Art of Procurement
Learn from Procurement Experts. Host Philip Ideson talks with thought leaders who share the trends, strategies and tactics that you can lever to elevate the role of procurement - and your career.
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889: Why Standing Still Is Procurement's Biggest Tech Risk W/ Cyril Wasem
10/26/2026
889: Why Standing Still Is Procurement's Biggest Tech Risk W/ Cyril Wasem
Procurement technology is changing so fast that the tool you buy today will look different in two months. Many CPOs are tempted to wait for the market to settle, but a steady state may not arrive any time soon. Teams that hold back also risk missing the window where they can shape how these solutions develop. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Cyril Wasem, Chief Procurement Officer at The Vita Group and a judge in Art of Procurement’s ProcureTech100 program. Cyril shares how he blocks out time for startup pitches, why his team went live with an orchestration platform in just eight weeks, and how he decides which providers are true partners rather than one-time implementations. If you've been holding off on a technology decision until things calm down, Cyril's experience makes a strong case for starting now and course-correcting as you go. It's a practical, honest conversation with a CPO who is doing the work. In this episode, Cyril covers: - Selecting providers for their people and culture, treating each implementation as the start of a joint development - Launching fast with a phase one that captures most of the benefits, then integrates and adds features over time - Enriching and connecting fragmented data rather than waiting for it to be perfectly structured - Showing management what new technology makes possible, and using that investment to attract and keep curious talent Links: Cyril Wasem on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 019: Startup of the Week: Mandel AI
10/21/2026
EP 019: Startup of the Week: Mandel AI
"Supply chains are going to get more complex. As we adopt more agents, there's going to be more coordination, not just between humans but between bots and humans and bots themselves.” Nick Gospodinov, Founder and CEO, Mandel AI Today’s procurement organizations live in two worlds: ERP platforms and mountains of emails and spreadsheets. That disconnect can (and all too often does) lead to missed quotes, lapsed deadlines, and significant hidden costs… especially in direct procurement, where stakes are high. With AI finally mature enough to process natural language, the opportunity to bridge these worlds is here. In this Startup of the Week episode of the ProcureTech Insider podcast, Mandel AI founder Nick Gospodinov shares how his team built an “AI supply chain coordinator” focused on the true communication backbone of procurement. Mandel AI doesn’t just automate ERP tasks, it reads buyers’ inboxes, detects disruption, and escalates real business risk before procurement even knows there’s a problem. Listen in to hear why fast, scenario-based deployments can drive immediate value, how escalation features find money others miss, and what CPOs need to ask before introducing new tech. In this episode, Nick covers: - Connect real-time communication to procurement action - Tackle the “coordination tax” that slows supply chains - Overcome trust and adoption hurdles for AI in manufacturing - Find deeper ROI beyond time saved, like preventing quote expiration - Deploy AI automation with speed and flexibilit Links: Nick Gospodinov on LinkedIn: Visit the Mandel AI Profile in the AOP Provider Directory: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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888: Remove Friction, Build Trust: Prioritizing the Partnerships Behind the Data
10/19/2026
888: Remove Friction, Build Trust: Prioritizing the Partnerships Behind the Data
Procurement teams are under steady pressure to do more with less, and AI has made boards impatient for faster, smarter answers. Most teams can't build every capability they need in-house, so the CPOs pulling ahead are redesigning their operating models around the right external partners. Getting that right depends on removing friction from the process and building trust with stakeholders and suppliers alike. In this episode, I'm joined by Hiten Parmar, Chief Procurement Officer at Beazley, and Prerna Dhawan, Chief Product Officer at Beroe, for a candid look at how their partnership actually works. Hiten explains how he decides what to build and what to bring in, and why he looks for partners who iterate and learn rather than chase perfection. Prerna shares the moment she chose not to charge a customer more, and why that decision protected a relationship that has since grown from market intelligence into risk. We also talk about the shift from too little data to too much, why provenance is now scarce, and the one question Prerna wishes procurement teams would ask their suppliers. In this episode, Hiten and Prerna cover how to: - Test every capability against your core business, then find who is best in the world to deliver it. - Judge partners on cultural fit, trust, and willingness to iterate, not only on price. - Pair a partner's decision-grade data with your own context on supplier criticality and exposure. - Ask suppliers where you rank on their priority list, not just how risky they are to you. - Push your team to speak in business terms and bring supplier ideas to stakeholders. Links: Hiten Parmar on LinkedIn: Prerna Dhawan on LinkedIn: Join AOP and Beroe at ProcureTEX in Amsterdam, November 3rd:
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Ep 03: The Agentic Procurement Diaries: Boring Enough and Safe Enough: When AI Gets the Keys
10/14/2026
Ep 03: The Agentic Procurement Diaries: Boring Enough and Safe Enough: When AI Gets the Keys
Dear Diary… "I was watching a lot of smart people, day in and day out, looking across documents, opening folders." Most procurement teams pick AI use cases by asking what the technology can do. Liza Tsimbal started somewhere else. On a random Tuesday, an OEM technical issue had a room full of smart people hunting through old drawings, contracts, and email chains for one piece of information. Her conclusion: information you cannot retrieve fast enough might as well not exist. Liza is the Director of Supply Chain Management at TransAlta, one of Canada's biggest power generators. She leads a team of roughly 30 people across buying and strategic sourcing that supports more than 90 generating facilities in Canada, the United States, and Australia. In this episode of The Agentic Procurement Diaries podcast, Philip Ideson and Liza discuss: - Why TransAlta chose requisition-to-purchase-order automation and contract and PO leakage as its first agentic pilots, based on four criteria: high volume, rules-based, disliked by the team, and reversible - Liza's test for taking the human out of the loop, and the decisions she won't hand to an agent, such as new material obligations or anything with a safety implication - How she avoids AI FOMO by tying every use case to a measurable business outcome - The risk of automating procurement's apprenticeship, and why the ability to define what good looks like becomes the scarce skill Links: Liza Tsimbal on LinkedIn: Zycus on LinkedIn: AOP Provider Directory | Zycus: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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887: Sustainable Procurement: Where Policy Meets Practice W/ Nicole Darnall
