In this episode of the Young Leaders series, Rich talks to Lada Samarska, Community Manager at Precoro, about her unintentional yet fulfilling journey into procurement. Lada shares her insights on the importance of procurement in daily life, the collaborative nature of her role, and the external perception challenges faced by the profession. She discusses the skills vital for procurement, her team's achievements amidst market turbulence, and her aspirations for the future.&nbs...

In this episode of the Procurement Conversation, host Rich interviews Nils Brauckmann, Head of Procurement at Personio, as part of the Young Leaders series. Nils shares his journey into procurement, the daily challenges and rewards of the role, and the skills necessary for success. He discusses the importance of outside-the-box thinking, building relationships, and leveraging automation in procurement. Nils also emphasises the necessity of more visibility for procurement in aca...

In this episode of the Young Leaders Series, Rich interviews Isimeme Ughele, Head of Sourcing for West Africa and Morocco at Ericsson. Isimeme shares her journey into procurement, from her entry into the field, the roles she has held, and the skills that have contributed to her success.She emphasises the importance of continuous learning, mentorship, and emotional intelligence, and discusses the future of procurement, including digital transformation and sustainability. Isimeme also...

In this episode of the Procurement Conversation, part of the Young Leaders series, Laurie Franquesa, Managing Principal at Argon & Co., shares her journey into procurement from a mechanical engineering background. Laurie discusses her career and the dynamic and strategic nature of procurement, her daily activities, and the challenges faced, such as being involved too late in processes. She outlines key skills for success in procurement, highlights the importance of continuous le...

In this episode, Rich speaks to Jennifer Francis, Category Manager for Indirects at Thames Water. Jennifer shares her journey into the procurement field, expressing her love for the diverse challenges and opportunities it offers, from building supplier relationships to formulating business strategies and negotiating commercial terms. Jennifer talks about how she found her calling in procurement and discusses the daily dynamics of her role, the strategic importance of procurement in ...

In this episode of our Young Leaders series, Rich speaks to Ed Gamble, Digital Garage Manager at BP, who shares his journey into procurement, the evolving role of technology in procurement, and the importance of emotional intelligence and people skills in the field. Ed discusses how his team at BP's 'Garage' seeks innovative tech solutions to improve procurement processes, his accidental entry into the field post-university, and the fulfillment he finds in tackling diverse challenges and...

In this episode of the Procurement Conversation, part of the Young Leaders series, host Rich talks with Ann Dhondt, Category Manager at Vodafone Procurement and Procurement Manager at HANNDS'ON. Ann shares her journey into procurement, beginning with her creative endeavours in product management and sourcing in Asia. She expresses her love for the creativity and variability the field offers, emphasising how procurement isn't just about negotiation but also about fostering relationsh...

This week Rich speaks to Tim Snow, CPO at Inmarsat about enhancing the agility and efficiency of procurement.Emphasising the importance of procurement taking a proactive and involved role from the onset of strategy development, the conversation highlights the necessity for procurement to be seen as a partner capable of driving quality, pace, and commercial thinking, rather than simply executing processes. Key topics include the importance of building meaningful stakeholder relationships,...

Procurement is the best job in the world. I’ve been privileged to work in it for the last 22 years and have loved every minute of it.I’ve worked on great projects with fantastic people, and The Procurement Conversation podcast is my way of spreading the love and giving back.I have seen how passionate and innovative teams can change the perception of procurement from an administration function to a visionary function, from obsessing over cost to delivering significant value, and from a systems...

In this episode, Rich talks to procurement professional Mark Coulson talks about important changes in IR35 Interim Worker Space, including the significant tax offset change, and the resulting opportunities for procurement teams. This conversation reveals how these changes can de-risk IR35 by about 75%, leading to material cost savings, providing access to better caliber contractors, and avoiding the need to body shop. Mark further suggests that given these changes, companies need to reconside...