounds like your situation, how can you make sense of all the unknowns and ensure that each one of your category strategies is prepared to adapt to whatever may come your way? In today’s solo show, AOP Founder and Host Philip Ideson shares one way you can balance risk and agility: by taking the business continuity and disaster recovery plans we often ask our suppliers to provide and applying the concept to your category strategy. This approach can be used whether the category, product or service in question has a physical supply chain (products) or a virtual supply chain (services). Either way, a category continuity plan will help you proactively identify the risks associated with a category, product, or service and identify potential mitigation steps to take should a particular scenario occur. Listen to this podcast to learn more about the following ways to apply business continuity planning to risk management: The six key steps you will need to follow to create your business continuity plan, and why the focus is about ensuring you are well-informed Why supply chain mapping and scenario planning are a powerful (and actionable) combination Which proven frameworks and tools can be helpful when identifying specific points of failure

A lot of things have changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, not the least of which has been procurement and supply chain teams being thrust into the spotlight in very challenging conditions. As an Executive Search Consultant, Tom Graham has naturally been focused on how this increased exposure has impacted leaders, individual contributors, and entire teams. Since the lockdowns began, Tom has been holding regular, virtual roundtables with Chief Procurement Officers and Chief Supply Chain Officers to discuss everything from crisis management to planning for the new normal. Their observations and perspectives on next steps have evolved with the status of the crisis, and as businesses begin to open back up, the time is drawing near to start acting on those ideas.  In this interview, Tom shares what he has seen and heard and what he expects to see next as the world continues to adapt to the new normal:  Why he expects the initial transition period to be so difficult for companies that are in the process of bringing their operations back online Why natural leaders have been less impacted by our current virtual ‘working from home’ situation than people might have expected One of the best techniques he has seen in practice for finding a solution to a highly complex problem and making it very easy and straightforward for others in the enterprise to support

Logistics has never been an easy category of spend to manage. Whether your company is multimodal, focused on less-than truckload (LTL), or depends upon small parcel, carriers and third-party logistics providers form a critical link between you and your customers. Superimpose the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic on top of that complexity, and you have one of the most fluid and challenging situations procurement will get involved in. Joe Lazzerini is a Consultant at Corcentric, where he helps organizations manage their logistics category spend. In fact, he was consulting in logistics long before he found his way to the world of procurement. In this interview, Joe Lazzerini shares his point of view with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner on: What the state of the global logistics market looked like before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic When companies should look to their carriers for input on costs, contracts, and shipping capacity Why paying the right price is more important than paying the lowest price, and the importance of becoming a ‘shipper of choice’

According to Harvard Business Review, under Zero-based budgeting (ZBB), “Expenses must be justified for each new budget period based on demonstrable needs and costs, as opposed to the more common method of using last year’s budget as your starting point, then adjusting up or down. ZBB is a straightforward, intuitively simple way to aggressively strip out costs that cannot be rationally justified.” Sounds wonderful, right? Well, as this week’s guest (and the HBR article referenced above) point out, there is no such thing as a ‘one-size fits-all’ silver bullet, even when it comes to aggressively cutting costs.   David Ward is the Director of Global Sourcing & Procurement at a global pharmaceutical company, and has held procurement positions at Ford, Rolls Royce, AstraZeneca, and Unilever. During his time at Unilever, he became the ZBB Programme Leader for Marketing and Business Services, and so he has seen the advantages and disadvantages of this budgeting and management method first hand. In this interview, David explains how ZBB works and whether it is a strategy that procurement should actively consider in the current economic conditions:

The scope of responsibilities associated with enterprise procurement has grown significantly over the last decade, and yet we keep coming back to the ‘good old’ RFP. This one enabling tool often defines our reputation as a function, and not always in a good way. At the same time, no other approach has been able to unseat the RFP, and it remains the best way to evaluate supplier costs and capabilities in a standardized and structured way.  Dave Hulsen, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of RFP360, joined us for an AOP Live session on March 31st. His topic - reclaiming the power of the RFP - clearly struck a chord with the procurement community, because we’ve never had so many excellent questions submitted by audience members before.

There are a lot of very talented people today that suddenly find themselves un- or under- employed by no fault of their own and companies lift with critical vacancies. How can professionals and hiring managers continue to move careers and operations forward under the current business conditions? Mark Holyoake is the founder of Holyoake Search, a US East-coast based procurement recruitment firm and someone who always has his finger on the pulse of the procurement recruitment market. The landscape for hiring and being hired in procurement has changed dramatically over the past couple of months, so what does that mean for anyone looking for a new role or for executives looking to hire their next rising star? In this interview, Mark provides Host Philip Ideson with an honest overview of the current state of hiring, interviewing, and career building.

While the challenges of COVID-19 aren’t completely behind us, many organizations are starting to look ahead to what's next. For many procurement teams, that means identifying and defining quick wins from a cost savings or expense reduction perspective.  Brian Seipel is a Consultant and Spend Analysis Lead at Corcentric, where he helps organizations perfect their strategic sourcing abilities, manage supplier relationships, and clear away process roadblocks. We asked him about his advice about getting quick wins (that are actually quick) without alienating suppliers or stakeholders.

As procurement has worked to reposition ourselves as a source of value beyond savings, we have had to rebuild our relationships on a foundation of credibility and rapport. That hasn’t been an easy change for all procurement professionals and teams, and some stakeholders have been easier to win over than others. We have made significant progress to date, but the journey continues. Canda Rozier is a multiple-time CPO with experience working across a number of leading global organizations. She recently started her own procurement consulting firm, Collabra Consulting. In this interview, Canda shares her point of view on some critical considerations for procurement teams looking to partner sustainably with the business.

Sustainable expense management programs should be managed to align outcomes with company objectives. Doing so amplifies their impact, strengthens stakeholder and supplier relationships, and provides real savings that can be reinvested as necessary. In this 5-part special series, Art of Procurement Host Philip Ideson will take you through the keys to running a successful expense management program, pitfalls to look out for, and tactics to cover incumbent supplier management, strategic sourcing, and demand and category management.

Sustainable expense management programs should be managed to align outcomes with company objectives. Doing so amplifies their impact, strengthens stakeholder and supplier relationships, and provides real savings that can be reinvested as necessary. In this 5-part special series, Art of Procurement Host Philip Ideson will take you through the keys to running a successful expense management program, pitfalls to look out for, and tactics to cover incumbent supplier management, strategic sourcing, and demand and category management.

Sustainable expense management programs should be managed to align outcomes with company objectives. Doing so amplifies their impact, strengthens stakeholder and supplier relationships, and provides real savings that can be reinvested as necessary. In this 5-part special series, Art of Procurement Host Philip Ideson will take you through the keys to running a successful expense management program, pitfalls to look out for, and tactics to cover incumbent supplier management, strategic sourcing, and demand and category management.

Sustainable expense management programs should be managed to align outcomes with company objectives. Doing so amplifies their impact, strengthens stakeholder and supplier relationships, and provides real savings that can be reinvested as necessary. In this 5-part special series, Art of Procurement Host Philip Ideson will take you through the keys to running a successful expense management program, pitfalls to look out for, and tactics to cover incumbent supplier management, strategic sourcing, and demand and category management.

Sustainable expense management programs should be managed to align outcomes with company objectives. Doing so amplifies their impact, strengthens stakeholder and supplier relationships, and provides real savings that can be reinvested as necessary. In this 5-part special series, Art of Procurement Host Philip Ideson will take you through the keys to running a successful expense management program, pitfalls to look out for, and tactics to cover incumbent supplier management, strategic sourcing, and demand and category management.

Despite the procurement mindshare dedicated to technology, it hasn’t changed things as much as we all would have liked. Most of procurement’s sourcing activities happen the same way they always have, albeit with much improved user interfaces. This is especially true for complex service categories that have always defied our processes and templates. Keith Hausmann is the Chief Revenue Office at Globality. He also has the unique distinction of being both a former client - and a former boss - of Art of Procurement Host Philip Ideson. His enthusiasm for a worthy business challenge and the agile nature of innovative start-ups recently led him to join this AI-powered services sourcing platform provider. In this interview, Keith provides his point of view about several of the strategic challenges that procurement still faces ‘after all these years’ and the role that procurement technology can play in resolving them: Technology as an enabler for procurement teams that feel pressure to reduce indirect costs but want to do incredibly challenging and interesting work Why it is never a good idea to let a supplier - even an incumbent - define the scope or demand for a stakeholder (and why it keeps happening) The unique requirements procurement teams have when sourcing complex services categories

The team at Art of Procurement has worked with Joe Payne for years. We collaborated when he was at Source One Management Services, and now that they have been acquired by Corcentric, our joint efforts continue under that banner - which has also extended to include the Determine team. Joe is now the Senior Vice President of Source to Pay at Corcentric, where he continues to apply his years of procurement consulting and services experience. Given the fact that we spoke to Joe in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, we obviously talked about risk and uncertainty, but we also asked his advice about managing procurement in times of recession. What have we learned in the past that we can apply to the economic conditions we will face as the economic shutdown comes to a close?

Tim Crawford is a former CIO who now advises CEOs and business executives on strategic IT transformation initiatives. He is also the host of the “CIO in the Know” podcast. We had originally invited Tim to join Art of Procurement for a conversation about how procurement professionals can most effectively support our IT colleagues in the long term, but as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate headlines and agendas worldwide, we decided to pivot and take this opportunity to discuss some of the IT challenges that are top of mind under the current circumstances. We asked Tim about the challenges most CIOs are facing on a day-to-day basis, and how procurement can help.

As we run this podcast, the entire world is consumed with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Procurement teams have been hit directly in the form of uncertain supply chains and unstable suppliers. While we are naturally consumed with short term risk mitigation, at some point, we will emerge from this crisis. What will our companies face then? Christian Heinrich is one of the industry professionals splitting his time between the short term and the longer-term view. He is the Co-Founder of scoutbee.com and a Professor of Digital Transformation at Quadriga Hochschule Berlin. Christian took some time out to share with us what he is seeing on the ground. What tactics and strategies are they taking and how are they starting to scope and plan out the actions they need to take today to prepare for a return to some kind of normalcy once the pandemic is contained.

Now that procurement professionals and organizations have absorbed the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are stable enough footing to start to serve others - including our suppliers. Many of the programs procurement has put in place in recent years have incentives partnering with small, diverse businesses. Those disruptive companies are now at high risk of being disrupted by the pandemic, in some cases permanently. Amanda Prochaska is a long time procurement leader, working for companies like the Kellogg Company, Kraft Heinz, and MGM Resorts International. In 2019, Amanda founded HPP, a company that specializes in helping companies of all sizes achieve operational excellence by supporting the performance of their key suppliers. HPP has set up a Recovery Program to help suppliers take advantage of assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA): Special steps being taken by the SBA, with backing from the US Treasury, to help small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic Government eligibility requirements for SBA loans and how the funds need to be used The types of product and service suppliers that procurement may want to share this information with (i.e. facilities maintenance providers for buildings that have been closed down temporarily)

There are some categories of indirect spend - think pest control, waste & recycling, industrial gasses and equipment rental - that cost more to source than they offer in savings. Rich Ham, CEO of Fine Tune, calls those ‘nuisance expenses.’ For a combination of reasons, they take so much time to manage, and result in so little savings (once they have been sourced for the first time), that they serve as little more than a distraction for procurement teams trying to function more strategically. The uniform industry is valued at $16B annually, and 3 national players account for 55-60% of the revenue in the United States: Cintas, Aramark, and Unifirst. As regional and ‘mom and pop’ players in this industry are gradually being assimilated into the big three, procurement organizations are going to have to completely overhaul their approach to this category. In this interview, Rich provides insight into the unique approaches and opportunities associated with this specific ‘nuisance expense:’

It is safe to say that we currently find ourselves in unprecedented times. Some of us will be impacted by the spread of the coronavirus more than others, but the likelihood is that it will affect all of us in some way. At Art of Procurement, we are going to be at your side for the duration, helping you prepare for the ‘unknown unknowns’ with practical advice on how you can mitigate the worst of the impact and turn your response into a competitive advantage. To that end, we arranged for a short-turnaround Sunday morning podcast recording with Jan Griffiths. As the former CPO of a tier-1 automotive manufacturer, now the Founder and President of leadership coaching consultancy Gravitas Detroit, Jan has weathered her fair share of crisis and uncertainty. She has come through all of it strengthened and determined to succeed, and she shares her insights with us about how we can do the same.

Everyone wants to have a positive social impact on their community or industry, but doing so also has to be a sound business decision. That is something that Paul Polizzotto instinctively understands. It has fueled and inspired his 30+ years as a social entrepreneur. As the Founder and CEO of Givewith, Paul is combining his desire to have social impact with his knowledge of marketing and advertising to create value for buyers, suppliers, and the world. Rather than being a soft, ‘feel good’ type of initiative, the Givewith process and principles are based on hard data and environmental, societal, and governance (ESG) analytics. Paul and his team know that the value of social impact has to be precise and undeniable if companies are going to get on board, and so they have made that the backbone of their approach to B2B commerce. In this interview, Paul explains how B2B transactions that were going to happen anyway, can be leveraged for social good: Buyers continue to negotiate the very best deal they can get, as well as competitive non-price terms Suppliers use their ability to advance their customers’ sustainability objectives as a sales and collaboration differentiator And if you happen to have a few ‘objections’ that come to mind as a pragmatic procurement professional - you’re not alone. We asked Paul the tough questions as well.

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (General Manager of AOP and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from February’s podcast interviews and share their point of view on a new topic. This month they discuss how to manage a healthy ‘breakup’, managing relationships, responsibilities, and results at the end of a project

According to the Cimpress corporate website, “We manage our businesses in a decentralized, autonomous manner so as to ensure we remain close to our customers, focused and entrepreneurial.” Now go back and read that statement again – this time as a member of the procurement team supporting such a collection of businesses. Evert Karsen is the Vice President of Global Procurement at Cimpress. From his office in Switzerland, he leads a team of procurement professionals that support Cimpress’ multiple autonomous brands, including Vistaprint, Easyflyer, and BuildASign. They don’t have a mandate to lean on with internal stakeholders, but they don’t have a savings target either. That combination of conditions has made it possible for them to deliver a wide range of value types and build a services-oriented relationship with the business.

You are probably familiar with some of these terms if you have ever participated in a complex contractual arrangement: arbitrator, mediator, certified deal architect, even the “wise persons committee.” All of these titles refer to objective third parties that are brought in to help resolve high-stakes situations. Kate Vitasek, a member of the graduate faculty in executive education at the University of Tennessee, and the creator of the Vested model, has recently co-authored a whitepaper that takes the concept of the roles above and modifies it to meet the needs of ongoing, complex third-party relationships. A “standing neutral” is a form of alternative dispute resolution. It is different than the roles above in that a standing neutral is brought in before the conflict occurs; they are part of a contract’s governance structure. They are neutral, and mutually approved by the parties to the contract. Kate provides background and case examples to show: How, when and why two (or more) companies might bring in a standing neutral to facilitate contract governance? What impact the standing neutral role has on the relationship associated with the contract. That using the right standing neutral under the right circumstances allows companies to proactively prevent conflicts and misalignment that could rob both parties of intended value.

Procurement can no longer turn a blind eye to bad data. If we are going to leverage our data for advanced applications such as AI, machine learning, RPA, etc. we have to address data quality now - without spending more time or allowing it to become more fragmented.  Joe Yacura is a former CPO of organizations such as Fannie Mae, Bank of America and American Express, and is the co-author of the 3rd Annual Data Quality and Governance Study in partnership with Dr Rob Handfield and the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (SCRC) at NC State. 

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (General Manager of AOP and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from January’s podcast interviews and announce the official launch of Procurement, Inc., the new Art of Procurement framework for repositioning procurement as a strategic services business.

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Rowena Ludwig, Chief Marketing Officer of TraDove, a social networking platform built to match and connect business buyers and sellers and blockchain payment solution provider. Discussion highlights include: How blockchain tokens can be used to facilitate B2B payment transactions. The security and information storage implications of a B2B blockchain v. a traditional one. Why social network-based technology is the most efficient way for global buyers and sellers to connect.

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Pierre Laprée, Founder of Per Angusta, a procurement project pipeline and performance tracking tool founded in 2012. Discussion highlights include: The importance of investing in - and building up - procurement’s internal credibility through detailed performance management tracking. An acknowledgment that procurement teams carry a heavy workload, often multiple projects at one time, including a wide range of task types and activities. Why the challenge of ‘savings’ needs to be addressed as a process by both procurement and finance, not as an issue with procurement’s value proposition.

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Tarmo Saidla, Co-Founder and CEO of ProcurementFlow, a collaboration and work management platform founded in 2019. Discussion highlights include: The challenge of combining consistent purchase approvals and oversight with buyer convenience and speed While a lot has changed in procurement, the need for a centralized team and streamlined processes has not abated How, much like with Excel, companies are unlikely to ever get distributed buyers to stop relying on email for requests and approvals

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Stephany Lapierre, CEO of Tealbook, a master supplier data management platform founded in 2015.  Discussion highlights include: The glaring investment between procurement’s investment (to date) in technology versus the investment in the data that runs through that technology. How increasing the quality of supplier master data can actually reduce the friction associated with changing procurement software providers. Why machine learning may help procurement make the leap from understanding who their suppliers are to recognizing the total value those suppliers can offer.

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Edmund Zagorin, the Founder of Bid Ops. Bid Ops is a sourcing enablement platform founded in 2018. Discussion highlights include: Where the majority of time is invested in a sourcing process, and how that can be streamlined without sacrificing results Separating ‘the market’, which is effectively a generalized abstraction, from the effective market that determines a buyer’s true optionality How the length of a negotiation can either favor the buyer or the supplier

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Arvid Fredin and Nils Lundgren, the team behind Spendency, the self-proclaimed “easy to use” spend analysis solution founded in 2015.  Discussion highlights include: Why ‘ease of use’ is both the most important and the most difficult sell How their belief in democratizing access to advanced analytics is reflected in Spendency’s reflects the commercial model and company structure  The advantage associated with embedding process-based thinking into a tool so that workflows do not have to be rolled out heavy-handedly to users

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Alan Holland, the Founder and CEO of Keelvar. Founded in 2012, Keelvar provides the automation procurement needs to achieve speed, while also increasing adherence to best practices. Discussion highlights include: The power and resource efficiency of combining optimization and automation The critical differences between intelligent automation and robotic process automation (RPA) The business case for applying optimization technology to large or analytically complex spend categories

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Paul Gurr, Managing Director at Provalido, an online platform for tracking savings that was founded in 2013. Discussion highlights include: The strategy (and feasibility) of taking a ‘best of breed’ approach to building a procurement technology portfolio The continued need for procurement to emphasize and invest in clean, high quality data The direct connection between tracking and process/purchasing transparency

Procurement has always been fertile ground for tech entrepreneurs. We have pulled together some of the most compelling – and potentially disruptive – procurement solutions for a Special Startup Series. We will ask each entrepreneur questions about what gap in the market their solution addresses, how they differentiate their technology and what their tools look like in action. In this podcast, we interview Sam Jenks, Chief Marketing Officer at Kodiak Hub, a supplier relationship management platform founded in 2015. Discussion highlights include: Why supplier insight has to be based on both robust scorecards and data analytics. That (believe it or not) Excel continues to be Kodiak’s biggest competitor. How this is the time – even according to well-known consulting firms and CTOs – to be an early adopter and partner with a startup

Despite their reliance upon legacy systems, manufacturers are all about efficiency. This, combined with the pain caused by those same legacy systems, is finally starting to build momentum for procurement digitalization – especially among larger manufacturers. Sundar Kamak is the Global Head of Manufacturing Solutions at Ivalua, and his background in manufacturing is largely concentrated in the aerospace and automotive industries. In this podcast, he shares his perspective on the move towards digital procurement in the manufacturing space as well as the overall trends he has observed. Sundar provides additional insight on topics such as: · The limitations of ERP systems in the face of inter-enterprise collaboration projects · Going beyond balancing cost, quality and supply assurance to drive competitive advantage · Closing the gap between product development and strategic sourcing, especially in the case of direct materials · Continuing movement away from the use of Excel in favor of increased speed and collaboration

If 2019 was the year of emerging technology hype, then 2020 holds the potential to be the year that we turn our attention to the work that needs to be done to derive concrete value from that technology: blockchains included. In late 2019, Remko Van Hoek, Clinical Full Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of Arkansas – Sam M. Walton College of Business and a Member of the CSCMP Board of Directors, co-authored a book titled Integrating Blockchain into Supply Chain Management: A Toolkit for Practical Application. He and his three co-authors were looking to combine the understandable enthusiasm for distributed ledger technology with the knowledge we have about emerging technologies of the past. Their goal: to provide actionable insight and realistic use cases. In this conversation, Remko answers questions about: The use cases he and his co-authors had the opportunity to study and what they learned from those leading companies The role of third party advisors in blockchain pilots and implementations How to increase the likelihood of success with a blockchain pilot project, including project scope, partner selection, and setting internal expectations

As we begin to wind down for 2019, Art of Procurement host Philip Ideson shares the three themes that are at the forefront of his mind when considering the health of the procurement function and the opportunities that await in 2020.