10/12/2026
887: Sustainable Procurement: Where Policy Meets Practice W/ Nicole Darnall
“If you're not thinking about what you inherit through your procurement decisions, then you're not truly serious about managing your climate impacts.” - Nicole Darnall, Professor, Arlene R. & Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Sustainability, American University - Kogod School of Business Companies have spent years setting sustainability goals, developing policies, and asking suppliers for more information, but there can still be a significant gap between those commitments and the decisions procurement teams make every day. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Nicole Darnall, Professor and Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Sustainability at American University, to explore procurement’s role in turning sustainability commitments into measurable action. Nicole has spent more than two decades studying sustainability, including the last decade focused specifically on procurement. Nicole explains why so much of an organization’s environmental and social impact sits beyond its own walls and how purchasing decisions can influence those outcomes. She and Philip discuss the disconnect between sustainability policies and implementation, the growing burden of supplier surveys, and why procurement needs better ways to determine which sustainability information actually matters. They also explore how procurement teams can identify the purchasing categories where they can have the greatest impact and how sustainability considerations are beginning to intersect with AI and data center sourcing decisions. In this episode, Nicole discusses how to: -Close the gap between sustainability policies and procurement decisions -Identify the spend categories with the greatest environmental or social impact -Ask suppliers more meaningful sustainability questions -Incorporate sustainability criteria into the RFP process -Look beyond purchase price when evaluating true cost -Use AI to support sustainability decisions throughout the procurement cycle -Consider environmental, community, reputational, and operational risks when sourcing AI and data services Links: Nicole Darnall on LinkedIn: Learn more about the Sustainable Procurement Research Initiative: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 018: Provider of the Week: Candex
10/07/2026
EP 018: Provider of the Week: Candex
“Everybody’s trying to simplify. Everybody’s trying to make the process better and the end-user experience for buying better.” - Jeremy Lappin, Co-founder and CEO, Candex Are you frustrated by the endless friction and noise around tail spend? Candex Co-founder and CEO Jeremy Lappin shares how procurement leaders are breaking through the complexity of global tail spend and solving supplier onboarding, compliance, and cross-border payments without adding “yet another tool” to the stack. In this Provider of the Week conversation, Jeremy reflects on Candex’s evolution from startup to global player, unraveling the strategy behind their “it just works” reputation. He walks through real challenges faced by multinationals, the difference a seamless user experience makes, and why their growth has been driven by relentless focus on customer needs and edge-case scenarios. Jeremy also shares practical advice on how to launch quickly, build business cases grounded in real numbers, and expand globally without sacrificing simplicity. Whether you’re battling high supplier setup costs, chasing faster adoption, or facing a cross-border compliance maze, Jeremy offers a refreshing perspective for digital procurement leaders. Listen to the full episode to hear Jeremy’s perspective on: -Lowering tail-spend friction by removing onboarding headaches -Supporting expansion into 55+ countries while handling local compliance -Embedding directly into existing procurement stacks, not adding another login -Scaling adoption gradually, avoiding license-heavy lock-ins Links: Jeremy Lappin on LinkedIn: Candex Profile in the AOP Provider Directory: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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886: The AI Performance Gap: What Procurement Leaders Are Doing Differently W/ Christopher Sawchuk
10/05/2026
886: The AI Performance Gap: What Procurement Leaders Are Doing Differently W/ Christopher Sawchuk
“It has to start with the business outcomes that we want. This becomes an operating model decision. Technology has to support the operating model that we're designing.” - Christopher Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group AI adoption is quickly becoming commonplace in procurement, but the biggest performance gap is in how some organizations are using it to rethink the entire way procurement work gets done. For procurement leaders, the next stage of AI maturity may have less to do with finding another use case and more to do with reconsidering how the function should operate when AI is embedded into the work itself. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Christopher Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group, to discuss findings from The Hackett Group’s AI World Class Procurement research and what they reveal about the next stage of procurement’s AI journey. Chris explains why many organizations remain focused on incremental productivity improvements while leading teams are beginning to redesign workflows, operating models, staffing approaches, and performance measures around AI. They also explore what happens to the capacity AI creates, why pilots don’t necessarily translate into transformation, and how procurement leaders can prepare their organizations for a future that remains difficult to predict. In this episode, Chris discusses how to: -Move beyond AI experimentation toward work redesign -Turn AI-created capacity into higher-value procurement work -Design an operating model where technology supports the desired way of working -Identify where AI can have the greatest impact across procurement processes Links: Christopher Sawchuk on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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Ep 02: The Agentic Procurement Diaries: The Work-Work Balance: Building an Agentic Supply Chain at SLB W/ Jeffrey Ostrander
09/30/2026
Ep 02: The Agentic Procurement Diaries: The Work-Work Balance: Building an Agentic Supply Chain at SLB W/ Jeffrey Ostrander
