Art of Procurement

Philip Ideson
  • 4.8 (68)
  • Management
  • Updated Semiweekly

Learn from procurement experts. Host Philip Ideson talks with thought leaders who share the trends, strategies and tactics that you can lever to elevate the role of procurement - and your career.

  1. 4d ago

    EP 12: Provider of the Week: Una

    "It's amazing how you can rise to the top just by doing what you say you're going to do and being honest about what you can't do." - Anthony Clervi, Managing Partner, Una Procurement teams today are under intense pressure to deliver savings, manage risk, and do more with less… all while digital transformation reshapes the landscape. For many, group purchasing organizations (GPOs) sound good on paper, but open questions about control and fit.  What does it take to find a true partner in this space? In this Provider of the Week episode, Anthony Clervi, Managing Partner at Una, joins us to break down what's changed in indirect spend and what CPOs should look for in a partner. From the "dietician, not the butcher" mindset to embracing AI and ongoing alignment, Anthony shares why a consultative, agile approach beats one-size-fits-all solutions.  In this episode, Anthony covers: -How GPOs balance speed, savings, and transparency  -When to bring in partners like Una (and why earlier is better) -Ways to adapt GPO services to your team's resource and maturity levels -How ongoing supplier alignment drives long-term value -Why a human, empathy-first approach matters now more than ever   Links: Anthony Clervi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyclervi/  Provider Profile: Una: https://artofprocurement.com/provider-directory/una  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement

  2. 6d ago

    876: AI with Purpose: Designing Procurement's Next Chapter W/ Gaël De Martelaere

    "If you build AI on top of weak foundations, you're going to have a very broken system." - Gaël De Martelaere, Chief Procurement Officer, Hexion AI is driving enormous change in procurement, but success relies on more than just new tools. The real challenge is rebuilding the foundations (data, process, and team mindsets) while still delivering results for the business today. In this episode, Gaël De Martelaere, CPO at Hexion, joins Philip Ideson to share how his team is moving beyond traditional procurement and redefining value for both customers and stakeholders. Gaël brings decades of experience, a healthy dose of curiosity, and a pragmatic focus on experimentation, not perfection. In this episode, Gaël also speaks about: -Transforming procurement to support broader business reinvention -Rebuilding foundational processes with AI in mind -Building digital fluency and accountability at every level -Focusing on experimentation over multi-year perfection plans -Why curiosity and sound judgment matter now more than ever   Links: Gaël De Martelaere on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaeldemartelaere/  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement

  3. Jul 20

    875: How to Transform Every Procurement Partnership W/ Kate Vitasek

    "When you have a great partnership, the value that you can create is unbelievable if you know how to do it." - Kate Vitasek Despite the best intentions, nearly 70% of business partnerships unravel within three years.  Why is it so difficult to build relationships that deliver value, and what are the practical steps procurement leaders can take to break the cycle? Kate Vitasek, pioneering researcher and author of the Vested series of books, joins host Philip Ideson to share hard-won lessons from decades in the field. Her new book, The Vested Way: Five Rules for Achieving the Impossible, offers a flexible set of principles that work for deals of any size, in any industry. These stories (from Fortune 500 cases to community partnerships) reveal what really makes collaboration succeed… or stall. Whether you're negotiating your next billion-dollar outsourcing contract or building a local alliance, Kate's Vested rules can help you unlock real, lasting value. In this episode, Kate covers: -Why partnerships fail and how you can avoid the common traps   -How to apply the five rules for outcome-focused, trust-based partnerships   -Measuring and managing cultural fit, even when there are big gaps   -Using automation to support (not replace) strategic relationships   -Moving your team from buying transactions to architecting business outcomes   Links: Kate Vitasek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katevitasek/  The Vested Way: Five Rules for Achieving the Impossible: https://a.co/d/09An1hNu  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement

  4. Jul 15

    EP 11: Provider of the Week: Valdera

    Chemical procurement's complexity isn't news, but the pace of change – and risk – is climbing fast. With AI sweeping through every corner of the business, leaders charged with sourcing chemicals and raw materials have reached a fork in the road: modernize, or fall behind. Dheev Arulmani, COO and co-founder of Valdera, brings deep chemical and consulting experience to this Provider of the Week episode of the ProcureTech Insider podcast. He shares how Valdera's AI-powered sourcing platform is transforming the end-to-end procurement workflow, empowering both seasoned category managers and less specialized teams to deliver better costs, reduced risk, and faster innovation.  If you want practical advice on what "AI-native" procurement looks like in chemicals and where the value is proven, this is an episode to queue up. In this episode, Dheev discusses: -Why "one size fits all" tech rarely delivers for chemical sourcing  -How to equip non-specialists to manage sophisticated materials at scale   -Digitizing high-impact steps like spec-sheet mapping, tariff estimates, and supplier feedback  -How to move quickly by starting small (then expand after proving ROI)  -Balancing cost, resilience, and innovation to drive measurable outcomes

  5. Jul 13

    874: Building Resilience Beyond Tier One: Hard Truths About Risk and Visibility W/ Harald Nitschinger

