Advertise on podcast: Procurement Uncut

Saving time is the easy part. Florian Tué, Director at JICAP Performance, recalls how early AI work in a previous role at Carrefour cut supplier quote comparisons from 30 minutes to 10, and why the real return depends on what you do next. With host Aaron McMillan, he argues that leaders must redirect that time towards negotiation and strategy rather than piling on more tasks. He also looks at why transformation projects lose their way and what it takes to keep talented buyers.

What happens to procurement teams following a major acquisition, and how can leaders successfully navigate the challenges? In this episode of Procurement Uncut, recorded live in London, Rob Turner, Chief Procurement Officer at Deliveroo, joins host Aaron McMillan to discuss managing and leading large procurement teams through change programmes. Drawing on his own first-hand experiences, Rob shares why people come first when organisations change or evolve. From integrating procurement functions and managing cultural differences to building resilient teams, he explains why people are central to successful organisational change.

Mike Cartwright, Director of Source to Pay at Trustpilot, explores AI, procurement transformation, leadership and connecting procurement with accounts payable. What does it take to transform procurement, break down organisational silos and introduce AI without adding unnecessary complexity? In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan sits down with Mike Cartwright, Director of Source to Pay at Trustpilot, live from Procurement LIVE in London. From his unexpected career transition from policing to procurement, Mike shares how Trustpilot is transforming its source-to-pay operations through automation, improved processes and stronger collaboration. He also explores why successful digital transformation starts with fixing existing workflows, not simply introducing new technology.

Procurement is the heartbeat of a business. Vivian Wu, VP, Global Indirect Procurement at Estée Lauder, joins host Aaron McMillan to explain what that means in practice, from values-led supplier relationships and embedded sustainability to AI adoption and earning a genuine seat at the strategic table. Consider this more than two decades of procurement experience distilled into one honest, commercially grounded conversation for CPOs and senior procurement leaders

Procurement is no longer just about securing the lowest price. It is becoming a strategic driver of cash flow, financial performance and competitive advantage.In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan sits down with Oliver Belin, Founder and CEO of Calculum Inc., to explore how data-driven payment terms, supplier intelligence and emerging technologies are changing the way global organisations manage their supply chains.With more than two decades of experience across finance, technology and supply chain innovation, Oliver shares his journey from building a fintech business acquired by Macquarie Bank to founding Calculum, an AI-powered platform helping businesses optimise payment terms and unlock working capital.From negotiating with suppliers using real financial benchmarks to building high-performing teams and challenging the hype surrounding AI, Oliver explains why procurement's greatest opportunities lie in combining technology with commercial expertise and strong relationships.

Kai Nowosel on why procurement remains one of the most dynamic, undervalued, and permanently renewed functions in global business. Procurement isn't a static function or a set of rigid processes. According to Kai Nowosel, it is an ever-evolving driver of business impact that changes purpose, scope, and role faster than almost any other function in the enterprise. In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan sits down with Kai, Chief Procurement Officer at The Adecco Group and former Global CPO at Accenture, to discuss his nearly three-decade journey through procurement, his "player-coach" leadership style, and why the function is on the cusp of its next major AI-driven disruption. Forget viewing procurement as mere transactional administration. This episode explores what happens when procurement operates through a true business lens, challenging the status quo and proving its strategic value at the highest levels.

Imagine waking up to 100 supplier renegotiation opportunities already identified, and clicking a button to execute them. Kate Anasinska joins Procurement Uncut to explain why that's not a vision of the future but something procurement teams can achieve this year. Covering autonomous agents, the difference between information and execution, and why AI is best understood as a co-worker rather than a replacement, this is procurement AI at its most practical and exciting.

In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan speaks with Salvatore Lombardo, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Coupa, about the rapid evolution of procurement technology. Recorded at Coupa Inspire in London, Salvatore explores why customer value should drive product innovation, how organisations can navigate the growing number of agentic AI solutions and how Coupa is developing its Agentic-as-a-Service strategy. He also discusses Coupa Compose and Navi, alongside the acquisitions of Rossum and Tonkean and how they strengthen Coupa’s invoice-to-pay and orchestration capabilities.

