Sourcing Industry Landscape
Reminiscing with a Rising Star, featuring Nick Heinzmann, VP of Research, Spend Matters
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn is joined by Nick Heinzmann, VP of Research at Spend Matters. In his role, Nick sets the Spend Matters research and publication agenda. He also has served as a lead analyst for several technology categories, including contract lifecycle management (CLM), fraud analytics, startups and ESG-focused vendors in and around the source-to-pay (S2P) market. We learn about Nick’s personal journey and what ultimately led him to win the 2022 Future of Sourcing Rising Star Award.
Learn more about the Future of Sourcing Awards >> https://futureofsourcingawards.com/
Innovations in Governance and Compliance, featuring Coralyn Ah Moy, Senior Director of Procurement Transformation and Centre of Excellence, Air Canada
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn has the pleasure of chatting with Coralyn Ah Moy the Senior Director of Procurement Transformation and Centre of Excellence at Air Canada. In her role, Coralyn is responsible for the digitalization and transformation of the procurement function. We learn more about the People, Process & Technology Transformation project that won her team the Future of Sourcing 2022 Innovations in Governance and Compliance award. Tune in to learn more about what this innovative team is doing at Air Canada!
Learn more about the Future of Sourcing Awards >> https://futureofsourcingawards.com/
Getting to Know Chris Shaffer, Senior Director, Procurement, Facilities & Biomedical Support, EyeCare Partners
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn is joined by Chris Shaffer, the Senior Director of Procurement, Facilities & Biomedical Support at EyeCare Partners. We learn about Chris’s personal journey throughout his 16+ year career within the Supply Chain function. During his tenure at ECP, Shaffer has overseen the implementation of the Coupa business spend management platform, supporting vendor management and over $700M in annual spend. We learn about how Chris’ Military background has influenced his leadership style, expanded his willingness to learn and led him to embrace the diversity of differing opinions. Tune in to learn more about Chris’ incredible background and how he is leading innovation at EyeCare Partners.
Learn more about EyeCare Partners >>
Speaking with a Sourcing Star, featuring Dan Coor, Global Director Procurement to Pay (P2P), Sprinklr
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn is joined by Dan Coor, Global Director Procurement to Pay (P2P) of Sprinklr and the winner of the 2022 Future of Sourcing Sourcing Star Award. We learn about Dan’s 14+ year career and the journey that has led him to receive this prestigious award.
Learn more about the Future of Sourcing Awards >>
A Fireside Chat with David Schultz, VP, Chief Supply Chain Executive, Westfall Technik
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn is joined by David Schultz, Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Executive of Westfall Technik. We learn about David’s personal journey throughout his career and about Westfall Technik’s business model. Tune in to learn more about how David and his team are embracing the power of data and strategic partnerships to consolidate spend across the 17 companies that fall under their umbrella.
Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidschultz1/
Speaking with a Supernova, featuring Michael Koontz, VP Strategic Sourcing & Business Leader for ATD Sourcing Solutions
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn is joined by Michael Koontz, the Vice President of Strategic Sourcing and Business Leader at ATD Sourcing Solutions and winner of the 2022 Future of Sourcing Supernova Hall of Fame Award. We learn about Michaels 20+ year career and the journey that has led him to receive this prestigious award.
Learn more about the Future of Sourcing Awards >> https://futureofsourcingawards.com/
Preventing Risk and Compliance Struggles from Keeping your Buyers up at Night, with Enrico Aresu, Moody’s Analytics and Gary Storr, Trust Your Supplier
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn is joined by Enrico Aresu, Director and Compliance & Financial Crime Industry Practice Lead at Moodys Analytics and Gary Storr, General Manager of Trust Your Supplier. The group discusses how Trust Your Supplier has evolved from an onboarding platform to a full ecosystem of risk and compliance data and tools. Enrico and Gary tell the story of how partnering with Risk Intelligence data providers, such as Moodys, has diversified Trust Your Supplier’s compliance in so many areas.
Learn more about Trust Your Supplier >>
Learn more about Moody’s Analytics >>
Prefer to listen on iTunes? Tune in to the episode here >>
Want to watch this episode instead? View on YouTube >>
ESG in Procurement, with Karina Swette of Oliver Wyman
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn sits down with Karina Swette, a Partner in Oliver Wyman’s Operations and Consumer and Industrial Products Practice, to discuss current ESG trends in Procurement. Tune in to hear findings from their Sustainable Procurement Maturity survey!
Don’t miss your opportunity to hear Karina speak on this topic live during the CPO and Executive Roundtable taking place at the SIG Global Executive Summit on October 17th, 2022. For more information and to register visit https://events.sig.org/en/60KUru6/2022-global-executive-summit-4a3N4zjvxy/overview
To learn more about Procurement’s Journey to Sustainability visit https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/insights/2022/sep/sustainability-in-procurement-and-supply-chain.html
Empowering Businesses Starts with Quality Data, with Stephany Lapierre, Founder and CEO of TealBook
Additional corporate priorities have made it really difficult to scale with more on the line, less budget and without good, quality data. CPOs are wondering how they are going to connect all these priorities and leverage data. On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape Podcast, Dawn is joined by Stephany Lapierre, Founder and CEO of TealBook - an enterprise software company that connects buyers and suppliers and provides the data needed to make procurement decisions. Together they discuss all of the ways a supplier data foundation can empower the buy-side of the digital enterprise and be a source of truth across systems that democratizes supplier data at scale.
To learn more about TealBook, visit https://www.tealbook.com/
Don’t miss your opportunity to hear Stephany speak live at our upcoming Global Executive Summit, taking place in Rancho Mirage, CA October 17th-19th!
Renouncing ‘Big Brother’ and Adapting from the Ground Up, with Bradley Killinger, CEO of Sapience Analytics
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape Podcast, Dawn speaks with Brad Killinger, CEO of Sapience Analytics – a workforce productivity and analytics solution that delivers automated workforce data collection, data integration, insights, and decision-making through its SaaS platform. Brad gives us the scoop on how the current economic conditions have impacted the company and what they have experienced in the market that led them to make a series of adaptations recently to shake the ‘Big Brother’ fears.
To learn more about Sapience Analytics, visit https://sapienceanalytics.com
Don’t miss your opportunity to visit Sapience Analytics’ booth and hear Brad speak live at our upcoming Global Executive Summit, taking place in Rancho Mirage, CA October 17th-19th!
Discovering the Wealth of Opportunity in Colombia, with Ricardo Pedroza, US Executive Director of ProColombia
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Ricardo Pedroza, Executive Director of ProColombia in the United States, about the value potential for companies interested in doing business with Colombia. There is truly a wealth of opportunity! Tune in to hear Dawn and Ricardo discuss the economic landscape, outsourcing sector and many of the strengths and challenges of the BPO sector in Colombia.
Visit ProColombia's website to learn more about all of the offerings!
The ProColombia International Business Matchmaking Forum is coming up on November 8th – 11th in Houston, Texas. It is worth mentioning that during this matchmaking event, there will be a specialized BPO networking event of about 50 exporters and buyers. This will be the perfect opportunity for those international buyers to get in touch with Colombian vendors and start exploring the offer of our high-quality services. If you are interested in attending, please contact our Procolombia offices in Miami by emailing BPO specialist, Camilo Osuna at cosuna@procolombia.co
Be sure to follow Ricardo Pedroza on Twitter: RicardoPedrozaP and on LinkedIn as Ricardo Pedroza to stay updated about our events and further business opportunities with Colombian companies.
Part 1: A Journey of Transformation, with Gilead Sciences
Listen in to part one of this multi-part series as Dawn speaks with Jennifer Sieber, Head of Global Procurement Systems at Gilead Sciences, Inc. – a research-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative medicines. Throughout this series, we will learn about Gilead’s incredible transformation journey. On this episode, Jennifer paints us a picture of the past. We get an in-depth glimpse of where Gilead's Procurement practice was two years ago and what prompted them to embark on this innovative journey. Tune in for part two coming soon!