Dear Diary… "I use AI a lot to help scout out things or pose challenges and see where solutions are being marketed along those lines." Jeffrey Ostrander runs a nearly $5 billion business in one of the most dynamic supply markets on the planet. His team has left the starting block on agentic AI. What they are still deciding is how far into the race they want to run. That distinction runs through this whole conversation. Jeffrey talks about pilots that stumble, business cases that change daily, and a supply base of machine parts makers who are not sitting in front of a computer. Jeffrey is Head of North America Basin Supply Chain for SLB, the 100 year old company formerly known as Schlumberger. He returned to the same organization he started with 15 years ago, after time in global business services and other functions around the world. In this episode of The Agentic Procurement Diaries podcast, Philip Ideson and Jeffrey discuss: - Why sourcing and supplier performance sit in mirrored category structures, and how that builds a talent pipeline - The use cases already in play, from tail procurement to freight pay assurance and contract scouring - The "work-work balance" and why AI discovery has to be carved into paid time - Where he will not yet take the human out of the loop, and who is legally responsible when an agent makes the call Links: Jeff Ostrander on LinkedIn: Zycus on LinkedIn: AOP Provider Directory | Zycus: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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885: Procurement Should Be a Safe Pair of Hands in a Complex World W/ Frank Mckay
09/28/2026
885: Procurement Should Be a Safe Pair of Hands in a Complex World W/ Frank Mckay
“Do we have a supply chain that we are building that is going to allow us to navigate and be agile enough, no matter what the world continues to throw at us?” - Frank Mckay, Chief Supply Chain & Procurement Officer, Jabil Procurement and supply chain have traditionally operated as distinct functions, but growing complexity, new technology, and rising expectations around resilience are making that separation increasingly difficult to maintain. In this episode, Philip Ideson welcomes back Frank Mckay, Chief Supply Chain & Procurement Officer at Jabil, to discuss how closer alignment between procurement and supply chain can create a stronger foundation for growth, resilience, and innovation. Frank shares how Jabil has brought the two functions together around technology and a common source of truth, while using AI to enrich roles, anticipate shortages, and create new capabilities. He also explains how procurement’s measures of success have expanded beyond cost reduction to include balance sheet health, resilience, and revenue generation. In this episode, Frank discusses how to: -Apply AI to enrich roles and proactively manage risk -Balance AI experimentation with appropriate governance -Measure procurement value beyond cost reduction -Build resilience into procurement and supply chain strategy Links: Frank Mckay on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 017: Stop Buying Technology. Start Changing the Operating Model W/ Mason Morgan
09/23/2026
EP 017: Stop Buying Technology. Start Changing the Operating Model W/ Mason Morgan
“AI makes the answers cheaper, so the good questions and good judgment really become the coin of the realm.” - Mason Morgan, Managing Director, Managing Director at CrossCountry Consulting focusing on AI and innovation in S2P Procurement technology has come a long way, but simply adding new technology to existing processes doesn’t guarantee better results. As AI becomes a bigger part of the procurement operating model, leaders have to think differently about where technology can create value, which processes are worth preserving and not handing over to AI, and how their teams need to evolve alongside it. In this episode of ProcureTech Insider, Philip Ideson speaks with Mason Morgan, Managing Director at CrossCountry Consulting focusing on AI and innovation in S2P and a judge for the 2027 ProcureTech100, about what separates procurement organizations that realize value from technology from those that struggle to get there. They explore why technology investments need to be considered as part of the broader operating model, how AI is changing the skills procurement needs, and what leaders should prioritize as they plan their next wave of transformation. In this episode, Mason covers how to: -Treat technology investments as operating model changes rather than standalone implementations -Focus AI initiatives on measurable business outcomes and build credibility through early wins -Recognize when an existing process should be redesigned instead of automated -Develop the business acumen and judgment procurement professionals will need in an AI-enabled environment -Create better buying experiences that make the right path the easiest path for stakeholders -Use technology to extend procurement’s influence without requiring procurement to own every step of the process Links: Mason Morgan on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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884: Beyond On-Time Delivery: Measuring Supplier Stability W/ Shayan Farshid
09/21/2026
884: Beyond On-Time Delivery: Measuring Supplier Stability W/ Shayan Farshid
“You don't need an advanced platform to begin. You just need consistent definitions, discipline, to look at the data, and a willingness to move beyond the on-time delivery average to make really good decisions going forward.” Traditional supplier scorecards can tell procurement whether a supplier delivered on time, but they may not reveal whether that supplier’s commitments are becoming less reliable over time. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Shayan Farshid, a procurement and operations professional, to discuss the Supplier Stability Index, an open-source framework Shayan developed to help procurement teams get a more complete view of supplier performance. Shayan explains how looking beyond traditional on-time delivery metrics can reveal things like commitment drift, unresolved delivery exposure, quality issues, and other signals that may put production schedules at risk. He also shares why he made the framework open source, particularly for small and midsize manufacturers that may not have access to sophisticated supplier risk technology. In this episode, Shayan discusses how to: -Identify supplier risks that traditional scorecards may miss -Measure supplier stability using data teams already have -Prioritize supplier issues based on exposure and criticality -Turn supplier data into more proactive supplier conversations -Build stronger data foundations before applying AI -Start measuring supplier stability without an advanced technology platform Links: Shayan Farshid on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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Ep 01: The Agentic Procurement Diaries: Why This Is a Once-in-a-Few-Centuries Revolution
09/16/2026
Ep 01: The Agentic Procurement Diaries: Why This Is a Once-in-a-Few-Centuries Revolution
