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

Graphite Connect and Candor Procurement
  • 5.0 (2)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED DAILY

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. 3D AGO

    Will Agentic AI Kill Orchestration Suites?

    In this episode of Proc & Roll, hosts Conrad Smith, Natasha Gurevich, and Zachary Bachir dive into Phase Two of Stakeholder Management while confronting the breaking disruption of AI agents. The episode kicks off with a look at shifting global tariffs and the sudden rise of "Clawdbot", an AI agent capable of operating independently across your computer and files. The team debates a startling question: Is traditional procurement orchestration dead? As AI enables every business unit to have a virtual CPO (like the hypothetical "Tasha" bot) , procurement must shift away from being process gatekeepers to becoming strategic conductors of the enterprise. The second half of the episode is a rapid-fire Q&A on the hard truths of Stakeholder Management, covering everything from rogue spend to hostile business partners. Key Topics Covered: The AI Agent Revolution: How independent AI agents might run the entire end-to-end sourcing process in the near future. Savings vs. Speed: Knowing when to stop a stakeholder's process to protect the enterprise, and when to get out of the way. Earning Your Seat: Why a seat at the executive table must be earned through strategic value, not mandated by policy. Rethinking Maverick Spend: Why eliminating 100% of shadow procurement might make you more enemies than friends, and how to enable speed-to-market within compliant boundaries. Enterprise KPIs: Shifting from functional procurement goals (like cost savings) to OKRs tied directly to enterprise revenue and operating margins. The 7% Autopilot Rule: How technology will run 93% of procurement processes, leaving human professionals to "fly the plane" for the critical 3-7% of strategic decisions. Navigating "Red" Stakeholders: Practical strategies for dealing with hostile relationships, from falling back on governance to knowing when it's time to simply step away. About Proc & Roll: Proc & Roll is your guide to practical procurement. Hosted by industry veterans Conrad Smith, Natasha Gurevich, and Zachary Bachir, the podcast brings together global minds to tackle the reality of modern supply chains, technology, and leadership. From navigating the rapid disruption of AI agents to mastering the soft skills of stakeholder management, Proc & Roll delivers the insights you need to elevate your career and drive true enterprise value.

    52 min

  2. FEB 18

    Beyond Logic: Why Relationships are the Real Procurement Engine

    "I had to learn the hard way that people's feelings really matter." That was Zachary Bachir’s candid admission about his journey from a logical "robot" to an EQ expert. It serves as the foundation for today’s deep dive into Brain Science and the "Fluff" that actually drives multi-million dollar business results. In this week's Proc & Roll, hosts Conrad Smith, Natasha Gurevich, and Zachary Bachir strip away the spreadsheets to explore the single most important engine in procurement: Stakeholder Management. We debate why being a "gatekeeper" is a death trap for your influence, how to overcome imposter syndrome when dealing with the C-Suite, and why a relationship with zero friction—a "Love Fest"—might actually mean you’re failing at your job. In this episode, we cover: The 90-Day Listening Tour: The one diagnostic question Natasha uses to uncover organizational pain without getting defensive. The "Fluff" Myth: Why brilliant tech and supply chain architects fail the moment they ignore the human side of the business. The Ego Audit: A masterclass in taking "brutal" feedback and turning a critic into a coach. The "Hobby Buyer" Pivot: How to address shadow procurement by carrying the "torch of empowerment" across the whole enterprise. About Proc & Roll Proc & Roll is your guide to practical procurement, hosted by industry heavyweights Zachary Bachir, Conrad Smith (CEO, Graphite), and Natasha Gurevich (CEO, Candor Procurement). From brain science to visual mapping, we deliver actionable insights to help you win hearts, minds, and budgets.

