In this episode, we’re joined by Keith Wright - Founder & CEO of K. Wright Consultancy and author of “The Power of Professional Procurement.”

With 25+ years experience as a Procurement practitioner, Keith shares his knowledge about Procurement’s new challenges, new role, and new value creation - as well as the best and worst practices that he’s seen in his consulting career. He also talks to Sam about why he made the transition from practitioner to consultant and the lessons that he’s shared about “Professional Procurement” in his new book.

Visit Keith’s website to download his supplier scorecard and get a copy of “The Power of Professional Procurement”:
https://www.kwrightconsultancy.co.uk/

Or reach out to Keith on his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-wright-4aa823a8/

(00:38) - Introducing Keith

(01:49) - What does Sourcing & Procurement mean to Keith?

(04:25) – How did Keith end up working in Procurement? Did he choose it or did it choose him?

(05:49) – Where does Keith think that Procurement can help the most?

(07:38) – What made Keith switch from being a Procurement practitioner to an independent consultant?

(11:40) – What tip would Keith give to anyone looking to make the move into consulting?

(13:04) – Does Keith see a common denominator for businesses that are getting Procurement right or wrong today?

(17:30) – What are the biggest challenges for Procurement teams today?

(21:36) – What Procurement tactics does Keith see that should be a thing of the past?
(24:04) – What inspired Keith to write his book “The Power of Professional Procurement”?

(27:07) – What are some of the key themes that Keith shared in his book “The Power of Professional Procurement”?

(29:20) – What was some of the qualitative and quantitative data that Keith captured for writing his book?

(32:22) – What does “Professional Procurement” look like to Keith?

(34:19) – What are some of Keith’s top Procurement hacks?

(38:14) – What advice would Keith give to himself at the beginning of his career?

(39:44) – Keith answers our Kodiak Moment quick fire round of questions

In this episode, Sam is joined by Pascal Evertz, a Procurement Innovator, Founder of GoBeyondProcurement, and Owner & Managing Director of Buyers United. With over 25 years of experience in the industry and a doctorate in Business Administration, Pascal has consulted numerous global businesses with training and development in bespoke AI solutions.

Pascal shares his knowledge with Sam in an enlightening discussion about AI solutions, Procurement’s digital transformation, the shift from cost savings to value creation, stronger supplier relationships, change management, and more!

(00:40) - Introducing Pascal

(01:23) - What does Sourcing & Procurement mean to Pascal?

(02:14) - What made Pascal work in Procurement?

(03:00) - What does Pascal do at GoBeyondProcurement?

(04:26) - How does one avoid the buzz about AI as a Procurement practitioner?

(05:35) - Why does Pascal think that some businesses might be hesitant to use AI in Procurement?

(06:16) - Is Procurement ready for the next generation of technology? And if so, how do they get there?

(08:00) - Why are Procurement teams not happy with their tools?

(09:33) - Why does Pascal think that so many Procurement teams have trouble with change management?

(10:12) - How can Procurement teams make the shift from cost savings to innovation and value?

(13:08) - How does a team best leverage their suppliers’ competencies?

(16:28) - Are there Procurement tactics today that Pascal thinks will soon be a thing of the past?

(17:37) - What are some traditional Procurement tactics that Pascal thinks are here to stay?

(18:38) - Why are Procurement teams still using inefficient methods?

(19:38) - Why does Procurement feel that they need to be in control? And how can Procurement get involved early to not come into the process too late?

(24:26) - Pascal answers Sam’s quick fire round of questions

In this episode, we’re joined by Adwoa Owusu-Banahene, Procurement Leader at London Legacy Development Corporation and a seasoned leader in public procurement and the construction & development space with over 15 years of experience.
She and Sam share a great discussion on how Adwoa felt called to procurement, the responsibilities of public procurement to their communities, how new regulations are reshaping supplier relationships, the importance of diversity in procurement teams and the supply chain, and much more!

(00:39) - Introducing Adwoa

(01:20) - What does Sourcing & Procurement mean to Adwoa?

(04:34) - What made Adwoa choose to work in Sourcing & Procurement?

