F is for Family: The SMC Squared Story with Dr. Patricia Connolly

In this podcast episode, Nari Viswanathan, Senior Director of Supply Chain Strategy at Coupa Software, discusses the evolving landscape of supply chain management, particularly in the context of direct materials and procurement. He emphasizes the need for collaboration between CFOs and CPOs to address the challenges posed by global volatility, risks, and costs. The conversation explores the importance of understanding financial metrics, the role of AI in transforming procurement workflows, and the necessity of creating unified dashboards for better visibility into financial outcomes. Nari also highlights the importance of regularly reviewing supply chain costs and the limitations of traditional ERP systems in managing supply chain complexities.

In this conversation, Dawn Tiura speaks with David Wild and Mike Simms, founders of Sivuno - winning company of the SIG Startup Pitch session. They explore how Sivuno is tackling one of procurement's biggest challenges: bad data. David and Mike share how their AI-powered platform rapidly cleanses, structures, and normalizes procurement data, enabling teams to access clearer insights with far less manual effort. The discussion covers the real impact of poor data quality, showcases success stories from early adopters, and highlights how accurate, actionable data can transform procurement decision-making.

In this podcast episode, Lauren Sabat, a senior manager of procurement at REI and winner of the Future of Sourcing Rising Star award, shares her journey into the procurement field, her experiences balancing work and family, and the importance of authenticity and emotional intelligence in her career. She discusses her passion for process improvement and the supportive work environment at REI, highlighting the significance of community and diversity in the workplace.

In this conversation, Dawn Tiura and Anders Lillevik, CEO of Focal Point, discuss the evolution of procurement technology, focusing on the transition to AI-powered procurement management. They explore the significance of an AI procurement operating system, its impact on efficiency, and how it can enhance supplier relationships and quarterly business reviews. The discussion highlights the importance of strategic thinking in procurement and the potential ROI from adopting advanced technologies. Here more from Anders Lillevik at the Global Executive Summit in Scottsdale AZ, where he will be presenting, "Chaos to Clarity: Orchestrating Procurement for Strategic Impact."

In this conversation, Dawn Tiura interviews John Winsett, the CEO of NPI, about his upcoming panel discussion at the SIG Summit. They discuss the importance of IT procurement, the challenges faced by CPOs in managing technology stacks, and the diverse expertise of the panelists joining him. The conversation highlights key topics that will be addressed during the session, including vendor management and cost optimization strategies.

In any IT negotiation, what you say (and what you don't) can dramatically shape the outcome. In this episode, NPI CEO Jon Winsett shares how to plan and execute vendor communications that strengthen your negotiation strategy. He covers what information vendors are trying to uncover and how to protect it, how to create productive uncertainty without damaging relationships, and best practices for message ownership, timing, and internal alignment. You'll learn how to balance transparency with control while positioning your organization as a unified, prepared buying team.

In this podcast episode, Dawn Tiura interviews Candiss Kumar, an associate director of strategic sourcing for Wolters Kluwer. Candiss gives a sneak peek into her upcoming Summit session, Building Trust Through Data: The Strategic Sourcing Leader's Guide to Credibility and Compelling Narratives. Candiss shares her insights on the importance of understanding one's business, the role of storytelling in data presentation, and the necessity of curiosity and problem-solving in procurement. The conversation emphasizes the need for sourcing professionals to engage with stakeholders effectively and to present data in a compelling way that drives innovation and decision-making.

In this episode, Dawn Tiura of SIG talks to procurement leaders Ankur Srivastava of Flywl, Mazen El-Haideri of McAfee, and Lawrence Kane of Transamerica. Together, they discuss their upcoming general session, "The $800B Marketplace Opportunity: How CPO's are Turning Cloud Spend into Savings and Speed" which takes place on Wednesday, October 8th at the Omni Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ.  They share their perspectives on how sourcing and supply chain professionals can elevate their role from tactical operators to trusted strategic partners. Drawing on real-world experiences, they explore how credibility, collaboration, and storytelling can transform procurement into a driver of organizational value.

Listen in as Satyen Pathak, Managing Director–India for ProcureAbility, shares his predictions for the future of procurement and his tips for future-proofing procurement operations in an interview with Dawn Tiura, CEO & President of SIG. While many procurement best practices—like category management, procurement transformation, strategic sourcing, communicating procurement's strategic importance to the business, and building supplier relationships for the long term—will remain at the heart of CPOs' strategies, emerging trends will reroute the path to success. Learn how to incorporate and leverage the latest influences, including: The impact of Generative AI. A global focus on environmental, social, and governance. The possibilities of improved data analytics, machine learning, and risk solutions.

In this podcast episode, Dawn Tiura interviews Dina Ghobrial, founder and CEO of Halo AI, about her upcoming Summit session, "Operational Risk Intelligence: Designing Future-Ready Programs that Scale." Dina, along with Becky Newton of Ansys will discuss the importance of designing scalable risk programs that can adapt to rapidly evolving threats, the need for real-time data in risk management, and practical steps for procurement and compliance teams to enhance their risk assessment processes. To hear more, join us at the Global Executive Summit Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa from October 6-8th!