Art of Procurement

869: The Modern Operating Model: Building a Lean, High-Value Procurement Team W/ Stephen Rauf

"Don't overvalue the top procurement spot, and don't undervalue the tools and the budget required. It's an ecosystem." - Stephen Rauf, Global Head of Indirect Procurement, Zoetis Delivering more value with fewer resources is an easy thing to want, but tough to execute consistently over time… unless procurement rethinks their entire approach, from operating model and team structure to technology and stakeholder influence. In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Stephen Rauf, Global Head of Indirect Procurement at Zoetis, the world's leading animal health company. Stephen unpacks how he has steered a lean, high-impact team through transformation, why "build vs. buy" is a weekly question, and what it takes to create true business partnership – while surfacing next-gen use cases for AI. In this episode, Stephen shares his point of view on: -Building nimble procurement teams that can punch above their weight -Moving from managing spend to shaping demand with stakeholders -Using tech – and especially AI – to enable rather than overwhelm -Deciding when to build internal strength vs. partnering for expertise -Measuring a broader spectrum of procurement value, not just cost savings Links: Stephen Rauf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrauf/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrauf/] Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe [https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe] Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement [https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement]

EP 08: Startup of the Week: Suplari W/ Jeff Gerber

Procurement teams are under increasing pressure to do more with less… less time, less headcount, and often less budget. But, at the same time, the volume of data they manage continues to grow, making it harder to uncover insights and act on them quickly. That's the challenge Suplari wants to solve. In this ProcureTech Insider Startup of the Week episode, Jyothi Hartley speaks with Jeff Gerber, Co-Founder and CEO of Suplari, about how AI-powered procurement intelligence can help teams move beyond visibility and into action. Suplari brings together fragmented spend, supplier, and contract data into a single, governed source of truth. From there, its AI capabilities identify opportunities, surface risks, and increasingly help teams take action by automating the path from insight to impact. Jeff shares Suplari's origin story, why traditional analytics fall short, and how procurement teams can start unlocking value from their data faster than they might expect. In this episode, Jeff discusses: * Why connecting siloed procurement data is the foundation for better decision-making * How AI can move procurement beyond analytics into action and orchestration * What makes Supplari different in a crowded AI and analytics market * How procurement teams can uncover hidden savings and inefficiencies * Why imperfect data shouldn't stop you from getting started Links: * Jeff Gerber on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-gerber/] * 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]

868: Catalyst SFO: (Re)Designing Procurement for an Agentic World W/ Christine Moore and Joe Postiglione Sr.

"Catalyst is really a unicorn. You walk in the room, check your ego at the door, and everybody is there to learn." - Christine Moore, Managing Partner, RAUS Global Procurement is racing to harness AI, but simply "doing more" won't be enough. At Catalyst San Francisco, the most recent in-person event hosted by Art of Procurement, procurement executives came together to confront what's truly needed right now: going beyond efficiency, investing in stronger change management, and breaking free of the old excuses that hold teams back. In this event recap conversation, Christine Moore, Managing Partner at RAUS Global, and Joe Postiglione Sr., author of the upcoming book Achieve Results with AI and Avoid the CFO Hot Seat, join Philip Ideson to discuss how intimate, curated professional gatherings like Catalyst drive practical, real-world progress. Listen in to hear what sets this unique environment apart, why open dialogue matters more than buzzwords, and how procurement leaders can champion a culture that turns AI into a strategic advantage to deliver measurable, real-world results. Whether you're developing your own digital roadmap or guiding your business partners, these takeaways will help you reframe what's possible for procurement. In this episode, Christine and Joe describe how procurement can: * Build a proactive, outcome-driven approach to AI projects * Lead change and create a sense of safety for candid discussions * Reframe the "data problem" and move initiatives forward * Recognize how compute and AI usage costs can impact value * Shift from pure efficiency to growth-focused thinking Links: Christine Moore on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-adamsson-moore/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-adamsson-moore/] Joe Postiglione Sr. on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepostiglione/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepostiglione/] Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe [https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe] Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement [https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement]

BTW EP 32: The Final Phil-Ins: Closing One Door, Opening Another

In the final episode of "Buy: The Way...To Purposeful Procurement," Philip Ideson, Rich Ham, and Kelly Barner reflect on 18 months of exploration, 32 episodes, and a remarkable roster of guests who collectively proved that procurement's incentive problems are both bigger and more solvable than most realize. The flaws we uncovered aren't just procurement's problem, and there are often far-reaching, real-life consequences. For example, when buyer-side dysfunction enables seller-side exploitation, consumers absorb higher costs. When short-term savings metrics kill long-term initiatives like energy efficiency investments, the climate crisis deepens. When procurement is measured on fictional savings rather than actual P&L impact, the entire profession gets relegated to asking for a seat at the table instead of earning one. Building on Alan Veeck's call from the previous episode to convene "the smartest thinkers in our industry," the hosts sketch out what should come next from pragmatists alongside visionaries, skeptics alongside believers, and C-level advocates outside of procurement who can sell the vision to their peers. We don't need philosophical discussions about value, but actual business cases quantifying both the harms of keeping things status quo and the upside of change. Not just theoretical frameworks, but practical answers to the logistics of administering new measurement systems. Not just ideas, but examples shown in action that give others confidence to follow. As automation commoditizes tactical work, procurement has never been under more pressure to articulate what they stand for and how they connect to business value. The pace of AI-driven change makes solving the incentive problem more critical than ever, because the function needs to know what higher-value work looks like before the efficiencies arrive. So, while the series may be ending, as Rich notes, it feels more like a beginning. Thirty-two episodes proved the story was worth covering. Now comes the harder part: turning all of that conversation into action. Links: Rich Ham on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-ham-51b38a10/]Learn more at FineTuneUs.com [http://finetuneus.com]

867: Building Bridges Between Procurement and the Business W/ Brad DeHart

"If you focus on stakeholders' needs and add value, the savings will always follow." - Brad DeHart, Senior Vice President, Customer Growth, Continuum Procurement leaders have always been expected to deliver value under pressure, but when resources are thin, the old playbook just doesn't cut it. What does it take to truly become a trusted partner to the business and move beyond savings-only conversations? Art of Procurement host Philip Ideson welcomes Brad DeHart, a seasoned leader who's helped shape marketing procurement functions across industries. Brad's experience spans both the buy and sell sides, giving him a front-row seat to what works, and what might set your team back. In this candid discussion, Brad challenges common assumptions about where procurement should focus their efforts, why some models falter, and how the right mindset (and soft skills) open real doors to influence. He shares memorable stories and actionable advice for CPOs and category leads navigating complexity and stakeholder fatigue. In this episode, Brad covers: - Redesigning relationships with marketing to move beyond 'just savings' - Recognizing why the 'strategic vs. tactical spend' debate misses the point - Structuring teams for trust, influence, and long-term results - Building soft skills that matter as much as procurement expertise Links: Brad DeHart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/braddehart/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/braddehart/] Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe [https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe] Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement [https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement]