Building Business Resilience through Proactive Procurement" was the theme of an exciting seminar recently hosted by Clarion Solicitors in Leeds. Attended by over 50 business and industry professionals, the event was a great success, with four outstanding speakers sharing their insights and expertise.
Stuart Nelson, the Head of European Sourcing at WM Morrison Supermarkets, spoke about "Procurement - Leading in Times of Disruption". He emphasized the importance of proactive procurement that focuses on the use of data, building strong relationships, getting contracts right, and promoting sustainability. The takeaway from his presentation was that disruption presents an opportunity, but only if businesses are proactive.
Ilija Ugrinic, Commercial Solutions Director at Proactis, presented on the stages of Business Spend Management automation and how to plan for evolution. He discussed the importance of evolving to an integrated ecosystem in procurement and what that would look like.
Jimmy Brannigan, Director at Go4Growth, gave some intriguing insights into feedback from suppliers/providers on the selection process, T’s and C’s/insurance, KPI’s, and accreditations. His takeaway was to "do things differently and research all opportunities" to enhance procurement processes.
Matthew Hattersley, Partner at Commercial Contracts at Clarion, talked about the importance of procurement excellence and optimizing supply chains. He discussed the commercial legal issues surrounding procurement and how to ensure that terms apply, specifications are correct, and data is secure.
The event was attended by Made in Yorkshire, an organization with a mission to unite industry in the region. The presentations were followed by a lively Q & A session where participants had the opportunity to put questions to the speakers. Overall, the seminar was a fantastic opportunity for businesses to gain valuable insights into proactive procurement and building business resilience in uncertain times.