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The only constant in the ever-growing business landscape is change. Procurement professionals are central in ensuring organisations secure the best quality of goods and services for the right cost under relentlessly evolving circumstances. However, the complexities of procurement processes can be daunting, requiring well-trained individuals equipped with the latest knowledge and skills to navigate this dynamic field. In this 2024 Innovation Brief, we explore the complexities of training, outsourcing, AI and sustainability and how procurement professionals can better source for their organisation.

It is no exaggeration to say that the last few years were challenging and tumultuous for procurement and supply chain departments. To survive the unprecedented pressures, organizations were forced into embracing a period of accelerated change, building greater resilience with the use of new supply chain strategies, increasingly powered by new technologies..More than ever, procurement leaders must pull their weight to source more efficiently, manage risks better, and maximize enterprise value. Crucially, procurement must transform further and level up by harnessing Industry 4.0 technologies such as AI, IoT, and big data analytics. Only then can they gain the flexibility and insights they need to stay ahead and support a growing set of sometimes competing objectives. In our latest report, we will look at the top digitalization priorities for 2023 and how it compares with the pandemic years and how procurement leaders feel about their organisational readiness for the road ahead and much more.

Current market volatility, shifts in corporate values and the constant disruption of the supply chain have brought into razor focus the need for resilience in an age where you simply cannot afford to remain exposed. And while regulatory uncertainties dominate the headlines, structural uncertainties persist in pushing procurement leaders further in their efforts to achieve agility, adopt innovative technology and ultimately succeed during tempestuous times. In this report, we offer practical tools for unfolding the most pressing concerns on the CPO agenda. We go beyond theories and concepts to give you step-by-step instructions on how to stay agile and improve resilience, profitability and sustainability in an age of immense uncertainty by lifting the lid on strategies being deployed by leading companies in APAC to avoid disruption. Download to read now!

In recent years, multiple disruptions, the most notable of which being the COVID-19 pandemic, have put a significant strain upon supply chains. After multiple lockdowns, instances of port congestion, and a talent shortage, companies are searching for ways to stay agile in the face of disruptions and mitigate risk. Most importantly, they intend to build resilience through the use of new supply chain technologies and the digitalization of their supply networks. The results featured in this report are based on a joint survey between Ivalua and WBR Insights. The survey was designed to find the extent to which procurement leaders in the APAC region are driving digital transformation, with a sharp focus on what organizations are doing to manage risk, bolster resilience and mitigate logistics and supply chain disruptions.

In 2021 we saw how procurement professionals continue working through the disruption caused by COVID-19 – from perfecting partnerships, mastering talent and diversity, future-proofing their strategy, boosting their innovation agenda to even achieving sustainability. This report is a wrap up of how the procurement leaders in Asia are 'Winning In The New Normal And Future Proofing Their Procurement Strategy', with insights shared during the ProcureCon Asia Virtual Summit held in July of 2021.

Digital transformation gives organisations the opportunity to disrupt markets, overtake competitors, and fulfil specific needs in response to event-driven crises like COVID-19. While 80% of the respondents to our survey of procurement leaders across different industries within APAC are already digitising or planning to do so, leaders must be extremely diligent in their selection criteria, so that technology does not become a roadblock on the path to digital transformation.

Global supply chains have been under severe stress due to the demands and restrictions of the pandemic, with lockdowns and border closures disrupting the movement of both raw materials and finished products, and at times putting a complete halt to manufacturing and service delivery process.  In this Procure Con Asia 2020 post summit report, gain insights from Asia’s Leading CPOs and Heads of Procurement to drive forward your business performance.

Businesses across the globe are facing one of the biggest challenges in recent memory, the social and economic impact caused by Covd-19. WBR Insights have engaged with over 50 selected CPOs and Heads of Procurement and Supply Chain across Asia Pacific to understand how they are coping today and what strategies they are considering to come out of this crisis stronger. This report outlines what procurement leaders are considering both near and long-term to minimize the economic impact and propel resilient sourcing in a post pandemic world.

