Proc-N-Roll : Your guide to practical procurement!

Graphite Connect and Candor Procurement

Welcome to Proc n Roll, where nearly 70 years of combined procurement expertise come together. Join Natasha, the PRO CPO with experience at IBM, McKesson, Salesforce, and Nike; Zach, the procurement guru from London; and Conrad, the visionary innovator behind transformational procurement at Intel and Adobe. We dive into the latest trends shaping the procurement landscape while breaking down the essential building blocks for success. Whether you’re new to procurement or a seasoned expert, our discussions will inspire you and keep you grounded in real-world value.

  1. 5d ago

    Procurement's Next Crisis: Who is Paying for All This AI?

    In this week's Proc n Roll, the trio tackles a billion-dollar boardroom debate: Who exactly owns AI in the enterprise? With 87% of companies increasing AI budgets by 2026, but only 14% having a clear C-suite owner, the lack of defined leadership is creating uncertainty. Conrad, Natasha, and Zachary debate the tension between decentralized, bottom-up innovation and top-down corporate governance. They explore the dangers of "shadow AI," why token consumption is about to become your company's biggest expense, and how to divide AI responsibilities across the CISO, Tech, and Procurement teams. Timestamps (00:00:00) - Cold Open: The billion-dollar tug of war over AI ownership, the risk of data leaks, and token consumption costs. (00:01:21) - Episode Intro: Welcome to Proc n Roll with the "Three Amigos" (Conrad, Natasha, and Zachary). (00:02:06) - The Main Topic: Who owns AI in the enterprise when 87% of companies have increased budgets but only 14% have a clear owner? (00:02:47) - Zachary's View (Decentralization): Why everyone should own AI and why innovation must come from the people doing the job today. (00:06:05) - Natasha's View (Centralization): The need for compliance, keeping the enterprise in sync, and why AI strategy should fall under a Chief Transformation Officer or CPO. (00:08:57) - The "Garage" Innovators: Zachary and Conrad discuss how the best AI users are experimenting off corporate machines using frontier models. (00:11:41) - Accountability in AI: Treating AI outputs with the same ownership expectations as building an Excel model or PowerPoint presentation. (00:14:34) - The Danger of Toy Agents: Natasha argues that building agents without a holistic enterprise strategy creates disconnected "toys" rather than solutions. (00:17:25) - Personal Productivity vs. Platform Execution: Zachary breaks down the difference between using personal prompts and deploying integrated agents on enterprise platforms. (00:21:49) - The Token Cost Crisis: Zachary predicts AI token consumption will become the biggest expense line for companies and why procurement must treat it like software asset management. (00:27:39) - Defining Cross-Functional Roles: The hosts agree that the CISO owns security, Procurement owns cost, and Tech owns the overarching strategy. (00:30:57) - The Policy Dilemma: The struggle to define who writes the AI guidelines without stifling innovation. (00:33:42) - The Inevitable Data Leak: Natasha predicts a major corporate data spill caused by rogue employees building shadow AI. (00:38:39) - Shadow AI & Swivel-Chairing: Conrad explains how employees are using external devices to bypass corporate AI restrictions for tasks like "should-cost" analysis. (00:43:01) - Episode Wrap-up: Final thoughts on the necessity of cross-functional collaboration to navigate enterprise AI. About Proc n Roll Welcome to Proc n Roll, your guide to practical procurement! Hosted by industry veterans Conrad, Natasha, and Zachary, we dive deep into the strategies, operating models, and emerging technologies shaping the future of supply chain and procurement. Whether you are looking to navigate the AI tech boom, rethink your category management, or just survive your next boardroom meeting, the "three amigos" are here to break down the complex topics into actionable, practical insights. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more procurement insights!