Catching up with Doug Leeby, President and CEO of Beeline
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn is joined by Doug Leeby, CEO of Beeline. The two discuss Stone Point Capital’s recent investment in Beeline, what this means for the future of the contingent workforce management industry, and how Beeline is staying true to their core values and culture.
Prefer to watch this episode? View here >>
The Magical CPO
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape Podcast, Dawn sits down with Tarek Alaruri, COO and Co-Founder of Fairmarkit, and Greg Tennyson, SVP of Strategy & Procurement at Fairmarkit – or shall we say Shaq and Dwyane Wade - to discuss exactly what it means to embody the Magical CPO persona in today’s procurement space.
Read more about the Magical CPO in Greg’s latest blog post >>
Embrace Digital & Disruptive Technology Through Quinnox
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn speaks with Ravi Sundaram, Chief Operating Officer of Quinnox – an agile, business-results-driven digital technology partner that aims to simplify business processes, improve customer experiences and create exceptional business value with the power of human and applied intelligence. We learn all about their digital platform journey and how their technology is helping to offset some of the challenges posed by ‘the great resignation’. Listen in to hear more about how Quinnox is using its data-driven digital solutions to help accelerate success, today and tomorrow.
Spend Matters Future 5 2021 – Featuring Malbek
It’s our last Future 5 Friday for this year! Spend Matters has partnered with SIG for a 5 part podcast series to showcase this year’s Future 5 list – a group of newly emerged procurement technology start-ups that you should know about. Over the next 2 months leading up to our Procurement Technology Summit in April, we’ll be interviewing the founders of each featured company to find out what it means to be a Future 5.
Last, but certainly not least is Malbek - a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) vendor that focuses on maintaining an approachable interface, configurable settings, easy integrations and a strong, modern cloud platform. We had the pleasure of speaking with Hemanth Puttaswamy, who would be a starving musician if he wasn’t Malbek’s CEO and Co-Founder. Hemanth shares what it means to be recognized as a Future 5 company and how Malbek is reimagining the contracting process. Listen in to hear more about this startup destined for big things in the industry!
The Dynamic Role of Procurement as a Strategic Partner, with TripActions
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape Podcast, Dawn sits down with Kate Seagriff, Director of Strategic Sourcing at TripActions for a candid conversation discussing the key trends that are impacting procurement functions across the industry. The two dive into the ever-changing roles and objectives of procurement, the importance of working in partnership alongside the C-Suite and how TripActions is helping procurement leaders accelerate their sourcing speed while mitigating risk.
Watch this episode on YouTube >>
Hungry for more? Check out these resources:
https://tripactions.com/video/how-to-use-tripactions-liquid-international
How ESG Fits into the Business Services Industry, with Everest Group
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape Podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Rita N. Soni, Principal Analyst for Impact Sourcing and Sustainability at Everest Group. Rita gives us an in-depth view of Everest Group’s “purpose framework” and her focus area – impact sourcing. Ensuring that ESG goals remain of utmost importance, without ‘green-washing’ is paramount. Tune in to hear more about how ESG fits into the business services industry and what your company can do to incorporate and live by these goals.
Spend Matters Future 5 2021 – Featuring Pactum
Future 5 Friday is back again! Spend Matters has partnered with SIG for a 5 part podcast series to showcase this year’s Future 5 list – a group of newly emerged procurement technology start-ups that you should know about. Over the next 2 months leading up to our Procurement Technology Summit in April, we’ll be interviewing the founders of each featured company to find out what it means to be a Future 5.
Up next is Pactum - an AI-based system that helps global companies to autonomously offer personalized, commercial negotiations on a massive scale. We had the pleasure of speaking with Martin Rand, Pactum’s CEO and co-founder, about what it means to be recognized as a Future 5 company and how Pactum’s complex solution is turning their clients into master negotiators. But wait, there’s more! Pactum can also be used to support your company’s ESG goals by making it easy to track and ensure that negotiated carbon emissions are offset. Listen in to hear more about this startup destined for big things in the industry!
The Procurement Landscape at Danone, brought to you by Zycus
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, brought to you by Zycus, Dawn sits down with Julio Peironcely, Global Director of Insights, Analytics and Procurement at Danone. Julio walks us through the current procurement function at Danone, his top three focus areas for technology and how he believes AI will drive procurement forward in 2022 and beyond.
Stay tuned to hear more about the AI council, formed in partnership with Zycus. The council will be an ideal platform to ideate and incubate your organization's AI journey with the best minds in the industry collaborating and providing insights to solve sourcing and procurement challenges using design thinking. We have designed the program exclusively for the Sourcing and Procurement leaders looking to solve problems and extract true value with the power of AI.
For more information or to get involved with the council, please reach out to info@sig.org
Spend Matters Future 5 2021 – Featuring ZIP
Future 5 Friday is back again! Spend Matters has partnered with SIG for a 5 part podcast series to showcase this year’s Future 5 list – a group of newly emerged procurement technology start-ups that you should know about. Over the next 2 months leading up to our Procurement Technology Summit in April, we’ll be interviewing the founders of each featured company to find out what it means to be a Future 5.
Up next is ZIP - a fast-growing vendor start-up that describes itself as operating in a new segment adjacent to and overlapping with P2P known as “intake-to-procure.” Its value proposition is to provide both requesters and stakeholders with an “intelligent, intuitive front-end to their ERP or P2P.” On this episode, Dawn sits down with Rujul Zaparde, ZIP’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, to talk about the success that has yielded them the recognition of being a Future 5 company. Dawn and Rujul elaborate on what they forecast as some of the biggest challenges that procurement will face over the coming years and how ZIP is planning to tackle them.
Risk Mitigation through Digitization with Westfield Group, brought to you by Zycus
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, brought to you by Zycus, Dawn sits down with Brian Roche, Chief Procurement Officer, Westfield Group and Zach Engels, Procurement Operations Leader at Westfield Group. Together, Brian and Zach give us a glimpse into the procurement function at Westfield, diving deep into contracting, PO and risk processes and how their partnership with Zycus has allowed them to digitize those processes from start to finish.
Stay tuned to hear more about the AI council, formed in partnership with Zycus. The council will be an ideal platform to ideate and incubate your organization's AI journey with the best minds in the industry collaborating and providing insights to solve sourcing and procurement challenges using design thinking. We have designed the program exclusively for the Sourcing and Procurement leaders looking to solve problems and extract true value with the power of AI.
For more information or to get involved with the council, please reach out to info@sig.org
Spend Matters Future 5 2021 – Featuring Archlet
Future 5 Friday is back again! Spend Matters has partnered with SIG for a 5 part podcast series to showcase this year’s Future 5 list – a group of newly emerged procurement technology start-ups that you should know about. Over the next 2 months leading up to our Procurement Technology Summit in April, we’ll be interviewing the founders of each featured company to find out what it means to be a Future 5.
Up this week, is Archlet - a solution designed to enable optimization and scenario-based sourcing, with key data-backed analytics and insights to drive quicker sourcing decisions. We had the pleasure of speaking with Lukas Wawrla, one of Archlet’s Co-Founders, about how Archlet is combining data science and machine learning with deep hands-on procurement expertise to rethink strategic sourcing and empower buyers to make better sourcing decisions faster.
The Impact of AI at Belden
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, brought to you by Zycus, Dawn speaks with Opi Gahunia, Director of Indirect Procurement at Belden. Opi paints the picture of what the current procurement landscape looks like at Belden and elaborates about how their partnership with Zycus has streamlined their S2P processes allowing them to plan for the future of AI.
