Procurement leaders joined the fourth annual Procurement Conference in London

Procurement leaders from commercial enterprises, the public sector, and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the UK joined the fourth annual Amazon Business Exchange (ABX) this week.

Held at London’s Tobacco Dock on 20 April 2023, with a second German event taking place in Berlin on 27 April 2023, ABX was a free, complimentary event for purchasing leaders who were looking to transform their procurement process.

In addition to discussing cost savings, they showcased the strategic impact that procurement can have for large enterprises, alongside digital transformation, and how businesses can become more sustainable.

“Hearing about innovations and new ways of creating value from today’s speakers has been incredible,” said Alexandre Gagnon, vice president (Amazon Business Worldwide).

“Customers are at the core of everything we do at Amazon Business, which is why it’s so important to come together to discuss and share different perspectives. It’s clear that procurement professionals need to be able to simultaneously focus on delivering efficiencies while providing a new type of value. We’re proud to provide strategic support to CPOs and organisations of all shapes and sizes.”

Martin Schüler, general manager (Amazon Business Europe) said: “While saving money is important, procurement has to be a value-creator, providing strategic support to the business. When assessing where cost or resources can be recouped, procurement should take a proactive role in suggesting where these savings should be reinvested, especially into areas that build resilience to weather future challenges.”

During the event, Amazon Business leaders and industry figures from an array of sectors including retail, information technology and the public sector shared their insights on a range of topics: the importance of creating social value, managing tail spend, and increasing agility.

Fabricio Pedroza, country manager UK & Ireland (Amazon Business) said: “Business buying has become an increasingly strategic function, with chief procurement officers continually facing new and varied challenges.

“Right now, they’re facing the need to balance cutting costs with furthering strategic goals. CPOs need to be resilient, maintaining their strategic focus while delivering cost savings for their organisations.”

During a breakout session led by public sector representatives and Amazon Business executives, attendees heard discussions on the importance of aligning corporate social responsibility goals with procurement strategies and processes.

Speakers put the spotlight on how different strategies can drive meaningful and socially responsible procurement. They explained how every pound spent in the public sector can bring social and environmental benefits, meaning it’s crucial that CPOs have visibility over expenditure and how it is driving social value.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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