    45 min
  2. Stop Begging for a Seat at the Table (This Fortune 500 CPO Says It's Fake)

    May 28

    Stop Begging for a Seat at the Table (This Fortune 500 CPO Says It's Fake)

    In this week's Proc n Roll, we are joined by procurement legend John Dixon, whose 40-year career includes serving as Chief Procurement Officer for global giants like AstraZeneca, GSK, Diageo, BP, and Rolls-Royce. John drops some serious truth bombs about the current state of our industry. He explains why procurement is facing a "perfect storm" of risk, cost, and AI, and why leaders need to completely drop the cliché of asking for a "seat at the table". Instead, he breaks down how to actually earn credibility by speaking the business's language, stopping the endless fights with the CFO over cost savings, and establishing simple, effective baselines. Finally, John issues a warning about the saturated procurement tech landscape —urging leaders to engage in "discretionary learning" so they truly understand AI rather than blindly buying platforms. Timestamps (00:50) – Intro: Welcome John Dixon, 40-Year Procurement Veteran & Global CPO(02:10) – The "Perfect Storm": Why Procurement is at an Inflection Point(03:55) – The Myth of the "Seat at the Table" & Earning Real Credibility(07:13) – Clashing with the CFO: Savings vs. True Business Value(10:53) – How to Establish Simple Rules and Baselines with Finance(19:04) – Moving from Tactical Buyers to Strategic Ecosystem Managers(20:28) – The Power of Speaking Their Language: Hiring Chemists to Buy Test Tubes(25:14) – Aligning Procurement's Value Proposition with Business Goals(33:13) – Category Strategy: Your Ultimate Tool to Learn the Business(39:01) – Navigating a Saturated Procurement Tech Landscape(42:14) – Why Procurement Must "Leapfrog" in Technology Investments(46:01) – "Discretionary Learning": Why CPOs Cannot Abdicate Tech Decisions(49:49) – Looking Back: John's First CPO Role and Greatest Turning Point About Proc n Roll Proc n Roll is your guide to practical procurement. Join industry veterans Conrad, Zach, and Natasha as we tackle real-world challenges for procurement leaders. From building agile operating models to leveraging the latest AI and data strategies, we bring you no-nonsense, actionable insights to help you transform your organization.

    53 min
  3. 57 Contracts With the Same Hotel: The Visibility Problem Nobody Sees

    May 26

    57 Contracts With the Same Hotel: The Visibility Problem Nobody Sees

    You think you know your spend? Natasha Gurevich once found a company with 57 separate contracts with the same hotel chain — because nobody had visibility across entities. In this Proc N Roll: Track, Conrad Smith breaks down the simplest data model every procurement team needs (transactions → suppliers → cost centers), Natasha reveals how fragmented visibility creates hidden waste, and together they introduce 3D Segmentation — evaluating suppliers across spend, risk, AND business criticality instead of just dollars. Natasha also shares how partnering with Legal on a volume-vs-value analysis freed up massive resources: 80% of contracts were under $150K and didn't need the full treatment. This Track is pulled from https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Vz93Umri8VZSoA4nbKZ2G?si=eLBKlK2EQMCso6jNNclLAw About Proc N Roll:Your guide to practical procurement, where we make procurement rock and roll. Hosted by Conrad Smith (Founder of Graphite Connect, former CPO at Adobe, and Intel), Natasha Gurevich (former CPO at Nike, Salesforce, McKesson, and IBM), and Zachary Bachir. Three procurement veterans with almost 70 years of combined practical experience, unpacking the trends, skills, and real-world lessons that shape the profession.

