10 Takeaways from Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE 2024
Connecting the world’s procurement and supply chain leaders, Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE brings together professionals and innovators from across the industry.
Our growing industry event facilitates knowledge-sharing and networking, while showcasing the latest trends, technologies and strategies shaping the future of procurement and supply chain management.
In addition to virtual events in Singapore and Dubai, Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE hosts in-person gatherings in London and Chicago, covering key regions across the globe.
Across the event series, Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE focuses on critical topics including sustainability, digital transformation, risk management and resilience, aligning with the rapidly evolving needs of modern businesses.
Here, Supply Chain Digital provides a rundown of 10 key takeaways from the Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE events that took place in 2024.
'One of the key things that digital brings to us in the supply chain is visibility'
Speaking at PSC LIVE Dubai, Aniebo Etudor, Supply Chain Director at Baker Hughes, discussed the importance of embracing the digital supply chain.
"I think about it from an analytics perspective. The level of data that AI and IoT builds for us, and puts it in a structured format we can use to make our day-to-day decisions, is phenomenal,” said Aniebo.
He added: "When you have structured data that can drive decision-making, it takes away the pain of crunching numbers and working through high volumes of data.
"Digital helps us to do that in an improved way. You can view trends, analyse those trends and say, 'based on this, I believe this will happen in the next 48 hours'."
'Procurement innovation at MTN is about developing internal skill sets that blend the data science with procurement expertise'
Another speaker at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Dubai, Dirk Karl, Group Executive and Chief Procurement Officer at MTN, explored digital transformation in the supply chain as part of his keynote alongside the company’s early adoption of data-driven procurement.
MTN developed internal skills to integrate data science with procurement expertise, leveraging technology to enhance strategic sourcing and negotiation capabilities.
"Procurement innovation at MTN is about developing internal skill sets that blend the data science with procurement expertise, combining technology approaches and the data to enhance strategic sourcing and the negotiation capabilities on a daily basis," said Dirk.
'We have to anticipate and innovate, not just respond to the market'
Piyush Malviya, Head of MEA at Moglix, detailed how to navigate and implement key procurement trends and strategies in the Middle East during his presentation at PSC LIVE Dubai.
Piyush emphasised the importance of digital transformation to procurement in the Middle East, explaining that it is "about keeping up with the market."
"We have to anticipate and innovate, not just respond to the market," he said, stressing the need for this transformation to be more customer-centric, ensuring that investments are reflected in a business' reputation and market performance.
Addressing the specific challenges the Middle East faces, Piyush highlighted the necessity of a tailored approach to supply chain management.
He continued: "It's linked largely to the supply chain needing to be more resilient because there are specific macro-challenges relating to supply chains depending on many other countries, for example on imports from China. There is a very high dependence on how that ocean route works and any instability there may affect the predictability of arrival of goods."
'Effective teamwork begins and ends with good communication'
Taking part in a panel discussion at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Singapore, industry leaders explored procurement and supply chain transformation.
Panellists included:
- Mahbub Ahmed Chowdhury, Senior Vice President & Head of Procurement at City Bank
- Mohit Wadhawan, Senior Director, Global Supply Chain Strategy at Mondelēz International
- Maria Luisa Vargas Alvendia, Chief Supply Chain Officer at MERALCO
- Alberto Medina, Founder at Telescope International Limited
Underscoring the primary hurdles organisations face during transformation, panellists emphasised the significance of organisational preparedness and transparent communication for achieving transformation objectives.
"Effective teamwork begins and ends with good communication," said Maria.
They also note that regulatory frameworks need standardisation for successful transformation efforts, along with understanding local cultures and laws.
"By embracing digital transformation in the very first mile of the supply chain, we eliminate bottlenecks and enhance operational agility,” said Alberto.
Mohit added: "In my opinion, one of the things that has changed is technology has transitioned from a mere enabler to a strategic driver of efficiency and innovation."
'AI will almost quadruple in the next five years'
At Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Singapore, Vijay Tanjore Mohankumar, NVIDIA's Global Director of Sourcing and Procurement, discussed how to navigate the next frontier in technology procurement.
Outlining AI's scale, Vijay said it will become a US$407bn market by 2027, up from $87bn in 2022.
"It's almost going to quadruple in the next five years," he noted. "In the US, they are estimating a 21% net increase in GDP by 2030 due to AI."
He said: "Some people see AI as temporary, but I think it is here to stay."
One high-level use for AI is predictive analysis. Vijay explained: “This involves analysing large datasets to derive insights. It can be used for medical diagnosis, financial analysis, forecasting and supply and demand planning.”
Another application is in customer experience. He added: "I think this is one of those low-hanging fruits where you can streamline business processes to improve efficiency, for example, through summarising meetings or email stock wins.”
'We are the last generation of leaders that have time to act on sustainability before it's too late'
With Mars taking an integrated approach to sustainability – covering procurement, R&D and sustainability – the company adopts a top-down approach to its commitments as well as bottom-up involvement.
Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars Snacking explained at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE New York that ensuring success when implementing strategies is more about performance than a promise.
Bold ambitions are essential, but daily performance drives real change. Mars’ leadership is focused on delivering tangible results now, instead of just making future promises.
"What's even more important is that every single day you wake up as a leader and understand how you're going to drive that performance that will allow you to get to that ambition," said Amanda.
"We are the last generation of leaders that have time to act on this important topic before it's too late."
To watch Amanda’s session, click here.
'The challenges of women's participation in supply chain are still there'
Patricia Mendoza Rodriguez, VP of Procurement at Reynolds American, discussed the challenges and opportunities of female inclusion in the supply chain at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE New York.
Highlighting the crucial need to encourage more women to enter the supply chain sector, Patricia pointed out persistent issues of underrepresentation, especially in frontline roles such as warehousing, transportation and logistics.
“The challenges that we're seeing, in terms of women's participation in the supply chain, are still there,” Patricia said, "although we've made quite a lot of progress in the previous years."
Reflecting on her journey to becoming VP of Procurement at Reynolds American, Patricia noted that her career has blossomed alongside significant industry changes.
To continue addressing industry inequality, she believes further transformation is necessary moving forward.
To watch Patricia’s session, click here.
'Even with tech, it's actually people that make relationships'
Industry leaders explored strategic supplier relationships, leveraging new technology and enhancing resilience in global supply chains at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London Global Summit.
Panelists included:
- Brooke DiNatale, Senior Vice President and Head of Product for Global Treasury Solutions for Mastercard
- Ninian Wilson, CEO of Vodafone Procurement
- Tony Harris, Senior Vice President of SAP Business Network
- Gurprit Sandhu, Head of Procurement at enfinium
Opening the session, Ninian emphasised the importance of structured engagement with key suppliers. For Vodafone, regular face-to-face meetings with 15 strategic suppliers ensure consistent communication on performance and future initiatives.
“Even with all the tech we talked about earlier, it's actually people that make relationships,” Ninian remarked.
Brooke noted that technological tools are “essentially a single source of truth”, adding that aligning on shared goals and transparency of data strengthens buyer-supplier relationships, creating a foundation of mutual trust.
Ninian underscored the urgency for greater transparency in today’s supply chains, especially in light of global economic shifts that may soon result in regional trading blocks.
He noted that Vodafone has invested heavily in tools to monitor the origin of all equipment purchases, which is critical in the current environment.
'There’s no such thing as AI without numbers'
Michael Van Keulen, CPO at Coupa Software, explored how AI is transforming procurement processes at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London Global Summit.
Drawing from his experiences, he examined how AI and technology could streamline procurement processes, helping businesses evolve from traditional methods to advanced, integrated systems.
In his words, “AI is the topic of today…how can technology help us mature our procurement function?”
Michael highlighted the double-edged sword of using generative AI tools like ChatGPT in professional settings, particularly in sourcing and supplier management.
He posed a critical question to the audience: “How many here in the room have validated with your head of global risk and compliance that you are allowed to use ChatGPT?”
While some raised their hands, the response was telling—most had not.
This, Michael stressed, illustrates a vital gap in ensuring data security and validating AI-generated outcomes.
Through practical examples, Michael showcased both the potential and limits of AI: “There’s no such thing as AI without numbers,” he noted, while cautioning against relying on unverified public data sources.
He explained how Coupa ensures its AI capabilities are trained on anonymised, community-sourced data, offering reliable, actionable insights.
'Food safety is embedded in our values'
Howard Huang, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Yum China, explored strategies for building resilient supply chains during Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London Global Summit,
With more than 15,000 stores nationwide and ambitions to expand to 20,000 by 2026, Yum China requires a highly coordinated, tech-driven logistics network to maintain service quality and address frequent challenges.
“Our logistics system enables us to open restaurants even in remote regions where other brands cannot reach,” Howard said, highlighting Yum China’s competitive advantage in service reach and supply chain reliability.
This self-reliant system, he explained, offers critical flexibility during weather disruptions, route blockages and infrastructure limitations.
Using AI-generated data from government reports, media and internal audits, Yum China can detect potential supply chain risks, such as disease outbreaks, within minutes.
This level of foresight enables the company to take proactive measures to prevent disruptions, protecting both customers and operations.
Essential diary dates for 2025
Discover the essential diary dates for Procurement Magazine and Supply Chain Digital, as well as its sister publications Manufacturing Digital and Sustainability Magazine.
To follow Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE on LinkedIn, click here.
To enter for the Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards, click here.
2025 diary dates:
- Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Singapore | 11 February
- Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: Sustainability | 5-6 March
- Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero | 5-6 March
- Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Dubai | 29 April
- Sustainability LIVE Chicago | 28-29 May
- Procurement LIVE Chicago | 28-29 May
- Supply Chain LIVE Chicago | 28-29 May
- Manufacturing & LIVE Chicago | 28-29 May
- Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London | 23-24 September
- The Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards | 24 September
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