Stay tuned to hear more about the upcoming launch of the AI council, formed in partnership with Zycus. The council will be an ideal platform to ideate and incubate your organization's AI journey with the best minds in the industry collaborating and providing insights to solve sourcing and procurement challenges using design thinking. We have designed the program exclusively for the Sourcing and Procurement leaders looking to solve problems and extract true value with the power of AI.
For more information or to get involved with the council, please reach out to info@sig.org
From Layoffs to the Great Resignation: The Ever-Changing World of Staffing
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, Dawn chats with Matt Fringeli, Managing Partner at TekWissen, about all things staffing! Dawn and Matt cover all the latest trends, from layoffs to the great resignation and dive deep into how the talent shortage and wage inflation have affected the market.
Spend Matters Future 5 2021 – Featuring Circulor
Spend Matters has partnered with SIG for a 5 part podcast series to showcase this year’s Future 5 list – a group of newly emerged procurement technology start-ups that you should know about. Over the next 2 months leading up to our Procurement Technology Summit in April, we’ll be interviewing the founders of each featured company to find out what it means to be a Future 5.
Up first, is Circulor – a supply chain visibility vendor that tracks minerals starting at the mine and continuing to the OEM using reporting data and statistical process-control methodology. Dawn sat down with Circulor’s Founder and CEO, Douglas Johnson‑Poensgen, to discuss how Circulor is empowering businesses to achieve their ESG Goals.
Ecosystem Alignment is Crucial to Procurement’s Leading Role in Digital Transformation
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, we sat down with Shashank Saxena, Co-Founder and CEO of VNDLY Inc., to discuss ecosystem alignment and how crucial it is to innovation in the procurement space. Listen in to hear how VNDLY’s approach to software development is unique and the role that procurement plays in shaping the digital transformation within the organization.
Learn more about VNDLY Inc. >>
The Future of Purchasing Strategies, with Per Angusta and By.O Group
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, Dawn speaks with Maurice Hamoir, Head of Business Development at Per Angusta and Etienne Marchadier, Business Unit Director- Procurement Strategies at By.O Group, about the need for new opportunities, approaches and tools in the Purchasing Strategy realm. We learn about the importance of having a “people first” mindset when putting digital transformation initiatives into action and how the data-driven evolution is empowering buyers to develop timely and informed procurement strategies, rather than being reactive in this ever-changing post-pandemic landscape.
F is for Family: The SMC Squared Story with Dr. Patricia Connolly, Pt 2
Earlier this year, we sat down with Dr. Patricia Connolly, the CEO and Co-Founder of the leading IT talent provider, SMC Squared. Dr. Pat shared a bit about the company’s strategy and introduced us to the acronym used to describe their core values: FACE. In this episode, Dawn and Dr. Pat dive deeper into the meaning behind the rest of the letters, build upon several of the other values SMC Squared strives to uphold and explore how they are maintaining the family-oriented inclusiveness the company was founded upon in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.
Missed the first episode? Listen here >>
How Savings Forecasts and Procurement Operations Align with C-Suite Objectives
On this episode of the Sourcing Landscape Podcast, Dawn sits down with Edmund Zagorin, Founder and CEO of BidOps Inc., the first company to use artificial intelligence to fully automate supplier negotiations. Listen in to hear Edmund’s thoughts on the future of Procurement and how Procurement can align itself with the CFO and C-Suite to transform itself from a cost center into a driver of cost savings.
How Automated CLM Can Strengthen the Vaccine Supply Chain
On this very timely episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, Dawn sits down with Agiloft’s CTO and founder, Colin Earl, to discuss some of the biggest challenges vaccine supply chains are facing today and how automation can help safeguard against them.
F is for Family: The SMC Squared Story with Dr. Patricia Connolly
Patricia Connolly, PhD, draws on nearly three decades of executive, IT and academic leadership to create and implement SMC Squared’s strategy, vision and mission. On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, Dawn sits down with Dr. Connolly to discuss her robust experience, the history of how SMC Squared originated and how their model helps procurement organizations address the most common challenges with offshoring and outsourcing IT.
Prefer to view this episode? Watch here >>
Why Sourcing Tech Automations Are Failing
On this Episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, Dawn is joined by Jo Seed, Chief Operating Officer of LogicSource, for a frank conversation about the challenges businesses face when sourcing and implementing procurement technology. Listen in to hear Jo’s predictions on how procurement technology platforms will evolve in the future.
Learn more about LogicSource >>
Register for LogicSource’s upcoming SIG webinar >>
Procurement’s Growing Role in Innovation and Recovery
In 2020, the role of procurement shifted, as did its strategic importance to the business. On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, Dawn speaks with Kent Mahoney, Executive Vice President of Proxima North America, about how critical it is for procurement executives to maintain a seat at the C-suite table in order to create cost-savings, control expenditures and ultimately drive innovation and recovery. Kent showcases Proxima’s 27 years of expertise as the leading global procurement consultancy and hones in on how procurement can achieve its ‘higher purpose’ by ensuring that that company is able to extract the maximum amount of value out of its supply chain and supplier relationships.
Prefer to watch this interview? Check it out on YouTube!
Learn more about Proxima and read Kent's latest article.
A Fireside Chat with Kevin Akeroyd, CEO of PRO Unlimited
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, Dawn sits down with Kevin Akeroyd, CEO of PRO Unlimited, to discuss his professional background, his long-term vision for the future of contingent workforce staffing at PRO and how technology fits into the contingent workforce program for 2021 and beyond.
Prefer to watch this interview? View it on YouTube!
What's the Next Big Risk?
On this episode of the Sourcing Industry Landscape, Dawn is joined by Michele Wesseling, Vice President, Global Third-Party Management at TD Securities, and Jai Chinnakonda, Founder and CEO of ENGAIZ. Tune in to be a fly on the wall as they discuss emerging technologies and trends while honing in on what they believe will be top of mind for third-party risk management in 2021.
Authentic Leadership: A Critical Skill for the Modern Workforce
During this candid conversation, Adele Alvarez, operations executive director for Allegis Global Solutions (AGS), shares her professional journey from recruitment to services procurement and why she’s excited about the future. She reveals insights into her 25-year career with stories that demonstrate how she nurtured her ability to be her authentic self, developed into the type of leader she wanted to be, and thrives in a company culture where flexibility, challenging the status quo, embracing a commitment to inclusion, equity and diversity, and relying on grit and curiosity make going to work every day – on behalf of AGS’ Procurement Solutions clients – an absolute joy.
Sustainable Business Practices that Drive Positive Change in Supply Chains
A new initiative to bring together technology and business leaders to establish transparency within the supply chain is highlighted in the film “A Portrait of a Supply Chain,” launched by Avery Dennison. The film highlights the importance of creating digital supply chains, enabling greater transparency for raw materials, products and the people along the journey. Avery Dennison’s Manager of Global Sustainability, Intelligent Labels, joins the podcast to discuss the outlook on the circular economy, digitalization and sustainability in today’s supply chains.
Future 5 Procurement Tech Start-Ups
SIG CEO & President Dawn Tiura and Nick Heinzmann, Research Analyst from Spend Matters announcing the Future 5 Procurement Tech Start-Ups!
An Exposé from a Procurement Insider
Peter Smith, MA, FCIPS, FRSA, is a career procurement professional turned author. He began his procurement career at Mars Confectionery, then was Procurement Director for Dun & Bradstreet Europe, the Department of Social Security, and the NatWest Group. From 2010-18 he was Managing Editor of the Spend Matters Europe website. The author of three books, he joins the podcast to talk about his newest book, "Bad Buying – How Organisations Waste Billions Through Failures, Frauds and F*ck-ups." Peter lifts the lid on some of the worst procurement scams in history, offers practical advice on avoiding embarrassing mistakes, and shares how to make sound, strategic procurement decisions.