Dear Diary… "I believe we are in the midst of a revolution — and I think in a revolution, we as a vendor also want to invest a lot in educating the community on what's really changing and how it's changing." This episode kicks off a new Art of Procurement podcast series, produced in partnership with Zycus. I sit down with the person who made the series possible to talk about why it exists and where agentic AI is really heading. Aatish Dedhia is the Founder and CEO of Zycus, a company that entered procurement in the early 2000s and has lived through every wave of its digitization since. He traces procurement's last 20 years from digitization to machine learning to generative AI, then makes a bold claim: this is a once-in-a-few-centuries change, closer to the Industrial Revolution than to mobile or cloud. In this episode of The Agentic Procurement Diaries podcast, Philip Ideson and Aatish discuss: - Why a point agent is not agentic, and why agent sprawl is causing companies to miss the real ROI of AI - The three layers of guardrails that keep agents in check: the system of record, the agentic policy layer, and the human in the loop - What procurement leaders overestimate and underestimate, starting with the truth that you cannot put AI on a broken process - The three segments Zycus sees today: AI hungry, AI curious, and AI resistant Links:
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883: The CPO Agenda: Scaling AI Beyond the Pilot W/ Darshan Deshmukh
09/14/2026
883: The CPO Agenda: Scaling AI Beyond the Pilot W/ Darshan Deshmukh
“It’s all about building that momentum, creating the value, testing the hypothesis, and then continuing to challenge us to take it to that next level.” Darshan Deshmukh, President at ProcureAbility AI adoption in procurement is accelerating, but experimentation alone does not equal transformation. With organizations launching pilots, testing new platforms, and exploring agentic capabilities, procurement leaders need to keep a clear connection between the technology they adopt and the business outcomes they are trying to create. In this episode, Kelly Barner is joined by Darshan Deshmukh, President at ProcureAbility, for a CPO-level discussion about moving from AI experimentation to meaningful procurement transformation. Darshan shares what he is seeing across procurement organizations as AI maturity increases, including why so many teams remain focused on efficiency and productivity and what separates those efforts from more intentional transformation. He and Kelly also discuss the importance of starting with a business problem rather than a technology or use case, as well as the evolving role of agentic AI, data quality, human judgment, and organizational culture. Listen to this episode, to hear Darshan discuss how to: -Move beyond isolated AI pilots, and toward intentional transformation -Start AI initiatives with the business problem and desired outcome -Use AI to identify risk signals and accelerate decision-making -Build trust through stronger data, transparency, and measurable results -Expand procurement’s contribution beyond cost and risk -Create a culture where experimentation and learning can happen without fear of failure Links: Darshan Deshmukh on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 016: Startup of the Week: FlockScore W/ Matthew Spencer
09/09/2026
EP 016: Startup of the Week: FlockScore W/ Matthew Spencer
“The earlier you can catch risk, the cheaper it is to solve.” - Matthew Spencer, Founder of FlockScore Procurement teams have access to plenty of information when evaluating a new supplier, from certifications and financials to technical capabilities. What they often lack is visibility into a more practical question: How does this supplier actually perform? In this episode of Art of Procurement’s Startup of the Week, we talk with Matthew Spencer, Co-Founder and CEO of FlockScore, a platform building a collective intelligence layer for supplier decisions by bringing together anonymized, real-world supplier performance data. Matthew shares the experience that led him to start FlockScore, why he believes external supplier performance data can help procurement make faster and more confident decisions, and how the platform is designed to complement the supplier data companies already have. Listen to this episode to hear: -Why internal supplier scorecards only provide part of the performance picture -How peer performance data can help procurement evaluate new and alternative suppliers -Why supply chain volatility is increasing the need for faster supplier qualification -How FlockScore combines anonymized peer data with AI-generated supplier signals -How earlier visibility into issues such as supplier capacity can help teams respond before disruption reaches their own operations Links: Matthew Spencer on LinkedIn: Visit FlockScore’s Profile in the AOP Provider Directory: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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882: Reengineering Procurement for Greater Impact W/ Polly DeSouza
09/07/2026
882: Reengineering Procurement for Greater Impact W/ Polly DeSouza
“If you want a seat at the table, you’ve got to pull up the chair.” - Polly DeSouza, APAC Transformation Leader Procurement teams have spent years talking about the need to move away from tactical and transactional work and create more time for strategic priorities. As AI begins to take on more of that work, the opportunity to finally make the shift is growing. The question is whether procurement teams are ready to take advantage of it. In this episode, Philip Ideson is joined by Polly DeSouza, an APAC transformation leader whose career spans finance, procurement, consulting, and operational transformation. Polly shares lessons from working across more than 20 transformation projects and explains why successful transformation requires procurement to think beyond processes and technology. They discuss what procurement can learn from finance, why teams need to understand the language of the business, and how strong stakeholder relationships can help procurement earn earlier involvement in business decisions. Polly also explains why she sees procurement as a “guardian of resilience,” responsible for creating supplier ecosystems capable of supporting the business through continued uncertainty. In this episode, Polly discusses how to: -Connect procurement priorities more directly to financial and business value -Earn earlier involvement by becoming a trusted partner to stakeholders -Strengthen procurement’s role in organizational resilience -Use AI-created capacity to tackle higher-value priorities -Help teams move beyond familiar ways of working -Build transformation around clear business problems and desired outcomes -Develop the skills and mindset needed for procurement’s next chapter Links: Polly Desouza on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 015: Provider of the Week: Tradeverifyd
09/02/2026
EP 015: Provider of the Week: Tradeverifyd
“It’s more the translation of visibility. It’s not so much visibility. Visibility is there, but it’s what do you do with that?” - Mike Prorock, CEO, Tradeverifyd Supply chain risk has become both more complex and harder to anticipate. Geopolitical shifts, regulatory changes, multi-tier supplier dependencies, and an overwhelming volume of data are forcing procurement teams to look further into their supply chains and make decisions faster when something changes. In this episode of the ProcureTech Insider, Jim Cahalan speaks with Mike Prorock, CEO of Tradeverifyd, for a Provider of the Week discussion about turning supply chain visibility into timely, actionable decisions. Drawing on Tradeverifyd’s roots in machine learning, global risk intelligence, and cross-border trade data, Mike explains why simply seeing risk isn’t enough. Procurement teams need to understand what a disruption actually means to their business, determine what requires action, and focus their attention on the handful of decisions that matter most. In this episode, Mike also covers how to: -Look deeper into multi-tier supply chains to uncover hidden dependencies and potential bottlenecks -Combine external intelligence, internal business data, and emerging signals while protecting sensitive company information -Translate supply chain visibility into prioritized actions rather than overwhelming teams with alerts -Use AI agents to analyze changing conditions, explore potential responses, and reduce the manual work required to chase down data Links: Mike Prorock on LinkedIn: Visit the Tradeverifyd profile in the AOP Provider Directory: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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881: Owning Transformation: How to Successfully Lead Procurement Through Change W/ Gretchen Vance
08/31/2026
881: Owning Transformation: How to Successfully Lead Procurement Through Change W/ Gretchen Vance
“Don’t ask AI to do something that you don’t know how to do yourself.” - Gretchen Vance, Vice President Procurement at Forest Lawn Parks and Mortuaries Procurement transformation often comes down to a leader’s willingness to push for change, even when the path forward requires taking a risk. For Gretchen Vance, Vice President of Procurement at Forest Lawn Parks and Mortuaries, that once meant putting two pieces of paper on her CFO’s desk: a proposal for an e-procurement system and her resignation. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Gretchen about the transformation she has led during her 18 years at Forest Lawn, from digitizing a previously paper-based purchasing function to taking responsibility for the full procure-to-pay process. She shares how procurement supports Forest Lawn’s deeply service-oriented mission and why that same commitment to service shapes the suppliers her team chooses to work with. Gretchen also offers a practical perspective on AI. Her team is already using it to analyze data, support RFQs, and streamline contract reviews, but she is clear that procurement professionals still need the knowledge and judgment to recognize when an AI-generated answer is wrong. She discusses why digitization and good data matter, how bringing procurement and AP together can strengthen supplier relationships, and what it takes to lead people through continued change. In this episode, Gretchen also explains how to: -Build supplier relationships around shared culture and purpose -Position procurement as a problem-solving partner to the business -Use AI to save time without sacrificing human expertise and judgment -Create a strong data foundation for digitization and AI -Connect procurement and AP to improve the end-to-end supplier experience -Take calculated risks when meaningful transformation requires leadership commitment -Embrace continuous learning and change as a procurement leader Links: Gretchen Vance on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 014: Provider of the Week: Sievo W/ Sammeli Sammalkorpi
08/26/2026
EP 014: Provider of the Week: Sievo W/ Sammeli Sammalkorpi
“The expectation level of procurement is rising. Today's stuff that was not possible a year ago, that felt like science fiction three years ago, is something that we can create for our customers today.” - Sammeli Sammalkorpi, Co-founder & CEO, Sievo For CPOs and their teams, procurement data has never been more abundant… or more challenging to harness. Demands go far beyond savings: teams are being asked to link procurement value to broader business goals, manage complexity, and adapt to the rapid rise of AI. In this episode of the ProcureTech Insider we speak with Sammeli Sammalkorpi, Sievo’s co-founder and CEO, for a candid “Provider of the Week” discussion about what it takes to turn chaotic data into actionable business value. With Sievo handling data equivalent to more than two percent of global GDP, Sammeli shares why long-term data investment, proprietary benchmarks, and hands-on integration are making the biggest difference for large enterprises. In this episode, Sammeli also covers how to: -Build an enterprise-wide data foundation ready for AI and rapid business change -Turn procurement analytics into prioritized, actionable insights -Benchmark your spend and risk using truly global, anonymized industry data -Translate procurement results into the language of margin, revenue, and business value Links: Sammeli Sammalkorpi on LinkedIn: Visit the Sievo profile in the AOP Provider Directory: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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880: The State of AI in Procurement: Who’s Getting the ROI? W/ Nick Heinzmann
08/24/2026
880: The State of AI in Procurement: Who’s Getting the ROI? W/ Nick Heinzmann
“There’s an absolute risk of procurement’s role and scope being diminished by AI, unless we embrace new ways of working.” - Nick Heinzmann, Head of Research, Zip According to new research from Zip, only 17 percent of organizations can demonstrate clear ROI from AI today. The difference between those seeing results and those still struggling offers some timely and important lessons for procurement. In this episode, Philip Ideson welcomes back Nick Heinzmann, Head of Research at Zip, to unpack findings from Zip’s 2026 State of AI in Spend report. They explore what separates organizations achieving measurable returns from those still dabbling with AI, and why deeper adoption requires procurement teams to rethink how work gets done. Nick also shares what the research reveals about procurement’s changing operating model, including the emergence of new AI-focused roles and the growing importance of evaluating AI outputs rather than simply generating them. He discusses how leaders can create room for experimentation while managing shadow AI, why traditional three-to-five-year transformation roadmaps are becoming less practical, and how procurement can use its unique position across the enterprise to help shape AI governance and adoption. In this episode, Nick discusses how procurement can: -Establish a stronger role in enterprise AI adoption and governance -Move beyond AI experimentation to achieve measurable ROI -Treat shadow AI as a signal for unmet demand while maintaining appropriate governance -Move past common blockers and use early AI challenges to guide what comes next Links: Nick Heinzmann on LinkedIn: 2026 State of AI in Spend Report: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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879: The AI Pilot Phase is Over: How to Move From AI Investment to Genuine Business Impact W/ Joseph Postiglione, Sr.