    12 min

  4. May 21

    Building Digital Twins: How AI is Reshaping the Procurement Workforce

    In this episode of Proc N Roll, the "Three Amigos" reunite to tackle the wild frontier of AI in the workplace before diving deep into the architecture of procurement operating models. Are AI tools "employees" or just "agents"? The trio discusses the clash between tech developers and HR departments, and Conrad introduces us to James. his multilingual, highly efficient AI Chief of Staff who manages his calendar, tracks meeting action items, and holds the team accountable.In the second half of the episode, the conversation shifts to the blueprint of business: the procurement operating model. Zach and Natasha share their proven frameworks for structuring, documenting, and executing a winning model. Whether your organization needs to be centralized, center-led, or decentralized, this episode provides the practical steps you need to align your procurement structure with your ultimate business goals, and even touches on how to build a "digital twin" of your procurement workforce! Catch up on the Operating Model subject: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4lpDVChcoaCLtbsVWxYJsE?si=hdp4-qlzRtCQ-tzEbwjwkg https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZMyZqSVAQx9IoipQzfemS?si=5mM11orpRZGf6YqU2d9s6w Timestamps (01:16) – Welcome Back: The Procurement BFFs Reunite (01:29) – Agents vs. Employees: The HR and Tech Divide (03:58) – Meet James: Conrad's AI Chief of Staff (07:39) – The Meeting Debate: AI Note-Takers vs. Handwritten Notes (11:18) – The End of Self-Service: How AI is Bringing Back Full-Service Support (15:22) – AI Security, Enterprise Guardrails, and the Mac Mini Strategy (18:30) – The Blueprint: Transitioning to Procurement Operating Models (20:51) – Operating Model Archetypes: Centralized, Center-Led, and Decentralized (30:02) – The Future: Building a "Digital Twin" of Your Procurement Org (35:45) – From Ingredients to Blueprint: How to Document Your Model (37:41) – The "Factory of Ideas": Natasha’s Category Management Framework (47:04) – Final Advice for CPOs: Where to Start Designing Your Model About Proc n Roll Proc n Roll is your guide to practical procurement. Join industry veterans Conrad, Zach, and Natasha as we tackle real-world challenges for procurement leaders. From building agile operating models to leveraging the latest AI and data strategies, we bring you no-nonsense, actionable insights to help you transform your organization.

    50 min
  5. Stop Hiring. Start Growing: The Procurement Talent Fix

    May 19

    Stop Hiring. Start Growing: The Procurement Talent Fix

    The procurement talent crisis isn't a hiring problem — it's a development problem. In this Proc N Roll: Track, Natasha Gurevich argues that as automation replaces purchasing tasks, leaders can't expect their teams to instantly become strategic thinkers. You have to build that muscle from within. She introduces the "work romance" model: pair experienced Gen X leaders who understand the business problems with Gen Z employees who grew up with tech. Hand them a complex challenge with zero instructions — and watch them solve it in two weeks. Conrad Smith pushes leaders to stop watching demos and get their hands dirty in the actual tools. This Track is pulled from https://open.spotify.com/episode/4MNArtXXGJwUrPykWaxtcc?si=SdaicJUyQLaNt1gnxQ3BJA About Proc N Roll:Your guide to practical procurement, where we make procurement rock and roll. Hosted by Conrad Smith (Founder of Graphite Connect, former CPO at Adobe, and Intel), Natasha Gurevich (former CPO at Nike, Salesforce, McKesson, and IBM), and Zachary Bachir. Three procurement veterans with almost 70 years of combined practical experience, unpacking the trends, skills, and real-world lessons that shape the profession.

    10 min
  6. How to Win Over a Stakeholder Who Doesn't Want Your Help

    May 12

    How to Win Over a Stakeholder Who Doesn't Want Your Help

    Every procurement professional has met that stakeholder — the one who says "we're fine, thanks" and locks the door. In this Proc N Roll: Track, Natasha Gurevich shares the exact playbook she used to break into one of procurement's hardest categories: marketing. Step one: stop threatening an RFP and start sending a one-page market intel newsletter. Step two: show them the supplier pie chart they've never seen — 4,000 suppliers, 10 of them doing 80% of the work. Conrad Smith adds a reframe from Google's procurement model and delivers one of the best analogies in the series: "It's almost impossible not to love somebody that loves your kids." This Track is pulled from https://open.spotify.com/episode/6nXrAVjJUnjBxdpTQrXaVF?si=XP_TfoImTQuAaTsDIwQe6w About Proc N Roll:Your guide to practical procurement, where we make procurement rock and roll.Hosted by Conrad Smith (Founder of Graphite Connect, former CPO at Adobe, and Intel), Natasha Gurevich (former CPO at Nike, Salesforce, McKesson, and IBM), and Zachary Bachir. Three procurement veterans with almost 70 years of combined practical experience, unpacking the trends, skills, and real-world lessons that shape the profession.