Your Contingent Workforce is More Than a Rate Card
The way that work is getting done today looks very different and is increasingly remote, global and external. Dan Beck is the COO and Co-Founder of Utmost, a total workforce management platform. He discusses a new way of thinking about the contingent workforce, going from a transactional view to a human experience that not only benefits the company but the worker.
Procurement’s Role in Digital Transformation
Keith Hausmann is the Chief Revenue Officer at Globality, an AI-powered sourcing platform company. He joins the podcast to discuss challenges and opportunities for CPOs today, how procurement can become a strategic partner to their stakeholders, and advice for leaders as they embark on their own AI and digital transformation journeys. Learn how using an intuitive, consumer-like interface will improve the end-user experience freeing up procurement to drive innovation and be a valued advisor to the business.
Prefer to watch this interview? Check it out on YouTube!
Procurement’s Role in Digital Transformation
Keith Hausmann is the Chief Revenue Officer at Globality, an AI-powered sourcing platform company. He joins the podcast to discuss challenges and opportunities for CPOs today, how procurement can become a strategic partner to their stakeholders, and advice for leaders as they embark on their own AI and digital transformation journeys. Learn how using an intuitive, consumer-like interface will improve the end-user experience freeing up procurement to drive innovation and be a valued advisor to the business.
Prefer to watch this interview? Check it out on YouTube!
Keeping an Eye on Supply Chain Risks
Transparency in your supply chain is essential when it comes to making informed decisions to mitigate risks both internally and with your suppliers. The largest risk exposure is often among lower-tier suppliers, which is why it’s important to know your suppliers’ suppliers. In this podcast, Shannon and Rich discuss how business spend management platforms, supplier questionnaires and supply chain risk management frameworks can help organizations stay agile and create an environment of compliance.
Guest Details:
Shannon Kreps, VP of Product Marketing, Medius
Rich Revill, VP of Global Presales, Medius
Leveraging Data & Innovation to Reinvent Procurement
Join global procurement innovators and creators from BT (British Telecom) Procurement Garage, CPO Cyril Pourrat and Senior Transformation Officer Adam Brown and Suplari CEO Nikesh Parekh, to discuss, leveraging data & innovation to reinvent procurement.
Being Your Authentic Self
Now is the time for organizations to start thinking about and acting on total talent diversity, including diversity across full-time and contingent workers (contractors, freelancers, and shift workers). Kevin Poll, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships at WillHire, joins the podcast to talk about the positive impacts of total talent diversity when employees know they can show up to work being their authentic selves. Tune in to learn how Diversity & Inclusion brings value to your community, to your current and future workers, and your company brand.
The Meaning of “Life” in Contract Lifecycle Management
According to Ajay Agrawal, CEO and Co-founder of SirionLabs, the “life” of a contract begins when it’s signed, but money is being left on the table – to the tune of $3 trillion. How? In the form of invoicing errors due to improper management of consumption data, incorrect rates, computational errors and missed milestones. Ajay talks about the precise, full applications of Artificial Intelligence in the role of contract lifecycle management (CLM) and how procurement teams can use CLM software to be more strategic and extract greater value from agreements.
Are You Hiring Moms?
In the U.S., one-third of women leave their jobs after having a child because of rigid work schedules and the high cost of childcare. To address this talent gap, a unique digital talent platform has emerged: The Mom Project connects mothers with employers that respect flexible work-life integration. Through a partnership with Beeline, and a strategic partnership with tennis icon Serena Williams, The Mom Project has enlisted allies committed to change in talent acquisition and to help women stay active in the workplace.
To partner or learn more about The Mom Project, contact Meredith Huck.
Diversity and Inclusion with Daryl Hammett
Daryl Hammett is the Global Head of LM and Operations Amazon Web Services (AWS). In a whitepaper he recently co-authored with Spend Matters’ Founder Jason Busch, they outline how procurement professionals can impact the world through minority and small business supplier relations. Daryl shares the ways in which procurement can impact supplier diversity and inclusion.
Going Beyond Spend Analysis with AI and Machine Learning
Two procurement industry experts provide a closer look at how AI and Machine Learning can unlock deeper insights into procurement. Through extracting massive amounts of data, ElectrifAi transforms structured and unstructured data into actionable business insights with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. ElectrifAi’s Roland Simon and Michael Fox share how their teams yield insights specific to contracted suppliers.
Empowering the Sourcing Hero
Sales and building relationships have always made sense to Anthony Clervi and in 2012 he was introduced to the group purchasing space. Anthony Clervi’s path to entrepreneurship and group purchasing was an interesting one with many turns that led him to Una. Partnering with businesses and suppliers while forging new relationships on a path for procurement success is Una’s sweet spot. Tune in to hear how Anthony and the Una team are empowering the sourcing hero.
Empowering Procurement with Artificial Intelligence
Scoutbee Co-founder Christian Heinrich discusses using automation, big data and machine learning to complete repetitive tasks in sourcing and supply chain environments. Learn how procurement leaders and strategic buyers can connect with new suppliers and second-source suppliers globally to collaborate and expand their supply chains.
How to Fine Tune Your Nuisance Spend Categories
In early 2002, Rich resigned a position with an industry-leading uniform supplier and founded Fine Tune in a basement in Bloomington, Indiana. Fine Tune is a niche expense management company focused on a small handful of particularly burdensome “nuisance” expenses. Rich dedicates his time to building and developing his team of “Tuners” and engaging with major, national clientele. Rich shares his inspiring story and cutting-edge point of view as he and his team “fine tune” the procurement industry.
Intelligent Automation Use Cases in Sourcing and Procurement
Procurement leader Canda Rozier and senior sourcing veteran Lawrence Kane are well-known in the SIG community for their servant leadership. They recently co-authored a whitepaper on the new age of intelligent automation, based on what they learned in SIG University’s Certified Intelligent Automation Professional (CIAP) program. They demonstrate how intelligent automation can be a powerful tool to promote an enterprise’s growth and prosperity, and how – when implemented correctly – it can be targeted to improve areas holding back the organization.
In this whitepaper, Canda and Lawrence simplify the ways in which intelligent automation is transforming businesses through relevant use cases and clear-cut examples.
Simplify Procurement with Michael Otis of Proficy
An entrepreneur at heart, Michael Otis has elevated his passion with Proficy Analytics, a procurement technology start-up. After years honing his procurement expertise, he realized that his drive to create needed to be tested. Now, six months into creating Proficy, which specializes in analytics, RFP management, procurement modeling, process optimization and automation, and much more, he has found his calling and is excited about his future. Tune in to hear Michael’s inspiring story and a cutting-edge point of view as he makes his mark on the procurement industry one change at a time and to "simplify procurement."
Must-Have Skills for The CPO of The Future
Purvee Kondal is Senior Director, Technology Sector, with Globality, a start-up technology company that utilizes artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing to help Fortune 500 companies find and work with service providers. Purvee and Dawn discuss the must-have skills of tomorrow's CPOs and the need to move procurement from driving processes to driving value. How? By being open to the transformational changes that allow procurement to be more proactive, partnership-like and strategic to the business.
Future of Sourcing Awards Winner – Innovations in Outsourcing
At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards, Denali, A WNS Company, won the Innovations in Outsourcing award. Partnering with a technology client, Denali was tasked with building out capacity and systems that could handle skyrocketing procurement needs and deliver the speed and high-level of customer service that allowed the client to focus on business growth. Denali’s project team joins the podcast to talk about their strategic approach, which included the formation of a procurement rock band to secure stakeholder buy-in. Learn more about their project and download the whitepaper on the Future of Sourcing
Future of Sourcing Awards - Innovations in Governance and Compliance
Boeing was the 2019 recipient of the Innovations in Governance and Compliance Award at the Future of Sourcing Awards. With The Boeing Company entering its second century as the global leader in manufacturing commercial jetliners, defense, space and security systems, it realized it needed to be faster. The Indirect Supply Chain organization created a Governance Steering Committee, comprising both Boeing and suppliers, to drive innovative solutions that address challenges and foster the partnership in these efforts. It was created to ensure all innovation and value from the partnership was recognized throughout the life of the contract with no value leakage. This model enables interaction at all levels – from operations through the CIO – to ensure alignment at strategic, tactical and operational levels.