(07:37) - Why did Adwoa decide to become a specialist in the Procurement space?

(09:05) - How is construction & development Procurement different from other industries? And how does public and private Procurement differ?

(12:22) - Does Adwoa think public Procurement is hindered from innovation or is that shifting?

(15:00) - How can Procurement practitioners do more with less?

(17:05) - How do regulations in public Procurement affect supplier relationships?

(20:40) - What value does Adwoa provide for London in her role at LLDC?

(23:12) - Does Adwoa think that Procurement has an obligation to make an impact in communities?

(29:11) - How can Procurement improve its diversity, equity, and inclusion and how does this affect supplier diversity?

(34:08) - What are some of the common misconceptions about Procurement in the construction and development space?

(36:39) - Adwoa answers our quick fire round of questions

We’re joined by Anam Rahman - “Agent PO” and the Founder & CEO at Kavida, the AI solution that empowers manufacturing teams with post-PO management for on-time deliveries.

As a former procurement practitioner turned ProcureTech founder, Anam shares his wide range of Procurement insights with Sam Jenks in this great discussion, covering Kavida’s mission, AI adoption, PLG, Anam’s learnings as a founder, and more!

(00:38) - Introducing Anam

(01:38) - What does Kavida do and why do teams need its solutions?

(04:11) - What lead Anam to found Kavida?

(06:08) - Where does Kavida make the biggest impact for organizations today?

(08:06) - How will we find the balance between AI and human intelligence in Procurement?

(11:48) - Is AI only for digital native companies or can any company adopt it? And what is needed to prepare a company to adopt AI solutions?

(14:48) - What is PLG and what comes to mind for Adam about PLG?

(18:15) - Will PLG ever work within the enterprise?

(21:57) - What was a learning in Anam’s journey and how did he move forward?

(24:44) - What’s something Anam knows today that he wishes he’d known at the beginning of his career?

(27:21) - What tips does Anam have for anyone on a founder’s journey?

(30:08) - Anam answers our Kodiak Moment quick fire round of questions

On this episode, we’re joined by Vera Rozanova - a Procurement thought leader, award-winning speaker, CIPS lecturer, and former CPO at Royal Canin, British American Tobacco, Rusagro, and Procter & Gamble.

Vera joins Sam for a great discussion about the future of Procurement, how to build new plans and frameworks, building strong Supplier Development Programs, the necessary skills for Procurement teams, new technology adoption, and more!

(00:39) - Introducing Vera

(01:32) - How did Vera get started in Procurement?

(02:58) - What does Vera think Procurement is today and where is it going?

(03:58) - How will Procurement teams look different under Procurement 4.0?

(05:29) - What are Vera’s concrete tips to impact culture and building processes and frameworks quickly?

(06:39) - What are Vera’s guidelines for building a plan and executing on it in a new organization?

(08:17) - How does Vera source the best talent for Procurement when she’s hiring?

(11:02) - What skills does Vera look for in a new hire besides soft skills & hard skills?

(12:31) - Are there specialist Procurement roles that have emerged today which will stick around for the future?

(15:01) - What is Vera’s approach to supplier development within a global multi-national?

(17:25) - Does Vera use a specific segmentation model for suppliers or develop one based on the business?

(19:04) - What type of team and skills are needed for a strong supplier development plan?

(21:50) - When is it the right time to work with supplier learning and development?

(22:24) - When is the wrong time to work with supplier development? What are the signs that it’s too early or late?

(24:11) - Are supplier development programs only necessary for strategic suppliers or a certain level of maturity?

(25:22) - Which Procurement tactics are not going anywhere and here to stay?

(27:36) - Where are Procurement teams wasting time on manual tasks?

(28:25) - Is there a reluctancy to adopt new technologies in Procurement?

(29:18) - Vera answers our Kodiak Moment round of quick-fire questions

In this special episode, we’re joined by one of Kodiak Hub’s beloved partners - Denin Gigovic, Elektrobit’s Global Head of Procurement.