    10 min
  7. What Are We Trying to Achieve? The Shift to Outcome-Based Procurement

    May 7

    What Are We Trying to Achieve? The Shift to Outcome-Based Procurement

    Welcome back to Proc n Roll! In this week's episode, Conrad reconnects with long-time colleague and procurement powerhouse Omid Ghamami to discuss a fundamental shift in how we source. Are you spending 70% to 90% of your day firefighting supplier issues? Omid argues that this happens because procurement teams are stuck in a 1970s mindset, focusing entirely on buying "goods and services" instead of contracting for business outcomes. Omid shares incredible stories—from the LED traffic light disaster to the $30 million payroll blunder—that illustrate exactly why focusing on activities instead of results costs organizations millions. Tune in to learn why your legal team isn't actually protecting you commercially, why "ignorance" is your greatest procurement weapon, and how to stop asking for permission so you can crown yourself as a true business leader. Timestamps: (00:55) – Welcome & Reconnecting 30 Years Later 04:40 – The Accidental Career: Nobody Plans for Procurement (08:16) – Stop Parasitic Negotiations: The Hidden 18% Cost (12:39) – Why We Buy The Wrong Things: Custom vs. Standard (15:33) – The Brutal Truth: Why Stakeholders Don't Engage Us Early (21:23) – The Problem with "Goods and Services" Contracts (25:59) – Embrace Ignorance: Your Greatest Procurement Tool (32:57) – The Know, Like, and Trust Triangle (42:27) – The San Francisco $30M Payroll Blunder (46:19) – Response Time vs. Resolution Time (The Baseball Game Story) (51:05) – The Wisconsin LED Traffic Light Disaster (55:13) – Why Legal Isn't Protecting You Commercially (01:01:46) – Leadership Lesson: Crown Yourself About Proc n Roll Proc n Roll is your guide to practical procurement. Join Conrad, Zach, and Natasha as we tackle real-world challenges for procurement leaders. From building operating models to leveraging data and AI strategy, we bring you no-nonsense insights to help you transform your organization! Be sure to hit that like button, comment your thoughts, and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

    1h 5m
  8. Forget the Savings Number for 12 Months The CPO Mindset Shift

    May 5

    Forget the Savings Number for 12 Months The CPO Mindset Shift

    If procurement only speaks the language of cost savings, it will never be astrategic partner. In this Proc N Roll: Track, former CPO Natasha Gurevich argues that real value looks different to every stakeholder — risk reduction for legal, speed to market for marketing, capacity assurance for supply chain — and that procurement leaders need to be brave enough to tell their teams, "Forget the savings number for 12 months. Just do the right thing for the business." Conrad Smith shares how he stopped reporting savings to his CFO for nearly two years at Adobe, and the trio unpacks the three pillars required to shift from savings to value: talent, stakeholder relationships, and supplier relationships. This Track is pulled from https://open.spotify.com/episode/7CHXHUFK1sMqA6Cct1b2iz?si=eFBJEG3sQGGKgSLzRqo_Ag About Proc N Roll:Your guide to practical procurement, where we make procurement rock and roll.Hosted by Conrad Smith (Founder of Graphite Connect, former CPO at Adobe, and Intel), Natasha Gurevich (former CPO at Nike, Salesforce, McKesson, and IBM), and Zachary Bachir. Three procurement veterans with almost 70 years of combined practical experience, unpacking the trends, skills, and real-world lessons that shape the profession.

    10 min
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About

Welcome to Proc n Roll, where nearly 70 years of combined procurement expertise come together. Join Natasha, the PRO CPO with experience at IBM, McKesson, Salesforce, and Nike; Zach, the procurement guru from London; and Conrad, the visionary innovator behind transformational procurement at Intel and Adobe. We dive into the latest trends shaping the procurement landscape while breaking down the essential building blocks for success. Whether you’re new to procurement or a seasoned expert, our discussions will inspire you and keep you grounded in real-world value.

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