On this episode, Lisa Mickelson, Global Sourcing and Vendor Management and Shawn Milender, Procurement Agent at Boeing give us the inside scoop about the impact this project has had on their procurement department. Learn more about this project on the Future of Sourcing Awards website.
2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Winner – Sprint and Ivalua
At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards, Sprint and Ivalua claimed the Innovations in Third Party Management Award for their project that created a custom implementation of a procurement platform. In this podcast, Ben Lizak, Manager, Sourcing Lifecycle at Sprint, shares more on his journey from accomplished attorney to skilled sourcing professional and how his passion for sourcing has been the backbone of his efforts to help push the sourcing industry forward. Learn more about their project and download the whitepaper on the Future of Sourcing Awards website.
From Montgomery Wards to Trusted Independent Advisor – Geoff Peters has Made a Mark on the World of Procurement
Educated in finance, economics and math, Geoff Peters accidentally fell into the world of procurement and has made his mark on the industry. The start of his career found him with companies like Montgomery Wards and a now famous character that sprouted from those infamous catalogues. He moved on to Sears and finally to The Hackett Group where he instilled best practices and forward thinking to create an iconic career where he evolved and matured from a “shoot from the hip” 20-something to a methodical thinker who sees the gray area more than simply black and white or right and wrong. Tune in to hear his perspectives on costs, technology and cybersecurity as well as what it means to have a relationship alliance as well as a purchasing relationship, and how this easy concept is changing procurement alongside the important topics of risk and sustainability.
Future of Sourcing Awards Winner – Innovations in Outsourcing
At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards, GEP won the Innovations in Outsourcing award for a project with a major telecommunications company to deliver improvements in P2P processes. The goal for this project was to optimize procurement operations and streamline the company’s ongoing technology transformation initiative. Two architects of the project join the podcast to talk about how they planned, implemented and delivered their procurement solution, as well as a broader conversation on the strategic value of procurement. Learn more about their project and download the whitepaper on the Future of Sourcing Awards website.
2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Winner Sustainability – EcoVadis and Avery Dennison
At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards, EcoVadis and Avery Dennison claimed the Innovations in Sustainability Award for their submission “Making a Material Difference: Collaborating with Suppliers on Sustainability.” The commitment to continuous improvement and fostering transparency throughout the supply chain is an integral component of achieving any corporate social responsibility (CSR) vision -- and to doing what’s right. That is why Avery Dennison sets high standards and goals for responsible purchasing practices and has partnered with EcoVadis to implement their Sustainability Procurement Program. In this podcast, Emily Rakowski, Chief Marketing Officer of EcoVadis and Robyn Buma, Vice President of Global Procurement at Avery Dennison, elaborate on the ways they are working together to foster sustainable innovation across the supply chain. Learn more about their project on the Future of Sourcing Awards website.
2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Supernova Hall of Fame – Mike Morsch
At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards, Mike Morsch, Vice President of Global Procurement and Supply Chain at CDK Global, was inducted into the Sourcing Supernova Hall of Fame. Mike talks about what this award means to him and his career and introduces key team members who contribute to the organization’s success. Learn about this $2 billion integrated IT solutions organization, its value as a global provider within the automotive retail industry and the direct impact this team has on the bottom line. Visit the Future of Sourcing Awards to learn more about Mike and meet the other 2019 award winners.
2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Supernova Hall of Fame
Danny Ertel is a Founding Partner with Vantage Partners located in Boston, Massachusetts. Trained as a lawyer, he soon realized his passion was in helping clients solve problems related to collaboration, resolving conflict and building relationships. A seasoned negotiator and business strategist, Danny talks about sourcing and procurement’s role as competitive problem-solvers and the potential for greater innovation in forming true partnerships with your suppliers.
2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Winner – Rising Star Award
At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Sarah Scudder received the Rising Star Award. Sarah Scudder is President of Real Sourcing Network. She loves helping procurement professionals transform the way they handle marketing sourcing. She speaks at industry events, serves on panels, hosts webinars, and co-writes articles for SIG and ISM. She recently served on two thought leadership panels at the 2019 ISM conference in Houston. She also created ProcuRising, a magazine that uncovers the unique stories of doers in our sourcing community. On this episode, you’ll hear about Sarah’s background and what has propelled her career in sourcing. Learn more about Sarah and see all of the winners on the Future of Sourcing Awards website.
2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Winner – Sourcing Star Award
Canda Rozier is SVP, Global Real Estate and Security for NTT Ltd. Canda, who began her career as a technical writer, is a pioneering CPO with expertise in designing and executing global procurement programs. She shares four key pieces of advice for procurement professionals of any rank to grow successfully in their role and provides her outlook on how she sees the future of procurement morphing and expanding from cost-cutting purchasing centers to maximizing value creation.
2019 Future of Sourcing Awards Winner – Boeing
At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards, Boeing claimed the Innovations in Talent Management award for the Company’s Sourcing Roadmap. The goal for this project was to optimize how stakeholders work together throughout the sourcing lifecycle to set strategy, acquire IT products and services, govern supplier relationships, and manage risks. The Roadmap contains sourcing industry best practices, company-specific governance and defines organizational RAAs. The Sourcing Knowledge Repository is where the rubber meets the road(map) and goes from notional to reality...with hundreds of artifacts including best practices, templates and training tutorials. Learn more about their project and download the whitepaper on the Future of Sourcing Awards website.
Pioneering a Next-Generation Blockchain Payment Network
Kent Yan is the Founder and CEO of TraDove, Inc., a B2B social network platform. With a background as an engineer, he is an enthusiastic CEO and pioneer of blockchain technology. Kent saw the opportunity to enhance business-to-business transactions and transparency by creating the very first B2B blockchain payment solution, which eliminates the payment complexities associated with international transactions. SIG members can join the SIG + TraDove private network at tradove.com/sig.
Riding the Wave of Social Impact Sourcing
Paul’s career as a social entrepreneur began on a surfboard when he pioneered a method to protect local waterways from industry polluters that were making people sick. In 2016, Paul launched Givewith, a Service-as-a-Software solution that generates social impact funding opportunities for nonprofits that can be embedded into any transaction between a buyer and a supplier. He discusses how corporate social responsibility initiatives can drive business value by boosting employee morale, retention rates and investor confidence.
A Procurement Leader's Guide to Working Strategically with Finance
Coupa's CFO Todd Ford and the world's leading third-party risk management expert Linda Tuck Chapman discuss how procurement leaders and finance can work strategically as a team to manage and mitigate risk while also creating value that extends beyond the bottom line.
Resources from this episode:
SIG University's Certified Third Party Risk Management Professional Program: http://bit.ly/2qS63hc
Linda Tuck Chapman's book: https://amzn.to/2QeJPAK
Coupa study with WSJ: http://bit.ly/34Z5n8z
Sculpting a Career in Total Talent Management with Dan Hanyzewski
Dan Hanyzewski is the Chief Ambassador at Ubertal Inc./Certree. Certree safeguards employee privacy and data through blockchain technology. Dan initially studied as a sculptor before making a career pivot toward the business world and then branching out to start his own consulting business in talent management and recruiting. Today, Dan is a globally recognized thought leader on recruitment, employer branding and contingent workforce management.