    42 min

  3. FEB 11

    "Don't Worry, We Got It" (The $25 Million Mistake)

    That was the response Natasha Gurevich’s CPO gave to a stakeholder who said, "Don't worry, we got it." It is the ultimate definition of fiduciary duty, and the perfect example of the Enterprise Mindset we discuss in today’s episode.In this week's Proc & Roll, hosts Conrad Smith, Natasha Gurevich, and Zachary Bachir revisit a key prediction for 2026: The shift from "functional" procurement to "enterprise" leadership.We debate whether you should hire "hobby buyers" via rotation programs or stick to dedicated pros, why staying in procurement too long can turn you into a "compliance bot", and how to stop stakeholders from bypassing you by delivering value before the contract is written.Plus, we explore the "Power of And"—why you don't have to choose between savings and value and issue a 1-Week AI Challenge to wake up your team's strategic brain. In this episode, we cover: The Enterprise Shift: Why "keeping score" isn't enough—you have to get in the game.The Compliance Bot Trap: Why Zach argues you need to rotate out of procurement to truly understand the business.The "End Up" Bar: Natasha’s hilarious analogy for how some procurement teams are staffed with people who just "end up" there.The 1-Week AI Challenge: A practical exercise to force your team to think like a C-Suite executive.The Elephant Mindset: How to break the mental chains that keep you focused on tactical tasks.About Proc & Roll Proc & Roll is your guide to practical procurement, hosted by industry heavyweights Zachary Bachir, Conrad Smith (CEO, Graphite), and Natasha Gurevich (CEO, Candor Procurement). From fighting inflation to navigating AI, we deliver actionable insights to help you turn procurement into a strategic powerhouse.

    55 min

  4. FEB 4

    Is Your SRM Program Just Useless Theater?

    Why Your SRM Program is Useless Theater? Why has Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) progressed so little in the last 20 years? And what can procurement leaders learn from the messy "divorce" between Amazon and UPS? In this episode of Proc & Roll, hosts Conrad Smith, Natasha Gurevich, and Zachary Bachir tackle the stagnation of supplier management. They debate why most QBRs are just "useless theater," why indirect procurement struggles to build real partnerships compared to direct procurement, and how to stop trying to manage 20,000 suppliers and start focusing on the few that matter. Plus, we break down the strategic shift in the Amazon vs. UPS partnership, and why knowing when to end a relationship is just as important as starting one. In this episode, we cover: Amazon & UPS Split: Why Amazon is UPS’s largest customer but least profitable, and what it teaches us about ending partnerships. The "Useless Theater" of SRM: Why running QBRs without business buy-in is a waste of time. Direct vs. Indirect: Why manufacturing teams are often decades ahead of indirect procurement in managing relationships. The "Data God" Strategy: Natasha reveals why you don't need to be a data expert to lead SRM; you just need a "Data God" on your team. Practical Advice: Stop overcomplicating segmentation. Start with one supplier, one stakeholder, and one spreadsheet.

    48 min
  5. Lessons from PepsiCo: What a "World-Class" Procurement Team Actually Looks Like

    JAN 29

    Lessons from PepsiCo: What a "World-Class" Procurement Team Actually Looks Like

    Why do most layoffs fail? Why is the obsession with "world-class" talent actually hurting your team? And is the advice to "learn to code" already obsolete?In this Jam Session, hosts Natasha Gurevich and Zachary Bachir sit down with Lucien Alziari, former CHRO of Prudential, Maersk, and Avon.Lucien drops masterclass insights on leadership discipline, the "He-Man" toxicity in tech management, and why he believes layoffs are like open-heart surgery: a life-saving measure that fails if you go right back to your bad habits.In this episode, we cover:Stop Chasing "World-Class" Talent: Why you only need elite talent in the specific roles that make you win—and why "good" is enough everywhere else.Lessons from PepsiCo: What a truly strategic procurement team looks like (hint: they understood the value of a can from the mine to the shelf).The Layoff "Lifestyle": Why restructuring fails when companies "take the people out but don't take the work out".The Skills Trap: Why Lucien believes human skills like curiosity and reliability will outlast technical skills like coding in the AI era.The Fear Factor: Why stakeholders "live in fear" of procurement and how to fix your reputation.

