Four procurement leaders outline what 2021 has in store
This time last year few procurement leaders would have forecast the challenges that would be thrown their way in 2020. Procurement professionals adapted to those challenges so quickly, and in many cases have played pivotal roles in getting their organisations back on the front foot, that is a huge credit to the industry.
We can’t predict the future but as we all wrestle with the opportunities and challenges that 2021 will bring, we thought it would be helpful to take a look at the issues at the top of the inboxes of some of the world’s top procurement leaders.
The insights that Rob Woodstock – Chief Commercial Officer at HMRC, Craig Laufer – Chief Procurement Officer at Nielsen, Alan Hartley – Head of Procurement & Supply Chain at Sellafield Ltd and Jenny Reints – Head of Indirect Strategic Sourcing & Real Estate at Chamberlain Group have kindly shared with us are a fascinating glimpse of what’s ahead in 2021.
There are some common themes:
• The shifting role of procurement – cost optimization remains a priority for leaders but the importance of other aspects of procurement, such as risk management and social value, are expected to grow in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Being at the heart of change – for all organizations the pandemic has meant changes, many of which will continue throughout 2021. Procurement is expected to be at the centre of making those changes a reality.
• People and wellbeing – all of the leaders we spoke to acknowledged the personal impact the pandemic has had on colleagues and themselves. Making sure that people have the support they need to succeed in 2021 was deemed essential.
Alongside these key themes, a wide range of topics are raised by the procurement leaders – from innovation to engaging internal stakeholders. If you’d like to enjoy reading their insights in full in this report, please follow this link.