    "Resilience doesn't mean a supply chain that doesn't see risk. That's impossible. It means setting yourself up to withstand shocks and disruptions." - Harald Nitschinger, Co-founder and CEO, Prewave Today's supply chains operate in a world of constant shocks, but the risks that matter most rarely show up on procurement's tier one dashboard. Often, the real trouble is buried further downstream, so procurement leaders have to redefine how and where resilience is built and risk is monitored. In this episode, host Philip Ideson speaks with Harald Nitschinger, CEO and Co-founder of Prewave. Harald's team helps some of the world's largest manufacturers map and monitor their supply chains beyond what's visible, harnessing AI and public data to reveal risks buried at tier two, three, and beyond.  His insights are especially pertinent for procurement teams wrestling with supply chain visibility or struggling to connect risk data to executive business cases. Harald also shares real-world strategies for unlocking upstream visibility, making the business case for resilience investments, and building an operating model that actually responds when risk hits.  In this episode, Phil and Harald discuss: -Surfacing hidden supplier risks using public data and intelligent mapping -Leveraging supply chain transparency in supplier qualification and negotiations -Identifying and monitoring bottlenecks in categories like semiconductors and rare earths -Tying risk scenarios to hard financial impact for practical resilience investments Links: Harald Nitschinger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harald-nitschinger-88488280/  Prewave company profile in the AOP Provider Directory: https://artofprocurement.com/provider-directory/prewave  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement

  6. Jul 6

    873: Creating Capacity for Complex Problem Solving W/ Israel Santiesteban

    "We need to evolve from procurement professionals into business leaders with procurement expertise." - Israel Santiesteban, Former Chief Procurement Officer and Head of Supply Chain The next evolution of procurement is about so much more than cost savings. With new digital tools and relentless business change, leaders are being asked to deliver value in new ways and, as a result, develop talent for roles that didn't exist a few years ago. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Israel Santiesteban, a former CPO and supply chain leader with experience across Danone, Kraft Heinz, Schreiber Foods, and more, who's spent decades delivering end-to-end transformation in fast-moving sectors.  They discuss what it really takes to unlock the power of data and AI, and why the next generation of procurement jobs will look very different. Israel also opens up about the risks and opportunities of working with startups, the reality behind scenario planning, and why high-performing teams need to shift from transactional work to strategic value-creation.  In this episode, Israel also discusses: -How to cut through the hype and use AI for quick wins in neglected indirect spend -Discovering how CPOs can partner with startups for tailored solutions -Ways to move from reactive firefighting to true predictive scenario planning -The importance of building new procurement roles that blend digital fluency with business acumen -Rethinking procurement metrics that show value, not just savings   Links: Israel Santiesteban on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/israel-santiesteban-43627b1b/  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement

  7. Jul 1

    EP 10: Supplier Management as a Connected Discipline W/ Jesse Lee

    "If your business is getting bigger, then supplier management is going to be ever more important to you." - Jesse Lee, Co-founder, CEO of Brooklyn Solutions Procurement's role in managing suppliers is transforming fast: scope is growing, expectations are higher, and the risks are real. Getting supplier management right is essential to business resilience, especially when the entire organization depends on partners and external providers. In this episode, Brooklyn Solutions CEO Jesse Lee joins ProcureTech Insider host Jyothi Hartley to zero in on today's big challenges and the practical answers that have worked in enterprise environments. Jesse brings experience across engineering, law, and SaaS product management, giving him a unique vantage point on how supplier management actually drives (or stalls) value. Hear their frank conversation about what "good" truly looks like in supplier management, how to connect data and teams, and which steps CPOs should prioritize right now. In this episode, Jesse discusses how procurement should: -Redefine supplier management to accelerate your business roadmap -Address expanding scope: onboarding, third-party risk, and relationship management -Make operational resilience a built-in feature, not an afterthought -Connect data and policies for seamless end-to-end supplier oversight -Build a holistic roadmap when evaluating new solutions   Links: Jesse Lee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-lee-64310a/  Visit the Brooklyn Solutions profile in the AOP Provider Directory: https://artofprocurement.com/provider-directory/brooklyn-solutions  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement

  8. Jun 29

    872: Beyond Automation: Accelerating Agentic AI Transformation in Procurement W/ Vishal Patel

    "The future of procurement isn't actually AI. It's people using AI to improve business outcomes and improve their own value add." - Vishal Patel, SVP Product & Customer Marketing at Ivalua Many procurement teams have adopted AI in some aspect, but only a few have figured out how to turn those early experiments into sustainable, scalable business value. With market expectations rising and teams overstretched, leaders are being challenged to translate AI's potential into measurable outcomes. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Vishal Patel, SVP of Product and Customer Marketing at Ivalua, at their Procurement Innovation On Tour event. Vishal candidly shares what separates companies truly scaling value from those still spinning their wheels, from focusing on quick wins to treating AI as strategic muscle instead of just another tool. He also shares several practical ways procurement can accelerate their AI journey, without waiting for perfect conditions… or data.  In this episode, Vishal discusses how to: -Identify quick-win AI projects that unlock real business value   -Turn data challenges into progress instead of roadblocks   -Build confidence and trust through transparency and feedback   -Avoid "agent sprawl" and focus on scalable skills   -Make AI a capability, not just software   Links: Vishal Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishal-patel-841574/  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement

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4.8
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About

Learn from procurement experts. Host Philip Ideson talks with thought leaders who share the trends, strategies and tactics that you can lever to elevate the role of procurement - and your career.

Information

  • Creator
    Philip Ideson
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    918
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright (c) Art of Procurement
  • Show Website
    Art of Procurement

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