08/17/2026
879: The AI Pilot Phase is Over: How to Move From AI Investment to Genuine Business Impact W/ Joseph Postiglione, Sr.
“If you're not completely sure about what you want to try to achieve, how will you know you ever achieved it?” - Joseph Postiglione, Sr., Author, Protecting Expected Outcomes in the Age of AI AI investments are accelerating, but many organizations are still struggling to turn promising pilots into the business outcomes they expected. The technology may work as intended, but the original business case can quickly get lost once implementation begins. In this episode, Philip Ideson welcomes back Joseph Postiglione, author of Protecting Expected Outcomes in the Age of AI: Why AI Implementation Must Evolve - And the Emergence of Commercial Control. Drawing on his experience in management consulting and procurement, Joseph explains why organizations need to be more intentional about defining, monitoring, and protecting the outcomes behind their AI investments. Joseph introduces the concept of “commercial control” as a complement to traditional technology implementation methodologies. He and Philip explore what it takes to build stronger business cases, why efficiency gains need a clear plan for how freed capacity will create value, and how AI itself could help organizations identify when expected outcomes begin to drift. They also discuss an important opportunity for procurement: bringing their commercial expertise into enterprise-wide AI investments and helping the business connect technology decisions to measurable results. In this episode, Joseph discusses how to: -Define expected outcomes before an AI implementation begins -Build business cases that go beyond savings and efficiency metrics -Monitor performance and identify why expected outcomes are drifting -Use commercial control to create earlier opportunities to intervene and adjust -Position procurement as a valuable contributor to enterprise technology investments -Turn stronger AI implementation discipline into a source of competitive advantage Links: Joseph Postiglione on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 13: Making Sense of the Procuretech Landscape: Practical Insights for CPOs W/ Samir Khushalani
08/12/2026
EP 13: Making Sense of the Procuretech Landscape: Practical Insights for CPOs W/ Samir Khushalani
“The biggest risk today is not making the wrong AI decision. It is making no decision at all while everyone else is learning.” Samir Khushalani, Senior Advisor, Art of Procurement Procurement leaders now face more technology choices than ever, with new AI-enabled solutions emerging constantly. In this environment, picking the right tools can be overwhelming, and procurement often struggles with knowing where to start, how to avoid analysis paralysis, and ensuring their tech choices drive real business outcomes. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Samir Khushalani, Art of Procurement Senior Advisor and a former McKinsey digital procurement leader. Samir has guided Fortune 500 companies and is helping to shape the ProcureTech100, the industry’s top guide to procurement technology. He breaks down how to navigate a fragmented market, balance risk and urgency, and scale impact without getting stuck in “pilot purgatory.” In this episode, Samir covers how to: -Take practical steps to avoid technology indecision -Identify true AI-native solutions versus “AI-wrapped” legacy tools -Partner with providers who aim for business impact, not just automation -Build a flexible procurement tech stack for lasting competitiveness Links: Samir Khushalani on LinkedIn: Art of Procurement Welcomes Samir Khushalani as Senior Advisor: Download the 2025-26 ProcureTech100 Yearbook: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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878: Building Procurement as a Strategic Growth Engine W/ Travis Hodge
08/10/2026
878: Building Procurement as a Strategic Growth Engine W/ Travis Hodge
“Procurement’s future is bright, when we continue to do it the right way for the right reasons.” - Travis Hodge, Director of Enterprise Sourcing & Procurement at nVent Procurement is no longer just a back-office function. As business models shift and digital transformation accelerates, procurement leaders face more pressure (and more opportunities) than ever to become true business partners. Supplier experience, strategic talent, and AI-enabled efficiency are fast becoming the new playbook for teams aiming to drive results in hyperscale markets. This episode features Travis Hodge, Director of Enterprise Sourcing and Procurement at nVent, who shares how his organization is reinventing both its processes and culture to keep pace with customer needs and rapid growth. Recorded at Ivalua’s ‘Procurement Innovation on Tour’ Summit in Chicago, Travis offers candid insights on supplier segmentation, why executive sponsorship matters, and the operational and emotional impact of genuine employee engagement. His approach starts with treating suppliers as partners and ensuring procurement is measured not just on savings, but on real business value delivered in order to position procurement as a growth engine. In this episode, Travis discusses: -Reframe supplier experience as a cornerstone of transformation and value -Leverage executive sponsorship to unlock strategic change -Connect AI, automation, and data strategy to tangible business outcomes -Prioritize employee experience as a real differentiator Links: Travis Hodge on LinkedIn: Procurement Innovation on Tour: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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877: Building Trust for Digital Supply Chain Success W/ Mohit Ahuja
08/03/2026
877: Building Trust for Digital Supply Chain Success W/ Mohit Ahuja
