Supply Chain LIVE Chicago Q&A: Kathy Presto, HH Global

As Chief Procurement Officer at HH Global and Group Management Board member, Kathy Presto spearheads the company's strategic sourcing and comprehensive supplier development. Her initiatives are pivotal in aligning procurement strategies across the organisation's operations globally.

With three decades of experience in procurement and supply chain, Kathy leads her teams to unlock substantial value by engaging deeply with clients and fostering strategic relationships with suppliers. Her comprehensive approach integrates all aspects of HH Global's operations, services and delivery channels.

Could you please introduce yourself and your role and company?

I'm Kathy Presto, Chief Procurement Officer at HH Global. I have global responsibility for strategic sourcing, supplier governance, business and sourcing analytics, as well as sustainability. Our Chief Sustainability Officer and his team report to me as well.

Could you please just explain the panel that you've been on and summarise some of the key points from it?

I was on the Women in Procurement panel, which I absolutely loved. I've been in the procurement space my entire career, and I think between Nancy, Kimberly and myself, we all had very much similar perspectives on what our experience has been in our careers and also very similar advice in what we would give our younger self and other females coming up in the procurement industry.

It was very insightful to hear their experiences as well as kind of relive some of my own from my early days.

This event sees sustainability, procurement and supply chain executives in one place, do you think that's a positive thing and what might you can get out of an event like this?

Absolutely because I think they're all connected, so the world is moving towards sustainability. There are more requirements from a sustainability standpoint, new legislation and that affects the supply chain.

You have to make sure your supply chain is ready and then, as you go upstream, you have to make sure that the procurement side of it is aware of all these, is ready to implement it and is working closely with the supply chain to ensure that that is enacted.

What you are hoping to get out of the event?

The different perspectives of all of the speakers.

I'm really excited to hear some of the other speakers on the procurement stage as well as to really hear the perspective from a sustainability standpoint and how that's affecting the supply chain, especially as some of the legislation is rapidly upon us of the requirements that we're going to have to do from an EUR perspective, carbon emissions, net zero and hear where others are in their journey.

I know where we are, but always interested to hear another perspective and where they are in their journey if they're the same place we are because there's a chance for collaboration of how we get there quicker together.

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