This week’s podcast is based on our recent AOP Live session with Pierre Lapree and Jason Treida. They joined us last month to take live audience questions about how procurement can maximize the value potential of automation while ensuring that performance management is not lost in the ‘noise’ of technology. Most of today’s technology focuses on either the transactional aspects of procurement (P2P) or shiny new toys (RPA/AI/Blockchain). It does not necessarily provide a holistic view our activity and performance. And yet, it is those activities and that performance that determine procurement’s impact and influence now and in the future.    In this live session, we discussed: Procurement’s Fascination with ‘Shiny’ Technology The stages of procurement maturity, and how performance should be measured and incentivized as we progress The power and importance of corporate ‘rituals’ How a careful consideration of procurement performance management requires us to approach technology selection and implementation differently

Whether you call it supplier performance management or supplier relationship management, procurement has always understood that we need supply partners at their best for us to realize the maximum ROI from each contract. Usually, however, that boils down to a meeting where we point out where they could be doing better or ask a bunch of questions that imply the same thing and send them on their way to figure out how they should improve. It basically amounts to procurement making a wish list and throwing it over the wall. Needless to say, this delivers questionable results. Procurement doesn’t have the time required to follow up with as many suppliers as we should, and the suppliers don’t have an incentive to put more energy than absolutely necessary into a contract they have already signed. Besides, they’re often not sure exactly what we want from them. In this disconnect, Amanda Prochaska, President and CEO of HPP Coach, and Jonathan Townsley, a Business Transformation and Supply Management Advisor, see an opportunity for procurement to meaningfully and sustainably change the way we manage our suppliers.

Having the opportunity to reflect back on a successful career in its entirety is a gift, and in “A Procurement Compendium”, Peter Smith shares that gift with the whole procurement community. From being found by procurement (either because he could play tennis or because he was lousy at sales), to his time as a consultant and then 8+ years with Spend Matters, he’s experienced nearly everything. Peter shares stories from his career that capture the things he’d done differently. He wishes he’d insisted upon having better talent. He would fight for the budgetary resources to get his team the resources they needed. He would be less cautious and spend more time connecting on a personal level with fellow executives. In this conversation, Peter talks about: · The importance of competition and the dangers of supplier dependence · Why procurement is not in decline (yet) · What new CPOs should do to succeed early on

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (General Manager of AOP and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from November’s news, industry topics and podcast interviews. Note: This is a special - early and shortened - version of our This Month in Procurement podcast due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the US. We would like to thank you, our listeners and followers, for sharing your time and energy with us during the year. The procurement community is amazing. We continue to be enthusiastic about being part of your network and having you in ours!   

In this week’s podcast, Philip Ideson is joined by two members of the Procurement Leaders team, David Rae, their Chief Product Officer, and Geraldine Craven, Head of Research. They recently completed a study in cooperation with Bain Consulting to understand what is changing in advance of the arrival of 2020 and what remains the same. In this conversation, David and Geri talk about the key recommendations in Procurement Leaders’ 2020 CPO Planning Guide, including: • The need for procurement to connect with the broader C-suite agenda • The organizational differentiation that Procurement Leaders is seeing among companies that focus the customer experience, innovation or risk management • Whether it is easier to drive transformation when change is already underway or when a team is at the beginning of their journey • The skills that leadership teams need to make sure are in place within procurement, and why it is critical that procurement recruit from outside the function

“A good procurement person has two qualities: One is they're curious. They want to know how things are made. How did we get it here? Why is the supplier doing that? What is the price? What is the cost? So, curiosity is the number one thing and the number two thing is emotional intelligence. Do they have the capability to build relationships inside and outside the business?” In this week’s podcast, Philip Ideson is joined by Bill Michels, Vice President of Operations Americas at CIPS. They discuss the global nature of today’s supply chains and the impact that shift has had on the professional procurement community: specifically, they discuss the ongoing impact of trade tariffs around the world, and the proactive actions that can be taken to prepare for economic recession. In this conversation, Bill talks about: • Why procurement needs to start focusing on influencing buyer behavior, not their spend • The destabilizing impact of tariffs, and whether it is possible for them to represent an opportunity as well as a challenge • How procurement leaders can begin to proactively plan for an economic recession. • How procurement skills development is being impacted by the very different interests and needs of the four different generations making up the current workforce

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (General Manager of AOP and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from October’s news, industry topics and podcast interviews. In October, we heard a total of seven podcasts: A solo show from Philip Ideson on Getting Executive Buy-in for a Procurement Change Initiative A five-part series with leadership team from Efficio, titled “A CPO’s First 100 Days” An interview with Ryan Flynn, a Principal at Deloitte Consulting, about their 8th annual CPO Survey  This month’s discussion topic is one that most procurement professionals – most people, in fact – think about this time of year… How can I set myself up for success in the new year? With less than 60 days remaining in 2019, there isn’t a minute to waste. The AOP team is already actively engaged in the planning process, and we are positive 2020 is going to a much brighter – and bolder – year!

“The ‘complexity masters’ have taken the transactional side of procurement and turned it into a well-oiled machine, a combination of operating models and digital strategies, so that they can focus on those areas where they can drive the most value.” The annual Deloitte Global CPO survey is one of the most anticipated reports of the year. In this year’s report, the 11th annual, the authors took a different approach than they have in the past, calling out a single word of focus: complexity. Ryan Flynn is a Principal at Deloitte Consulting with 14 years of experience helping global companies improve their sourcing and procurement efficiency and effectiveness. Despite the fact that so many things seem to remain the same in procurement year after year, Ryan observes that his team is seeing movement – and fortunately, we are moving in the right direction. Procurement’s scope is shifting, as is our attitude towards ‘good’ risk. Of course, there is still plenty of work to be done, and nothing ever remains the same.

You have just been appointed to a new CPO position. Your executive leadership team is looking at you to make an immediate impact while setting up procurement as a driver of sustainable, long term value. You know that your first 100 days in the role may make or break your career. What do you do? Where do you start?  In this special 5-part series, made possible through a partnership with Efficio, we will provide you with the roadmap you need to hit the ground running.  In the fifth - and final - episode of the series, I spoke with Shirin Tomlinson, head of The Efficio Academy, about the importance of investing in skills development, starting with how a new CPO can attract the best talent into procurement. In addition, Shirin and I discussed: What skills CPOs should look for in their teams now and in the future How companies should approach the training and upskilling of current team members The risks associated with not focusing on the team and their skills in the early days of a procurement change effort

You have just been appointed to a new CPO position. Your executive leadership team is looking at you to make an immediate impact while setting up procurement as a driver of sustainable, long term value. You know that your first 100 days in the role may make or break your career. What do you do? Where do you start?  In this special 5-part series, made possible through a partnership with Efficio, we will provide you with the roadmap you need to hit the ground running.  In this fourth episode of the series, I spoke with Peter Wetherill, a Principal at Efficio, about where to start with the new technology that you are expecting enable your elevated procurement value proposition. In addition, Peter and I discussed: The legacy of wasted time and resources associated with technology implementations How important procurement’s technical ‘literacy’ is to the realization of post-implementation ROI Where to begin in a non-digital procurement organization How to evaluate technology that is already in place

You have just been appointed to a new CPO position. Your executive leadership team is looking at you to make an immediate impact while setting up procurement as a driver of sustainable, long term value. You know that your first 100 days in the role may make or break your career. What do you do? Where do you start?  In this special 5-part series, made possible through a partnership with Efficio, we will provide you with the roadmap you need to hit the ground running.  In the third episode of the series, I spoke with Sushank Agarwal, a Principal at Efficio, about the tactics that help maintain the delicate balance between delivering quick savings and preserving long term relationships with stakeholders and suppliers.  In addition, Sushank and I discussed: Whether quick-win savings require you to start off with an unhappy supply base The value that procurement teams already have within their reach but often overlook The common pitfalls experienced by procurement teams in pursuit of quick-win savings The critical role the executive leadership team has to play in building stakeholder support

You have just been appointed to a new CPO position. Your executive leadership team is looking at you to make an immediate impact while setting up procurement as a driver of sustainable, long term value. You know that your first 100 days in the role may make or break your career. What do you do? Where do you start?  In this special 5-part series, made possible through a partnership with Efficio, we will provide you with the roadmap you need to hit the ground running.  In the second episode of the series, I spoke with Vikas Tyagi, a Principal at Efficio, about the steps a CPO can take to create a high performing procurement operating model - from assessing the suitability of their inherited model to designing a new fit for purpose organizational structure. In addition, Vikas and I discussed: Why now is the right time to reset procurement operating models Why it is so hard for everyone to know what to expect of procurement The standard elements that should be part of any procurement operating model Best practices from procurement organizations who have successfully changed their operating model

You have just been appointed to a new CPO position. Your executive leadership team is looking at you to make an immediate impact while setting up procurement as a driver of sustainable, long term value. You know that your first 100 days in the role may make or break your career. What do you do? Where do you start?  In this special 5-part series, made possible through a partnership with Efficio, we will provide you with the roadmap you need to hit the ground running.  For the opening episode of the series, I spoke with Simon Whatson, a Principal at Efficio, about the importance of repositioning procurement. This is a key initial consideration, because you will likely face challenges as you work to convince skeptical stakeholders that this time it will all be different. In addition, Simon and I discussed: The importance of procurement / enterprise alignment The hardest parts of leading change in procurement How a forward-looking vision for procurement should be different by industry Why procurement needs to take an honest look in the mirror before investing in branding

I’ve been spending a lot of time the past few months working with procurement teams on their transformation journey from being a tactical function to a strategic one. This journey must begin by inspiring people on the art of the possible. This often has to be members of your procurement team - to rethink the possibilities of what they can achieve - and also senior executives and stakeholders - on what they can expect from a fully functional procurement team. Today, I’m going to share a few approaches that you can use to secure executive buy-in for your procurement transformation.

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (AOP Content Director and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from September’s news, industry topics and podcast interviews. In September, we heard four diverse interviews: NBA CPO Joe Postiglione started the month by reminding us of the importance of self-empowerment as well as how powerful a truly engaged manager can be.  Mahmood Shah, Director of Global Procurement at MetLife, brought the continued importance of change management to light by talking about his company’s exploration of emerging technologies. Chris Sawchuck, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group, shared recent research into World Class Procurement – including how (and now not) to pursue World Class status. Finally, Deutsche Telecom’s Hakan Cakir provided an example of how procurement can move into uncharted waters without feeling pressure to already know everything. This month’s discussion topic is how to make the most of the fall conference season. Whether you are a ‘frequent flyer’ or only attend one event a year, Phil and Kelly provide advice on making the most of your time onsite, how to survive those awful coffee breaks and the answer to the question all conference-goers ask at some point: if a session is not well done, do I really have to stay for the whole thing?

“If you were to ask me what the ‘Art of Procurement’ is, I would say it is bringing together the right people and the right partners.” In this week’s podcast, we get to listen in on a conversation about digital transformation on a global scale that was recorded at Ivalua NOW in Paris earlier this year. Hakan Cakir is the Procurement Digitalization & Analytics Product Owner of Sourcing Solutions for Deutsche Telekom AG, one of the world's leading integrated telecommunications solutions with 178 million mobile customers, 28 million fixed lines and 20 million broadband users in 50 countries. DT is best known in the US for their T-Mobile brand. The procurement steering team that Hakan works within has end-to-end responsibility for all group wide strategic procurement processes and systems including digitization and innovation roadmaps. Given the scope and scale of their project, they leveraged advocates across the company, a key decision that allowed them to harmonize their processes before implementing technology. In this conversation, Hakan talks about: Their future state vision for the source-to-contract process and how that informed technology decisions. How his team emphasized usability and acceptance testing to improve the implementation process and maximize adoption rates. Lessons learned from a broad global rollout that required change management training and communication. How DT plans to move forward towards their primary goal of building a fully data-driven procurement function. The role that emerging technologies such as chatbots may play in DT’s global procurement future in the future.

“How do I get from where I am today to where I would like to be?” In the age of digital transformation, it goes without saying that change is on everyone’s mind. But despite all of the energy we are putting into thinking about change, we may or may not be seeing that change come to pass. In this week’s podcast, host Philip Ideson speaks with Chris Sawchuck, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group. They recently released a new research report titled “World-Class Procurement: Redefining Performance in a Digital Era”.  In Chris’ experience, many procurement teams are looking for step-by-step guides for change that would be better led more organically, by a leader with a vision for proving procurements’ intrinsic value. One example is a question he is asked often: “How do we become a trusted advisor?” Rather than looking for details as to how, Chris instead characterizes the traits he sees most often in advisory procurement teams, not the least of which is balancing agility with consistency.  In this conversation, Chris shares his advice about:  ● Emerging technologies and how they are being incorporated into the existing procurement technology landscape by world-class organizations.  ● Avoiding a focus on lengthy, 200-page policy manuals that no one is going to read or follow. ● What he sees happening in the teams that successfully lead change from within, including investments in automation, education and execution.

“We have to be able to talk in a language that the business understands, and they have to see the actual value of what [procurement is] bringing to the table over and over, above any type of savings, I think that's the key for me.” In this week’s podcast, host Philip Ideson speaks with Mahmood Shah, Director of Global Procurement at MetLife. He started his career in supply chain in the automotive and airline industries before making the switch to procurement and financial services. He has also worked on both sides of the direct/indirect spend line. His experience and point of view are critical for any procurement organization weighing the benefits and challenges of full digital transformation. That doesn’t just mean taking the source-to-pay process online; it requires the leadership team to explore and employ the full advantages of bots and robotic process automation (RPA). In this conversation, Mahmood shares his advice about: The importance of having a vision for procurement digitalization that includes more personalized capabilities and self-service options for distributed buyers, and what boundaries (if any) should confine what non-procurement colleagues have access to do. What he would do differently to market procurement within his organization if he had it to do over. How to evaluate, select and implement RPA solutions specifically for procurement applications. The kinds of changes further automation of procurement requires to the relationship between procurement and in-house IT.

If we were to describe a CPO that was focused on emotional intelligence (EI) and self-empowerment, tranquility and self-possession, where would you guess he or she worked? Maybe at a lifestyle brand or a Silicon Valley startup. It would probably take you a few hundred guesses to come up with the National Basketball Association (NBA).  In this week’s podcast, host Philip Ideson interviews Joe Postiglione, CPO of the NBA, author and executive coach. True to our opening question, he is a certified empowerment coach and certified emotional intelligence coach. After leaving a supply chain-focused career in big consulting, he became an entrepreneurial executive coach. Now he supports all of the leagues that form the NBA. Despite working in a fast-paced environment that no doubt has more than its fair share of intensity, Joe stresses focus and living in the moment with his team – who he continues to support in a manner reminiscent of his coaching days. “Anyone can learn to live a more “self-empowered life,” Joe tells us. Based on all of his professional experiences, Joe paints an interesting picture of the self-limiting beliefs specific to procurement pros, including an inability to escape the thinking that led to a problematic situation in the first place and being preoccupied rather than present. Fortunately, the way out of that box is as simple as choosing to think differently.

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (AOP Content Director and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from August’s news, industry topics and podcast interviews. In August, we split our time between active procurement practitioners and thought leaders. Dana Small, Global Category Manager at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, talked about her transition from finance to procurement (yes, on purpose) and shared how being a business blogger changes her perspective on her ‘day job’. Then Jason Cammorata, Vice President of Strategic Sourcing at MDC Partners, spoke about the qualities that make conflict “good” for an enterprise and the teams within it. On the thought leader side, Hélène Laffitte, Founder and CEO of Consulting Quest, provided insight into best practices for sourcing consulting services and Procurement Insights Founder Jon Hansen pointed out that while companies can’t transform without going through procurement and supply chain, we aren’t alone in the disruptive challenges we face. This month’s discussion topic is technology implementation ‘turn arounds’. Since implementations rarely go smoothly without considerable planning and communication, something both Philip and Kelly have experienced personally, nearly every implementation needs a turn around. Often, this stems from the misplaced expectation that implementation = digital transformation, and vice versa.

According to research undertaken by today’s guest, Procurement Insights Founder Jon Hansen, 70% of an organization's digital transformation activity passes through the procurement and supply chain. But is procurement prepared to step outside the frameworks of our historical job descriptions to proactively enable our companies to create and execute their digitization strategies? In today’s podcast, Jon and I discuss: Why the unknowns of digitization are impacting executives across the company, not just in procurement. The key obstacles to digital transformation. What can procurement do to take a leading role in enabling enterprise digitization

No one wants conflict for its own sake, but it can actually be an important factor in personal or organizational growth and decision making. Rather than shying away from conflict, especially in a professional context, procurement professionals need to start embracing it as proof of diverse thought and opportunities to practice empathy. That is the point of view espoused by Jason Cammorata, Vice President of Strategic Sourcing at MDC Partners, and one that he is quite passionate about. Is this podcast, Jason shares his advice about how procurement can approach “good” conflict – a dynamic that usually stems from multiple people with different ideas but equally good intentions. The procurement team at MDC Partners faces a unique challenge. They are an “umbrella” company with 55 brands in marketing that provide services such as public relations, creative, digital, advertising and production. Their decentralized corporate model is largely brand driven, so Jason regularly has to sell the benefits of procurement internally. That conversation usually starts with introductions and explanations and quickly advances to discover what the brand needs and how procurement can support them. In this podcast, Jason answers questions such as: · What is more important: technical skills or personal skills? · When should procurement be firm (but nice) about frameworks and processes, and when should we be flexible? · Does procurement face a unique set of challenges today, or are we battling the same issues as all other functions? · What does relationship-driven procurement look like, and what are the benefits of investing in that approach?

It seems that we live in a service-centric world these days, and that includes a growing number of procurement spend categories. Although we’ve made headway in IT, legal and marketing, there is one category of professional services spend that still gives most of us reason to pause: management consulting. In this episode of the podcast, I ask Helene Laffitte, Founder and CEO of Consulting Quest, some of the questions I hear most frequently about managing consulting spend. For instance: How can we find the ‘right’ consultant? When should I lean towards small/boutique consulting over the big brands? Are daily rates an effective pricing model? What if we don’t know exactly what we need from the consultants (yet)? What are the primary drivers of price in a consulting services agreement? Ironically, when managing consulting spend, procurement’s best opportunity to add value may occur long before the list of participating providers is finalized and the RFP is sent out. According to Helene, the most critical activity when sourcing consulting is defining scope, objectives, milestones, deliverables and deadlines. These components will not only drive the qualification and selection process, they may determine whether or not the whole engagement is successful. As Helene points out, procurement’s ability to listen and discern the difference between what the business is asking for and what they need is essential. And once that need is defined, we move to challenge #2: being “tight” on what is needed while being “flexible” about the approach.  Listen in for advice and insight on this complex services spend category from a proven consulting procurement expert.

The commonly-cited disconnect between procurement and finance all comes down to one central question: where did the money go? As hard as procurement works to negotiate and track different types of savings, they always seem to evaporate or be reallocated for other projects. In the best cases, this gets the enterprise more value for their dollar, but in the worst cases can lead to reduced credibility for procurement – especially with finance. I’m joined today by Dana Small, Global Category Manager at BioMarin and author of the Ms. Category Management blog. It is rare to find a procurement professional with a background in finance, and rarer still to find a procurement practitioner so willing to share their insight and experiences that they start a blog. In Dana we find both, and that’s a real win for the procurement community. While working in Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Dana realized that by the time an efficiency opportunity is identified by finance, it is usually too late to act upon it. So she decided to move ‘up’ in the process, and pursued a role in strategic sourcing. At the encouragement of a colleague, she began sharing her experiences via a blog in early 2019. Doing so has not only bolstered her professional reputation, it has also changed how she reflects back on her “day job”. In this podcast, Dana talks about the importance of reflection and perspective in all procurement work, whether it is tracking savings, working with suppliers or engaging with the community at large.

Last week, I had the opportunity to facilitate a webinar last week with procurement consulting firm Efficio, titled Driving Greater Procurement Performance from Complex Direct Spend and Factory Indirects.  In the webinar, I was joined by two of their US-based principal consultants, Arthur Mattouch and Waldo Saville.  During the webinar, Arthur and Waldo shared three case studies demonstrating the strategies and tactics that can be used to deliver sustainable savings in a mid-cap manufacturing environment.  In today’s podcast, I am sharing this case study, along with a couple of questions that I asked during the webinar.  This is a company looking to quickly reduce costs through a coordinated cost reduction program, while minimizing disruption on the business.  As you will hear, they ended up switching suppliers for only 12% of the total number of parts. To watch the entire webinar on-demand, including the supporting presentation, you can register here.