    55 min

  6. JAN 21

    "My Data Sucks!": The Hard Reality Check Most Procurement Teams Need Right Now

    Everyone wants to talk about AI, but no one wants to talk about the mess in their data lake. In this episode of Proc & Roll, hosts Conrad Smith, Zachary Bachir, and Natasha Gurevich debate the unsexy reality of data readiness. Is your organization actually ready for predictive analytics, or are you just "tidying up your bedroom" before it gets messy again? The team dives deep into why one-off data cleanup projects are a waste of budget, why hiring a PhD Data Scientist might be a massive mistake for your current maturity level, and why the most successful leaders "stay in love with the data" even as they rise through the ranks. In this episode, we cover: The "Bedroom Tidying" Trap: Why cleaning up data without fixing the operating model is a futile exercise.Single Version of Truth: How to stop the "I disagree with your numbers" argument that kills every procurement strategy.The Talent Debate: Do you need a Data Scientist or a Process Analyst? (The answer might surprise you) ."No New Data": A radical strategy to stop data sludge before it enters your system. Leadership Advice: Conrad’s plea for leaders to remain connected to the raw information that runs the business.About Proc & Roll Proc & Roll is your guide to practical procurement, hosted by industry heavyweights Zachary Bachir, Conrad Smith (CEO, Graphite), and Natasha Gurevich (CEO, Candor Procurement). From fighting inflation to navigating AI, we deliver actionable insights and "Jam Sessions" with world-class leaders to help you turn procurement into a strategic powerhouse.

    33 min
  7. "You're Only as Good as Your Last Failure" : Former Meta S2P Leader Talks Credibility

    JAN 16

    "You're Only as Good as Your Last Failure" : Former Meta S2P Leader Talks Credibility

    Why do business stakeholders roll their eyes when you talk about "cost savings"? And why does the next generation of talent treat their career path like a video game? In this episode, hosts Zachary Bachir and Natasha Gurevich sit down with Ted Baumuller, former Global Leader of Source-to-Pay at Meta (and formerly Cisco & Abbott), for a masterclass on stakeholder alignment and modern leadership. Ted shares his unconventional journey from hating supply chain ("too many parts!") to leading procurement at one of the world's biggest tech companies. He reveals why "leading with savings" is a trap and how to actually get a seat at the table by speaking the language of Marketing, Engineering, and IT. In this episode, we cover: Stop Leading with Savings: Why stakeholders see you as a "back office cost center" when you talk price—and what to say instead to get their attention.The Credibility Equation: Ted's rule for building trust: "You are only as good as your last failure".The Gamification of Career: How to manage Gen Z talent who expect to "level up" their career like a video game (and why that's not necessarily a bad thing). AI & The "Crap Work": Why you should happily hand over transactional work to AI so you can focus on relationships. Career Zig-Zags: Why the best procurement leaders often don't start in procurement—and why cross-functional experience is your superpower.Whether you are a procurement leader trying to get Engineering to listen to you, or a young professional mapping out your career, this episode is packed with practical wisdom from a leader who has seen it all.About Proc & RollProc & Roll is your guide to practical procurement, hosted by industry heavyweights Zachary Bachir, Conrad Smith (CEO, Graphite), and Natasha Gurevich (CEO, Candor Procurement). From fighting inflation to navigating AI, we deliver actionable insights and "Jam Sessions" with world-class leaders to help you turn procurement into a strategic powerhouse.

    48 min

  8. JAN 8

    AI vs. The Experts: Who Actually Predicted the Future of Procurement?

    Will Procurement Teams Shrink in 2026? It is time for our retrospective! In this episode of Proc & Roll, hosts Conrad Smith, Natasha Gurevich, and Zachary Bachir look back at their 2025 forecasts and lay out their bold predictions for the year ahead. We even let an AI agent grade our 2025 scorecards. Did we hit the mark on the "AI Hype Cycle" crashing into the "Data Wall"? In this episode, we cover: 🔮 The 2025 Scorecard: The Data Wall: AI confirms that the hype cycle crashed in Q2 2025 as companies paused projects to fix master data. The Amazon Effect: Intake management became the hottest category to solve user experience. Savings vs. Value: Why the CFO still demanded hard dollar savings despite the push for "value. 🚀 Top Predictions for 2026: The Great Tech Stack Reshuffle: Natasha predicts CPOs will cancel niche subscriptions to self-fund new tools—no incremental budget expected. Shrinking Teams: A controversial take that procurement teams will get smaller as manual tasks vanish, shifting focus to high-level strategy. Tangible AI Value: Moving past the "shiny toy" phase to asking where AI agents are actually executing work. The Gig Expert: The rise of the "fractional" procurement expert to solve the talent crisis. Plus, Conrad shares an AI-generated "Top 10" list for 2026, including the death of the PowerPoint QBR and the thawing of US-China relations.

    1h 15m
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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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