Art of Procurement

"Digital masters aren't just deploying technology. They're changing the way procurement runs." - Chris Riley, Partner - Supply Chain and Procurement, Deloitte

As AI-enabled tools shift the landscape from efficiency to true strategic impact, CPOs are tasked with making sense of new operating models, changing expectations, and how to redeploy talent toward higher-value work.
In this episode, Deloitte's Chris Riley, Ryan Flynn, and Jocelyn Mayfield join Philip Ideson to break down the findings of Deloitte's latest CPO and AI surveys. They reveal what sets digital masters apart, how top teams link digital investments to business outcomes, and what it takes to move from process efficiency to business advisor.
Whether you're rolling out AI for the first time or redesigning your operating model, this conversation dives deep into practical lessons and next steps for forward-thinking procurement teams.
In this episode, Chris, Ryan, and Jocelyn will discuss:
- What "digital masters" do differently 
- Why operating model design now has existential importance for procurement
- The real opportunity (and challenge) in reskilling for the AI era
- How cultural change and reward systems drive sustainable transformation
Links:
Chris Riley on LinkedIn
Ryan Flynn on LinkedIn
Jocelyn Mayfield on LinkedIn
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As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte Consulting LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please seewww.deloitte.com/us/aboutfor a detailed description of our legal structure. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.
This podcast contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this podcast, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This podcast is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor.
Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this podcast.

"Isn't it true that everybody talks about supplier management, but nobody does it?" 
This observation from Summit Procurement CEO and Founder Alan Veeck captures the delta between procurement's aspirations and the reality on the ground. It's a gap, he says, that AI might finally help close, but only if organizations resist the temptation to simply slash headcount when AI-powered efficiencies arrive.
In this episode of "Buy: The Way...To Purposeful Procurement," co-hosts Philip Ideson and Rich Ham speak with Alan Veeck to explore what it might look like if procurement was unleashed to pursue actual value, and why the resistance to that vision remains so formidable.
Alan presents listeners with a thought experiment: imagine a CPO given two directives: first, embrace AI to drive maximum efficiency, but second, keep every team member despite the bandwidth freed up by AI. His answer reveals momentous untapped potential: those 25 entry-level people whose salaries total $2.5 million annually? In a billion-dollar enterprise, he says, they could find 10x that value "in their sleep" within months through proper supplier engagement, category management, and relationship building. 
This notion also brings procurement's existential challenge into the light. Without fixing flawed incentive structures, procurement will "continue to be the ones asking for a seat at the table." 
One-off conversations and content won't solve these issues. Instead, Alan says it's time to convene "the smartest thinkers in our industry" into what Rich dubs a "fellowship." The goal: creating industry standards for measuring value across different contexts, giving organizations practical frameworks to escape the savings delusion.
As Rich notes, there's no general ledger line item for savings, only costs. Procurement can be "the hero of the expense side of the ledger," but only if they muster the collective confidence to take the necessary steps.
Links:
Alan Veeck on LinkedIn
Rich Ham on LinkedIn
Learn more at FineTuneUs.com

"Right now, procurement needs to define their future role in the business. Procurement needs to drive that for themselves, because if we don't, then someone is going to drive it for us, and that could drive us out." - Gordon Donovan, Vice President Research - Procurement & External Workforce, SAP
Business models are being disrupted, and so is procurement. This year's Economist Impact report reveals a sharp drop in C-suite confidence, a dramatic return to basics on cost and compliance, and AI taking center stage as both opportunity and challenge. 
Amid these changes, how can CPOs set a strategy that's fit for tomorrow, not just today?
Gordon Donovan, VP of Research for Procurement and External Workforce at SAP, returns to the show with exclusive data and a candid view on industry shifts. Gordon breaks down what really matters in this year's survey: the operational realities behind AI, the new direction for category management, and why rethinking old processes is the only way forward.
In this episode, Gordon discusses:
Why procurement confidence shrank up to 18% globally  
The importance of zeroing in on cost and compliance as resurgent priorities  
Rethinking category management for a complex new landscape  
How to pinpoint where AI delivers and the barriers still holding teams back  
Why now is the time to reinvent, not just digitize
Links:
Gordon Donovan on LinkedIn
Homepage: The Procurement Imperative
2026 Report: The Procurement Imperative
Infographic: A View from the C-Suite in 2026
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It's no secret: procurement teams are under increasing pressure to deliver savings, handle more work with leaner teams, and modernize outdated processes… all at once. While software solutions have flooded the market, much of the daily reality still involves spreadsheets and emails, especially for indirect or non-strategic spend.
Stan Moskovtsev, co-founder and U.S. CEO of Zinit, wants to solve this. Drawing on his years leading digital procurement at McKinsey, Stan built a SaaS-enabled B2B marketplace that addresses these day-to-day pain points. In this ProcureTech Insider Startup of the Week episode, Stan joins Jyothi Hartley to unveil Zinit's unique "AI-native" architecture, outcome-based commercial model, and flexible approach to getting clients up and running quickly.
Curious how a new breed of marketplace could break the cycle of underutilized tools and lagging ROI? Hear firsthand what drives procurement results in markets large and small.
In this episode, Stan discusses:
Why procurement teams still default to email and Excel, even after investing in tools
How outcome-based pricing removes cost barriers and drives adoption
What it means to build with AI at the foundation not as an afterthought
How Zinit enables fast, low-lift pilots and delivers clear ROI on tail spend
 
Links:
Stan Moskovtsev on LinkedIn
Visit Zinit's Page in the AOP Provider Directory
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"Don't speak about category savings because that's procurement lingo. We need to speak about gross margin expansion at the end-product level." - Sammeli Sammalkorpi, Co-Founder and CEO, Sievo
Spend analytics has moved well beyond spreadsheets, but most organizations are still guessing about what 'good' performance looks like. 
When Sievo analyzed $1.4 trillion of procurement spend, the findings were both confirming and, in some places, eye-opening. With the business landscape changing rapidly, adaptation backed by data is more important than ever.
In this Art of Procurement podcast episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner are joined by Sammeli Sammalkorpi, Co-Founder and CEO of Sievo. Sammeli details Sievo's approach to benchmarking, the surprising patterns in the data, and where CPOs may be missing untapped value. He also shares practical ways to reframe procurement's business impact, anchoring spend to revenue, and challenging old assumptions about control.
The conversation covers fresh ways to benchmark your team's performance, build actionable industry comparisons, and rethink what matters in spend analytics.
In this episode, Sammeli discusses:
Why even the most mature organizations still miss large opportunities
How to identify the hidden business impact of spend spikes and payment terms
The importance of comparing industry benchmarks to spot real, actionable gaps
Rethinking "control" in procurement: Is a PO always required?
How clean data unlocks speed and better decisions
Links:
Sammeli Sammalkorpi on LinkedIn
State of Spend Report 2025
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