We are in the era of disruption. When it comes to procurement, even the smallest of changes can bring about great effects to your organisation (for better or worst). In this rapidly changing world, organisations need to be able to adapt to changes quickly to reduce risk and take advantage of opportunities. When natural calamities happen, trade war, sickness, etc. and your supply chain is being affected, are you ready to mitigate the risk? We’ve put together a list of opportunities that procurement officers are working on in 2020 that you should know about. As a bonus, we threw in a couple of companies that have found success in the initiatives that they implemented, both internally and externally.

This definitive report contains the responses to all the questions posted by the live audience during the ProcureCon Virtual Summit that took place on 7-8 July 2020.

As part of our #IWD initiative, we spoke to the amazing women leaders behind the biggest brands in digital retail to find out what motivates them every day, how they succeed in bringing value to their company, and how they are helping women like them do the same.In this short interview, we spoke to Dr Christina SS Ooi, Group Procurement Officer, FGV Holdings.

In our 2019 Innovation Briefing, we give a snapshot of how the most innovative procurement teams are streamlining their procurement strategy to eliminate excessive costs and increase savings while improving relationships with internal and external stakeholders.Topics and Case Studies include:Championing Digital Transformation in Procurement: 4 Steps taken by Reliance IndustriesOvercoming Today’s Procurement Talent Management ChallengesThe Need For Sustainable ProcurementHow Chatbots and AI are Shaking Up the Procurement IndustryEthical To The Core - How Ecolab Modeled Its Business Around Its Principals

Have you registered to attend the Digital Evaluation Day?   Join this half-day end user only workshop, giving you the time efficient opportunity to evaluate the latest and greatest technology initiatives coming to market with your peers. Listen to a panel of experts who will help you prepare your questions to ensure you fully recognise the pros and cons of each technology initiative. You will then split into groups of 8-10 evaluating each technology on roundtables in 20-minute blocks. Pose questions, voice your concerns and discuss your views with your peers to leave no stone unturned when evaluating these initiatives. Before the day closes, there will be a wrap up discussion before winding down at our cocktail drinks reception, exclusive to Technology Evaluation and Benchmarking Day attendees, to continue the conversation with a drink on us. 

Bhavesh Shah, CPO of Firmenich, explains in this article how Firmenich has expanded its operations to become one of the most sustainable perfume and flavour companies in the world. Catch Bhavesh as he chairs ProcureCon Asia 2019 this 9 - 11 July 2019 in Singapore!If you have a transformation story to tell, reach out to our media partner for ProcureCon Asia 2019, Supply Chain Digital here.

Bernadette Maier, Head of Procurement, NEMEA, APAC, LATAM, RCIS & Greater China at Takeda, reveals in this article how Japanese pharmaceutical giant Takeda is realising the benefits of a reorganised supply chain. Catch Bernadette as a speaker at ProcureCon Asia 2019 this 9 - 11 July 2019 in Singapore! If you have a transformation story to tell, reach out to our media partner for ProcureCon Asia 2019, Supply Chain Digital here.

We sat down with Vivek to have a chat about the future of Asian Procurement. We found out - he’s quite the veteran techno-functional executive!Vivek is currently responsible for Product Management at Icertis where he holds the responsibility of drawing up product road map and features for all business apps to meet and current and emerging industry needs of customer organizations in areas of Contract Lifecycle Management and Commercial functions.

Mohamad Mohamad Zain, CPO at Telekom Malaysia, shares in this article how Telekom Malaysia redefines its procurement function through a full-scale transformation journey. Catch Mohamad as a speaker at ProcureCon Asia 2019 this 9 - 11 July 2019 in Singapore! If you have a transformation story to tell, reach out to our media partner for ProcureCon Asia 2019, Supply Chain Digital here.