Denin joins Sam for a great discussion about how Procurement can help power innovation together with suppliers, how to balance cost with innovation, building strong relationships between internal stakeholders and external suppliers, the future of Procurement, and more!

(00:39) - Introducing Denin

(01:10) - What does Sourcing & Procurement mean to Denin?

(03:48) - What are some of the keys to career development in Procurement?

(09:32) - Denin talks about his Procurement role at Elektrobit

(11:11) - How does the competitiveness of different industries affect the way Procurement teams act and react?

(12:50) - How does Denin and Elektrobit balance cost with innovation?

(13:52) - What supplier relationship tactics does Denin use to drive innovation and get the most value?

(15:15) - How does Procurement mesh their relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers?

(18:46) - How does Denin make sure to stay operational in the business and what tips does he have?

(21:13) - Is there any way that Elektrobit is experimenting with AI?

(25:04) - How does legislation and export control affect the way that Denin and Elektrobit source?

(28:25) - Does Denin have any suggestions for how to be compliant with the recent legislative tsunami?

(32:33) - What is a mistake or learning that Denin has had in his career?

(34:12) - What are some Procurement tactics that Denin thinks are a thing of the past?

(35:34) - Are there things that have changed with Denin’s supplier relationship strategies?

(37:51) - Denin answers our Kodiak Moment quick fire round of questions

In this episode, we’re joined by Magnus Josephson, an accomplished Procurement expert and consultant with experience in both the private and public sectors. In his impressive career, Magnus has worked with over 600 companies and public entities in 12 countries and is one of Sweden’s top consultants in public Procurement.

Magnus joins Sam to discuss the differences between public and private Procurement, the politics of public Procurement, how to build sustainable supplier relationships in the public sector, and more!

(00:38) - Introducing Magnus

(01:08) - What made Magnus choose Procurement and what does it mean to Magnus?

(02:36) - What’s something that Magnus knows now that he wishes he knew at the beginning of his career?

(04:54) - What was an experience in Magnus’ career that was pivotal?

(08:58) - What are the biggest differences between public and private Procurement?

(10:25) - How political does public Procurement get?

(13:23) - How does public Procurement maintain long-term relationships with suppliers than also have flexibility?

(18:39) - Are there any Procurement tactics that Magnus thinks aren’t going anywhere and are here to stay?

(22:14) - How does public Procurement have external pressure to spend taxpayer money responsibly?

(27:29) - Magnus answers our Kodiak Moment quick fire round of questions

This episode, we’re joined by Alex Evans, a procurement practitioner with a wide range of experience in the aerospace and defense sector – having previous sourced for Boeing, Leonardo, Vertical Aerospace, and Heart Aerospace before joining Elbit Systems UK as their Supply Chain Manager.
Alex discusses his experiences of working at both multinationals and startups, the differences and similarities between Procurement in aerospace vs. other industries, whether Procurement has won the trust of stakeholders, how to build a supplier base from scratch, which SRM tactics are dead or here to stay, and more!

(00:39) - Introducing Alex

(01:03) - How did Alex start working in Procurement & Sourcing?

(01:50) - What makes Alex stay in Procurement and what does it means to him?

(02:48) - How is Procurement in the aerospace and defense industry different from Procurement in other industries?

(03:43) - What’s the biggest difference between working in Procurement for multinationals vs. startups?

(05:44) - Is it hard for Procurement teams in startups to get things right?

(07:24) - Do multinationals have something to learn from startups?

(09:00) - Where do you start with building a Procurement team in a startup?

(12:00) - Does Procurement have playbooks and who should be responsible for creating them?

(13:47) - Has Procurement won the trust of stakeholders?

(15:37) - What is some advice that Alex can give for building trust with stakeholders?

(17:11) - Where does one start to build up a new supplier base?

(19:15) - How many suppliers should a Procurement professional have in their back pocket?

(21:09) - How do you develop a supplier who isn’t delivering up to expectations?

(25:18) - What are some of the traditional Supplier Relationship Management tactics that are dead now?

(26:24) - What are some SRM tactics that are here to stay?

(28:05) - Alex answers our Kodiak Moment round of quick-fire questions