What do childcare, ducks, and power have to do with negotiations? In today’s episode, host Philip Ideson shares three negotiation tips taken from his experience as a procurement practitioner and entrepreneur. 

As we enter the summer, I’m going to spend some time answering some of your most frequently asked questions.  These pod’s are going to be bite-sized, so I’d love to hear your feedback on whether you like the shorter podcasts or not.  One of the topics that I get asked the most about is negotiations.  So for the next couple of weeks, I’m going to share some insights based on my own experience. This week, I’m going to dig into the archive and share a part of a podcast I recorded 3 years ago - specifically with regards to the question of how to maintain supplier relationships after a tough incumbent negotiation.  It is a topic that I have a lot of experience of - both from the practitioner and service provider sides of the table! 

If procurement is going to attract the ‘best of the best’ to join our ranks, no matter what their background, then at some point we can expect to work alongside someone with no experience in procurement. Whether such a move is successful is likely to be dependent on the individual transferring in as well as the overall culture of the organization. I interviewed Liam Moniz, Manager of Procurement Systems & Services at Fortescue Metals Group, during SAPAriba LIVE in Austin, Texas. Two years ago, Liam had no experience in procurement, and, as he told me, “didn't know a purchase order from a purchase requisition or invoice”. Based upon his success in other roles, the business brought him into procurement to be a fresh set of eyes as they invested in process, technology and talent transformation. His background in IT Service Delivery and Support prepared him for the technology-focused parts of transformation, but process and customer satisfaction were another matter. To address those, Liam leaned on his understanding of business objectives and his desire to engage with stakeholders in pursuit of value – including through the implementation of guided buying.

Whether you are a consultant or a practitioner, it seems like the grass is always greener on the other side. Consultants are constantly on the road, work late hours and are subject to high expectations from their management team and the point people on each customer account. Practitioners find themselves at the mercy of consulting teams they didn’t personally decide to hire, lack the influence naturally extended to external parties and are often left to deal with the details – and the devil in them – once the consultants have flown off to their next engagement. I’m joined today by Mark Richardson, Head of Procurement, Fleet & Administrative Services at AAA Southern California. He is uniquely qualified to discuss the differences between procurement consultants and practitioners because he’s been both. Having joined AAA initially as an individual contributor, he now manages the team who were initially his peers. In this podcast, Mark addresses the challenges of making the transition from consultant to practitioner and making the transition from peer to leader.

Today I am joined on the show by my good friend, procurement executive recruiter Iain McKenna.  Iain is Founder and Managing Director of the executive search firm Sourcing Solved. Our conversation is split into a couple of different parts: In the first half of our interview, we discuss the hiring process, and specifically if our reliance on AI - such as keyword searching on CV’s and resumes - severely restrict an organizations ability to hire the best candidate for a role. Iain shares tips on how procurement leaders can hire for personality, drive, EQ and an empathetic management style rather than those with the best keyword match. In the second part of the interview we switch focus and specifically discuss hiring in the context of procurement services and software firms.  A number of firms are aggressively hiring in this space, and yet their initial brief tends to focus on hiring from competitors rather than from industry.  We discuss how, as a practitioner, you can best position yourself for a move into consulting or to a procurement software firm - and the benefits for software and consulting firms in hiring practitioners.

Many procurement organizations pay lip service to innovation, but few are taking the steps required to make it a reality. Part of this has to do with the difficulty overcoming the paralysis of the unknown and part of it has to do with a willingness on procurement’s part to risk failure. Ironically, facing the unknown and pushing past the fear of failure makes it far more likely that disruptive innovation will be achieved. I’m joined today by Cyril Pourrat, Chief Procurement Officer at Sprint. They are three years into their transformation journey, one that has a new purpose in the context of Sprint’s pending merger with T-Mobile. If the merger goes ahead, procurement will be expected to drive significant synergy-based savings. If it does not, achieving cost savings will become even more critical for Sprint to thrive as a stand-alone company. In preparation, Cyril and his team have launched a number of innovative programs. One of them is ‘Procurement Digital Labs’ – an initiative that is empowering a multi-generational team to identify and experiment with a broad range of technologies. The objective is to provide buyers with far deeper insights use in the development of their sourcing and category strategies. Another is enabling the use of predictive analytics in negotiations. In this podcast, Cyril talks about: The enabling technologies being evaluated by Sprint to help break the mold of traditional procurement thinking How design thinking has changed their procurement value proposition and attitude towards disruptive change The potential of hands-free procurement, made possible by digital assistant technology  

If you’ve been in the workplace – any kind of workplace at all – for longer than six months, chances are good you’ve experienced poor management at least once. Sadly, being in the workplace for years or even decades doesn’t come with the same odds of encountering even one great manager. Why is that? Why are great managers so rare? I’m joined today by David Deacon, career HR executive and the author of The Self Determined Manager: A Manifesto for Exceptional People Managers. He and I talked about the complex effort we call management, or as David defines it, “a hugely important, impactful role that most people don’t do very well.” The main challenge is that most poor managers don’t want to be bad managers; they’ve just never experienced a good manager. And without a proper role model, it can be very hard – although not impossible – for an individual contributor to scale themselves and their impact by effectively leading a team of people towards a single, unifying goal. According to David, great managers start by truly knowing themselves. They are as clear about their mission, vision and purpose as they are objective about their personal strengths and weaknesses. Great management requires the creation of an environment where the team can thrive, and it is usually supported by a natural sense of empathy that inspires each member of the team to do a little better than they thought was possible every single day.

Whether we are responsible for Procurement and our stakeholder is the c-suite, or we are developing a Category Strategy and our stakeholders are the business users. Alignment continues to be one of the greatest challenges for procurement. Ultimately, it becomes the differentiator that determines whether you are perceived as being a trusted advisor or a back office function. Indeed, it is not possible to become a mature procurement organization without true strategic alignment, at scale. How can that alignment be sustainable, and not contingent only upon a team member’s personal relationship and rapport with an individual stakeholder, or group of stakeholders? There is one tactic that consistently works. In today’s show, I will explore why treating your senior level stakeholders as investors in the company of “procurement” is key to building alignment - and I’ll share how you can get started!  

I’m joined today by Anthony Clervi, President and CEO of UNA, a group purchasing organization (or GPO). He joined us last month for an AoP Live session that proposed an alternative approach to ‘automating’ procurement – one that doesn’t involve robots and doesn’t cost a dime. As the opening quote suggests, our preconceived notions can often prevent us from leveraging the full range of options available to us. Acting without being fully informed can be a huge misstep for procurement, given that our purpose is to identify and compare as many qualified solutions as possible for every business need. Since many procurement organizations do not have experience with a group purchasing organization, everything we learned about what GPOs are NOT is just as valuable as what they do and the opportunity they represent. GPOs are NOT: - Just for small companies - Just for hospitality, healthcare, and higher education - Just about savings - Just for indirect spend - And most importantly, GPOs do not represent a competitive threat to in house procurement.

The only guarantee that comes with a transformation journey is that there will be ‘twists and turns’ along the way. And since no organization can escape the unexpected, how procurement leaders makers handle those twists and turns becomes a critical differentiator and success factor. While I was at ProcureCon Indirect East, I interviewed Dave Quillin, Manager of Procurement at Alliant Credit Union in Chicago. I last interviewed Dave in early 2017, when he was at the end of his first year of procurement transformation. This conversation gave us an opportunity to get caught up on the progress his team and organization have made over the last two years and hear about what he has discovered along the way. The Alliant procurement organization is small, which forces them to prioritize strategically, leverage every resource available to them, and distribute some of the activities that would be centralized in a larger company. But does that make them completely different from big procurement organizations? Absolutely not, says Quillin. As he points out, even a 50 or 100 person procurement team will eventually tap out on resources or be asked to act on category expertise they do not possess. Perhaps his greatest lesson learned of all from his transformation journey to date is that those ‘twists and turns’ are the status quo. Adjusting to them, and designing every process with flexibility in mind, even governance and compliance, will likely make all the difference in the journey forward from this point. In this conversation, Dave Quillin discusses: • How small procurement teams can build (or access) specific category expertise • The talent requirements, particularly in the area of soft skills, that are absolutely mandatory in a smaller organization, and why Dave sees that as an advantage • Why implementing all P2P modules at once – even in response to stakeholder demand – may not be the best approach. • A key piece of management advice from a former colleague that has made all the difference on the Alliant Credit Union transformation journey.

Everything procurement delivers – from savings to risk mitigation to value – is predicated on having access to clean, trustworthy data. If this foundation does not exist or if it is shaky, then buyers don’t know how much the company is spending with a given supplier, let alone how they can improve the efficiency or impact of a given spend category. While I was at the Ivalua NOW event in Paris, I interviewed Cyrille Naux, Purchasing and Supply Chain Vice-President at Chassis Brakes International, a multinational manufacturer of automotive brakes and brake components. He gave a keynote presentation about his company’s procurement and supply chain transformation journey – one that is still underway. Unlike industries such as retail and professional services, which start by managing indirect spend and then gradually transition to influence directs, most procurement teams in the automotive space take a direct-spend first approach. Direct spend suppliers are large, global, and absolutely critical to the company’s operations and their competitive advantage. Strong executive mandates bring the management of direct spend within easier reach for procurement than ‘messy’, non-transparent indirect spend. For Chassis Brakes, the first step to manage their spend was supplier consolidation: reducing direct spend suppliers from 12,000 to 6,000 (with an eventual goal of 2,000) and indirect spend suppliers from 10,000 to 4,000. They have also taken a hardline approach to supplier master data cleansing and standardization which led to a high quality supplier database they continue to work hard to maintain.

When procurement talks about transformation, we are usually referring to the critical changes we need to make to our own talent, processes and technology. But does the opportunity exist for procurement to transform the business as a whole? Evidence from the team at VSP Global suggests that it does. I interviewed two members of the VSP Global team, Nathan Haydn-Myer, Manager of Procurement Operations and Insights, and Siddharth Ramesh, Manager of Corporate Procurement about their dynamic program to centralize procurement and maximize savings, Spend it Like it’s Yours (SILIY) with the help of “Moolah” the home-grown procurement mascot. As they were quick to admit, procurement can’t promise to be everything to everyone, but that isn’t a reason not to have broad, open-ended conversations with internal stakeholders. In fact, the same collaborative approach that led to the creation of Moolah (a silly - or siliy – character with a serious message) also made it possible for procurement to help the VSP sales team respond to RFPs. While VSP has received industry-wide attention and acclaim for their approach to centralizing procurement, it wasn’t an easy journey. They were tasked with centralizing procurement and driving savings WITHOUT a mandate. The journey also took longer than outsiders might expect, requiring several years to execute and leading to some amount of natural but healthy turnover.

It is impossible to have a forward-looking discussion about procurement without digital transformation and automation coming up. That said, figuring out what their inclusion means on a company-by-company basis will differ drastically – creating a unique challenge for every CPO who decides to lead their organization on a digital journey. I’m joined today by Kris Koneru, the Business Practice Head of Sourcing & Procurement at Infosys BPO. He was in the ‘hot seat’ for a dynamic AoP Live session in early April about all of the considerations beyond technology that organizations need to be prepared for before committing to transformation. Since AoP Live sessions are driven by audience questions and comments – some submitted in advance and some submitted during the session – we never know quite where the focus will be on a given topic. For this AoP Live there was no question what procurement professionals felt the need to learn more about: they wanted to know how digital transformation will affect their performance objectives and metrics. Far more questions were submitted on this topic than any other. Kris also discussed how digital transformation can be incorporated in broad change management initiatives, what impact it is likely to have on procurement’s internal and external relationships, and how talent management and leadership development priorities will need to shift to maximize a digital-first environment.

Saying that someone has or embodies the ‘spirit of entrepreneurship’ implies a lot of different drives and qualities. There is the willingness to take calculated risks, the need for self-accountability, contagious levels of energy and creativity, and a true understanding of the top to bottom impact of business decisions. Procurement can absolutely benefit from professionals with an entrepreneurial background – the question is how we can add them to our ranks. I interviewed Jill Robbins, Senior Director of Global Procurement - Indirect Goods & Services for Elanco, a global animal health company. She is the perfect example of both an entrepreneurial spirit and a non-linear career path. In addition to working in procurement, she is the author of a children’s book, co-owns a small business with her husband, and has worked as a consultant. Empowering procurement to make the maximum contribution to the business requires a combination of analytical and broader business skills. Starting with a solid foundation in data, the most valuable professionals add to their experience over time without worrying whether they are following the fastest route to the top, but rather doing the most important, and the most interesting, work. In this conversation, Jill shares her perspective on: • The importance of finding a mentor that you connect with, regardless of the company they work for, the function they work in or their gender. • Whether certifications really matter, either in career investment or in hiring/recruiting. • The time and place for rules and norms, and when decision makers should push boundaries for the sake of creating an advantage.

When you get right down to it, innovation is just solving a business need in an entirely new way. In order to do that, however, you and your team have to really understand the business and its customers. The most strategic suppliers – usually a select few – play an important role in the process of innovation, which creates an opportunity for procurement to guide their technical value potential to the point where it delivers operational results. While I was at ProcureCon Indirect East, I interviewed Lawrence Kane, SIG Sourcing Supernova Hall of Famer and Senior Leader of Strategic Sourcing Functional Excellence and First Time Quality for a Fortune 50 company. In addition to NOT being the Zodiac Killer, he has spent over three decades innovating in various ways and keeping his perspective and deliverables in alignment with enterprise needs. You may also remember Lawrence from his last Art of Procurement podcast (Episode 164, published in December 2017), where we discussed the active power of empathy – both in supplier negotiations and in internal relationship management. In this conversation, Lawrence discusses: • The critical role of governance and contracts (believe it or not) in innovation. • The importance of making sure everyone in an organization – including the newest, lowest paid members – are motivated to contribute to brand value, especially when they have external contact. • The tenuous balance between savings and innovation, and how procurement needs to invest in one without sacrificing the other.

Everyone wants to be seen as an innovator, and procurement leaders are no exception. The problem with this desire is that, much like procurement transformation, the definition of innovation can be hard to pin down. We all know it when we see it, but setting out in the morning with “innovation” at the top of your to-do list can be paralyzing… unless you have a master plan. I interviewed Nancy Nicoll, Vice President of Not for Resale (NFR) / Indirect Strategic Sourcing, at ProcureCon Indirect East about everything from reporting to the C-suite to managing procurement through a huge corporate merger. Although savings continues to be a high priority in the razor-thin margin grocery retail environment, they are not the horizon of procurement’s focus. For Nancy and the rest of her team, savings are the foundation – what gets them through the door and establishes their credibility – so that procurement can go on to deliver exceptional, sustained, big picture value.  

When we hear about ‘fintech’ providers, most of us immediately think of a quickly shifting ad diverse landscape of startups – highly innovative companies, some of which are here today and gone tomorrow. If partnering with a fintech is even on your company’s radar screen, how can procurement develop a reasonable strategy for such an unpredictable industry? I’m joined today by Andy Atkins, a professional commercial contract manager with a decade of experience negotiating and drafting complex financial, information technology and telecommunication agreements. He is an IACCM Certified Contract and Commercial Manager as well as a Certified Professional in Supply Management and Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). His broad array of industry experience has empowered him to become a subject matter expert in supplier management, including intricate multi-million-dollar transactional agreements. Andy recently authored an article for IACCM’s Contracting Excellence Journal titled, ‘The ‘FinTech Five’ – Mitigate Risk by Focusing on Five Clauses’ (see link below). It caught the attention of the AoP team, and we brought him on the podcast to discuss the fintech industry (and more) for a broader procurement audience. In this conversation, Andy covers points such as: • What is fintech (or financial technology), and how mature are the providers in the market? • How to perform due diligence on startups, regardless of the product or service they provide. • What are the differences between procurement in highly regulated industries such as financial services and pharmaceuticals and managing spend in less regulated industries? • The importance of understanding your customers’ perspective – no matter what industry they are in. • How procurement can be seen as a value-add rather than an internal roadblock by earning the trust of stakeholders and decision makers. --- Today’s discussion does not condone nor condemn the investment, business relationship, acquisition or trading of any equity directly related to a financial technology company or entity. This podcast discussion is strictly for educational purposes and is not for legal or financial advice. The opinions represented here do not necessarily reflect those of Andy’s current or previous employers and Andy is speaking today on his own behalf without further representation.

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (AOP Content Director and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from March’s news, industry topics and podcast interviews. In March, Louis Bastone (Indirect Category Manager at ASML) talked about making the move into procurement from another function or later in one’s professional career. Sammeli Sammalkorpi (co-founder of Sievo) provided some grounded advice about AI, making clear that if we want it to generate real results, we have to apply it wisely. Finally, David Loseby (author, Soft Skills for Hard Business) reminded us that as long as people are still at the heart of business, we need to be aware of our choice of language, their perspective on decisions, and the impact of small decisions compounded over time. Don’t miss out on upcoming opportunities to connect with us in person at ProcureCon, Ivalua NOW, Ariba Live and the upcoming SIG Summit. We also have two AOP Live sessions scheduled in April, one with Kris Koneru at Infosys and one with Anthony Clervi at UNA. Make sure you are subscribed to our mailing list to receive notice once those events are open for registration.  This month’s discussion topic comes from a Harvard Business Review Article: ‘Digital Transformation is Not About Technology’. It reminds us that our technology may have changed, but implementation and adoption challenges remain the same – especially for organizations that are trying to significantly change and improve their operational capabilities.

In a era when we emphasize the importance of ‘soft skills’ in the face of the hardest business challenges, the human element is impossible to ignore. While most of us tend to focus on developing our own interpersonal skills (or the absence of desired interpersonal skills in others), an equally important element is behavior. What are people doing and why? If we can understand behavior, we are in a far better position to deliver results and build sustainable relationships.  I’m joined today by David Loseby, FAPM, FCMI, FCIPS Chartered, FRSA - CPO of Aquitaine Strategy Limited, Global Board of Trustees Member of CIPS, advisor and author of ‘Soft Skills for Hard Business’ (2018). He has spent 25 years at the senior executive/director level driving value and change through procurement, organizational transformation and change management in the public and private sectors. As David explains, the importance of remembering what while we all expect others to exhibit ‘rational’ behaviors, rationality is in the eye of the beholder. In cases where we think others are acting against their or the enterprise’s best interests, it is likely that we either do not have access to the same information they do, or that they are interpreting that information differently than we are. Getting to the root of that disconnect is the most effective way to address unexpected behaviors and achieve alignment.

Automation can only be as good as we program it to be. If we want innovative, industry-leading support from emerging technologies, we need to be informed about the potential applications of AI and machine learning. I’m joined today by Sammeli Sammalkorpi, Co-founder of Sievo, in a discussion that was driven by the engaged audience that joined us for February’s AOP Live session. We gathered questions in advance and fielded spontaneous ones during the event rather than wading through a conventional slide-driven talk on AI use cases. One topic everyone kept coming back to was how to know when you are ready for an investment in AI and whether procurement is a good use case. According to Sammeli, there are an increasing number of examples of how AI and machine learning add value in procurement. They include spend classification, capturing supplier information from public sources, and parsing the key terms from lengthy, complex contract documents. Automation can be implemented as a pilot project or an enterprise-wide effort, and it can improve legacy processes as well as parts of the business that have been deliberately re-worked to leverage the unique advantages of AI.

We often discuss the impact that procurement talent has on current results and the role it will play in determining how our function evolves in the future. The procurement community is vibrant, diverse and defined, but we need to remember that some of our best future team members are currently either in college or working in other functions. How we represent ourselves to them will determine how soon and how willingly they join our ranks. I’m joined today by Louis Bastone, Indirect Category Manager for ASMC, a manufacturer of chip-making machines in the semiconductor industry. 9 out of 10 times when you ask someone how they ended up in procurement, their answer involves some an unexpected career twist. Not Louis. He took procurement courses in college while pursuing a degree in Integrated Supply Chain Management. In this interview, Louis shares the role that creativity, enthusiasm and influence have on performance and job satisfaction as well as our elevation from tactical to strategic work. He also provides interesting insight into the entrepreneurial appeal of working in procurement and how newcomers can balance an affinity for their adopted function while not losing the critical edge of a broad, cross-functional point of view. As Louis explains, we’re all on a journey. How far we get is mostly a matter of perspective. His advice is to focus on the professional experiences you want to have rather than the title you’re hoping to get.

