AI & the Human Touch in Procurement

What should a new procurement leader prioritise during their first 100 days? Emma Twomey, Chief Procurement Officer at Merlin Entertainments, joins Graham Crawshaw to reflect on how she approached this critical period: learning the business, assessing procurement maturity and building the stakeholder trust needed to shape a credible path forward.  Emma explains why listening should come before action, how structured conversations can create executive alignment, and why seeing the organisation through the eyes of Merlin's guests keeps Procurement focused on the outcomes that matter. She also shares lessons on leadership, credibility and laying the foundations for sustainable change.

Cyber-attacks are increasingly exploiting weaknesses in the supply chain rather than targeting organisations directly. In this episode, Graham Crawshaw speaks with cybersecurity specialist Ben Jones about why procurement now plays a critical role in protecting the business. They discuss supplier risk, cyber due diligence, contractual safeguards, and the importance of closer collaboration between procurement and security teams. The conversation concludes with a practical framework procurement teams can use to assess supplier risk and strengthen cyber resilience. 

Daniel Ebert, Global Head of Procurement Marketing Activation and Intelligence at Beiersdorf, explores how transforming the Marketing Procurement vision increases end-to-end accountability from strategy to execution. Discover how connecting the dots between Procurement, Marketing and Finance can improve products, unlock innovations, and enhance the consumer experience. 

Tim Major, VP of Global Procurement at Zendesk, explores what it takes to position Procurement as a strategic, front-and-centre business function.Drawing on 20+ years across pharma, the public sector and global tech, he shares how Zendesk’s shift to private ownership accelerated Procurement’s evolution. With strong executive backing, robust data and a partnership-led approach, Tim guided a lean global team to deliver $90m+ in savings while enabling innovation, growth and smarter decision-making.The discussion centres on practical AI use cases, from improving intake and stakeholder experience to automating contract reviews, freeing teams to focus on higher-value work. Tim also reflects on the skills modern procurement teams need, how to develop talent, and why the future lies in enablement, insight and human–AI collaboration, not cost cutting alone.

Alessandro Comerci reflects on his 25-year procurement journey, sharing how human leadership and relationships shaped his growth. He explores the practical use of AI in procurement, reminding us that technology is an enabler not a replacement, and that success lies in blending digital intelligence with people-first leadership.

Procurement doesn’t build credibility by explaining more, it builds it by solving more. Richard Beaumont and Graham Crawshaw discuss why Procurement can sometimes over-communicate to prove its value, and how that can unintentionally weaken its influence. They explore why stakeholders want outcomes, not processes, and why judgment and clarity will matter even more as AI changes the function.

From human instincts to AI algorithms, bias is everywhere in procurement; often leading to unobjective and unhelpful outcomes. Irma Kopaliani and Luana Pagano, ambassadors for Women in Procurement, share compelling real-world stories and practical strategies into how to use behavioural economics to challenge assumptions and make more confident, data-informed procurement decisions. 

Discover the powerful art of negotiation with Graham Crawshaw and the #1 Global Negotiation Guru, Giuseppe Conti. From knowing when to make the first move, to mastering tender strategies and active listening, gain practical insights to elevate every negotiation you make at work and beyond.

Join Ellen Lavender (MCIPS), Director, Global Commodities at GE Healthcare, as she shares how Procurement can play a pivotal role during mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. From contract remediation to stakeholder alignment, Ellen offers practical lessons and strategic advice drawn from real-world experience. Hosted by Graham Crawshaw, this episode is essential listening for professionals navigating procurement through organisational change.

Timo Worrall, a former leader in Johnson & Johnson’s Responsible Sourcing programme, and co-chair of the Supplier Diversity Chapter at the Sustainable Procurement Pledge, joins Graham Crawshaw to talk about the roots of supplier diversity. They explore how inclusion in Procurement has evolved, and how organisations can respond to today’s shifting political and commercial landscape.