A Focus on People in Strategic Sourcing Today
Karen Gonzalez is the Chief Sales Officer at Guidant Global. Her career in staffing began with an unexpected start in recruiting 22 years ago, and her passion for acting as a problem solver for her clients has propelled her into her CSO role today. Karen offers her personal career tips, shares her thoughts on strategic sourcing and impresses the importance of a people-centric perspective in procurement.
Owning Complex Spend Categories
Antonio Humphreys is the Senior Manager, Global Procure to Pay at Adobe. His diversified career path took him into roles outside of his wheelhouse, which has allowed him to excel at Adobe within the marketing sourcing vertical. Antonio’s tips for owning your role as a sourcing and procurement pro are to develop your expertise through reading and contributing to industry publications, engage in networking events, or certify your knowledge by earning an industry-recognized credential or post-graduate degree.
Get Connected:
- Follow Antonio on Twitter: https://twitter.com/athumphreys
- Connect with Antonio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniohumphreys/
Improve Contract Negotiations with Relationship Management
Danny Ertel is a Founding Partner with Vantage Partners located in Boston, Massachusetts. He joins the podcast to explain how procurement and supply chain teams can do more for the organization by aligning with the businesses that they support instead of acting as the “procurement police” and focusing only on enforcing policies. Many organizations want to be innovative, but don't invest in the skills and culture it takes to do that. Danny also talks about how automation and artificial intelligence changes negotiations.
Key Takeaways:
- Define your goals and what success looks like in your negotiation process by solving the different problems that parties bring to the table.
- You don’t need smart men and women doing things that macros and bots can do, but human intuition, interaction and strategies cannot be automated.
- To become a better strategic partner, be curious, humble and clear about your “why" in any business transformation.
How Procurement Can Drive Business Insights
Nikesh Parekh is the CEO and Co-Founder of Suplari, an AI-powered spend accountability and financial performance system. Nikesh’s journey into procurement wasn’t a straight line. After dabbling in a few different ventures from medicine to real estate, Nikesh came to realize that companies were dealing with an abundance of data but no one to interpret it. Through artificial intelligence and machine learning, he created Suplari to fill an important niche in the procurement industry to help procurement teams interpret their data to gain new business insights.
Key Takeaways:
- The future of procurement lies with CPOs who look for ways to align with the company’s corporate initiatives and goals.
- By rejecting the status quo, procurement teams can have a material impact on the initiatives and KPIs of the company.
- To be successful, CPOs must build teams that have a deep understanding of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics.
The Journey of an Up and Coming Leader with Siddharth Ramesh
Sid comes from KPMG, where he managed a diverse portfolio that shaped his techniques for sourcing strategies that he uses today. Sid now works at VSP Global, under the leadership of their CPO Greg Tennyson, primarily in the vision insurance space and providing affordable eyecare globally. Sid encourages his staff to focus on continuing education by obtaining certifications in different sourcing concepts, such as third-party risk management. These certifications provided an opportunity for the entire team of 20+ employees to become CFE certified, which gave his team with a common consensus of procedures and vocabulary moving forward. Technology is also impacting their sourcing strategies by meeting the needs of their suppliers through reduction of mundane, transactional processes with automation bots. Thus, allowing employees to use their time to focus on strategic activities such as working more with internal business partners and building supplier relationships.
Key Takeaways:
- Siddharth’s advice is to encourage teams to continue their education through certification training to achieve organizational growth.
- Sid embraces the ambiguity of projects from a procurement standpoint, by seeing them as opportunities to learn how new technologies can assist. By figuring out the unique challenges and embedding them into the company, his team continues to move the needle on their procurement journey.
- A well-rounded, sourcing professional knows the importance of analyzing, problem-solving, listening to stakeholders and suppliers, as well as being good at negotiations, collaboration, and the ability to be persuasive.
- His advice for young professionals is to take more risks and learn from your mistakes earlier in your career to expand your horizons sooner rather than later.
Passionate about the Planet with Celia Landesberg from EcoVadis
Caring about the environment is embedded in the fabric of Celia’s personality since she was a young child. She was thinking about supply chains before she knew what one was. EcoVadis’ mission is to elevate the performance of global supply chains with respect to sustainability. They’re the largest providers of sustainability ratings. This includes aspects of environment, labor and human rights, ethics and procurement practices of all of the businesses they assess. They have a partnership with the UN Global Impact to help clients make sure their corporate Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are aligned with the right opportunities. Below is a link to the reports of what commitment versus practice looks like across many different types of organizations.
Key Takeaways:
- Procurement and supply chains have the power to affect environmental sustainability
- One small change can be magnified throughout the world for a larger impact
- The importance of asking more questions along the way and playing to your strengths
Career Surfing with Kate Vitasek
Kate is an international authority on business relationships. On the podcast, she discusses what it means to have a “career,” which is defined not by your title but an accumulation of skills to help you meet your goals. When it comes to meeting those goals – whether it’s building strong business relationships, achieving a career milestone or learning a new skill – it's important to understand that success isn’t a straight path, but a series of sideways movements and sometimes even going backwards.
Key Takeaways
- Kate’s advice to up-and-coming professionals is to disregard the notion of a career ladder; she talks about “career surfing” and how to connect with people who will help you ride the ultimate career wave.
- Kate believes the best leaders have a multitude of skills and are not just subject-matter experts in one niche area. She discusses how to engineer your goals to build a wide range of skills.
- Your goal is really about the accumulation of your skills. Every day you should be doing something that gets you to your goal and sometimes that means taking a step backwards.
About the Guest:
Kate Vitasek is known for her award-winning research and Vested® business model for highly collaborative relationships. Vitasek, a faculty member at the University of Tennessee, has been lauded by World Trade Magazine as one of the “Fabulous 50+1” most influential people impacting global commerce. Her pioneering work has led to six books and her work also won the APICS/Supply Chain Council’s Academic Advancement award for advancing the business. She is internationally recognized for her practical and research-based advice for driving transformation and innovation through highly collaborative and strategic partnerships.
The Ideal Leader with Mike Morsch
From starting his career as a software developer, Mike worked his way up through IT organizations to hone the craft of IT and created the procurement function at CDK Global from scratch. After spending years working alongside the procurement organization in previous positions, he now leads a world-class procurement team and brings his unique insight to the procurement role. Leading CDK’s digital transformation and championing RPA implementation within CDK, Mike is passionate about leading the sourcing and supply chain into the next generation of technology. Mike’s message is clear: CPOs need to be technology evangelists to succeed today.
Key Takeaways:
- Coming from the IT sector, Mike’s experience from CIO to CPO gives him unique insight into the role of procurement and how it needs to evolve to bring the most impact to the business.
- Learn about the advanced technologies that Mike warns procurement professionals not to ignore if they don’t want to leave money on the table or put their own jobs at risk.
- When it comes to digital transformation, Mike outlines the specific skill sets that procurement leaders need in order to be successful in their own roles, as well as what it takes to build great teams and retain that talent.
Leading with Impact with Tifenn Dano Kwan
Tifenn Dano Kwan is the Chief Marketing Officer for SAP Ariba. Recently back from the Davos Conference, Tifenn discusses the key takeaways, including the role of technology and humans, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and the role of corporations in making a positive impact. When it comes to her role at SAP Ariba, she shares her evolution with the company and its purpose-driven transformation that drives innovation and strategic value with the goal of creating ethical and diverse supply chains.
Key Takeaways
- For companies to upscale their existing workforce, it begins with the tone at the top from leadership. You'll get insight on how providing workers with purpose can help companies attract and retain top talent, which is especially important for millennials and Gen Z workers.
- When it comes to implementing technology, learn why it’s important to choose technology that supports the honorable goals of the company over strictly bottom-line measures.
- Hear why Tifenn believes that digitization is the natural evolution of the sourcing industry to maximize investments, develop a future-ready workforce that is focused on strategic tasks, and is the way to improve user experience, compliance and spend.
