Sam Achampong FCIPS, Regional Managing Director of CIPS Middle East & North Africa (MENA), discusses how the procurement profession has transformed since he moved to Dubai in 2008 and the challenges and opportunities the region offers. 

We sit down with Malcolm Harrison, the former Chief Procurement Officer of Nestlé and, most recently, the former CEO of the Crown Commercial Service and of CIPS. During this episode, Malcolm takes us through his over 40 years in the procurement profession, the changes he's seen take place and his thoughts on the future of procurement.

We're starting the year by pulling together different views on what the next 12 months look like for procurement and supply chain across a range of industries.

Aris Georgopoulos, Assistant Professor in Public Law and European Law at the University of Nottingham, who is also the Head of the Innovation, AI, Strategic, and Defence Procurement Research Unit, discusses AI in the context of procurement and how it has the potential to change the way we see the world, the way that we work and the way that we live our lives. 

 Rendi Miller, VP of Global Travel and Procurement at Qualtrics, discusses her extensive experience in procurement roles in tech startups and high-growth companies.

Darren Knowd MBA, (Durham) MCIPS, Head of Procurement, Sales and Business Services at Durham County Council, discusses procurement at a local government level and the importance of social value.

Rob Johnson, former Global Purchasing Director, Jaguar Land Rover, and Honorary Professor at Nottingham University Business School, discusses his experience in the automotive industry and the industrial revolution as we move from combustion engines to electrification.

Andy Clark, Head of Commercial Services at Yorkshire Water, discusses his unusual route into procurement, having never run a procurement process. He believes that procurement has a wider purpose than just procuring goods and services and that understanding the business's core purpose is crucial for turbocharging its operations.

Andrew Newnham, Chief Procurement Officer at Marks & Spencer, discusses the challenges he faces in the current economic environment, as well as and the importance of negotiating, measuring savings, and understanding sourcing.

Joining us in this episode are two leaders in a young and fast-developing industry: cannabis.

In this episode, Timeka Drew (Founder & CEO of Biko Flower), Tony Kim (CEO of Telos CG Inc) and host, Simon Lipscomb, discuss:

• The history of cannabis legalisation and the cannabis industry in the US
• The supply chain challenges that the industry faces in different US states
• The role of social equity in the cannabis industry 
• Where the cannabis industry is headed