In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (AOP Content Director and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) discuss their major take-aways from February’s news, industry topics and podcast interviews. In February, Andrew Daley (Edbury Daley) described the importance of conquering risk aversion when we scope out and fill open positions. Jens Hentschel (FIVIS Partnership) reminded us of the danger of “toiling away” at a tactical level while missing the big picture. Finally, Matt Clark (Corcentric) described the positioning challenges being faced by accounts payable organizations as well as the company’s recent acquisitions: Source One Management Services and Determine. Don’t miss out on upcoming opportunities to connect with us in person at ProcureCon and Ariba Live, or the latest on the AOP Live schedule – including the free download on Building a Procurement AI Game Plan based on February’s session with Sievo. This month’s discussion topic was driven by the findings of The Hackett Group’s 2019 CPO Agenda Report: Building Next-Generation Capabilities. The existing gaps between what procurement believes is important from a skills development perspective and what the enterprise values (and why) may be a quick read, but it deserves a lot of thought.

The Accounts Payable team play a key role in the success of procurement.  The data that they extract from supplier invoices determines the accuracy of our spend analytics (and therefore our strategic insights) and the capture of the cost savings we claim (and thus procurement's ROI).   Today's guest on the show is Matt Clark, President and COO of Corcentric.  Corcentric's research shows that, despite the importance of Procurement and Accounts Payable alignment, the vast majority of groups still operate in silo's.  And this is costing a typical company up to 60% in savings leakage.  In today's conversation, I seek to better understand what keeps an AP Leader up at night, and how a procurement leader can translate this understanding a more collaborative relationship that elevates the impact of both groups. We recorded our discussion just a couple of days after Corcentric entered into an agreement to purchase procurement SaaS provider Determine.  In our interview, I also ask Matt to share details behind Corcentric's strategy to continue to grow their end-to-end procurement capabilities.

Recruiting and strategic sourcing actually have a lot in common – even beyond the role that risk appetites play in decision making. In both cases, the sooner you get a specialist or expert involved, the better stated your requirements will be, and the better the outcomes you can achieve. It can also be hard to break free from historical approaches to meeting needs, whether that means escaping the pull of an incumbent supplier or looking beyond a traditional candidate profile. I’m joined today by Andrew Daley, a founding Director, and leader of the procurement practice at Edbury Daley, a recruiting company specializing in the spend management, spend analytics, payments and supply chain finance markets. Andrew has shared his talent and recruiting insights with us in several AOP pods, including Episode 8, The Strategies & Tactics You Need to Secure Your Dream Job in 2016, and Episode 76, The Rules of (Procurement) Attraction. In this interview, we discuss how the risk-averse nature of hiring managers is limiting the potential impact of procurement organizations and why our role definition and hiring processes need to be rethought.

We’re all positive that digital automation is the right way forward for procurement, but why? Are we pursuing progress for its own sake or to achieve an expanded range of procurement contributions? Put more simply, what do you plan to do with the time freed up by smart automation? I’m joined today by Jens Hentschel, Founder and CEO of THE FIVIS PARTNERSHIP, a consultancy and training company based in London. With the FIVIS team, Jens focuses on the importance of customer-centricity in procurement transformation and skills development. According to Jens, much of procurement is missing the big picture – toiling away in tactical isolation when a mindset shift is critically needed. Rather than trying to carve out a bigger role by taking on more tasks, Jens advocates for procurement to make an investment in meaningful connections. While we know the raw materials being purchased, if we do not also understand the needs of the end consumer, our impact is limited. In this interview, we discuss why customer centricity is so important, and why it is also so difficult and likely to be overlooked by ‘too-busy’ procurement teams.

This month, AOP revives and reimagines ‘This Month in Procurement’ as an informal monthly discussion of podcasts, news and trends. In this episode, AOP Host Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner (AOP Content Director and Owner of Buyers Meeting Point) share their secrets for surviving the unceasing onslaught of procurement content and discuss their major take-aways from the month’s podcast episodes. In January’s podcasts, we heard from Charlotte de Brabandt and Yannick Blattler about generational differences while Sarah Scudder addressed entrepreneurship and category expertise and Joanna Martinez gave us positive food for thought that is much needed in today’s disruptive world. January also brought news of an innovative new approach being implemented by the State of California: Procurement Innovation Sprints. Will this change allow procurement to focus on objectives rather than specifications in the supplier evaluation process? Only time will tell.

We constantly read about disruptive change affecting companies and entire markets. The source of that disruption is always positioned as the hero - but what about the other characters in each of those stories? What if you are living through change that is not of your own making? I’m joined today by Joanna Martinez, Founder of Supply Chain Advisors, LLC and author of the new book, A Guide to Positive Disruption: How to Thrive and Make an Impact in the Churn of Today’s Corporate World. Joanna is hardly new to Art of Procurement. She has appeared with me twice before, in Episode 59, ‘An Introduction To Value Based Procurement’ and again in Episode 66, ‘Where To Look To Generate Procurement Driven Value’. Between those two conversations and the one you’ll hear today, there is no denying that Joanna’s vision for procurement (and, in fact, life as a whole) extends far beyond tactical methods and measurements. In this interview, we discuss the difference between change and disruption, look at the simple ways you can make a positive difference in your own career, and face the fact that each and every one of us must learn to “embrace the churn”.

Entrepreneurship and innovation are highly prized in today’s business environment, but has procurement managed to deliver its fair share of either? I’m joined today by Sarah Scudder, President of the Real Sourcing Network (RSN), a company that provides clients with print management software that allows them to manage the print category in-house. In our conversation we discuss a wide range of topics, including healthy risk taking for the sake of career development, how to make the most of modern procurement events, and print category best practices. Sarah shares her unmatched perspective on this $77B U.S. industry, and how procurement can leverage technology to get the best total value by combining large dominant players and smaller, niche market entrants in this labor-dependent, capital intensive space.

How can procurement leaders create the environment necessary to attract the next generation of talent into the profession - and help them fulfill their potential? I’m joined today by returning guest Charlotte de Brabandt - ISM’s 2018 30 Under 30 Winner - and Yannick Blattler, the Managing Director of NeoViso, a consulting firm that helps companies more effectively engage with Gen Z. In our conversation, we discuss common misconceptions about Millennial and Gen Z workers, while Charlotte and Yannick share tips and strategies that will help organizations attract and engage the next generation of procurement leaders.  

Are you ready for 2019?  In today's podcast - the last of 2018 - I reflect on what has changed for procurement this year, and what hasn't!  I then share a couple of predictions for 2019, including my recommendations for areas of technology investment next year.  Finally, I leave 2018 with three questions to consider over the holiday break that will help you kick-start your change journey in 2019. 

Out of the 232 podcasts to date, today is the first time that we dig into GPO’s - or Group Purchasing Organizations. And as I planned out this topic, I invited today’s guest, Jay Black, to join me. Jay is Vice President at Insight Sourcing Group and has significant experience in the GPO space, selling and operating services under a number of different GPO delivery models. I’ll be honest and say that, prior to today’s discussion, I have always felt that a GPO fit a very specific market niche of small companies. However, our conversation opened my eyes, especially to the use of GPO’s in larger organizations as part of a multi-dimensional approach. Jay and I explore the nuts and bolts of GPO’s - when and how to use them, what to look for, and how to continue to benefit once any initial one-time savings have been exhausted.

Today on the show I am joined by Mike Morsch. Mike is the Vice President of Global Procurement and Supply Chain at CDK Global. Mike shares more about CDK in our interview, but to give you some context, CDK Global is a $2B+ revenue company that provides technology and digital marketing solutions to the automotive dealership industry. They were formally the Dealer Services division of ADP before being spun off into an independent company back in 2014. In today’s conversation, we discuss Mike, and CDK’s journey to transform procurement within CDK after the spin-off. As is often the case after a spin-off like this, the new company - in this case CDK Global - has to rebuild a large part of its organization from the ground up. Either the infrastructure that comes over from the former parent company is not suited for a smaller company that the spun-off entity now is, or there is no infrastructure that comes across at all! I question Mike about the three phases of transformation that typically occur in a situation like this: steadying the ship post the spin-out, rebuilding capabilities and more fundamental technical infrastructure, and then looking forward to bringing in new technology to evolve the procurement value proposition. As you will hear, Mike has deep IT experience outside of procurement, and so I wanted to tap into this to understand how he looks at technology and developing a business case for investments in technology.

My guest is Edmund Zagorin.  Edmund in the founder and CEO of BidOps, and I hope he won’t mind me saying, but a technology geek when it comes to procurement. Our conversation today focuses on the application of emerging technology to the sourcing process - particularly complex sourcing events - and the subsequent negotiation process. Of particular interest to me was Edmund’s quest to automate the negotiations process. I dug into the what, the why and the how as I explored if negotiations can be completely automated, or if automation in the negotiation process helps the human ultimately seal the deal.

This week is Thanksgiving here in the US… a time when most people are thinking about spending time with their families rather than listening to a procurement podcast! So with that in mind, I thought I’d wait until next week to release another interview. I’m going to be spending a lot of my week planning for 2019; for Art of Procurement, and for our CatalystCo product and service roadmap. As I do that, I want to ask you for your help...

Today’s episode was recorded last month at the SIG Fall Summit, with my good friend Antonio Humphreys. Antonio is Senior Manager of Global Procure to Pay at Adobe in San Jose, California. Antonio is a returnee to Art of Procurement, having previously joined me last year back on episode 157 when we discussed the Marketing category and general procurement organizational development. Today, we focused on Antonio’s experience in managing teams within a global and virtual environment, including his insights into fostering a sense of team across borders.

Normal service is resumed on the podcast today, as we return to our weekly interview format! Today, I’m joined by one of my good friends, Alison Smith. Alison has a broad range of procurement experience - as a practitioner, service provider, trainer, facilitator, and coach! I was first introduced to Alison's work via her moniker of The Purchasing Coach. I really enjoyed reading her blog, and her perspectives on how we can all unlock our own potential, within the context of procurement. Her thoughts and approaches challenge the status quo, which is something that really calls to me! As I got to know Alison, I began to count on her for some of my own coaching needs, and I’ve been excited to follow her progress as she began to write her first book, Can’t See the Wood for the Trees. Recently published, it helps readers unlock their potential, and turn challenges into opportunities by helping us to think differently. In today’s conversation, we take a deep dive into the book, and contextualize it for procurement professionals.

226: #TakeAction: 15-Minutes a Day I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

225: #TakeAction: Have an Opinion on the Future of Procurement I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

224: #TakeAction: Increase Your "CQ" I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

223: #TakeAction: Mind Your Language I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

222: #TakeAction: Develop Optionality I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

221: #TakeAction: Reputational Decision Making I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

220: #TakeAction: Show You Care (Pay Your Supplier) I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

219: #TakeAction: One Technology at a Time I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

218: #TakeAction: Simplify Your Specification I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

217: #TakeAction: Overcome Your CEO's Apathy I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

216: #TakeAction: What Keeps Them Up At Night? I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

215: #TakeAction: Raise the Level of Your Game I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

214: #TakeAction: Engage in Start-Up Communities I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

213: #TakeAction: Too Many Eggs in One Basket? I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

212: #TakeAction: Build a Feedback Loop I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

211: #TakeAction: Develop a Negotiation Micro-Plan I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

210: #TakeAction: Save "It" Before "It's" Too Late I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

209: #TakeAction: Get a Non-Procurement Mentor I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

208: #TakeAction: What Do They Really Want? I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

207: #TakeAction: Serve Your Platinum Stakeholders feat. Tim Jones I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

206: #TakeAction: Build Your Brand the Apple Way feat. Steve Wozniak I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

205: #TakeAction: Run a Request for Partner feat. Kate Vitasek I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

I do not have an interview for you today. In fact, for the month of October, we are going to do something completely different. I ask practitioners about their challenges where ever I go, and the single piece of feedback I get is that for all the great ideas they read and hear about, it is hard to put them into practice First, I know many of you listen to the pod while commuting or working out - and it is hard to stop in the middle of a podcast and takes notes on what actions you want to take. And second, there is always a challenge for people between wanting to invest in their own personal development, and the time pressures of a hectic job. We have crowned October as #TakeActionOctober - because no phrase is complete these days without a hashtag! October will be all about taking the actions you need to elevate the influence and impact of you AND your team. Every day this month, you will hear a micro-sized pod - no more than 5 minutes per day - that I selected to inspire you to act. We’ve curated Content from the back catalog of over 200 Art of Procurement episodes, and more than 1,000 articles featured in our weekly newsletter This Week in Procurement. I’ll also throw in some of my own experiences for good measure. The commitment I ask of you is to take one action to put into practice - or to coach or mentor a team member or peer - your key takeaway from each episode.

Cryptography, tokenization, tokenomics, initial coin offerings, security, utility and payment tokens, crypto wallets, and blockchain. If some or all of those sound like a mish-mash of buzzwords, then today’s episode is for you! I’m joined to explore these topics and their applicability to procurement by Charlotte de Brabandt and Henry Fudge. Charlotte is the current ISM 30 Under 30 Megawatt Winner. Henry is the Founding Partner and CEO of Cryptonox - an initial coin offering consulting firm, and Founding Partner of the Young Blockchain Professionals Network. We start by digging deep into cryptography and tokenization, as I explore how I could leverage an initial coin offering for my company, CatalystCo. We then talk in more detail about different use cases for blockchain, with a particular focus on procurement and supply chain. For more information, visit https://artofprocurement.com/crypto

How to Buy a Gorilla? The good news is that it is a figurative question rather than a literal one!  In fact, it is the title of the book written by today’s guest, David Meikle. David has a deep background in advertising, including work with some of the world’s most iconic brands, for agencies such as Ogilvy and Mather, where most latterly he was the Managing Director of their Russian business.   The gorilla in question was an award-winning 2007 TV advert in the UK created to advertise Cadbury’s chocolate.  The advert in question was a 90-second shot of an actor dressed up in a gorilla costume, playing the drums, to the Phil Collins song “In the Air Tonight”.  The ad was considered a runaway success. In short, How to Buy a Gorilla is all about buying creative services - using advertising as the example - with a focus on creating productive relationships between procurement, internal marketing, and advertising agencies.   While our conversation is based on the advertising business, the principals we discuss can be applied to any people-based creative services where success may be difficult to define, but that requires an alchemy that goes way beyond the contract to create an environment that enables creative individuals and teams to do their best work.  

Today’s guest is Oliver Gall, the Head of Global Sourcing at S&P Global. Oliver has responsibility for the strategic vision, operational planning and the execution of Procurement strategy and he leads a team of direct reports and outsourced functions located in multiple locations across the world. In our conversation, we focused on the future of the procurement operating model - we consider what this is likely to look like, how we all can adapt to thrive in this new environment, and what are some of the unknowns that we need to keep a look out for. We also talked about our own development, and that of our teams, as Oliver provides some great advice on how to manage the panic that often sets in when faced with change, or new challenges! I left the conversation inspired both by the opportunities available to us, and the power of our own individual choices in taking advantage of those opportunities.

How do you create a podcast? What is the production process? How do you select guests? How do I get on the show? What is the “business” of Art of Procurement and what are your revenue streams? These are all questions that I am often asked, whether it be at a conference, when talking to potential guests and partners, or just during my day to day conversations with procurement professionals around the world. And so today we go behind the scenes of Art of Procurement as I attempt to answer as many of these questions as possible and give you the inside information on what goes into creating and producing a weekly procurement podcast.

What can we do to protect ourselves against tariffs, and what options do we have when tariffs are levied on the products or materials that I buy? These are two questions that I have received regularly from listeners over the past couple of months, against the backdrop both of increasing trade tensions, and the ongoing uncertainty around Brexit. And so to help answer those questions, I reached out to Bill Michels. Bill is a recognized expert in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management and has worked in procurement across a wide spectrum of industries and countries transforming Procurement and the Supply Chain. Until recently, Bill was the CEO and founder of Aripart Consulting after more than 23 years at ADR North America. Under his leadership, ADR North America became a leading niche specialty consulting firm and has won several recognitions and awards. Bill recently joined CIPS as Vice President of Operations - Americas, and so I also took the opportunity to ask Bill to share some of CIPS' plans for the US market.

Today I welcome onto the show Ted Olshefski.  Ted is responsible for Direct Procurement at Panasonic North America. I’ve come to know Ted well over the past 18 months or so, and I’m delighted to finally be able to welcome him to the show! I had the opportunity to sit down with Ted in preparation for his upcoming presentation at ProcureCon Direct 2018 in San Diego on the topic of single source suppliers. Our discussion turned into an introduction to some of the considerations at play when developing risk mitigation strategies for scenarios where you have a single source supplier - either because they enjoy a monopolistic position, or because of our own business decisions.

Gordon Donovan is one of the leading thinkers in procurement on the topic of skill and behavior development, and I’m also honored to call him a good friend!  In today's podcast, we continue our recent theme of procurement capability development with a focus on how we can actually scale the behaviors that we want to drive in our teams. We start by talking more broadly about capability development, before arrowing in on capability frameworks. A good capability framework is as much of an art than a science, they can be too simplistic, but more often than not get way too complex to be actionable. In our discussion, we explore how to create an effective capability framework that is integrated into the employee assessment process and mapped into the job roles across your procurement group.

The deal is done, the contract signed, and the supplier starts supplying. Then the invoices roll in. But how much time do we invest in making sure that the supplier is invoicing the right amount? In a world of competing priorities, I am afraid to admit that I trusted my suppliers to be billing the correct amounts. Yet, mistakes happen. In fact, as today's guest Ben Evans shared, between 40%-60% of suppliers whose invoices his firm, Auditec, review contain material billing errors. Categories with a lot of SKU's, line items, or a high volume of transactions are particular areas of focus. In today's pod, Ben and I explore what a procurement professional can to do minimize the risk of overbilling and ensure compliance with contractual terms - from creating a culture of compliance with suppliers to the steps needed to reactively identify and recover cash after the billing has occurred.

I’m joined on the pod this week by Odelle (Brown) Bell, Managing Director of 8 Consulting.  Odelle is well known within procurement across Australia and New Zealand, having previously owned and led the procurement recruiting firm Evolve People.  Now at 8 Consulting, Odelle is focused on helping her clients cultivate workplaces that enable greater employee engagement - and ultimately more impactful teams. Our conversation spanned the topic of workplace behaviors and effectiveness. Odelle is a big believer in the power of choices, and our ability to create our own paths rather than wait for others to show us the way. We discussed in detail about self-awareness and the importance of understanding both our surroundings and how we are perceived as the cornerstone of our personal growth, and of our ability to drive change. Odelle also shares what a "typical" procurement professional looks like from a behavioral perspective, and highlights the blind spots that we need to overcome if we are to have the impact we desire. Odelle is very engaging, and I really enjoyed our conversation! Odelle provides a ton of actionable advice on how we can identify opportunities for growth - if you are prepared to be vulnerable and seek to understand your weaknesses.

This episode marks our first serious foray into understanding why people do the things they do. Our guest, Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy and founder of Ogilvy Change looks at consumer behavior, media and communications through the twin lenses of Behavioral Economics and Evolutionary Psychology. We sought Rory out because we believe the implications of his work go well beyond how to better sell consumer products and services. His is a powerful perspective for us to incorporate into our collective work elevating the procurement function in terms of the value we create, how we create that value and how we are perceived by our stakeholders. Rory is one of the most interesting, irreverent and generous guests I have had the pleasure of interviewing. While this episode clocks in at about one hour and thirty minutes, I was so engaged with Rory’s ideas and how he expressed them that the time just flew by. I trust you have the same experience.

Today’s guest on the pod is Jonathan O’Brien. Jonathan is the CEO and a founding member of Positive Purchasing. He has over 25 years’ experience of working with household name companies around the world to help transform procurement capability. Jonathan works with executive teams to shape and implement procurement strategies, he also trains, coaches and develops procurement teams to perform and realize their potential. Many listeners may recognize Jonathan as the author of a number of procurement-related books including Supplier Relationship Management: Unlocking the Hidden Value in Your Supply Base. Jonathan just published the second edition, and so I invited him on the show to talk about advanced supplier relationship management strategies.

Back in 2016, I interviewed Jimmy Ankleseria over the course of two podcasts, on the topic of strategic cost management. They were very popular at the time, and contain a number of timeless insights into how we can be more strategic about understanding and managing the input costs of the products and services we buy. With today being a holiday week here in the US, I have combined the original two shows - which clocked in at over 2 hours - into a single 40-minute episode. Listen in to hear Jimmy share ideas of how to build cost models for both products and services, and then his approach for partnering with your supplier to manage total cost once the contract is signed.

The quality and accessibility of master data is a critical but often overlooked pillar of all successful procurement teams. Complex and difficult to master, it's often left to the side while we pursue "easier" transformation and improvement initiatives.  Technology is now opening up a new world of possibilities for converting seemingly disparate data into useable intelligence by taking new approaches - leading to more effective sourcing and category strategies. I’m joined on the show today to discuss the mastery of your master data by Doug Paul, a GM of Sourcing at General Electric's Global Operations Group. Doug has responsibility for developing, improving & standardizing shared sourcing processes, operations & tools across all of General Electric. I've got to know Doug well over the past 12 months - as you will hear in the interview, he is passionate about the role of procurement, but also the need to continually improve, challenge our assumptions, and to take control of our own destiny. Towards the end of our discussion, we also try out a new feature - the quickfire round.  I’d love to know if you think this should become a regular feature!