“Visibility is not the end goal. The end goal is how does that visibility enable me to make a quick decision.” - Mohit Ahuja, Strategy & Transformation Leader, Caterpillar Business leaders can no longer afford to think about digital procurement as “plug and play.” This is especially true in manufacturing, where the risks of disruption run deep. Legacy systems, change-weary teams, and rapid-fire market shifts all raise the stakes for today’s CPOs. In this episode, Mohit Ahuja, a strategy and transformation leader at Caterpillar, shares what it takes to navigate these challenges. Drawing on over 16 years across engineering, supply chain, and operations, Mohit offers candid stories and actionable strategies for moving the needle on digital transformation without leaving people behind. Whether you’re wrestling with technical debt, siloed teams, or cultural resistance, this episode delivers perspective for CPOs and procurement professionals trying to drive lasting impact. In this episode, Mohit covers how procurement can: -Move from reactive to proactive and enable real-time, predictive risk management -Build trust on the shop floor by practicing adaptive leadership -Focus on early, low-risk wins to build momentum for transformation -Shift from cost minimization to resilience as a core procurement goal Links: Mohit Ahuja on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 12: Provider of the Week: Una
07/29/2026
EP 12: Provider of the Week: Una
“It's amazing how you can rise to the top just by doing what you say you're going to do and being honest about what you can't do.” - Anthony Clervi, Managing Partner, Una Procurement teams today are under intense pressure to deliver savings, manage risk, and do more with less… all while digital transformation reshapes the landscape. For many, group purchasing organizations (GPOs) sound good on paper, but open questions about control and fit. What does it take to find a true partner in this space? In this Provider of the Week episode, Anthony Clervi, Managing Partner at Una, joins us to break down what’s changed in indirect spend and what CPOs should look for in a partner. From the "dietician, not the butcher" mindset to embracing AI and ongoing alignment, Anthony shares why a consultative, agile approach beats one-size-fits-all solutions. In this episode, Anthony covers: -How GPOs balance speed, savings, and transparency -When to bring in partners like Una (and why earlier is better) -Ways to adapt GPO services to your team’s resource and maturity levels -How ongoing supplier alignment drives long-term value -Why a human, empathy-first approach matters now more than ever Links: Anthony Clervi on LinkedIn: Provider Profile: Una: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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876: AI with Purpose: Designing Procurement's Next Chapter W/ Gaël De Martelaere
07/27/2026
876: AI with Purpose: Designing Procurement's Next Chapter W/ Gaël De Martelaere
“If you build AI on top of weak foundations, you're going to have a very broken system.” - Gaël De Martelaere, Chief Procurement Officer, Hexion AI is driving enormous change in procurement, but success relies on more than just new tools. The real challenge is rebuilding the foundations (data, process, and team mindsets) while still delivering results for the business today. In this episode, Gaël De Martelaere, CPO at Hexion, joins Philip Ideson to share how his team is moving beyond traditional procurement and redefining value for both customers and stakeholders. Gaël brings decades of experience, a healthy dose of curiosity, and a pragmatic focus on experimentation, not perfection. In this episode, Gaël also speaks about: -Transforming procurement to support broader business reinvention -Rebuilding foundational processes with AI in mind -Building digital fluency and accountability at every level -Focusing on experimentation over multi-year perfection plans -Why curiosity and sound judgment matter now more than ever Links: Gaël De Martelaere on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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875: How to Transform Every Procurement Partnership W/ Kate Vitasek
07/20/2026
875: How to Transform Every Procurement Partnership W/ Kate Vitasek
“When you have a great partnership, the value that you can create is unbelievable if you know how to do it.” - Kate Vitasek Despite the best intentions, nearly 70% of business partnerships unravel within three years. Why is it so difficult to build relationships that deliver value, and what are the practical steps procurement leaders can take to break the cycle? Kate Vitasek, pioneering researcher and author of the Vested series of books, joins host Philip Ideson to share hard-won lessons from decades in the field. Her new book, The Vested Way: Five Rules for Achieving the Impossible, offers a flexible set of principles that work for deals of any size, in any industry. These stories (from Fortune 500 cases to community partnerships) reveal what really makes collaboration succeed… or stall. Whether you’re negotiating your next billion-dollar outsourcing contract or building a local alliance, Kate’s Vested rules can help you unlock real, lasting value. In this episode, Kate covers: -Why partnerships fail and how you can avoid the common traps -How to apply the five rules for outcome-focused, trust-based partnerships -Measuring and managing cultural fit, even when there are big gaps -Using automation to support (not replace) strategic relationships -Moving your team from buying transactions to architecting business outcomes Links: Kate Vitasek on LinkedIn: The Vested Way: Five Rules for Achieving the Impossible: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 11: Provider of the Week: Valdera
07/15/2026
EP 11: Provider of the Week: Valdera
Chemical procurement’s complexity isn’t news, but the pace of change – and risk – is climbing fast. With AI sweeping through every corner of the business, leaders charged with sourcing chemicals and raw materials have reached a fork in the road: modernize, or fall behind. Dheev Arulmani, COO and co-founder of Valdera, brings deep chemical and consulting experience to this Provider of the Week episode of the ProcureTech Insider podcast. He shares how Valdera’s AI-powered sourcing platform is transforming the end-to-end procurement workflow, empowering both seasoned category managers and less specialized teams to deliver better costs, reduced risk, and faster innovation. If you want practical advice on what “AI-native” procurement looks like in chemicals and where the value is proven, this is an episode to queue up. In this episode, Dheev discusses: -Why “one size fits all” tech rarely delivers for chemical sourcing -How to equip non-specialists to manage sophisticated materials at scale -Digitizing high-impact steps like spec-sheet mapping, tariff estimates, and supplier feedback -How to move quickly by starting small (then expand after proving ROI) -Balancing cost, resilience, and innovation to drive measurable outcomes
