Recently, SIG had the pleasure of hosting ProcureAbility experts David Latten of Logitech, Chris Shaffer of EyeCare Partners and Adrian Dragomir of REI for the December CPO & Executive Virtual Series. It was a very engaging discussion with many thought-provoking takeaways. Let's get into it!
David Latten, Head of Procurement and Supplier Diversity & Equality at Logitech International, opened the day by discussing his organization's supplier diversity initiatives. Logitech refreshed the program in 2020 and has since expanded exponentially. For example, previously, Logitech had no Black-owned businesses within its supply chain. and have since vastly grown their vendor base to include more diverse suppliers. Logitech has a goal of having a world-class supplier diversity program in place by 2026. As he stated, " Logitech's core value is equality, and your suppliers should reflect that".
Adrian Dragomir, Head of Procurement at REI Inc., was next to present as he looked at how layoffs have affected his team, the challenges of balancing the new players in the company and how to interact with them. Adrian's approach is to let partners know that they exist to help you, not here to do your job. He then discussed how his team is now like "wolves on prey" after adjusting to the changes. Finally, he explained why it is important to take into consideration all aspects of a company when making decisions related to staffing and personnel changes. When it comes to talent, Adrian says the most important thing for his team members is to get the job done.
Chris Shaffer, Sr. Director Procurement, Facilities & Biomedical Support at EyeCare Partners, closed the discussion by outlining his team's goals for 2023. He listed them out as:
Supplier segmentation & standardization
Spend management - cost controls, savings
Accelerate automation
These goals resonated well with many of the CPOs, as many of the attendees agreed with the target areas for the future. Building on those goals, Chris outlined how the leadership team was aiming to "focus on people". By using the LBWA - learn by walking around - they are able to gain more insight into the full operational landscape of the organization. A great example of this is Chris meeting the man who cracks every single egg for a mayonnaise supplier.
My favorite moment was Chris referencing the legendary Mike Tyson quote, "everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth". That quote relates to so many aspects of not only life but supply chain issues as well. With many CPOS and senior executives from new companies joining the virtual series, we ended the day with a meet and greet of attendees. It was great to learn the details of so many great organizations.
If you're a senior procurement executive and want to participate in SIG's peer-led conversations, please join our next CPO & Executive Virtual Series!
Desmond Williams is the digital marketing Manager for SIG. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Entrepreneurship and a minor in Sociology from The Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. With a background in Marketing and Sales, relationships are at the core of his values.
Recently, SIG had the pleasure of hosting ProcureAbility experts David Latten of Logitech, Chris Shaffer of EyeCare Partners and Adrian Dragomir of REI for the December CPO & Executive Virtual Series. It was a very engaging discussion with many thought-provoking takeaways. Let's get into it!
David Latten, Head of Procurement and Supplier Diversity & Equality at Logitech International, opened the day by discussing his organization's supplier diversity initiatives. Logitech refreshed the program in 2020 and has since expanded exponentially. For example, previously, Logitech had no Black-owned businesses within its supply chain. and have since vastly grown their vendor base to include more diverse suppliers. Logitech has a goal of having a world-class supplier diversity program in place by 2026. As he stated, " Logitech's core value is equality, and your suppliers should reflect that".
Adrian Dragomir, Head of Procurement at REI Inc., was next to present as he looked at how layoffs have affected his team, the challenges of balancing the new players in the company and how to interact with them. Adrian's approach is to let partners know that they exist to help you, not here to do your job. He then discussed how his team is now like "wolves on prey" after adjusting to the changes. Finally, he explained why it is important to take into consideration all aspects of a company when making decisions related to staffing and personnel changes. When it comes to talent, Adrian says the most important thing for his team members is to get the job done.
Chris Shaffer, Sr. Director Procurement, Facilities & Biomedical Support at EyeCare Partners, closed the discussion by outlining his team's goals for 2023. He listed them out as:
These goals resonated well with many of the CPOs, as many of the attendees agreed with the target areas for the future. Building on those goals, Chris outlined how the leadership team was aiming to "focus on people". By using the LBWA - learn by walking around - they are able to gain more insight into the full operational landscape of the organization. A great example of this is Chris meeting the man who cracks every single egg for a mayonnaise supplier.
My favorite moment was Chris referencing the legendary Mike Tyson quote, "everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth". That quote relates to so many aspects of not only life but supply chain issues as well. With many CPOS and senior executives from new companies joining the virtual series, we ended the day with a meet and greet of attendees. It was great to learn the details of so many great organizations.
If you're a senior procurement executive and want to participate in SIG's peer-led conversations, please join our next CPO & Executive Virtual Series!
Desmond Williams is the digital marketing Manager for SIG. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Entrepreneurship and a minor in Sociology from The Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. With a background in Marketing and Sales, relationships are at the core of his values.