Art of Procurement

"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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AI is already changing procurement, but, for many, the bigger and more difficult question is what will happen to people in the process.
Procurement has long been constrained by capacity: too much data, too many transactions, and not enough time to step back and think strategically. Now, with AI accelerating analysis, automating tasks, and reshaping workflows, that constraint is starting to loosen.
But more capacity doesn't automatically create more value.
In this episode of Buy: The Way…To Purposeful Procurement, Friddy Hoegener, co-founder of Scope Recruiting and a former procurement practitioner, joins co-hosts Philip Ideson and Rich Ham to explore what AI really means for procurement talent, hiring, and the future of the function.
Friddy sits at a unique intersection. He has lived procurement from the inside and now evaluates it from the outside, helping companies hire the people who will define its future. What he sees is both promising… and unsettling.
On the one hand, AI is making work more efficient. Recruiters no longer spend hours taking notes or writing candidate summaries, and procurement can analyze data faster and make decisions more quickly. Entry-level roles that once focused on repetitive tasks are beginning to evolve into something more strategic.
However, AI is also distorting how talent is evaluated, and not always to the benefit of the candidate or the employer. It has never been easier for candidates to look polished, tailored, and highly qualified on paper. Resumes, outreach messages, and even interview preparation can be AI-assisted, making it harder than ever to distinguish between genuine capability and well-generated output. As a result, the traditional filters procurement relies on are breaking down, forcing hiring teams back to something more fundamental: actual human conversation.
Links:
Friddy Hoegener on LinkedIn
Rich Ham on LinkedIn
Learn more at FineTuneUs.com

"Procurement now gets to decide where to play, who does the work, and how much of that work is done by humans versus agents." - Viji Doraiswamy, VP Product Marketing, Coupa
Senior procurement leaders are under pressure to deliver much more than just savings. The next advantage lies in the intelligent orchestration of processes, where agentic AI not only automates intake, but enables teams to truly focus on value and strategy.
In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Viji Doraiswamy, VP of Product Marketing at Coupa. Drawing on hands-on experience with large-scale clients, Viji explains what's actually working with agentic AI, how companies are overcoming trust barriers, and why orchestration (not just digitization) holds the key to operating model transformation. She also shares specific use cases where teams are already realizing ROI and freeing up time for strategic work.
In addition to sharing proven tactics for building adoption, assessing risk, and unlocking the next level of procurement impact, Viji discusses:
How to separate intake from orchestration and why orchestration drives impact
How to shift your procurement operating model for greater control and delegation
Building confidence in agent-driven outcomes with explainability and phased rollouts
Where most companies start on the agentic AI journey and where they get the greatest ROI
Links:
Viji Doraiswamy on LinkedIn
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In a world defined by volatility, procurement leaders need more than gut instinct to navigate supply chain risks. From regulatory pressure to sudden trade disruptions, organizations can't afford blind spots. This is why risk intelligence and AI-powered efficiency are climbing the CPO agenda.
This week, Harald Nitschinger, co-founder and CEO of Prewave, joins the ProcureTech Insider podcast to discuss how their platform helps organizations move beyond basic supplier visibility to real-time, actionable risk insights. Built with both ESG compliance and resilience in mind, Prewave's approach helps procurement teams anticipate – not just react to – new threats and opportunities.
Harald shares how deep supply chain mapping, scenario planning, and seamless integration with procurement tools have set Prewave apart with over 250 global brands.
Listen to the full episode to hear Harald's insights on:
Uncovering ways to map and monitor risk across all supplier tiers in real time
How Prewave's approach balances compliance, sustainability, and operational resilience
How leading procurement teams are automating risk identification and avoiding survey overload
What's next for AI-driven supply chain intelligence and how CPOs can get ahead
Links:
Harald Nitschinger on LinkedIn
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Learn More About Prewave in AOP's Provider Directory

"In the AI regime, things are going to be disrupted. So be ready to be disrupted." - Dr. Swapnil Dubey
In a market as complex and fast-changing as India, procurement's role has transformed from tactical to strategic… and fast. As global manufacturers shift operations and Indian firms chase world-class performance, the need for advanced procurement leadership has never been greater.
In this Art of Procurement podcast episode, Philip Ideson speaks with veteran procurement leader Dr. Swapnil Dubey, whose four-decade career spans India's procurement evolution, from the early days of shared service centers to today's digital and AI-driven frontier. 
They discuss how Indian procurement teams are matching their global peers, why AI could upend white-collar work, and where new career opportunities are emerging for the next generation. Swapnil also explains how local strengths, regulatory shifts, and new tech are shaping India's overall procurement landscape.
Listen to the full episode to hear Swapnil's perspective on:
Why executives at every level are now championing procurement
The true drivers (and blockers) of digital transformation in Indian firms
How AI will reshape talent, roles, and upskilling
Diverse career journeys to today's CPO seat
Links:
Dr. Swapnil Dubey on LinkedIn
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