I’m joined once again on the show by Jeanette Nyden.  Jeanette is a well-renowned contracts and negotiations specialist, who approaches her work with a focus on building win-win, sustainable, agreements.    I interviewed Jeanette recently – AOP173 – where we discussed the topic of contract negotiations.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to listen in to that interview, you should check it out!    But, in the time we had scheduled to chat, we didn’t get to all of my questions.  And so I invited Jeanette back onto the pod to finish our conversation.     And so in today’s podcast, we discuss the art of a balanced deal.  What is a balanced deal, when do you need one – and when do you not.  I also dig to understand what are some of the prerequisites for a balanced deal, and Jeanette shares her advice for those looking to start the process with one of their suppliers or potential suppliers.

Today I am joined on the show by Charlotte de Brabandt.  As you will hear in the show, Charlotte was recently honored by ISM, as part of their 30 Under 30 Awards program, as the Megawatt winner, and for good reason! In her day job, Charlotte leads Energy Procurement for Johnson & Johnson.  But that only tells half the story!  Charlotte is also a prolific public speaker, TEDx organizer, charity worker, and she is passionate about the intersection of procurement, technology and the future of jobs. In our conversation, we talk about the project that led to Charlotte’s 30 Under 30 Award, I ask for advice on how to improve my own public speaking, and Charlotte shares some of her habits that allow her to fit everything in!

Today I am joined on the show by Shawn Burton.  Shawn is General Counsel of Business & General Aviation and Integrated Systems at GE. Shawn was connected to me via a former AOP guest Nick Seiersen and has recently published an article in Harvard Business Review on the virtues of plain language contracting. While we did discuss plain language contracting, and the change and disruption underway in the legal profession – which I thought was a great way to be able to better understand and empathize with our peers in Legal – the main focus of our conversation was a home-grown platform that GE Aviation has built that allows them to be for more strategic in their contract negotiations by assigning a monetary value to each clause they negotiate.

This week on the show, the tables are turned! AOP alumni and Negotiations Ninja host Mark Raffan just interviewed me for an episode of his podcast on the topic of procurement cost savings. I enjoyed the conversation with Mark, and so we decided to simultaneously publish both on Art of Procurement and Negotiations Ninja. In our conversation, Mark dug into that omnipresent procurement metric of cost savings.  I share details of how I have seen most organizations calculate savings, and what is typically off limits. Mark also asks if there are any ways to easily save money – the low hanging fruit – that any procurement function just starting on their maturity journey should focus on.  I really enjoyed our conversation – and the challenge that comes with being on the other side of the microphone!

I spent a couple of days on the road last week at the Coupa Inspire 2018 conference in San Francisco.  Inspire is an event I always try and make – to get insights into Coupa’s latest offerings, to catch up with peers, friends and clients, and to be inspired by fantastic keynote speakers which this year included Alison Levine and Arnold Schwarzenegger. While on site, I had the opportunity to sit down and record today’s podcast with Coupa CEO, and AOP alumni, Rob Bernshteyn.  Over the past couple of months, I have observed Coupa using the term “Community Intelligence” more and more, and it was a key feature of Rob’s keynote. I am very bullish on the impact that we can have in procurement by combining our collective insights end experiences - in fact, it is a key driving force behind AOP. I was interested to learn how Coupa is harnessing the opportunity that community intelligence brings, and how we as procurement professionals can apply this concept to our day to day work.

Over the course of the last 15 years, Tom Beaty has grown Insight Sourcing Group (ISG) from a one-man operation to one of the leading procurement and sourcing consulting firms. Ranked by Inc Magazine among the fastest-growing private companies in America for the last 10 years, ISG is regularly recognized as one of the nation’s best boutique consulting firms to work for. In today’s episode, recorded live at the SIG Spring Summit, I start by asking Tom what he is seeing in the field today in terms of the key challenges that CPO’s are facing, and some of the ways that they are working to solve those challenges.  We then focus on the topic of “what comes after sourcing”. We explore the startling statistic that only 60% of “addressed” spend is actually spent with the contracted supplier, and specifically, how can procurement professionals address and mitigate the risk of the savings leakage that occurs as a result.

My guest on the show today is Brian Bancroft. This is Brian’s second appearance on the show. We originally sat down back in episode 126, and I enjoyed the conversation so much that I have been eager to find an opportunity for us to record another pod. Brian has a wealth of experience across, and outside of the procurement function, and has enjoyed roles including as Senior Director for Indirect Procurement and Shared Services, and then CPO of Asia Pacific and Africa regions for Kellogg’s, and most recently the VP of North America Indirect Procurement, and then of Direct Procurement for The Coca-Cola Company. Since we last talked, Brian has made the move to Church and Dwight, where he is Chief Procurement Officer, embarking on another procurement transformation journey.  And it is procurement transformations that are the subject of our conversation, where I ask Brian to share his learnings from executing a number of transformations around the world.

Digitization is a hot topic in procurement today, and while it will undoubtedly have a big impact on the future of our profession, it is often difficult to separate the hype from the reality.  There are few organizations better positioned to help me explore this topic than HfS Research – a company I have followed for a long time – and their Chief Strategy Officer, Saurabh Gupta. In today’s episode, Saurabh provides a “Three Horizon” roadmap. Horizon One technologies are those that must be explored and utilized today, while Horizon Three technologies are those that are more experimental.  I also question Saurabh to share details of HfS’ “OneOffice” thinking, and to answer a question that has long been on my mind: how exactly an analyst research report is written.

I have long admired Vodafone as being a pioneer in both embracing and supporting supplier enabled innovation and last year Vodafone partnered with the government of Luxembourg to launch what I believe is an innovative approach to working with smaller, growing, companies that they named Tomorrow Street. I wanted to learn more about Vodafone’s approach, and so I invited Warrick Cramer, the CEO of Tomorrow Street, and Mark Perera, the CEO of Old St Labs and a Tomorrow Street partner, to join me on the show. On launching Tomorrow Street, Warrick shared how he had a blank piece of paper in terms of where to position it within the Vodafone organization. I really enjoyed learning why he chose to partner with procurement, and the opportunity that he sees for procurement in facilitating and delivering supplier enabled innovation.

Today’s show comes to you straight from the SIG Spring Summit last week in Washington DC, and features Danny Ertel, the founding partner at Vantage Partners. Danny’s practice focuses on helping buyers and providers of services enter into, manage, and when necessary, remediate their relationships. Danny is a lawyer by training, and prior to founding Vantage Partners, he served in a number of high profile roles including as a law clerk to Justice Blackmun on the U.S. Supreme Court and as a Senior Researcher at the Harvard Negotiation Project. Danny has co-authored four books, including “Getting Ready to Negotiate – The Getting to Yes Workbook” with Roger Fisher, and is frequently cited in publications such as The Economist and Harvard Business Review. I have followed Danny’s work for a long time.  He first came to my attention as a thought leader and subject matter expert when while I was a Category Manager for Outsourcing & Offshoring, and I was delighted to welcome him onto the show. We focused our conversation on ways in which we can turn around difficult relationships, both with suppliers and internal stakeholders.

My guest on the show today is Walt Charles, the Chief Procurement Officer at Biogen. Walt will be well known to a number of listeners – he is a long time CPO with such illustrious companies as Johnson & Johnson’s Consumer Division, Kellogg’s, Kraft Foods, and now at Biogen. As you will hear in the interview, Walt is very passionate about the potential power of procurement, but also believes that some of our more traditional approaches – such as the parent principle - may no longer be fit for purpose. Walt has achieved significant results throughout his career by redesigning processes and investing in enabling tools and technology. In our interview we talk about the “how”, with a specific focus today on tools and technology. But in the first part of the interview, I wanted to dig a little deeper into Walt’s background, and his philosophies as a leader.

Back in September 2016, Kelly Barner and I opened the mic for 40 revolutionaries to share their thoughts on the future of procurement as part of The Procurement Revolution event. One of the conversations that we enjoyed the most was with Jack Miles, the former CPO of CIBC, AIG, Computer Associates and the Secretary of State for the Florida Department of Management Services. Our topic of conversation with Jack is just as relevant today as it was 18 months ago. We focused on the topic of mindset, and how a growth mindset is so important to be successful given the changing nature of procurement. In today’s show, I am publishing the Q&A with Jack in its entirety.

I was delighted to welcome onto the show this week Jocelyn Stahl, the Director of Indirect Sourcing for The Hershey Company.  The Hershey Company are on an ongoing transformation journey to build an Indirect Procurement organization that embodies the ideals of being a catalyst. In our conversation, recorded live at ProcureCon, I ask Jocelyn to share the work that she and her team are doing to create a culture that respectfully challenges the status quo while maintaining a laser focus on the needs of the stakeholder – which can often come into conflict with one another! I also ask Jocelyn her perspective on Guided Buying as a strategy to not only as a tactic to manage tail spend but also as an opportunity to increase the stakeholder perception of working with procurement.

In the episode this week, I want to talk a little bit about the idea of stepping back and challenging things that we do every day, or the things that have become “generally accepted procurement thinking”. I won’t be seeking to suggest we are doing things wrong, or that things need to be fixed. No, my intent is to help us all, collectively, get our creative juices flowing!  I kick things off by challenging three of our commonly held beliefs and strategies: supplier consolidation, high spend equals high importance, and that our stakeholders have seek to avoid, rather than collaborate, with procurement.

I’m joined today by Jeanette Nyden.  Jeanette is a well renowned contracts and negotiations specialist, who approaches her work with a focus on building win-win, sustainable, agreements. In fact, Jeanette was a co-author with Kate Vitasek and David Frydlinger of Getting to We: Negotiating Agreements for Highly Collaborative Relationships. Today’s podcast is the first of a two-part series that I am recording with Jeanette that will deep dive into negotiating balanced deals. Jeanette has a fascinating background – including as a trial lawyer and professional mediator – that she applies to her work.  Today, we focused on the role of procurement as the facilitator, and how Jeanette’s applies her learnings as a lawyer and mediator to pre-negotiation preparation and developing the persuasive arguments that are necessary to secure complex, yet balanced, deals.

This week, I am joined by negotiation ninja Mark Raffan. Mark leads a negotiations training business – both for buyers and sales professionals – and recently launched his own podcast – Negotiations Ninja – which I highly recommend that you check out. We had a wide-ranging discussion on all things negotiation -  from negotiation strategies and approaches, to the common pitfalls that negotiators face.  What was particularly insightful was hearing how a salesperson is taught to negotiate so that we could spot those tactics, and understand when they are being used, as we sit on the opposite side of the table. I had a blast talking to Mark, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

My guest is Joseph Richardson.  Joseph is the President and CEO of Professional Purchasing Partners which he founded in 2014, after a long spell as a practitioner.  Joseph’s most recent buy-side roll was as a Head of Indirect Procurement in the Oil and Gas industry. In our discussion, we touch on a wide range of topics, from the evolution of procurement to value beyond savings, and much more. One of the points that really resonated with me is when we talked about the notion of best-in-class procurement and benchmarking our organizations against others.

My guest on the Art of Procurement this week is my friend Johan-Peter, or JP, Teppala.  JP is the CEO of the US operations of Sievo, a Finland-based procurement analytics company, encompassing spend analysis, spend forecasting, savings management and contract management. The core of our conversation today focuses on how procurement can be the driver of what JP termed “radical transparency” through data. We discuss three key themes: Transparency through spend analysis Transparency through realized savings Transparency through predictive analytics. In my mind, these are core building blocks for any catalytic procurement organization.  It is hard to make a mark without good data.

Hitting publish on the show is a culmination of a lot of thinking and reflection as I look to continue the evolution of Art of Procurement. I reflect on where we have come from, but more importantly look to the future and the building blocks of what my team and I have termed Art of Procurement 3.0. In today's episode, I start by sharing the importance of finding your Why, and the process that I went through to articulate my own.  I then explore why I believe Art of Procurement must continue to evolve to be in service of my Why. And then I deep dive into that evolution, and how my thinking has evolved over the course of 175 interviews, and putting those learnings into practice for my clients. Finally, I share the six content pillars for Art of Procurement in 2018, and how they connect with our core philosophies of Making Choices, Leaving a Mark and Generating Fulfillment. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/episode169  

How can we work collaboratively with our suppliers to manage and mitigate risk?  That is the question I put to today’s guests on the Art of Procurement, Margaret Gilbert and Anthony English. Margaret is the Director of Corporate Contracts Management, where she works with buyers and suppliers in all areas of procurement and contracting. Anthony has enjoyed a long career as an IT consultant working as a supplier inside both large and small organizations, and together they are co-authors of ‘Contract Matters: Procurement and Risk: A practical guide for buyers and suppliers’.  I invited Margaret and Anthony on the show because I wanted to understand the supplier perspective, and the unintended consequences of some of the decisions we make!  

Tania Seary is passionate about raising the profile of procurement, and is a master connector, and networker.  She is the Founding Chairman of Procurious, The Faculty and The Source, and in 2016 was named “Influencer of the Year” by Supply Chain Dive magazine. I was delighted to invite Tania back onto the show for what is now her third appearance.  I wanted to dig deeper into her success as a networker – with a focus on how to balance our online and in-person networking in an age where “connecting” is as easy as a click of a button.  What can we do to make meaningful relationships out of those connections that we make online? We caught up on the progress that Procurious has seen over the past 12 months and their plans for the future – if you are a Procurious member, or have interest in joining, you’ll enjoy this behind the scenes look!

I was inspired to cover today’s topic based on a question from a listener who has resolved to make a career move in 2018… I know from personal experience that at this time of year, we are often making decisions on our career strategies for the year ahead.  When I made the decision to pursue setting up my own business, I made the decision over the holiday period, and I’m sure many listeners may have done the same this year – whether it is to pursue a new role internally, or externally. So what I thought I would do today is share a number of tips to consider if you are considering a new role in 2018 – based on both my own experiences, but also gleaned from interviews and conversations with a number of recruiters.  These tips are focused on what you can do TODAY to be prepared.

My guest today is Chandar Pattabhiram, the new Chief Marketing Officer at Coupa. We sat down and recorded this podcast during the SIG Fall Summit in Carlsbad, California, which explains all of the interesting background noises you may hear. I took that opportunity to get his fresh perspective on how procurement can elevate its role in the organization.

My guest today is Lawrence Kane, a Fortune 50 strategic sourcing and functional excellence lead. Lawrence and I sat down to talk at the SIG Fall Summit in Carlsbad, California, where our conversation focused on what he has learned during his three-decade career.

Hi there everyone, and welcome to this week’s Art of Procurement interview, which is powered by SIG. My guest today is Kate Vitasek, a member of the graduate faculty in executive education at the University of Tennessee, and the creator of the Vested model. Kate and I have recorded several podcasts together, but in this case we connected in person at the SIG Fall Summit in Carlsbad, California. We took that opportunity to discuss the Vested model and how procurement (after long delay) is embracing the mindset. We started our conversation by getting caught up on what has transpired in the world of Vested since the last podcast.

Hi there everyone, and welcome to this week’s Art of Procurement interview, which is powered by SIG. My guest today is Chris Camejo, the Director of Product Management and Threat Intelligence at NTT Security - probably the scariest sounding title I’ve ever had here on Art of Procurement. Chris and I connected in person at the SIG Fall Summit in Carlsbad, California, where we had an opportunity to talk about what threat intelligence means and what role procurement can play in strengthening a company’s security risk level.

Welcome to today's Art of Procurement interview powered by SIG. Today's show is part of a mini-series of six different episodes that I recorded live at the recent SIG Fall Summit in Carlsbad, California. Being a live recording, you'll hear background noises like baristas making coffee, venue employees taping wire to the carpet, and lots of other little sounds in between. We actually had a booth set up in the main corridor of the conference venue, so you're sure to get the atmosphere from the event from those interviews. Today I'm delighted to be joined by Alan Holland, the founder and CEO of Keelvar. Given that Alan has a degree in computer engineering, a PhD in artificial intelligence, and has worked as a research fellow and a lecturer, he is probably one of the most qualified people in procurement to answer my first question, “What really is AI?”

My guest this week on the pod is Tim Cronin, the CPO of GuideWell, a not-for-profit mutual holding company in the healthcare industry. Tim and I connected live at the SIG Fall Summit in Carlsbad, California, where we had an opportunity to talk about his journey with Sourcing Business Models in a presentation with Kate Vitasek, founder and lead researcher for the Vested business methodology. What I really enjoyed about our conversation is that Tim shared putting the theory of ​​Sourcing Business Models into practice - what worked, what didn't, and what lessons were learned along the way.

You will notice from the title, that this is not an ordinary Art of Procurement podcast.  In fact, it is not an AOP podcast at all. As regular listeners will know, I have been working very closely with Kelly Barner – we partnered on The Procurement Revolution, co-founded Palambridge, and Kelly helps me behind the scenes to keep the wheels on here at Art of Procurement. Kelly has been hosting a procurement and supply chain podcast for over six years, and in fact it was one of my inspirations behind starting Art of Procurement. We announced yesterday that Kelly’s show – Buyers Meeting Point – or BMP Radio – will be produced by, and hosted on, the Art of Procurement Network. Today, as an introduction to BMP Radio, I am including today's episode in the AOP feed. Kelly's guest is Jonathan O'Brien.  Jonathan is the CEO and Owner of Positive Purchasing, an international procurement consultancy and training provider. He is also the author of four books, the most recent of which was just released this year, titled ‘The Buyer’s Toolkit: An Easy to Use Approach for Effective Buying.’

Hi there everyone, and welcome to this week’s Art of Procurement interview, powered by SIG. My guest today is Christian Lanng, the co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Tradeshift. I’m really happy to welcome Christian back to the show. He first joined me in August of 2016, all the way back in episode 80! It was one of my most enjoyable interviews because Christian has strong views on the future of procurement, and the intersection of technology and supply chains. In today’s conversation, I wanted to follow up to see what, in his mind, has changed since we last spoke – is technology evolving as fast as predicted? How does Christian see organizations starting to adapt? I was also interested to learn how Tradeshift determines which ‘future technologies’ to invest in, and why they recently became members of the Hyperledger project, a global, open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies.

Today, I am joined by Gene Zaino, the founder and CEO of MBO Partners. MBO Partners are at the forefront of the gig or the project economy. I was delighted to welcome Gene onto the show to discuss a little bit more about the gig economy - particularly in the context of knowledge-based workers. We discussed how organizations can start thinking about taking advantage of an on-demand workforce. And if they already are, what are some of the things that they can do to take it to the next level? So, my first question for Gene was if he could share a little bit more about what MBO Partners actually does.

I am joined today by Antonio Humphreys, the Senior Manager of Global Procurement at Adobe Systems based in California. I’ve actually seen Antonio speak before, and he has always been high on my list of practitioners that I wanted to interview and so I’m delighted we were able to make it happen.  We were connected by the team at ProcureCon, as Antonio will be speaking at the upcoming ProcureCon Marketing conference in New Orleans at the end of November. Antonio has enjoyed a career that, after an internship with NASA, actually started in sales before he jumped over to the other side of the table and joined procurement.  He worked for organizations such as Shell, Hewlett-Packard, and Gap before joining Adobe. He has a deep background in procurement organizational development and marketing, and those two topics were the focus of our conversation. I started by asking Antonio what keeps him in procurement after spending time in both sales and procurement...

I am joined today by Julienne Ryan, Principal of J Ryan Partners. Julienne is a former Executive Director of ISM-New York but the majority of her career has been in the world of HR, recruitment, and organizational development.   Her keynote was focused on effective communications, and so I invited Julienne on the show to talk about the art of storytelling and how we can use that technique in our careers and to influence our stakeholders.

I am joined today by a repeat guest and friend of the show David Hearn.  David is a long time procurement executive for companies such as Juniper Networks, Kaiser Permanente and Sun Microsystems.  Today, he is the CEO and Founder of advisory firm CPO Advisement Services. I caught up with David at the recent ProcureCon Indirect West conference in Scottsdale where he was talking about Machine Learning and its impact on procurement. Our chance to talk came in the midst of the hotel’s garden, surrounded by birds, waterfalls - and a construction site! With this natural backdrop, we started our conversation about machine learning - the opportunities for procurement and the long term value proposition.

I am joined today by two guests, Jen Warner and Eric Martin.   Jen Warner is the Vice President of Compliance and Chief Development Officer of Ashe Legal Group (a member of the Palambridge ecosystem). Prior to joining Ashe, Jen served as the Chief Compliance Officer of a Fortune 500 multinational company and, in that role, oversaw the company’s global data privacy compliance program.   Eric Martin is the Associate General Counsel and Global Privacy Officer for JELD-WEN in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is responsible for all labor and employment and privacy matters, including GDPR compliance.   Our conversation today is on the topic of GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, an EU-based regulation that takes effect on May 25, 2018. Once that date arrives, all organizations - regardless of their location - that collect personal data in the EU (including consumer data, customer data, employee data, other third party data) must demonstrate that they are in compliance or face strict penalties.

