Deliveroo Shows How Procurement Can Lead at Speed

In the high-speed world of consumer technology, procurement must keep up or risk falling behind.

Agile operations, tight margins and relentless innovation put pressure on every business function — and procurement is no exception.

At Deliveroo, that pressure becomes a trigger for change.

Rob Turner, Chief Procurement Officer, leads a rapid transformation that combines digital systems with cost delivery, helping the function evolve from service provider to strategic leader.

At Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London 2025, Rob will share how his team delivered more than US$50m in cost benefits in just 18 months, while building a global procurement system that supports the wider business.

"This is a real-world story of moving fast without cutting corners. It’s about building credibility through delivery, aligning cross-functional stakeholders and proving that Procurement can take the lead in creating value and capability at speed," Rob says.

Deliveroo operates a hyperlocal digital platform connecting customers with restaurants, shops and merchants. Speed and convenience define its service - and procurement has to move at that same pace..

With three decades of experience across procurement and operations, Rob brings a background in large-scale transformation.

He began his procurement career at PepsiCo in 2001, following time in manufacturing. His first Chief Procurement Officer role was at construction materials firm Tarmac, where he also lead supply chain and merger integration during a joint venture with Lafarge.

He later joined John Lewis, where he delivered a procurement overhaul using Coupa — a cloud-based platform for business spend management. At Amazon Fresh, he applied this approach again, helping establish procurement for the retailer’s UK stores.

This experience shapes Rob’s approach at Deliveroo. Instead of overhauling one area, he leads a dual transformation: introducing a digital global procurement system and delivered US$50m+ in cost benefits — all within 18 months.

At Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London, he outlines how this transformation happens and why it works. His session, titled "Transformation at Pace: How Procurement Took the Lead in a Consumer Tech Business", runs from 15:25 to 15:50 on 23 September 2025 on the Procurement Stage.

The session focuses on more than systems or savings. It highlights mindset.

Rob argues that fast delivery does not mean rushed work — instead, it requires clear structure, strong leadership and business-wide alignment.

"This is about delivering at pace, not just moving fast. You need the systems, the people and the support to get it right," he explains.

Attendees hear how Deliveroo rebuilds procurement credibility by showing impact. This includes aligning the function with commercial outcomes, embedding change in business culture and ensuring procurement supports growth instead of simply reducing spend.

The keynote gives insight into how procurement earns a leadership role when transformation succeeds. Rob discusses how to engage internal stakeholders, secure support and show that procurement can contribute to capability building as well as cost management.

By focusing on both operational delivery and strategic purpose, Deliveroo’s approach shows how procurement can shift perception — from being reactive to being central.

Lessons for procurement professionals

For procurement and supply chain professionals in fast-scaling industries, Deliveroo’s story offers a practical example of change at speed.

The challenges Rob describes are familiar: proving value, winning trust and delivering fast in demanding environments.

The session shares frameworks that work under pressure, and how to apply them without over-complicating or stalling progress.

Attendees can expect takeaways on building digital systems that deliver, bringing teams on board and using data to support procurement’s wider role.

With its mix of real-world delivery, stakeholder engagement and systems transformation, Deliveroo’s procurement journey becomes a blueprint.

Rob’s message is clear: "Procurement can take the lead — but it must deliver value at speed and prove it can build capability, not just cut costs."

For professionals planning transformation or redefining procurement’s business role, this keynote shows what happens when procurement aligns with the pace of the organisation and gets the support to act.

With lessons applicable across sectors — from ecommerce to retail and tech — the Deliveroo transformation highlights that procurement, when empowered, can do more than respond. It can lead.

About Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE London 2025

Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE is returning to the Business Design Centre in London for its annual Global Summit on 23-24 September. 

This unmissable event is aimed at facilitating knowledge sharing and connections among the world's procurement and supply chain leaders.

Those attending can enjoy inspiring keynotes, engaging panels and exclusive workshops covering a diverse range of topics, including supply chain transformation, procurement technology, sustainability and ESG, AI, finance, logistics and supplier relationship management.

To secure your tickets, click here.