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874: Building Resilience Beyond Tier One: Hard Truths About Risk and Visibility W/ Harald Nitschinger
07/13/2026
874: Building Resilience Beyond Tier One: Hard Truths About Risk and Visibility W/ Harald Nitschinger
“Resilience doesn't mean a supply chain that doesn't see risk. That's impossible. It means setting yourself up to withstand shocks and disruptions.” - Harald Nitschinger, Co-founder and CEO, Prewave Today’s supply chains operate in a world of constant shocks, but the risks that matter most rarely show up on procurement’s tier one dashboard. Often, the real trouble is buried further downstream, so procurement leaders have to redefine how and where resilience is built and risk is monitored. In this episode, host Philip Ideson speaks with Harald Nitschinger, CEO and Co-founder of Prewave. Harald’s team helps some of the world’s largest manufacturers map and monitor their supply chains beyond what’s visible, harnessing AI and public data to reveal risks buried at tier two, three, and beyond. His insights are especially pertinent for procurement teams wrestling with supply chain visibility or struggling to connect risk data to executive business cases. Harald also shares real-world strategies for unlocking upstream visibility, making the business case for resilience investments, and building an operating model that actually responds when risk hits. In this episode, Phil and Harald discuss: -Surfacing hidden supplier risks using public data and intelligent mapping -Leveraging supply chain transparency in supplier qualification and negotiations -Identifying and monitoring bottlenecks in categories like semiconductors and rare earths -Tying risk scenarios to hard financial impact for practical resilience investments Links: Harald Nitschinger on LinkedIn: Prewave company profile in the AOP Provider Directory: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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873: Creating Capacity for Complex Problem Solving W/ Israel Santiesteban
07/06/2026
873: Creating Capacity for Complex Problem Solving W/ Israel Santiesteban
“We need to evolve from procurement professionals into business leaders with procurement expertise.” - Israel Santiesteban, Former Chief Procurement Officer and Head of Supply Chain The next evolution of procurement is about so much more than cost savings. With new digital tools and relentless business change, leaders are being asked to deliver value in new ways and, as a result, develop talent for roles that didn’t exist a few years ago. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Israel Santiesteban, a former CPO and supply chain leader with experience across Danone, Kraft Heinz, Schreiber Foods, and more, who’s spent decades delivering end-to-end transformation in fast-moving sectors. They discuss what it really takes to unlock the power of data and AI, and why the next generation of procurement jobs will look very different. Israel also opens up about the risks and opportunities of working with startups, the reality behind scenario planning, and why high-performing teams need to shift from transactional work to strategic value-creation. In this episode, Israel also discusses: -How to cut through the hype and use AI for quick wins in neglected indirect spend -Discovering how CPOs can partner with startups for tailored solutions -Ways to move from reactive firefighting to true predictive scenario planning -The importance of building new procurement roles that blend digital fluency with business acumen -Rethinking procurement metrics that show value, not just savings Links: Israel Santiesteban on LinkedIn: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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EP 10: Supplier Management as a Connected Discipline W/ Jesse Lee
07/01/2026
EP 10: Supplier Management as a Connected Discipline W/ Jesse Lee
“If your business is getting bigger, then supplier management is going to be ever more important to you.” - Jesse Lee, Co-founder, CEO of Brooklyn Solutions Procurement’s role in managing suppliers is transforming fast: scope is growing, expectations are higher, and the risks are real. Getting supplier management right is essential to business resilience, especially when the entire organization depends on partners and external providers. In this episode, Brooklyn Solutions CEO Jesse Lee joins ProcureTech Insider host Jyothi Hartley to zero in on today’s big challenges and the practical answers that have worked in enterprise environments. Jesse brings experience across engineering, law, and SaaS product management, giving him a unique vantage point on how supplier management actually drives (or stalls) value. Hear their frank conversation about what “good” truly looks like in supplier management, how to connect data and teams, and which steps CPOs should prioritize right now. In this episode, Jesse discusses how procurement should: -Redefine supplier management to accelerate your business roadmap -Address expanding scope: onboarding, third-party risk, and relationship management -Make operational resilience a built-in feature, not an afterthought -Connect data and policies for seamless end-to-end supplier oversight -Build a holistic roadmap when evaluating new solutions Links: Jesse Lee on LinkedIn: Visit the Brooklyn Solutions profile in the AOP Provider Directory: Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube:
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