Today I am joined by Fraz Baig, a long time listener and friend of the show who is a Senior Manager at Ace Hardware, managing all of Ace’s corporate spend including IT, Marketing and Supply Chain. As Fraz and I have got to know each other, I learned about the successes that he and his team have had at Ace in build strong partnerships with their stakeholders.  One of the fundamental pillars to that success is a Collaboration Model that explicitly lays out the roles and responsibilities of both the procurement team and their stakeholders as they engage in category management and sourcing projects. And so I invited Fraz onto the show to explain a little bit more about the model, and his learnings from its implementation and evolution.

Software has always been one of those categories where on the surface, cost savings appear hard to find. Often the vast majority of spend is with software industry giants over whom the majority of procurement teams have little negotiating leverage. In today’s show, I focus on how to identify savings opportunities across your entire portfolio of software suppliers.  And when I say cost savings, I don’t mean relying on getting a better rate, but partnering with IT to look more holistically across your entire software category spend. My guest to take us on this journey is Mohammed Faridy, the CEO of OneView, a contract management tool. I met Mohammed through a mutual acquaintance, and Mohammed is also an experienced technology sourcing consultant and practitioner.

After a week hiatus for Labor Day here in the US, we are back with another great interview (and I mean great!) Joining me today is my good friend Naseem Malik, Managing Partner of MRA Global Sourcing. If you are attempting to retain or hire procurement talent, and you are in a location where the market is tight, then this show is for you! Our conversation is split broadly up in to three parts.  First, I hit Naseem with a number of questions related to the procurement job market today – what is the current state, what signals would suggest the market is changing, and what are the most in demand skill sets.  Naseem then shares his perspective on what a procurement leader can do to not only retain the A-level talent that they have in their team today, but also how to attract the professionals needed to take their organizations to the next level.

Today I am joined on the Art of Procurement by Peter de Heer, a partner at Expense Reduction Analysts. Before joining Expense Reduction Analysts, Peter enjoyed a successful career with the leading consumer goods company Henkel.  Peter started outside of procurement leading marketing teams, and as a COO of their Mexico operations, before moving over into procurement executive roles. I invited Peter to join me having read a white paper that he authored discussing the CFO and CPO relationship – and particularly the areas where Finance and Procurement should align, but often do not! I explore how we can build better relationships with our peers in Finance, and begin by asking: what keeps a CPO up at night. 

Today, we are doing something a little bit different, and today’s show is for independent procurement consultants or for those considering making the switch to self-employment.  It is a topic that I am asked about frequently by listeners, either through email or in person at industry events – and is one that I believe we will become increasingly relevant as the nature of work continues to shift. I’m joined by Anthony English, a business coach focusing on helping consultants and small businesses win new business. Anthony and I focus on some of the mindset shifts necessary to increase your chances, as an independent procurement consultant or small business owner, of maximizing the value of your time.

My guest today is Nick Seiersen, a Director with the International Association for Contract and Commercial Management, or IACCM for short.   Nick is an contracting expert, and it is a topic that I haven't covered on the show in as much detail as I think it deserves!  In our conversation, I wanted to explore a couple of topics – firstly, what are some of the contracting pitfalls that Nick sees Buyer’s make time and time again that we should be aware of, and then secondly is there such a think as innovation in contracting. Nick shares innovations taking place both in terms of commercial models, but also contract design and shares one particular example in which a fully illustrated contract was used in lieu of a standard employment contract. I'm not sure that lawyers will soon be replaced by artists, but it was really interesting to hear what is possible if we think outside of our traditional assumptions of how a contract must be written.

I am joined on the virtual couch this week by two returning guests and friends of the pod, Greg Tennyson, the CPO of VSP, and Stephany Lapierre, CEO and founder of supplier intelligence platform, tealbook. You may recall earlier in the summer, I mentioned that I had facilitated a number of roundtables around the US on the topic of supplier intelligence. The roundtables were titled “Exploring the Upside of Accessible Intelligence” Steph accompanied me at all roundtables, and Greg chaired our session in San Francisco, so I thought I would invite them both on to the show to share some of the key insights that they walked away with - and actions that procurement executives can take - based on the collective input of over 60 procurement leaders.  

Joining me today on the show is Pierre Lapree.  Pierre founded Per Angusta, a procurement project pipeline and performance tracking tool, over four years ago following a career within IT, and then procurement, at staffing firm Adecco.  For regular listeners, you may recall that Pierre was previously one of our revolutionaries at The Procurement Revolution event that I co-founded with Kelly Barner last September. Today, we talk all about the savings process.  Specifically, what are the actions that we can take to bring trust, transparency and consistency to the savings tracking process. It is widely reported that CFO’s neither trust our reported numbers, nor see the majority of our claimed savings dropping to the bottom line.  So, what can we do to bridge the gap.  Listen in as Pierre and I discuss the best practices that we have observed and implemented throughout our careers – both as practitioners and service providers.

Today I am joined by Michael Shaw.  Michael is well known through the Sourcing industry, particularly here in the US, he is currently chairperson of the American Council of Sourcing and Procurement Executives. The heart of today’s conversation revolves around a concept called 3SI – Supplier Specific Sourcing Intelligence. The premise is that a number of companies struggle to access the supplier market intelligence that they need to really enable them to build win-win relationships with key suppliers.  We tend to focus on win-lose, or leverage when it comes to using market intelligence.  Following the principles of 3SI provides the ability to craft deals with key partners – and Michael provides an example of a Microsoft licensing deal – that provide better results than a typical negotiation would achieve.

Today I have a really insightful interview to share with Jonathan Grant and Ben Szostek, two senior leaders within the procurement group at Newell Brands. Jonathan and Ben have been on a journey to bring advanced analytics capabilities to Newell Brands, delivered through a center of excellence model. In today’s discussion, we talk about some of the tactics they use, from clean sheet costing and cost modelling to negotiation fact packs which is a concept I really like. You will also hear examples of different sources of data used, the skill sets necessary to build out a team like this, and how advanced analytics are being applied to both Direct and Indirect areas of spend. If you have an interest in understanding how you can build an advanced analytics capability, this is a must listen!

Today on the Art of Procurement, I welcome back David Bush, the Chief Revenue Officer for SpendHQ. David joined me back in Episode 139 to share his advice on the steps that procurement leaders can take to gain greater visibility into supplier spend, which is the foundation of robust procurement strategies. Today we continue the conversation with a look to the future - how will spend analytics evolve, and what impact are emerging technologies likely to have in the way we understand and gain visibility into the products and services that we buy.

It is Independence Day week here in the US, and so what I thought I would do today is to go back into the achieves and replay one of my solo shows that I recorded almost 18 months ago now.  It is a topic that I remain passionate about – why I think we in procurement should care less about being “best-in-class”, and more about what our internal organization really needs from a procurement function.

We have all read the blog posts and listened to the talking heads who inform us that Generation X believes this, and Millennials believe that. But are these generational labels actually true, or do we use them as a lazy or misinformed way to try and understand and connect with peers who are not within our own age group.  That is the topic of today’s Art of Procurement. I am joined in today’s discussion by two experts in the field.  Jim Baehr is group lead for Sourcing Strategies Group and through roles both in consulting and as a procurement leader has helped a number of organizations through procurement transformation initiatives. Joining Jim is Mike Urick. Mike is Graduate Director and Assistant Professor at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.  Both Jim and Mike have joined forces to explore the future of work and the impact of generational labels at they seek to understand how procurement leaders can mitigate the coming talent shortage in our profession.

Today on the pod I am joined by David Bush, formerly of IASTA and Determine, and now Chief Revenue Officer for spend analytics specialist SpendHQ. It has been a year since I first met David, and so his appearance on the Art of Procurement is long overdue! I invited David onto the show discuss the topic of spend analytics.  Spend analytics have always been a bit of a pain for me - I have spent a lot of time playing with pivot tables and searching Google to try and categorize suppliers which leads to lots of errors and a lot of time invested! But I know that it doesn’t have to be like that.   I invited David on to the show to hear his advice on the steps that procurement leaders can take to gain greater visibility into supplier spend, which is the foundation of robust procurement strategies.

We are in for a treat this week on the show.  I am joined by Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, the inventor of the personal computer, and a serial entrepreneur.  Steve really needs no introduction! Steve recently keynoted the Coupa Inspire conference in San Francisco that I attended a couple of weeks ago.  Coupa arranged for Steve to spend 15 minutes with me after he got off stage, and so fresh off his fireside chat, we sat down and I recorded the conversation. As I considered what kind of questions to ask to maximize our 15 minutes together, I focused on areas that have been a key part of Woz’s experiences as an innovator, and from his first-hand experience building the Apple brand with Steve Jobs.

This Month in Procurement returns, and this week Mark and I welcome a special guest, Sigi Osagie. Sigi is the charismatic author of the popular procurement book, Procurement Mojo, and a has an extensive background driving performance improvement and change across multiple functions and industries - both as a practitioner and business owner. Mark and I invited Sigi to join us this month to chat about Procurement Mojo, and to hear Sigi’s perspective on some of the actions we can take to create procurement success.

At the Art of Procurement, we get many press releases - usually detailing client wins, technology updates, or company acquisitions.  However, there was one that came across my desk recently announcing the launch of an Indirect Procurement Standard. With my interest piqued, I reached out to the author of the Standard - Sime Curkovic - to learn more. Sime is Professor of Supply Chain Management at Western Michigan University, and joins me on the show today to share more details about the Indirect Procurement Standard - what was the need, how was it developed, and what does the final output looks like.

There was a time, not long ago, when the only procurement professionals who bought software had responsibility for IT sourcing. Today, with the explosion of SaaS, and the use to SaaS technology to deliver tradition labor based services, buyers across many categories must now negotiate software licenses, either directly or with the help of their peers in IT.  At the same time, IT sourcing professionals are faced with the increasing supplier requests to move from on-premise to cloud based solutions. My guest on this episode of Art of Procurement is Randy Roth, the President of Seprio.  Randy helps me unpack the world of software licensing, while providing tips to help procurement build stronger relationships with IT, navigate the move to the cloud, and negotiate with the big boys.

As a procurement leader, how do you balance the needs of your stakeholders with your responsibility to be guardians of third party spend? That is the challenge being addressed head on by today’s guests on the Art of Procurement.  I’m delighted to be joined by David Natoff, the Head of Procure to Pay at Google, and Dr Bernd Huber, the Head of Google’s Sourcing Center of Excellence. We focus our conversation on how Google Procurement continues on their journey to become a trusted business partner in a complex and agile organization, while ensuring that they remain strong corporate guardians.  Balancing these two objectives that are often in conflict with each other is Google Procurement’s greatest challenge – one that they are solving through their journey to move their sphere of influence.

I am joined today by Shaz Khan, the co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Vroozi, a leading cloud-based business purchasing platform. Shaz has a deep background in procurement technology, with a particular focus on SAP. As long time listeners will know, I learn more and more every day about the nuts and bolts of procurement technology, while tending to spend more time looking for trends that I think will impact our profession. One of those trends is self-service sourcing – empowering the organization to buy directly the vast majority of products and services they need, one the frameworks and governance structures are in place to support it. And so, the main topic for today’s conversation is that of self-service sourcing.  Is it a threat, or an opportunity for procurement?

Joining me on the show today is Dave Quillin, the manager of procurement for Alliant Credit Union, the seventh largest credit union in the United States. Dave has specialized in technology procurement with organizations such as Orbitz and Groupon before taking on a new opportunity at Alliant to build a procurement and vendor management office from the ground up. In today’s Art of Procurement, Dave shares his journey at Alliant.  What I really like is that Dave built his organization by first listening to the needs of the business, and by focusing more broadly on value rather than cost savings alone. Dave shares the importance of balancing process with agility, particularly in regulated industries such as financial services, along with lessons learned along the way. For his work at Alliant, Dave was recognized by Supply & Demand Chain Executive as a member of their 2017 Pros to Know.

Today, I'm joined by Tim Meester. Tim is the Senior Director of Procurement and Sustainability for Best Buy, an almost forty billion dollar revenue provider of technology products, services, and solutions. As I got to know Tim in our pre-interview, I was very impressed by his and his team’s efforts to deliver value beyond savings at Best Buy. We connected to discuss CSR and sustainability, but that is only the start for his team. In today’s discussion, Tim shares the actions that Best Buy procurement is taking to expand the procurement value proposition and importantly, how Best Buy actually incentivizes their teams to enable them to focus on more than just cost savings alone.

Back in my days in the automotive industry, supplier led innovation played - and still plays - a key role in the development of new innovative products. Procurement organizations have been set up for a long time to facilitate this process. However, on the Indirect side of things, we still struggle to integrate supplier innovation - certainly at scale. If you are a long time listener, you will have heard me share my thoughts about the importance of innovation as a key component of the new procurement value proposition. But, where do we start, and how can we enable innovation at scale? Today’s guest answers those question. I am joined by Jon Washington, founder of The Innovation Garage. Jon help clients increase their profitability through innovation design encompassing products, processes and delivery models.

I think it is fair to say that you can’t move for reading Blockchain related articles today. But to be honest, I have always been a little confused by them in terms of understanding what Blockchain actually is. In today’s show, I attempt to demystify Blockchain, and its impact on procurement. Helping me understand the potential of Blockchain is Jack Shaw. Jack is a business technology futurist who has spent his career leading companies in numerous industries to lever technology to find better, more efficient ways of conducting and operating their businesses. Jack has authored three critically acclaimed books and numerous articles and is a prolific keynote speaker, including the recent ProcureCon Indirect East. He also is the co-founder of the Blockchain Executive and American Blockchain Council. In today’s show we go down to the very basics to understand what Blockchain actually is, so that we can then begin to understand what are some of the technologies that can be built upon it. We then discuss usage cases and their impact within procurement and supply chain.

My guest on the Art of Procurement this week is Lara Nichols. Lara is the Head of Procurement for insurance company NFP Corp, and is also leading the conference organizing committee for ISM2017, the largest procurement related conference of the year. Prior to NFP, Lara enjoyed roles of increasing responsibility across Fortune 100 organizations such as Wachovia (now Wells Fargo), Tyco and Merck. Our conversation today is broadly split into three different parts. Lara shares her experiences switching the comfortable surroundings of a Fortune 100 procurement organization for a mid-market firm in procurement start-up mode. We then discuss the impact that the current anti-globalization political environment is impacting her procurement strategies, with an increased focus on risk mitigation. Finally, we talk conferences. What does it take to plan a conference with the depth and breadth of ISM2017, and what, as an attendee, can you do to maximize your experience.

Today I am joined on the Art of Procurement by Jim Butler, the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for my home State of California Prior to joining the State of California, Jim enjoyed a successful career as the CPO for Levi Strauss, and held a number of senior procurement leadership positions with Dell Computer. In today’s conversation, I wanted to learn about the leadership role that the State of California is taking in building sustainability into its supply chain, and in providing opportunities for small and local businesses. Sustainability is often a topic we talk about in procurement, but I think it is fair to say that best practices are not widely implemented. Jim shares some of his experiences in California, along with the added dimensions – which create both opportunities and challenges – of doing so within a public body.

Brian Bancroft, the Vice President of Direct Procurement at The Coca-Cola Company joins me today as my guest on the Art of Procurement. The diversity of our conversation today matches the depth and breadth of Brian’s career. Brian has enjoyed multiple VP of Procurement and CPO roles at companies such as Kellogg's and Coca-Cola covering both Direct and Indirect spend, while also having P&L and operational responsibility for other business segments. Listen in to hear Brian’s perspective on a wide range of topics, from how to be successful moving between Indirect and Direct procurement, why global sourcing strategies are often setting buyers up for failure, and how working with procurement as a stakeholder shaped Brian’s approach as a CPO.

Today, Kelly Barner (Buyers Meeting Point) and I announced that we have founded a new entity to meet the strategic needs of forward-thinking procurement leaders. Palambridge brings procurement experts, technology, and intelligence together and makes them available on demand via a virtual platform. In this bonus podcast, I go beyond the press releases to share more details on the Palambridge journey, our ecosystem, the reason behind the name, and much more!   After we ran The Procurement Revolution in 2016, we wanted to create a lasting force for change. After much discussion and consideration, Kelly and I realized that nothing held more value than the network of experts and partners we built in preparation for the event - and that became the foundation for Palambridge. Palambridge is the culmination of a 15-year journey working across the procurement and outsourcing value chain, as a buyer, client and service provider, and the delivery model is one that I first mapped out many years ago. As a procurement leader, I was always frustrated that my ability to access the subject matter expertise that I needed to solve difficult problems was directly related to my ability - or lack of - to make long term investments in hiring, consultants, contractors or outsourcing firms.  Palambridge solves this problem, by taking advantage of the platform economy.  Our model is built to seamlessly deliver procurement solutions that bring together the best of the best under an on-demand, subscription based, commercial model. What does this mean for the Art of Procurement? I am excited about what today’s announcement means for the Art of Procurement.  Log on today and you will see a new site design with upgraded search capabilities.  But that is just the start.  I launched the Art of Procurement as a way of giving the procurement profession a voice, a way for us to work collectively to increase our impact on the organizations we serve. However, my ability to grow and expand the site has always been limited by my own bandwidth. In addition to co-founding Palambridge, I am honored that Kelly will be joining me on the Editorial team of Art of Procurement as we seek to build and grow a multi-format procurement insights platform.  Stay tuned for more information!

How does the role of procurement differ in a mission driven organization? Today on the Art of Procurement, I explore how procurement can help save lives with Brian Kyle, Managing Director of Strategic Sourcing and Contract Management at the American Cancer Society. Kyle shares his experiences of moving from a profit-driven to mission-driven organization, and the journey that American Cancer Society has taken to elevate the role of procurement from a sourcing to category management led organization - at zero incremental cost.

Today on the Art of Procurement I am joined by Kevin Giblin, Head of Global Sourcing & CPO of data analytics company Dun & Bradstreet. In today’s episode, I start by asking Kevin for his perspective on creating value beyond savings, and towards the end of our conversation Kevin gives some great advice to procurement pro’s looking to stand out from the crowd. However, the purpose of our conversation is for Kevin to share a real-life example of how to significantly increase internal client satisfaction, and how reducing stakeholder friction on transactional activities leads to increased early engagement on more value added projects.

