Being ‘in procurement’ can mean a number of things, but typically it is assumed to mean that someone is a procurement practitioner. When a practitioner makes the decision to stay in procurement but take on another role - say working at a service or solution provider - their colleagues may be distrustful. Some will even believe they have gone over to ‘the dark side.’ 

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Arnaud Malarde, Product Marketing Director at Ivalua, and Jarrod McAdoo, Director of Product Marketing at Ivalua. All three of them are ‘dark siders,’ practitioners who dared to cross the line to join a provider.

Arnaud and Jarrod discuss what this transition is like and how it may actually position them to do more in support of procurement than if they had stayed as practitioners:

• How having a background in procurement changes the way they do your jobs today
• Why so many people think a job at a provider is the ‘dark side’
• The advice they would give their former practitioner selves knowing what they know now

Links:

Arnaud Malarde on LinkedIn

Jarrod McAdoo on LinkedIn

Data is one of the most valuable resources any company can have, but having it versus being able to trust it and put it to work are two different things. Some data is brought in from the outside with a clear purpose, and other data is created as a byproduct of business processes and transactions. Being able to pull it together as part of a cohesive strategy can be a source of competitive advantage or an opening for risk.

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Joseph Yacura, Senior Advisor at the MIT Chief Data Officer Information Quality program, and Alex Saric, Chief Marketing Officer at Ivalua, to talk about the importance of having a data strategy.

Joseph and Alex talk about their perspective on the importance of data for its own sake and for the impact it enables a procurement team to have on the company:

• Whether data quality or data accessibility is actually the larger challenge
• The effort to designate and preserve a ‘single source of truth’ across business units and enterprise systems
• How procurement can contribute to a ‘data strategy’ above and beyond the work that is being done to meet business objectives through data

Links:

Joseph Yacura on LinkedIn

Alex Saric on LinkedIn

Today’s emerging technology is based on artificial intelligence and machine learning, but it wasn't so very long ago that the Internet, followed by cloud computing and SaaS, revolutionized enterprise systems. 

At the start of each new age, disruptive thinkers have to imagine - and then build - platforms that are able to apply the new capabilities to specific use cases. Fortunately, procurement and supply chain are often early beneficiaries of this progress.

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Philip Ideson is joined by David Khuat-Duy, Founder and CEO of Ivalua, to talk about how procurement - and procurement technology - have progressed since the company was founded in 2000.

David shares his observations from over two decades worth of change in the procurement space:

• The vision for procurement impact that was driving technology development in the early 2000’s
• How customer and user demand have shaped the journey over the last two decades
• The innovation and experimentation happening today that are shaping the future of the procurement tech landscape

Links:

David Khuat-Duy on LinkedIn

About Ivalua

While some market research reports capture a snapshot in time, others play a long game, watching priorities shift over a decade or more. Those annual reports can often capture more nuanced trends, providing actionable insight that executives can use to position themselves, their teams, and their companies as leaders in an incredibly competitive marketplace.

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Philip Ideson is joined by Andrew Bartolini, Founder and Chief Research Officer at Ardent Partners, and Vishal Patel, Vice President of Product Marketing at Ivalua. They share their perspectives on the big trends - and a few predictions - for procurement in 2024.

Andrew and Vishal focus on some of the topics highlighted in the Ardent Partners Big Trends and Predictions report:

• Separating the practical applications of generative AI from the hype
• Why cost savings are back as a top area of focus for Chief Procurement Officers
• The complexity caused by intertwined global trade, deglobalization, and geopolitical tensions

Links:

Andrew Bartolini on LinkedIn

Vishal Patel on LinkedIn

In late 2022, OpenAI’s ChatGPT set the world’s imagination on fire. The possibilities of generative AI seemed endless, but at some point the work of applying this new technology had to begin. Companies of all sizes and across industries started experimenting with all kinds of generative AI use cases. Which of them will stand the test of time - and how will procurement be affected?

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Pascal Bensoussan, Chief Product Officer at Ivalua, to talk about applied generative AI and how procurement teams can start preparing to leverage its potential advantages now.

Pascal speaks about generative AI use cases and how procurement can be part of the journey from hype to helper:

• Where the mandate and ownership of generative AI projects are likely to reside within the corporate hierarchy
• What procurement teams need to know before they start experimenting with generative AI or volunteering to be part of an internal pilot
• How generative AI is likely to change procurement, tactically and strategically, short and longer term

Links:  Pascal Bensoussan on LinkedIn

While the work to reduce emissions is not simple, it is absolutely critical for organizations worldwide. Fortunately for them, procurement’s core skills - multi-tasking, resilience, and an emphasis on taking action - are precisely what is needed to lay the foundation for a more sustainable future. 

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Thomas Udesen, Chief Procurement Officer at Bayer and Co-Founder of The Sustainable Procurement Pledge, as well as Oliver Hurrey, Lead of the Champions Program. 

Thomas and Oliver talk about their experience working to move the needle on sustainability using the strengths that procurement already brings to the table:

• How factors such as regulation, geography, and general business mindset help or hinder the journey towards sustainability
• Tips for motivating skeptics, and decision makers who don’t put a priority on reducing emissions
• Straightforward steps procurement can take today to start driving measurable change

Links:

Thomas Udesen on LinkedIn

Oliver Hurrey on LinkedIn

Sustainable Procurement Pledge

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about experiences and challenges, bringing everyone together for the sake of driving needed change. But it is also an opportunity to recognize, to celebrate, and reflect on the progress that has been made, in some cases, one connection at a time.

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Laura Smith, Vice President Sales North America at Ivalua, and Katie McEwan, The Procurement Girl, for an open and honest conversation about what it means to be a woman in procurement as the world marks International Women’s Month in March and Day on March 8th. 

Kelly, Katie, and Laura dig into their own personal and professional experience to share perspectives and advice about:

• How to build community, either online or locally
• Ways women can support and inspire each other, regardless of where they work 
• The importance of authenticity, bringing your whole self to work - and home again - each day

Links:

Katie McEwan on LinkedIn

Laura Smith on LinkedIn

In 1685, two armies led an armed rebellion against King James II of England. Their goal was no less than to remove him from power. In the final battle, 3,600 Government soldiers faced off against 4,000 soldiers led by the Duke of Monmouth. Despite being outnumbered, the Government army took the day.

What was it that allowed King James II and the Government soldiers to triumph? Their strategic procurement capabilities.

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Stephen Carter, Director of Product Marketing at Ivalua and a noted historian specializing in the life and times of Monmouth and the Restoration.

Stephen combines his love for procurement with his love of history to look at modern business challenges in a brand new context:

• How procurement has changed since the 17th century and how it remains almost the same
• Why a ‘boots on the ground’ perspective is critical to procurement’s success
• The challenges associated with fighting any kind of battle on two fronts at the same time

Links:

Stephen Carter on LinkedIn

WarWalks.com

A few years ago, Ivalua was trying to invest in the procurement community. They realized that whenever procurement professionals talk about their work, they genuinely enjoy what they do and they take pride in their work. 

The team started asking procurement professionals they met one simple question: Why do YOU love procurement?

The rest is history. 

In this inaugural episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner speaks with Vishal Patel, Vice President of Product Marketing at Ivalua, to discuss what this podcast will be about.

Vishal's answers set the stage for what listeners can expect from this show:

• Why the professional bonds in the procurement community are so strong
• The topics and speakers listeners can expect in upcoming episodes
• And of course… why he loves procurement! 

Links: Vishal Patel on LinkedIn