Vodafone Procurement & Connectivity: Transformation Success
Vodafone Procurement & Connectivity has undergone a series of industry-leading transformations over the last 16 years. But one thing has never changed – how deeply the business values its people.
The organisation is led by Ninian Wilson, one of the most respected names in the world of procurement and a man who knows the importance of workforce talent.
“I know I've had a great day when we have done something amazing with our people or a member of the team has done something amazing and gone the extra mile,” he says.
“It reminds you, even in a digital procurement and connectivity company, with all the digital tools we've got, how important people are.”
This emphasis on relationships has enabled Ninian to build an expert team at Vodafone Procurement & Connectivity, which includes Kenneth Graham, MD Wholesale & Products, Reinhard Plaza Bartsch, Group Head of Logistics, and Richard Boyce, Head of Service Delivery.
Together these leaders are expanding Vodafone Procurement & Connectivity’s operations, pursuing digital transformation and enhancing its customer service.
In 2023 Vodafone made the decision to bring together its international voice, IPX, and roaming services under one umbrella, alongside its Luxembourg-based Procurement Company. Kenneth Graham has overseen this integration, which has brought procurement, roaming and voice services under a single function.
"We now have the procurement operations team and the roaming and voice operations team all part of one function, which means we can better leverage that talent and that experience for overall benefit," he explains.
Vodafone Procurement & Connectivity also intends to establish a Central Logistics Centre in Luxembourg, that will span 36,000m sq and serve as a key hub for Vodafone’s network equipment and devices. The centre will consolidate Vodafone’s physical inventory into a centralised, highly efficient warehouse.
"We’re bringing in a new pan-European hub in the middle of Europe, which will work in tandem with much smaller warehouses in the different markets where we operate," Reinhard explains.
When planned operations begin in early 2026, it will lead to better stock consolidation and a more efficient supply chain. The Central Logistics Centre is also an ideal strategic hub for Vodafone Procurement & Connectivity to pursue digital transformation initiatives, like AI.
“Nine years ago, we decided that we would like to go through our next level of transformation, which was going digital,” Ninian says. This move laid the groundwork for the organisation to adopt digital tools and processes, modernising procurement operations across the company.
A significant shift in recent years has been the use of AI technologies. “With the advent of generative AI, large language models, the opportunity to transform more mundane tasks and automate them is startling,” says Ninian.
Richard agrees, expanding on how Vodafone Procurement & Connectivity is embracing AI to fuel autonomous procurement. “I think the rise of AI is a great thing for those that seize it, exploit it, utilise it and deliver the value that it promises,” he says.
“Whether that is dictating customer-focused emails in a basic sense or really delivering autonomous procurement, which is a direction that we're actively focused on into the future.”
Despite the advancements in technology and operations, Ninian is quick to add the human element remains crucial to Vodafone’s success. It is people, not just technology, that keep him energised and passionate about his work.
“We're learning new processes and ways of doing things,” concludes Ninian.
“So for us, this is the next part of the transformation journey, transforming how we work, what we say, and the processes we use to give a fantastic service to our customers.”
Read the full story HERE.
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