Pardon the interruption! It has been a busy couple of weeks here at Art of Procurement Towers, and so I wanted to share details of a couple of new shows that have launched is week.   For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/evenbiggerideas http://thismonthinprocurement  

Today’s guest was the first ever interviewee on the Art of Procurement.  All the way back in Episode 2, Tania Seary, the Founder of Procurious, as well as procurement consulting firm The Faculty and recruitment company The Source, joined me to talk about all things related to the importance of creating a personal brand through social media. In today’s discussion, we focus on a couple of topics that both intertwine with each other.  First, I ask Tania for an update on how things are going at Procurious, and we both share our own motivations for following the paths that we have – in fact Tania turns the table on me by asking a couple of questions on why I started the Art of Procurement. We then talk about the notion of Procurement 4.0, which will be the focus of the Big Idea Summit, and the impact it is set to have on the way that procurement organizations of the future will operate. Areas we cover in today’s conversation include: Why a complete and up-to-date LinkedIn profile is so important – both in creating your own personal brand, and when you are looking to recruit others. Tania’s perspective on how Procurious has evolved over the past 18 months. How the sources that procurement professionals can use to access knowledge, information and thought leadership changing. Why knowledge alone is no longer power for procurement pro’s. The topics are Procurious members most interested in reading about. Procurement’s role in helping leaders think – and then respond to – the unthinkable. How Tania defines Procurement 4.0. Why Tania is motivated to look outside of the procurement profession for insights and inspiration that will help us to continue to grow. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/BIL2017 

I have always sought out the Deloitte CPO Survey as a leading indicator on the health of the procurement function and just a couple of days ago, Deloitte published the results of their 2017 Survey.   Today on the Art of Procurement, I am joined by Lance Younger. Lance is the Head of Procurement and Sourcing Consulting in the UK, a Partner of Deloitte’s Strategy and Operations Practice, and a co-author of the report that accompanies this year’s survey findings. In today’s conversation, we go beyond the numbers to identify some of the trends, challenges and opportunities that look set to shape the procurement profession in 2017. Areas we cover in today’s conversation include: The headline findings of the report, such as: 79% of procurement leaders continue to focus on cost savings The growing importance of risk management as a procurement priority 60% of procurement leaders do not believe they have the internal capabilities to deliver on their vision The increasing role that procurement is playing in helping organizations deliver top line growth. The juxtaposition between more and more procurement leaders wanting to increase business partnership, while the value levers being used are increasingly short term. Key characteristics of high performing procurement organizations How procurement outsourcing is struggling to maintain traction, and why changing workforce trends and the increase in the freelance economy are providing procurement leaders with new, innovative, delivery models. Why some leading companies are moving back towards a decentralized procurement delivery model. The expanding nature of procurement’s role in an organization. Why the clock is ticking to transform procurement’s value proposition (and why we do have time yet to make the leap). What do C-suite executives look for from their procurement teams today. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/deloitte2017 

My guest today is Drew Polin.  Drew is the president of OpDecision, a company that helps organizations reduce their wireless spend, specifically without having to go through the upheaval of switching out their service providers. Our conversation today is split into two parts.  First, we talk about gainsharing. It's a commercial model that I have been very skeptical about in the past, as I think it can incent the wrong behaviors, and can become a way for service providers to take advantage of less sophisticated buyers. OpDecision uses a gainsharing model, but with a twist. I think that if you are considering any time of gainsharing engagement, you should listen in to Drew’s lessons learned. We then move into wireless, where Drew shares some of the tips and strategies that you can use to make an impact on your wireless spend here in 2017. Topics that we discuss include: • Tips on how to structure gainsharing engagements so that they incentivize the right outcomes, and result in win-win deals. • The major areas of wireless spend, and how the category is evolving • How wireless carriers make their money in 2017. • Top pain points for out of control wireless costs. • Why international wireless costs are set to plummet. • Supplier dynamics in the US wireless market and the impact that has on pricing. • Why you are leaving money on the table is you only review and agree wireless pricing as part of your contract negotiations. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/wireless2017 

Today’s Art of Procurement interview is a real treat.  It is chock full of actionable insights on how we can position our careers, and our organizations, to fully take advantage of digitization and its impact on what, and how, we buy. My guest is Bill Huber.   Bill is an active participant in the procurement community and I have followed his career for some time.  Bill has worked as a practitioner – most recently as Chief Procurement Officer of Wachovia - as a service provider as head of IBM’s procurement outsourcing offering - and as a consultant and advisor.  Today, Bill is a Partner at Information Services Group (ISG), responsible for Digital Platforms and Solutions. Areas we cover in today’s conversation include: Has Bill’s experience as practitioner, service provider and advisor changed his perspective on the procurement value proposition? Why many procurement organizations have become the enemy of differentiation. What procurement can do to have maximum impact on an organization. Why changing metrics matters – especially to those companies that achieve real transformation… and where procurement can start. What does “digital” really mean? What will the impact of digitization on what and how we buy? Will technology render much of procurement redundant, and where should we focus to change our value proposition? How can procurement align with the digital economy:? New ways of segmenting spend, so that you can focus on what is truly material. Options for accessing capability, so that retained teams can focus only on what makes their business a competitive advantage. Rethink contracts and contractual SLA’s to ensure they are fit for purpose and incent all parties to focus on the delivery of outcomes. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/billhuber

“We never put our own priorities first. If I save money and diminish my stakeholders ability to succeed, then I am counter productive and they are not going to use me again.” – Greg Antoniono, Anthem Today on the show, I am joined by Greg Antoniono.  Greg is the Sourcing Director for Marketing at Anthem, one of the giants of the US Health Care industry Over the course of the last eight years, Greg has taken his marketing procurement group on a journey from having very limited influence to being a key partner with a direct line to the Chief Marketing Officer. In today’s show, Greg and I discuss the key steps and learnings that he, and Anthem, took on that journey. Areas we cover include: The major steps that enabled Anthem Marketing to become a trusted partner to their business stakeholders. The importance of executive level support. Why you should never put your own priorities first. Why Greg believes why products or services should not be immediately labelled as commoditized when they historically may have been so. The biggest disruptions impacting marketing stakeholders at the beginning of 2017. Why Anthem embraces small businesses and start up’s – including making direct investments – as a way to identify and facilitate supplier-led innovation. Greg’s biggest learnings on the journey to date – including the need to evolve to remain relevant, align, and recognize where you can add value. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/anthem 

January 2017 marks the first month of a new collaboration that I am very excited about.  I am co-hosting a new monthly show, imaginatively titled The Month in Procurement, with Mark Perera.  Mark is the CEO and Founder of Old St Labs, the Founder of Procurement Leaders, and as I have got to know him, I see how passionate he is about levering innovation and technology to help businesses really harness the power of their supply networks. The show is meant to be a conversation.  We’ll be bringing in other people to join us every month to just chat about the issues of the day and their impact on procurement, and, frankly, anything that we have on our mind! I’ll be leaving the edit button at home, so what we say, is what you will hear! This Month in Procurement will have its own podcast channel that you can subscribe to, and I’ll let you know when that is ready to go. However, for this month, I’m including our conversation in the Art of Procurement feed.  I hope you like it – let me know what you think. For more information, visit: http://thismonthinprocurement.com 

My guest on today’s show is Mark Webb. Mark is the Managing Director of UK based procurement consultancy firm, Future Purchasing. Following experience as a practitioner and then in consulting with PwC and QP Group, Mark co-founded Future Purchasing, and they have grown from strength to strength since their inception back in 2002. Future Purchasing undertakes what I think is the leading piece of industry research on the subject of Category Management. They just put the final touches on their 2017 Global Category Management Leadership Report, a research collaboration with Henley Business School. What I wanted to do in my conversation with Mark is to pick apart some of the key findings, and understand what differentiates the leaders from followers in terms of their approach to category management, and the subsequent results that they enjoy. Areas we cover include: Why Category Management should be a business process, not a procurement process. The background behind the development of the Category Management Leadership Report. What differentiates a leader from a follower. A summary of the key recommendations from the report, highlighting areas with procurement control, and those that require stakeholder engagement. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/fpsurvey  

Today’s guest on the Art of Procurement is Mark Trowbridge, the co-founder and Principal for Strategic Procurement Solutions, and the former Director of Sourcing and Contracts at Bank of America. Mark is a published author, and a regular presenter at procurement and supply chain conferences. In fact, it was at the recent ISM Indirect conference in December that Mark and I met. As I got to know Mark I knew that I needed to invite him onto the show, and fortunately he accepted my invite without reservation. The main topic of today’s conversation is the notion of procurement superheroes – what are their characteristics, how can procurement leaders best deploy, and retain them.  However, as you will hear in the interview, we discuss much more than that! Areas we cover include: Why procurement is making a shift back to full value procurement Why CPO’s are being replaced by business leaders, and what procurement leaders can do to stop the trend. Why e-auctions and competitive bidding events do not always lead you to the lowest cost, and what you can do instead. The 6 key attributes of procurement superheroes, and how they are changing as the procurement value proposition evolves. How can a procurement leader build an environment to help all employees act at a superhero level. Mark explains the concept of taking intelligence risks that has had a big impact on his thinking. What are the right ways and wrong ways to position savings reporting? Mark’s two resolutions for procurement in 2017. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/sps

Welcome to 2017!  In this first show of the year, I share details of Art of Procurement's publishing schedule in 2017, invite applications to a new AOP Circle of Experts, and share thoughts on facilitating innovation following a recent visit to a startup accelerator program. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/ep116  

So here we are: The Best of 2016 List. As the year comes to a close, I sat down to consider which episodes have been the most powerful and impactful in 2016.  Some of these have been my personal favorites, others determined by download numbers.  What I did try to do is to make the list as diverse as possible, and it features interviews with CPO's, CEO's, Founders, Educators and Consultants.  There should be something for everyone here!   For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/bestof16

Pierre Mitchell was the first supply chain practitioner to become a procurement "industry analyst" with roles at AMR Research (now Gartner) followed by The Hackett Group, and now Spend Matters. There are few people, if any, that cover procurement than understand, and have such passion for, the growth of our profession. Both Pierre and I were together last week at the ISM Inside Indirect Conference 2016 in Las Vegas, and so we picked up the mic’s and hit record! So, today’s show is an informal chat covering a range of topics. Areas we cover include:  What challenges in procurement is Pierre motivated to try and help solve? Has procurement evolved over 2016 or as we still in the same position, with the same challenges and questions, as we were 12 months ago? How can we differentiate marketing hype with reality when it comes to potentially game changing technologies? What is the most overused and most underused procurement KPI? For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/ismindirect 

On today's Art of Procurement, I answer a listener question. The question was: how do you make a supplier happy. Now, I’m going to assume that the right answer isn’t to give them riches for providing peanuts! So, I sat down and thought through 6 different ways that I think we can all put at least a half smile on the faces of our suppliers this Christmas! For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/113 

I will be in Las Vegas this week at the ISM Indirect Conference, and with Las Vegas also known as Sin City, I thought it would be fun to look back at some old Art of Procurement episodes and come up with a list of 10 sins of procurement! Now, frankly, there are a lot more than 10!  However, I had to stop somewhere! These are inspired by my own experiences, and the guests that we have had on the show.  I kept them to what I think are our day to day dealings with suppliers and stakeholders rather than looking at it from an organizational design perspective. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/procurement-sins 

This week I welcome Gordon Donovan on to the Art of Procurement.  Gordon is a presently a member of the procurement leadership team at Metro Trains Melbourne, and he has a broad range of experiences as a practitioner including Head of Procurement roles, consultant and training. Gordon's career spans both the UK and Australia, and includes roles at organizations such as the UK National Health Service, Transport for London, Healthscope, ArcBlue and The Faculty. Today, we are going to discuss influence and I’m willing to say that there are few, if any, who have studied the topic of influence and procurement as thoroughly as Gordon.  He wrote a 20,000 word dissertation for his Masters Degree on the topic of the development of influencing skills within the Australian procurement community, and he frequently weaves the topic into his procurement learning and development programs. Areas we cover include: The need to demystify procurement The difference between functional influence and influencing skills. The importance of facilitation skills An overview of different influencing styles and how to determine which style you should use depending on who you are seeking to influence Why kids are the best influencers and what we can learn from them Key traits of a successful influencer The power of inspiration Gordon’s tips for building trust, which is the foundation of building influence. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/influence 

With it being a holiday weekend here in the United States, I thought I would do is share with you one of my favorite submissions from The Procurement Revolution event from back in late September. More and more, I believe the mindset is a key enabler or roadblock in our efforts to think differently and elevate the procurement value proposition.  Without that change in mindset, it makes the other necessities – such as competency development – almost irrelevant.  And so I wanted to focus today in the topic of mindset. Today’s piece was one that I really enjoyed. It is a submission from Elisabeth Lawrence.  Elisabeth is a long time procurement executive who just after we recorded todays piece joined a leading materials company to set up their Category Management Center of Excellence. You will hear Elisabeth talk about the need to shift mindsets if we are to take procurement to the next level. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/mindset-shift 

Scott Gillespie is an expert in procurement, and corporate travel.  He was an original member of the AT Kearney team that launched the 7-step sourcing process in the 1990’s, and has since founded a number of companies with a focus on helping organizations better understand, benchmark and measure the performance of their corporate travel programs.  Scott also authors the popular blog Gillespie’s Guide to Travel & Procurement. Scott passionately believes that corporate travel programs should be managed on outcomes and value, rather than cost alone.  In today’s Art of Procurement, Scott and I discuss innovative ways in which procurement leaders can manage the success of their travel program over and above the traditional cost-focused metrics. Areas we cover include:  The basic key metrics that are foundational to any corporate travel program. The best sources of data for gathering travel spend information. Cost drivers that have the biggest impact on travel spend. An introduction to the concept of traveler friction. The importance of taking into account trip outcomes vs. just focusing on trip cost. What constitutes a “road warrior” and should they be subject to different travel policies vs. irregular travelers. An overview of four key metrics that enable value-focused measurement of a corporate travel program: Scrap rate of travel Traveler risk management index Attrition rate of road warrior population Trip quality For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/travelmetrics

Today's episode is in response to a listener question.  I was recently asked for guidance on how to maintain supplier relationships following a tough incumbent negotiation - particularly one that occurs mid-contract.  Listen in to hear my share five considerations that I have used both as a practitioner and service provider to maintain relationships with my suppliers and clients following difficult negotiations. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/toughnegotiation 

Jimmy Anklesaria is one of the most prominent thought leaders in procurement today.  Jimmy is considered by many as the go-to expert when it comes to the strategic management of cost. He literally wrote the book (well, two books), and regularly travels the globe helping organizations reduce their third party costs.  Importantly, he does this not through the leveraging of power but by using data as the foundation of fact based sourcing and continuous improvement. Today’s episode of the Art of Procurement is the second in a two-part series with Jimmy focusing on the strategic management of cost.   Back in episode 102, Jimmy shared his tips for understanding cost and cost drivers to enable fact based sourcing negotiations.  Today, we shift focus, and discuss eight key steps that procurement professionals can take to manage and optimize costs once the contract has been signed. Areas we cover include: Should we have clauses in contracts that enable flexible pricing as major cost drivers change? If so, how should those be structured? Why a consumer price index (CPI) is the worst possible mechanism by which to adjust prices. The eight steps that procurement professionals can use to manage cost post contracting including Building a cost-management culture with your supplier Identifying the factors which have the biggest impact on the cost of a product or service How to reduce, change or eliminate activities that create costs. The importance of inherent capabilities in building a cost management culture across your procurement organization. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/postawardcost  

I sat down to record today's episode just a couple of hours after Donald Trump emerged victorious in the US presidential election.  And today, I am going to replay a discussion with CPO and former Chief Risk Officer Susan Grelling that I first published in the aftermath of the UK Brexit vote early in the year. In our conversation, Susan shared the steps that procurement can take to help our organizations turn the management of market uncertainty and volatility into a competitive advantage. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/trumpelected    

In today’s Art of Procurement we take a look inside the career journey of Alex Brown, long time Chief Procurement Officer for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and GLOBALFOUNDRIES, and winner of the 2013 Zycus High Performing Procurement Leader award. In this wide ranging discussion focused on developing a long term career in procurement, Alex shares a number of key decision points that he had to make on his journey to becoming a CPO.   Listen in to the conversation to hear Alex’s perspective on a number of issues facing today’s procurement professional, including:  The value of having sales experience as a differentiator within procurement. Is there value in pursuing a professional procurement certification? The importance of “destabilizing” from your comfort zone. How you can lead transformation programs as a legacy employee. The keys for a Manager to put themselves in the best possible position to become a Director, and for a Director to become a Head of Procurement / CPO. The importance of dedicating enough time as a leader to the forward looking and strategic aspects of a job in face of the demands to solve today’s problems. The two things that Alex knows now that he wished he would have known earlier in his career. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/careerdecisions

Today is the Art of Procurement's first birthday! What a crazy, and rewarding, 12 months it has been.   Today I go behind the scenes at the Art of Procurement.  I look back at the first 12 months and reflect how the show has evolved over the past 12 months - and importantly what are some of the lessons that I have learned.  Not procurement lessons, but lessons from my journey as a podcast host. I then look forward to 2017.  What are some of the things I want to do better?  If you are interested in my vision for the next 12 months, I'm happy to share, warts and all! Thanks for joining my on this journey to help elevate the role of procurement.  I have learned A TON, and I hope you have too! For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/turning1 

Jimmy Anklesaria is one of the most prominent thought leaders in procurement today.  Jimmy is considered by many as the go-to expert when it comes to the strategic management of cost. He literally wrote the book (well, two books), and regularly travels the globe helping organizations reduce their third party costs.  Importantly, he does this not through the leveraging of power but by using data as the foundation of fact based sourcing and continuous improvement.  Jimmy had so much information to share that we recorded two separate shows!  These cover the strategic management of cost from initial sourcing to end of contract.  Today, we focus on the initial sourcing and negotiation process. Jimmy shares a number of insights, including: Why as a young company Director he did not understand the importance of procurement, and what his light bulb moment was. The most important part of the negotiation process Why business deals have to be win-win to be sustainable over the long term What a procurement professional can do to better understand the cost of a product or service before they begin a negotiation How you can use publicly available information to develop should-cost models based on understanding key cost drivers Whether you need to pay for data or not. Why, while you can acquire data from third parties or a central COE, a procurement professional must not abdicate responsibility for understanding the costs and cost drivers of a product or service. This conversation was an eye-opener for me, particularly as we consider how to apply cost management techniques that are prevalent in the procurement of Direct materials to Indirect services. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/costmanagement 

I was thrilled to be a part of the Zycus event as the media partner for the conference. As part of the partnership, I was able to moderate a main stage panel event and present a separate session in the leadership tract. In today's episode, I provide an overview of the two sessions that I was involved in. I also share my key takeaways from the activities that I was able to attend - with topics such as the Internet of Things, Relevancy of Procurement, Procurement Innovation and the role of technology in procurement as a competitive advantage (the answer may surprise you). For more information, and to download a copy of my slides from session that I led, visit http://artofprocurement.com/horizontakeaways   

Unless you are new to the show, you will have heard me talk all about The Procurement Revolution event that I co-organized with Kelly Barner of Buyers Meeting Point.  We were thrilled with how the event panned out. We had 40 revolutionaries, over 50 pieces of content and five live Q&A interviews throughout the week.  We learned a ton from the things that went well, and the things that didn’t.  One of my regrets was that I wasn’t able to dedicate as much time as I would have liked to pull together all the disparate submissions into some key call’s to action.  So, what I thought I would do today is to share four different takeaways that I took from all the great submissions that we received.  For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/TPRtakeaways  

Carlson Rezidor - one of the largest hotel groups in the world with brands such as Radisson and Park Place – embarked on a path to identify, build and deploy a global source to pay platform in mid-2015. I am joined on the Art of Procurement today by Scott Deibert, the SVP of Procurement, and Bart Baetens, Director of E-Procurement for Carlson Residor. In today’s show, we chronicle their journey. I ask Scott and Bart to share the key decision points and lessons learned, as the sought to transform their global procurement technology stack.  Topics that we discussed include: Why did Carlson Rezidor decide to pivot from their existing technology stack to a new solution. Why did they decide to source an end to end suite rather than a series of point solutions. What was their key criteria for selecting the platform that they ultimately chose? What were some of their key challenges as they deployed and rolled out the platform? What would they do differently? What is the once area that they still continue to struggle with. How are they planning to continue to leverage procurement tech post roll-out – what is the #1 technology capability that is on the horizon that they want to take advantage of. If you are interested in the practical side of procurement technology – and the realities of embarking on a S2P transformation, you will not want to miss today’s show! For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/techtransformation

Today’s episode is the second in a two-part series considering Category Management: what we can do not only to implement Category Management, but also do so in a way that is sustainable over the long term. The reason why I think this is important is that often I have seen Category Management implemented for the right reasons, but after the initial burst of energy and picking the low hanging fruit, it becomes difficult to keep the momentum going and provide value in other ways. Today’s guests on the show are Lynn Rideout, Senior Manager of Category Management, and Chris Eyerman, Senior Director of Program Management, both at Denali Sourcing Services.  In part two of this two-part series, we discuss three key imperatives for a Category Manager that are required to become a trusted advisor: 1. Know Your Stakeholders 2. Understand Your Categories 3. Deliver Results    For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/categorymanagement  

Today’s episode is the first in a two-part series considering Category Management: what we can do not only to implement Category Management, but also do so in a way that is sustainable over the long term. The reason why I think this is important is that often I have seen Category Management implemented for the right reasons, but after the initial burst of energy and picking the low hanging fruit, it becomes difficult to keep the momentum going and provide value in other ways. Today’s guests on the show are Lynn Rideout, Senior Manager of Category Management, and Chris Eyerman, Senior Director of Program Management, both at Denali Sourcing Services.  In part one of this two-part series, we discuss the building blocks that are required to build a strategic and sustainable Category Management capability. Specifically, we will discuss: Why Lynn and Chris believe that Category Management is a fundamental shift in the way an organization approaches procurement rather than an extension of the sourcing process. The journey to building a sustainable category management program and the failure modes that impact an organizations ability to launch, sustain and scale. A deep dive into the building blocks of strategic category management, covering vision process, governance and capabilities.  If you are interested in hearing how you can use Category Management to make a difference to your stakeholders, today’s show is for you.   For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/CMpart1

Back in early September, the Art of Procurement left the recording studio and went live for the first time with a webinar that I hosted with a friend of the show, RFP365.  The theme of the webinar was Weighted Scoring.  Specifically, how you can use weighted scoring as part of your sourcing process, to help make decisions based on facts, rather than feelings. The webinar was broadly split into a couple of different parts – I was asking the questions of RFP365 in terms of technology – how can you set up your RFP’s to enable weighted scoring – and then my co-presenters turned the tables and asked a number of questions of my in terms of the practicalities. Today I am sharing the part of the webinar where I was asked the questions.  You will hear Anna Spady and Dave Hulsen – both Art of Procurement alumni – asking me a number of questions such as my thoughts on how to avoid biased questions, scoring mistakes, when is weighted scoring not appropriate and what to do when the top scoring supplier is not selected. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/RFPscoring  

