At the beginning of March 2023, we were delighted to take part in the third world digital procurement summit in Berlin. It was a great opportunity for us to meet with fellow procurement experts and exchange knowledge on the latest topics. Our colleague Ronny Denk was there and had the chance to learn a lot from the shared experiences. We want to share some of the key takeaways from the summit.
Similar challenges across all industries
It’s clear that procurement challenges are similar across all industries and company sizes. The pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty, and supply chain resilience is always a top concern. Additionally, there is a shortage of procurement professionals, which can make it difficult to meet demand.
Automation and technology are the levers to solve the challenges of today and the prepare for the future
This was a major theme discussed at the summit, and it’s clear that innovative tools can provide a lot of support for procurement teams. By automating certain processes and freeing up the operational effort of sourcing, procurement teams can add more value to the business. This will help to elevate procurement to the C-level table.
Team is key within procurement
The importance of teamwork was also emphasized, both within the procurement team and with stakeholders from within the business and suppliers. It’s not enough to just have the right technology and processes in place. It’s also important to have a cohesive team with a shared goal in mind and a good understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Co-development with startups remains the path to innovation
Finally, co-development with startups was a hot topic. Companies like Roche shared their experiences on how they’re working with startups to help develop new solutions for procurement. It’s clear that startups have a lot to offer, and it’s important to take advantage of their innovative ideas.
We had a great experience at the third world digital procurement summit in Berlin. We learned a lot from the shared experiences and are excited to bring our newfound knowledge to the team. We’re looking forward to seeing how our insights can help to advance procurement in the future.