World Procurement Congress 2023 – H&Z Panel Discussion

WPC 2023 – H&Z panel discussion

Martina Buchhauser from The Procurement Initiative, Thomas Janvier, CPO of INNIO and Richard McIntosh from H&Z participated in a panel discussion on The New Purpose of Procurement at the World Procurement Congress in London. 

With over 800 attendees, the World Procurement Congress is the world’s most prestigious senior procurement event and the panel discussion, hosted by Lorenza Schiaffino-Asser from Procurement Leaders, provided a platform for a fascinating panel discussion and audience Q&A focused on developing a roadmap to lead the future development of the procurement function. 

The wide-ranging discussion covered a range of perspectives from procurement discussions at the C-Suite, how to transform to a future best-in-class procurement function, to real-world examples from CPOs. 

The first is the evolution of function - from simply reacting to requirements, to pro-actively making strategic impact. Making sure procurement functions do the basics very efficiently, and digitally, in order to focus talent on doing the things that make a difference.

It is also about breaking down the silos – internally between functions, and externally to partners. The interface between Procurement and Sales was highlighted as a great example. When procurement is last-in the chain, there is little impact (just processing) but when involved early, and able to challenge, there is an exponential impact in savings and the ability to challenge the fundamentals – strategy, specifications, demand.

Making the big changes, requires a wider range of way-of-working with suppliers. Changing the traditional dynamic away from win-lose competition, to win-win collaboration

Procurement needs the ability to look at the whole picture, to have a much deeper understanding and analysis capability, and the ability to make holistic decisions based on all available perspectives – cost, carbon, innovation, community, risk. etc. To do this, there is the need for digital tools to provide complete, deep, supply chain transparency

And finally, its about people and leadership, at every level, not just CPO. Procurement leaders to partner with the business and make change happen.

Thank you to Martina Buchhauser from The Procurement Initiative and to Thomas Janvier, CPO of INNIO for their participation and insights.