In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan speaks with Sam Jarvis, General Manager of Supply Chain & Procurement at Zambrero, about the complexities of food procurement and the role supply chains can play in creating positive social impact. With more than a decade of experience across food and beverage, Sam has worked across logistics, supply planning and procurement, giving him first-hand experience of an industry where disruption, innovation and changing consumer demands are constant. He explores how strong supplier relationships help procurement teams navigate disruption, why purchasing decisions can influence environmental and social outcomes and how Zambrero connects its food with a wider mission to tackle hunger. Sam also discusses how AI is helping him reduce administrative work and spend more time on strategy and supplier relationships.

In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan speaks with Dave Batty, Head of EMEA Procurement & Global Programme Lead at Ricoh Europe, about transforming procurement across a complex international organisation. With more than 25 years in procurement, Dave has seen the profession evolve from tactical buying towards a much more strategic role. He explores Ricoh’s journey from fragmented systems, manual processes and limited spend visibility towards an integrated Source-to-Pay model, as well as the importance of bringing teams with you through transformation. Dave also discusses AI, supplier relationships, resilience and why procurement needs to enable the wider business rather than become a blocker.

In this episode, host Matt High speaks with Rod Freeman, VP of Customer Success at Globality, about what procurement leaders actually need from AI and how autonomous sourcing could reshape the function. With more than 20 years' experience and having worked with more than 100 leading organisations, Rod has seen procurement transformation from both the strategic and technology sides He explores why boards are moving beyond AI experimentation, why procurement has an opportunity to demonstrate tangible returns from the technology and what a genuinely autonomous sourcing process could look like He also says the biggest challenge facing CPOs isn't the technology – it's changing the operating model around it.

Nestlé CPO Jacob Nielsen on procurement transformation, AI, leadership and unlocking value to support business growth. In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan speaks with Jacob Nielsen, Chief Procurement Officer at Nestlé, about leading procurement through transformation, disruption and rapid technological change. Speaking at Gartner's Supply Chain Symposium in Barcelona, Jacob shares how Nestlé Procurement is halfway through a three-year transformation programme focused on unlocking efficiencies, simplifying operations and creating sustainable value for the wider business. He also explores leadership under pressure, why curiosity matters and how AI agents could fundamentally change the future role of procurement.

Procurement leaders are under pressure to move faster, respond to disruption and embrace AI. But investing in more technology does not automatically create more value. In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan speaks with João Paulo da Silva, Regional President of EMEA & APAC at Coupa, about what organisations need to get right as AI reshapes procurement and supply chain. Drawing on a career spanning technology, marketing, sales and leadership, including extensive experience at SAP, João explores why successful transformation starts with people, processes and data – not AI alone. He also discusses the growing challenge of unpredictability, the rapid acceleration of AI adoption, the importance of human connection and why procurement needs to cement its position as a strategic partner to the wider business.

What happens to procurement when machines can negotiate, analyse data and complete routine tasks more effectively than humans? In this episode of Procurement Uncut, host Aaron McMillan speaks with Chris Bullock, Chief Procurement Officer at Al-Futtaim Group, about how AI could reshape the procurement operating model and why human skills will become even more important as technology advances. Chris draws on a career spanning procurement, technology, aviation and major global organisations to explore the changing role of procurement, from AI adoption and emotional intelligence to supplier relationships, sustainability and leading teams through volatility. He also explains why procurement should move beyond its reputation as a cost-cutting function and become so embedded within the organisation that it is simply recognised as a valued business partner.

Procurement's AI journey has moved through curiosity and experimentation. Now comes the hard part. John Frank, Chief Customer Officer at Coupa, joins host Aaron McMillan live from Coupa Inspire in Las Vegas to explain what enterprise-scale AI deployment actually demands, why agentic AI shifts accountability in ways that require new governance frameworks and what the procurement function looks like when agents handle the routine and humans handle the judgment calls. Expect an honest conversation about human-centred leadership, procurement transformation, supply chain resilience, learning through failure and the importance of celebrating success.