- You can catch both Tifenn and Dawn at SAP Ariba Live in Austin, Texas, April 1-3, where they will discuss topics like technology, innovation, sustainability and market trends.
About the Guest
Tifenn Dano Kwan is chief marketing officer for SAP Ariba and is responsible for leading and defining the global marketing vision for the business.
Previously, Tifenn served as vice president of SAP Ariba’s Integrated Marketing organization. In this role, she created and led a unified audience, go-to-market, and solution teams to deploy end-to-end strategies to impact the awareness and adoption for IT, finance, procurement, and supply chain customers. Prior to that, she was the head of go-to-market launches and brand platform at SAP Ariba, responsible for delivering a consistent and compelling brand experience strategy for all customers and the successful execution for innovation launches.
Tifenn joined SAP in 2006 and has since held various leadership roles across the marketing organization including those in channel and partner marketing. She holds a master's in management from the Audencia Business School as well as a Law Degree from the Institut Catholique d'etudes Supérieures.
About the Company
SAP Ariba is the world’s largest business commerce network. SAP Ariba combines industry-leading cloud-based applications with the world's largest Internet-based trading community to help companies discover and collaborate with a global network of partners. Using the Ariba® Network, businesses of all sizes can connect to their trading partners anywhere, at any time from any application or device to buy, sell and manage their cash more efficiently and effectively than ever before. Companies around the world use the Ariba Network to simplify inter-enterprise commerce and enhance the results that they deliver.
Links:
- Connect with Tifenn Dano Kwan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tifenndano/
- Follow SAP Ariba on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariba/
- Follow Tifenn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/danokwan
From Boredom to Chief Customer Officer w/ Gregory A. Mark
Gregory Mark is the Chief Customer Officer at Zycus, a role that not many have heard of. On the podcast, he shares the reason his role was created and we take a journey to learn more about his unique career path and what keeps him motivated.
Prior to Zycus, Gregory is best known for being the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Hubwoo but started in the procurement industry back in the day of Commerce One.
After the sale of Hubwoo and his non-compete contracts were complete, Gregory found that he was incredibly bored and began looking for the perfect new company to join.
Gregory is passionate about people, success and the continued growth of the procurement industry. He provides his thoughts about the industry and the improvement possibilities he thinks are possible throughout the source-to-pay industry.
Wait, What? From High School Dropout to President and Founder w/ Taso Du Val
Taso Du Val is the CEO of Toptal where he is in charge of the strategic vision and managing Toptal’s explosive growth.
With an untraditional background that took him from high school dropout to CEO, Taso, who is also a musician, originally started out in the music industry as a producer.
Additionally, Taso is also a founding team member and advisor to Art.sy, an art discovery platform, where he develops and advises on strategy. Taso is an energetic, dynamic and creative person who will inspire you with his story of turning failure into success.
Exploring the Capabilities of an Interconnected World w/ Kazu Gomi
Kazu Gomi, CEO of NTT America, ranks as the 4th largest telecommunication company in the world.
We learn the breadth and depth of NTT’s capabilities, from system integration, (they acquired Dell Services a few years ago) and are also one of the largest security companies in North America. Additionally, Dimensions Data provides system integration and NTT Data provides infrastructure. Within NTT they can provide the full stack of services for any enterprise IT solution. Another impressive note is that they are one of the largest carriers of internet traffic in the world. They are one of the top 4 providers of internet traffic.
As a leader, Kazu emphasizes his lifelong interest in technology and always believed, as he does still, that technology will change the world. He brings this insatiable interest to work every day to motivate people to embrace change.
A Healthy Obsession w/ Alex Yakubovich
Alex Yakubovich had a non-traditional path into the world of sourcing and procurement. In college, what started out as a project to earn extra cash turned into a profitable e-commerce venture that he and his co-founder later sold to Living Social.
While working in e-commerce, Alex fielded and responded to hundreds of RFPs per year, and quickly became frustrated by the clunky, manual practices of the RFP process.
Alex shares his journey from the dorm room to the boardroom and what he’s learned about the customer along the way.
The Bold, New Era for Procurement w/ Alan Day
Alan Day’s inspiration to found State of Flux was due to a gap in the implementation of sourcing processes post-deal.
Having worked in procurement and supply chain for over 20 years, Alan utilized industry best practices to help companies optimize their strategic sourcing goals post-deal through contract management, supplier relationship management and sustainability.
Alan shares his insight into how procurement and CPOs can take initiative to move beyond back-office administrative roles, such as buying and RFP management (which he says will soon be automated) to working with the CEO to determine strategic goals of the business that are led by procurement.
Innovations in Sustainability w/ Microsoft
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Sustainability category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Sustainability category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in sustainability.
About the team:
- Microsoft – Within Microsoft Procurement, it was discovered that impact sourcing is a unique empowering sourcing model that is directly aligned to its mission to help individuals achieve more. For Microsoft, impact sourcing means knocking down artificial barriers to employment and allowing high-potential individuals to bring their strengths to the marketplace. Learn about Microsoft’s journey to build and implement an impact sourcing program that benefits local and global communities.
Innovations in Governance w/ GE and Microsoft
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Governance category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Governance category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in governance.
Innovations in Digitization w/ IBM and Microsoft
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Digitization category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Digitization category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in digitization.
Innovations in Outsourcing w/ GEP, Denali - A WNS Company and Russell Investments
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Outsourcing category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Outsourcing category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in outsourcing.
Innovations in Sourcing w/ GEP and HERE Technologies
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Sourcing category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Sourcing category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in sourcing.
Innovations in Sourcing w/ VSP Global and GEP
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Sourcing category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Sourcing category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in sourcing.
Innovations in Third Party Management w/ FedEx, Florida Blue and Fannie Mae
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Third Party Management category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Third Party Management category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in third party management.
Innovations in Supplier Performance w/ Florida Blue, SAP Ariba and Microsoft
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Supplier Performance category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Supplier Performance category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in talent management.
About the Teams:
- Florida Blue – Florida Blue created processes to assess, monitor and mitigate supplier risk across a diverse supply chain, with the goal being to revise the supplier relationship process from the ground up, continue to meet regulatory requirements and become a customer of choice. You’ll learn how their team achieved reductions in average time to complete an initiative, increased effectiveness of the team, hard dollars savings increases and avoidance/value increases.
- Microsoft – Microsoft transformed its supplier management, product development, sourcing and supply chain processes from disjointed to one that is a fully-integrated and seamless design-to-deliver process for Surface, Xbox and other hardware products. Learn how Microsoft and its partner SAP Ariba co-innovated to gain early visibility into the cost impact of design decisions and accelerated its product development cycle.
Innovations in Talent Management w/ Beeline, Microsoft and University of Tennessee
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura. This episode highlights team finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards in the Innovations in Talent Management category.
The teams nominated for the Innovations in Talent Management category have demonstrated excellence in their field and represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership in talent management.
About the Teams:
- Beeline – The biggest challenge companies face today is building an agile workforce of top-tier talent to compete and succeed in an on-demand world. Learn how Beeline combined advanced technology and a combination of private and public talent pools to create the industry’s first fully integrated system for self-sourcing contingent talent.
- Microsoft - Microsoft has been on a journey to “learn by doing” in this new world of work. Learn about the mindset, approach and tools that helped Microsoft prove the business case while enabling its employees to engage talent in the Gig Economy responsibly and with high-impact results.
- University of Tennessee (UT) – UT wanted a way to bring the Vested sourcing business model to life beyond a traditional classroom and online courses. Now a buyer-supplier team works on a real deal in real time, taking a module to “learn” and then completing deliverables to “do,”with their “homework” being the contract. Learn how they flipped the conventional learning model on its head.
A Vision for Procurement’s Future w/ Conor Quarry, and Komal Patel
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura, where we highlight Rising Star Award finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards.
The finalists on this show combine their technical skills with curiosity to embrace technology that drives innovation and value to make their businesses more strategic. The Rising Star Award recognizes an individual newer to the industry who has shown initiative and promise by delivering a project, developing thought leadership or creating a new methodology that is likely to have a lasting impact.
About the Guests:
- Conor Quarry, Analytics as a Service Lead, IBM - Conor’s strong focus on analytics led to the development of a tool that evaluates negotiation approaches to gauge potential award recommendations, which resulted in a drastic reduction of the RFP review period and substantial cost savings. Conor has been recognized as one of ISM's 30 under 30 Rising Supply Chain Stars, is a published thought leader and continues to bridge the gap between data, insight and action.
- Komal Patel, Global Process Owner, Source-to-Pay (S2P), Kellogg Company – Komal has displayed a futuristic vision for procurement services and technology by maximizing efficiency and effectiveness for Kellogg. She has expertly managed the integration of systems and user experiences to drive standardization, automation and superior business outcomes, and is recognized by other functions outside procurement, which are modeling their own digital transformations on Komal’s example.
Change Agents in a World of Emerging Technology w/ Krystelle Bilodeau, Natalie Fahrner, and Biswajeet Panigrahi
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura, where we highlight Rising Star Award finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards.
The finalists on this show are embracing emerging technologies and big data to enhance operations for their businesses that challenge the status quo. The Rising Star Award will recognize an individual newer to the industry who has shown initiative and promise by delivering a project, developing thought leadership or creating a new methodology that is likely to have a lasting impact.
About the Guests:
- Krystelle Bilodeau, Director, Retail and Wholesale Debt Administration, Bank of Canada - Krystelle has led many large outsourcing initiatives for the Bank in addition to advising on the impacts of new technologies on the financial services sector. Her work in these areas has given her unique insight and expertise into third party risk. Krystelle is a guest lecturer for SIG University’s Certified Third Party Risk Management program, published author on the topic and a frequent presenter on the modern workforce.
- Biswajeet Panigrahi, Category Manager II, Strategic Sourcing, FedEx – Biswajeet has led major technology projects, including the creation of a real-time intelligent dashboard and the utilization of data science to develop models and forecasting tools. Biswajeet has been recognized for his innovative strategies, methodologies and ability to use emerging technologies, including neural networks, to enhance business operations for FedEx.
- Natalie Fahrner, Category Manager II, Strategic Sourcing, FedEx – Natalie plays an integral role in developing strategy to unlock value through a powerful combination of holistic category management, trusted stakeholder partnerships and the use of big data to enhance decision-making. Additionally, Natalie has been recognized for her thought leadership, mentorship programs and volunteer initiatives.
Challenging the Status Quo w/ Debbie Manos-McHenry, Jennifer Shepherd, and Kate Vitasek
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura, where we highlight Sourcing Star Award finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards.
The finalists on this show have challenged the status quo over the course of their careers to achieve impressive results against the odds. The Sourcing Star Award will recognize an individual who has demonstrated inspiring, insightful and innovative work in the sourcing field over the course of their career in the space.
About the Guests:
- Debbie Manos-McHenry, Chief Sourcing Officer, Huntington National Bank – Debbie has led significant technology projects and is regarded for her ability to sustain year-over-year savings in a lean environment. She shares wisdom from her impressive career: don’t run from adopting new technology, retain and train team members who can evolve into strategic roles, and embrace the power and knowledge that can be derived from data.
- Jennifer Shepherd, Director of Global Sourcing and Procurement, Russell Investments – Jennifer shares how she led a comprehensive telecom transformation project to drive 90-percent savings by winning over adversarial stakeholders and changing her organization’s consumption of telecom technology. Even though she is a big proponent of process, she advocates for thinking outside of the box and, against the odds, not taking no for a final answer.
- Kate Vitasek, Faculty and Author, University of Tennessee (UT) – Kate is the thought leader and creator behind the Vested Sourcing Business Model, which grew out of her research team at UT. She has authored six books on this concept over the course of 18 years that have led global companies to achieve significant cost savings and improvements. As an educator, researcher and sourcing expert, Kate advocates for challenging the old way of doing business and shares how her background in supply chain management has influenced her Vested methodology.
Collective Knowledge is Power w/ Deepak Bansal, Kristin Gallagher, and Linda Tuck Chapman
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura, where we highlight Sourcing Star Award finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards.
The finalists on this show have led teams that champion intricate processes and complex governance issues, while humbly noting that their team’s input and expertise help produce the final, positive outcome. The Sourcing Star Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated inspiring, insightful and innovative work in the sourcing field over the course of their career in the space.
About the Guests:
• Deepak Bansal, Head of IT Sourcing and Vendor Management, Envision Healthcare (EVHC) – As EVHC undergoes a divestiture of its business, Deepak has led the effort to disentangle hundreds of IT contracts while maintaining cost consistency. Deepak shares the details of the disentanglement methodology that he developed, which will also be published in Forbes, alongside his thought leadership content on information technology, vendor risk management and sourcing.
• Kristin Gallagher, Director of Global Sourcing and Investment, Russell Investments – Kristin led the transformation of a market data project for Russell Investments, an extremely difficult category to manage in financial services. She not only drastically reduced spend but received recognition for best-in-class management when benchmarking the category against 10 peer companies, including Northern Trust, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of New York Mellon, among others.
• Linda Tuck Chapman, President, Ontala Performance Solutions – Linda was one of the first CPOs in the financial services industry. She is currently CEO of her own consulting firm and a leading expert in third-party risk. Linda is a published author, an adjunct professor at the Wharton School of Business and one of the founding members of the SIG Resource Center. She also serves as faculty for SIG University’s Certified Third Party Risk Management program.
Achieving the Best Possible Outcomes w/ Lawrence Kane, Tim Hopper and Greg Tennyson
Welcome to a special edition of the Sourcing Industry Landscape podcast, hosted by Dawn Tiura, where we highlight Sourcing Star Award finalists for Sourcing Industry Group’s (SIG) Future of Sourcing Awards.
The finalists on this show have utilized their professional acumen to make impressive impacts on their communities and the communities in which their organizations do business. The Sourcing Star Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated inspiring, insightful and innovative work in the sourcing field over the course of their career in the space.
About the Guests:
- Greg Tennyson, CPO, VSP Global - With over 25 years’ industry experience, Greg is a sought-after advisory board member, thought leader and mentor who seeks to pay it forward to young talent and emerging companies. A collaborative leader and team player, he shows an unwavering commitment to his profession by pushing new innovation and technology across procurement.
- Tim Hopper, Responsible Sourcing Manager, Indirect Supply Chain, Microsoft – Tim shares details on his innovative projects for Microsoft, including how his nonprofit experience influences his work for Microsoft on social and environmental projects, as well as the impact of emerging technologies on sustainability initiatives.
- Lawrence Kane, Senior Leader for IT Sourcing & Functional Excellence, Boeing – Lawrence has developed many industry leading best practices, including the creation of the first sourcing office for Boeing. As an industry thought leader, educator, and mentor, he has no shortage of personal and professional projects. He shares a unique insight into his approach to time management that aligns both himself and his team for success.
Over the coming weeks, listeners will be introduced to the teams and individuals whose work has had significant impacts on the industry, the organizations for which they work and their colleagues.
The Future of Sourcing Awards will take place at SIG’s Fall Global Executive Summit on October 17 in Rancho Mirage, California.
RPA is Here to Stay w/ Ian Barkin
Ian Barkin is Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Symphony Ventures, a professional services firm that helps enterprises leverage automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and innovative resourcing solutions. When it comes to implementing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) into workplace culture, Ian is sympathetic workers’ concerns. His solution is to show workers that RPA can eliminate mundane tasks to allow teams and business units to redirect their passions to a higher order of activities.