Corporate Social Responsibility – or CSR – is a key value lever that procurement can pull to differentiate ourselves from the perceptions of the past, and that can enable us to play a role in revenue generation, not just cost reduction.  Indeed, how companies approach their CSR commitments will play an ever increasing role in the way that they are perceived by their target customers, impacting brand value and ultimately pricing power. In today’s Art of Procurement, I am joined by Jason Pearson, the President & CEO of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC). From my experience, influencing and managing supply chain sustainability – covering both Direct and Indirect spend categories - is something that as a procurement community we have not yet tackled head on.  Examples of success are limited to a few leading edge procurement teams. So in today’s episode, I wanted to explore what we – as procurement professionals and leaders – could do to integrate sustainable thinking into the way that our organizations buy. In my conversation with Jason, we discuss: Why is supply chain sustainability so important? What can procurement leaders do to make sustainability a prioritization for their organizations (Jason recommends a number of case studies for further reading). How can we initiate cross-sector collaboration to address sustainability issues that impact all the players in our industry but that require an industry wide response? How can procurement leaders prioritize sustainability initiatives – for example, by supplier or by category? The eight Direct and Indirect spend categories that lend themselves to sustainability initiatives, particularly when you are looking to start a program and are seeking early wins. The impact that legislation is having – and will continue to have – on how we building sustainability into our scoping and sourcing activities. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/SPLC

Today is the last day that content will be published in support of The Procurement Revolution event. We have had 40 revolutionaries share their perspective on such as wide variety of topics – tactical, strategic and a little bit of crystal ball gazing too! There was a particular submission from the event that I think embodies my thoughts on what the role of procurement really is - and why change must come from within.  It was recorded by Pierre Lapree, the Founder of a procurement performance management SaaS business called Per Angusta. When I received Pierre’s submission I could not help but be inspired.  Listen in, and I hope you are inspired too! For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/EP93  

Back in 2012, Sylvain Mansotte received the call from the newly appointed CPO of a large Australian based construction company to assist in the building a new procurement function.  He jumped at the chance, and one of his first priorities was to understand his new employers’ third party spend profile. Within 2 months, Sylvain had uncovered a $20M fraud that spanned 12 years and led to the perpetrator – a finance executive with 30 years of experience in the company – admitting to the crime, and ultimately being sentenced to 15 years in prison. Today’s Art of Procurement is Sylvain’s story.  Sylvain discusses how he uncovered the fraud, and the decisions he had to make in blowing the whistle. We then talk more specifically about procurement fraud.  Sylvain shares a number of fraud red flags, and provides tips on how you can ensure you have an environment where a whistleblower feels safe in coming forward if they have information to share. The experience inspired Sylvain to found Whispli, a two-way platform that enables the anonymous communication of sensitive information.  Originally designed as a tool to help whistleblowers report potential frauds without fear of recriminations, the platform is now being used across many industries, including helping students anonymously report bullying or harassment at school. Sylvain’s story is absorbing, and also a wakeup call to realize that procurement fraud is real, and that any one of us in the profession may find ourselves in the same position as Sylvain at any time, given the nature of our roles.  For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/fraud 

It has been all hands on deck this week preparing for The Procurement Revolution. In the course of recording content, there was a piece that I just couldn’t wait for next week to publish.  So, I thought I would hand over the reins of the Art of Procurement Friday Show today to Kate Vitasek.   Kate is a faculty member in the University of Tennessee’s Graduate and Executive Education programs, and founder and lead researcher for the Vested business methodology. I asked Kate to provide her perspective on an area that she believes we need to think differently about to help us to continue to mature as a profession.  Listen in to hear Kate explain the concept of sourcing business models, and why different sourcing approaches are needed based on the nature of the relationship you are trying to build with the selected supplier. For more information, visit http://theprocurementrevolution.com

The Procurement Revolution is less than two weeks away!  I am busily recording content from thought leaders around the world who have inspiring perspectives to share on how we need to challenge the status quo to survive and thrive in the new era of procurement. Listen in to today's episode to learn more about the event, the content that will be shared, and the channels we are using to get the word out. To register to join The Procurement Revolution, visit http://theprocurementrevolution.com   

Much has been written about the fact that the Millennial Generation will make up 50% of the workforce by 2020.  How to attract and retain Millennial professionals is becoming an increasingly important challenge for procurement leaders as large numbers of baby boomers retire by the day. In the first part of today's episode, I connect with M.L. Peck (of the Institute for Supply Management - ISM) and Donna Cicale (of THOMASNET.com).  We talk about the challenge of attracting Millennials into the supply chain and procurement profession, and the 30 Under 30 program that ISM and THOMASNET.com developed to showcase talented and emerging leaders. In the second part of the interview, I sit down with Amy Georgi, a Program Manager responsible for Procurement M&A at Fluke Electronics.  Amy is the current Megawatt Winner of the 30 Under 30 Program.  Firstly, Amy and I talk about procurement's role in facilitating M&A in a manufacturing environment. We then transition into a key pillar of motivation and job satisfaction for Millennial professionals - the ability to have flexibility in their work locations.  From personal experience, this is something the solicits passionate perspectives that vary wildly!  In our conversation, Amy shares tips for procurement leaders faced with employees who want and value location independence, and for professionals on how to stay in touch with the home office when working remotely. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/30under30 

How can professionals best position themselves for success in the new era of procurement?  That is the question that I explore in the second of a two part series on the factors that look to change the shape of our profession. In this episode, I explain the notion of a two-tier procurement profession, and the six different role types that I believe will be fundamental in ensuring that procurement remains relevant in times of significant change. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/nextgen2

What will the future of procurement look like, and how as procurement professionals can we prepare for disruption that is heading our way?   In the first of a two part series, I explore the likelihood that procurement as a function will even exist in 10 years time - in response to a number of projections that I have recently heard about the future of our profession.   I then share my perspective on how I believe procurement will evolve, based on both my personal experiences and learnings to date from interviewing thought leaders on the Art of Procurement. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/nextgen1 

On today's Art of Procurement, I welcome Coupa President and CEO Rob Bernshteyn to the show. In our discussion, Rob and I focus on the concept of value as a service, and the benefits of focusing on delivering outcomes rather than tasks. I then question Rob on what procurement leaders can apply from the concept of value of a service as they look to build a more stakeholder orientated procurement delivery model and the capabilities that underpin it. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/valueasaservice 

As a Buyer, a key factor in my sourcing decisions was the size of the supplier.  While it is arguably the greatest piece of marketing of all time, the fact that “nobody ever got fired for buying IBM” was often at the forefront of my mind.  I had a number of reasons for taking this approach – some real, some perceived.  In today’s Art of Procurement, I explore the reality of working with small and medium sized businesses with Tom Greco and Ed Edwards of THOMASNET.com.  First, Tom and Ed explain which of my fears were based on fact, and which were in my mind only. They then provide guidance on how I could have mitigated the risks that are present to take advantage of the benefits that working with small and medium sized businesses provides. We then move to the other side of the table.  How do small and medium sized businesses feel about working with larger procurement functions.  The answers surprised me.  In essence, smaller companies fear working with larger organizations as much as I did with them.  So how can we break the cycle?  In the final part of the discussion, Tom and Ed provide their insights into how we as procurement professionals can more effectively facilitate the use of smaller companies to benefit from the innovations – and often lower costs – that they can often provide. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/smb 

On Wednesday of this week, I joined host Jamie Liddell (Editor in Chief at Outsource Magazine) and fellow panelists Kate Vitasek (Vested) and Don Ryan (KPMG) on this month’s Outsource Talks Q&A webinar. During the webinar, I answered questions from Jamie related to the current challenges that CPO’s are facing, and the evolution (and future) of procurement outsourcing.  My favorite was a question on how I would structure the sourcing organization if a Fortune 50 company with a huge budget came knocking at my door! When Jamie approached me to be a panelist on Outsourcing Talks, I thought it would be fun if we continued the discussion on the Art of Procurement.  So in today’s show, I turn the tables on Jamie and put him in the hot seat!  In the webinar, it was suggested that technological change will lead to a revolution in the way organizations access business services.  I ask Jamie if this is hype, or reality.  We also discuss the ongoing implications of Brexit, and I ask Jamie if his perspective has changed since he wrote passionately against Brexit the morning after the vote. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/outsourcetalks 

As the Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Tradeshift, Christian Lanng is on the front lines of the technology evolution, and he gets to see first-hand the impact that innovative technology is having – and will have - on the enterprise. In today’s Art of Procurement podcast, I sit down with Christian to understand what this will mean for procurement. If Christian’s vision materializes, it will mean a seismic shift is in store for our profession over the next 10 years. In this episode, you will learn: Why the measure of procurement’s success will become the cost to change suppliers, not the cost savings achieved from your existing suppliers. Why we will stop buying products and services, and start buying outcomes. How we will need to think more like a data scientist, analyzing new and expanding sources of information to determine the projects and transactions that matter, and that require human interaction. How organizations will transition from current delivery models to accessing procurement talent on-demand, using talent marketplaces. Why Christian believes that procurement leaders can turn their retained staff into a profit center by selling that expertize to non-competitors. The benefits of a platform & applications approach when building your procurement technology infrastructure. Why we are already in the "summer" of bots, and why AI will be the technology that has the biggest impact on procurement. Why the procurement professional of the future will need to be "problem solvers" and "opportunists". For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/tradeshift 

Procurement plays a pivotal role in the delivery and execution of the Olympic Games.  However, it was not always like that.  The organizing committee of the 2012 London Olympic games took the decision to invest in strategic procurement like never before.  The result: the success of team created a legacy whereby the IOC has recognized that procurement must play a pivotal role in the delivery of all subsequent Games. I am joined today by Gerry Walsh, the CPO of the London 2012 games.  We discuss his and his team's Olympic journey, including the key challenges his team faced, how they overcame them, and the extraordinary lengths that they went to, to ensure that the Organizing Committee fulfilled their CSR commitments. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/olympics 

As procurement professionals, we often see our peers across the negotiating table as adversaries. However, there is a lot that we can learn and apply from the art of Sales, particularly when it comes to influencing others. This week’s guest on the Art of Procurement is Stan Garber, President of Scout RFP. Stan is a proven sales and business development leader, and I wanted to tap into that experience to focus on two specific use cases where procurement can lever Sales techniques to increase their sphere of influence.  First, we explore ways of selling the procurement value proposition internally, and then shift focus and consider how you can convince larger suppliers to provide “customer-of-choice” status when your level of spend alone may not merit such treatment. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/scout 

In my experience, there are few stakeholder relationships that are as important, or as fractious, as those between procurement and IT - particularly when it comes to supporting strategic purchases.  How can we turn this relationship on its head, and become friends and not foes? This was the topic of today's conversation with Kendra Von Esh, ex-CIO of Veolia and current Executive Strategic Advisor for Coupa.  Kendra and I explore how the CIO is measured, why a CIO may bypass procurement, and what we can do about it. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/cio

As the skill sets that CPO’s require from their procurement professionals continues to evolve, the market for the most qualified talent is becoming more competitive than ever. Previously, the lure of a brand, or a small step up in responsibilities and salary was enough to attract the best and brightest.  As a candidate, you were told to be happy that someone – anyone – was willing to give you a pay check. How things change.  In today’s show, Andrew Daley, co-founder of procurement recruitment firm Edbury Daley provides his insight on what the most effective firms are doing to attract the best procurement talent in the market. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/rulesofattraction 

Kelly Barner and I feel strongly that we have a lot of opportunity in front of us as a procurement function, but we need to challenge the status quo.  By focusing on the same things that we have always done is more likely to lead to us becoming irrelevant than a strategic business partner. Enter, The Procurement Revolution. Kelly and I have started to finalize the themes within the Procurement Revolution, and there is one that we wanted to enlist your help with today.  Listen in to today's Art of Procurement show to find out how you can help shape the Revolution! http://artofprocurement.com/75  

Think of the handful of supplier agreements that you have that are fundamental to your business operations and strategy.  How many of your most material supplier relationships are based on leverage, power dynamics and a zero sum game? Today's guest is Kate Vitasek, Founder of the Vested business methodology. Kate provides real world examples as I ask how we, as procurement professionals, can put these rules in to practice and create relationships based on the notion of shared value.  The result: a supply based that enables our stakeholders to “win” at what it is that they do to contribute to the competitive advantage of our organizations. For more information, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/vested

At some point in time, we all come to a crossroads. A decision has to be made between two paths that has long term implications on the direction of our careers. I have encountered a number of these crossroads throughout my career to date.  In today's show, I share three such examples, the decisions I took (and why), and then I reflect on the lessons that I learned so that you don't have to make the same mistakes as I did! For more information, go to http://artofprocurement.com/careercrossroads  

With procurement talent at a premium, and the skills required to be successful rapidly evolving, professional development has arguably never been so important within our field.  But, are old world methods of learning such as classroom training dead?  Mark Pollack, Vice President of SIG University is an expert in adult education. In today's episode, Mark shares why ongoing development is so important, along with the keys to delivering training programs that inspire and motivate professionals to engage in the developmental opportunities provided to them.  For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/education   

In today’s Art of Procurement, I share how the concept of demand management came to the front of my mind while out shopping for birthday presents for my son last weekend. I then discuss five different ways in which procurement can help our organizations reduce their overall expenditure by managing demand rather than reducing supplier profit margins. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/demandmanagement 

Where do you go for supplier information if you are asked to lead a sourcing project for a product or service you are unfamiliar with? Stephany Lapierre, my guest on today’s Art of Procurement show, is the expert in Supplier Discovery. First Stephany founded Matchbook, a consulting firm helping biotech firms identify and source hard to find suppliers to meet very specific needs. Following customer demand, she then built and launched tealbook, an online supplier knowledge management platform. In today's show, Stephany shares the 10 most effective ways in which to identify qualified suppliers for your next sourcing event or category strategy. For more information, go to: http://artofprocurement.com/supplierdiscovery 

The makeup of the workforce is changing rapidly.  Statistics show that organizations are looking to hire part-time, temporary words more than ever before, as they look to become more agile and reduce their fixed costs. At the same time, the service industry and enabling technology that underpins the flow of contingent workers is undergoing a revolution.  It feels like hardly a week goes by before I read about the launch of another platform, technology or partnership in the space. So how can we make sense of all these moving parts, and enable our organizations take advantage of the future of work? This is the topic of today’s show, with contingent workforce expert Terri Gallagher.  This is the third in a three part series on contingent labor and procurement, and definitely the most thought provoking! If you are a procurement professional with responsibility for shaping continent labor strategies, or a consultant who wants to learn how organizations will be buying your services in the future, today’s show is a must listen! For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/futureofwork  

David Hearn is on a mission to help forward thinking procurement leaders transform their procurement organizations from being tactical to strategic.  As a practitioner, he has led three different organizations - Juniper, Kaiser Permanente and Sun Microsystems, through this transformation journey.   In today's Art of Procurement, David shares what he has learned from his experiences to date - what works, and what does not - and he discusses the importance that technology plays in driving the changes that are necessary for a transformation program to be successful. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/transformation  

A week has passed since the UK electorate shocked the world by voting to leave the EU.  In this episode, I share my personal feelings on the vote, and also explore both the short term impact and what I believe is the most likely long term outcome. In the short term, I believe that the Brexit vote provides an opportunity for procurement professionals and leaders to position themselves as the go-to contacts for the c-suite in managing the supply side volatility that is a natural consequence of the result.  So, for today's show, I immediately reached out to Susan Grelling. Susan is an economist, CPO and Risk Management executive who also has first hand experience of the impact of the Soviet Union breakup.  Susan is ideally positioned to provide guidance on how procurement can navigate volatility while minimizing risk to the benefit of our organizations. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/brexitreaction 

In the second part of our Value Based Procurement series, I am joined today by former CPO & Founder of Supply Chain Advisors Joanna Martinez and Jordan Early of Old Street Labs.  Joanna, Jordan and I explore where to look to find opportunities to create value for our organizations.  We discuss a wide range of options, from supplier driven innovation to how to make a stakeholders experience with procurement more streamlined and user friendly. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/procurementvalue 

Let's undermine the status quo. Stand Up. Speak Out. Drive Change. Today on the Art of Procurement, I am excited to launch a new procurement event in conjunction with Buyers Meeting Point and Kelly Barner: The Procurement Revolution. In today's show, Kelly and I explain the philosophy behind The Procurement Revolution, what it is, and how you can get involved! For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/TPRlaunch 

In my experience, e-auctions are often used and abused for the wrong reasons.  However, if you use them strategically, they can be a very powerful tool in your sourcing tool kit. In today's show, I explore the critical success factors that determine the successful of your next e-auction. Alun Rafique and Anya McKenna of Market Dojo explain the necessary steps you must take at all stages of an auction - from pre-event preparation to post-even communication. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/auctiontips  

It has been a couple of months since I opened up the curtains and shared with you some updates about the Art of Procurement.  However, I have a couple of announcements to make that I am really excited about, and I cover these in today's Art of Procurement Friday show.

  Business acumen is an often cited skill needed to be successful in the "new" procurement.  But what exactly is it, and how does it apply to procurement? This was the topic of conversation in today's interview with Jim Barnes, the Managing Director of ISM Services.  Jim highlights 10 different traits that he sees - in his experience helping procurement leaders increase the capabilities of their teams - that collectively make up the concept of business acumen.  Jim also shares which he believes are the most important skills, and how leaders can begin to develop these capabilities in their teams. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/acumen.  

Today's Friday Show is in response to a listener question: how can I get early engagement with my business stakeholders? In this episode, I take a look back at my experiences as a practitioner, and look at the key elements that differentiated the projects where I was able to engage early and those where I was nothing more than a rubber stamp. For more information, go to: http://artofprocurement.com/61  

We hear a lot about the changing procurement skill set, and the difficulty that CPO’s are experiencing in hiring the talent they require. However, what is the reality, and if so, how can procurement leaders adjust? And how can procurement professionals stand out from the crowd? My guest today on the Art of Procurement is Greg Tennyson, the Chief Procurement Officer of VSP Global. Greg explains why the talent shortage isn’t as black and white as it may seem, and he shares what he looks for when hiring and promoting procurement talent. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/greg 

This week's Friday Show is a little different.  A recurring theme in my discussions with procurement thought leaders is the need to expand the value that we bring to being more than cost savings alone.  With that in mind, I started working with Joanna Martinez (former CPO and Founder of Supply Chain Advisors) and Jordan Early (Head of Research at Old Street Labs) on a series of shows dedicated to the concept of value based procurement. Joanna, Jordan and I met earlier this week to start mapping out the series. I loved the points being raised so much that I asked Joanna and Jordan if I could hit the record button.  What follows is a short conversation on what value based procurement is, and why it is so important to our future. For more information, visit http://artofprocurement.com/valueintro  

How organizations use third party procurement services like outsourcing is evolving rapidly.  While only a short time ago, procurement outsourcing was synonymous with job losses, it is now being used as an enabler for growth.  In this episode of the Art of Procurement, Mike Jacobs, Chief Procurement Officer of Staples, explains how Staples uses procurement BPO to enable his internal team to focus on providing value to their stakeholders and elevating the role of procurement. For more information, go to http://artofprocurement.com/mikejacobs  

This week, rather than publish my normal Friday solo show, I am going to share another great interview.  Procurement consulting firm Advanced Purchasing Dynamics (APD) recently surveyed a cross section of President's, CEO's and CFO's across the manufacturing industry to understand how they perceived the role of procurement.  To any procurement professional, regardless of industry, the results were both eye opening and alarming! Today's guest on the show is Jeoff Burris, the Founder of APD. Jeoff shares the key findings from APD's research, and how he believes that procurement leaders and professionals should react to build build stronger relationships and relevancy with the c-suite. For show notes, visit http://artofprocurement.com/ceo  

Today's guest on the Art of Procurement is Tom Derry, CEO is ISM (Institute for Supply Management).  Tom and I sat down at last week's ISM 2016 Conference to discuss his key takeaways from the event, and how ISM is evolving to meet the changing needs of its members. Tom then answered a number of quick fire questions, including a question asking if we are facing a talent deficit in procurement.  Listen in to hear Tom's answer! For show notes, visit http://artofprocurement.com/ism2016

Alan Mulally led arguably the greatest turnaround in corporate history. He saved Ford Motor Company from bankruptcy amid the chaos of the 2008 recession, and architected and led the transformation of Ford's product line, brand reputation and financial performance. I had the opportunity this week to sit in on a keynote with Alan at the ISM2016 conference in Indianapolis.  In today's Friday show, I want to share what Alan described as "all I know".  The 11 steps that he used to drive the transformation.  In my mind, these can be applied successfully to any project, and they are just great pieces of business advice.  I hope you agree! For more, visit: http://artofprocurement.com/ford