How Eric Cohan Implements Procurement Strategies

How have the last four years been since we last spoke to you?

I left HCL after six years, feeling I had done what I could, learned what I could and that it had run its course. I’m a transformation guy. I like to be challenged and in learning mode. I felt ready for a new chapter when the opportunity at DXC came along.

DXC, though parts of it have been around for 50 years, is relatively new as a merged entity of EDS, HP Enterprise Services and CSC in 2017. The opportunity excited me because of the scope of the job and the people I’d work with. It was much bigger than my HCL role – about three times larger in terms of spending – and included two key functions: contracting and accounts payable.

In contracting, I built a team to remove reliance on legal for routine work. By the time I left, we had eight or nine people globally, streamlining contract execution. This helped alleviate bottlenecks, ensuring quicker turnaround times and more control over resources.

Accounts payable, often a source of frustration for procurement teams, was another focus area. By integrating this function more closely with procurement, I worked to improve throughput, streamline communication and address challenges efficiently. These changes allowed my team to focus on delivering value without unnecessary delays.

How do you approach leadership and people management?

I’ve developed a management system over the years. I meet with direct reports weekly, although frequency depends on the situation—soome might need 15-minute sessions three times a week, others a half-hour weekly. These meetings allow them to seek help and provide early warnings about potential issues that could escalate or draw executive attention.

I avoid dictating priorities during one-on-ones. Instead, I focus on enabling them to manage their workload effectively, ensuring they feel supported without adding unnecessary tasks. It’s important that they feel ownership over their areas of responsibility rather than being micromanaged.

My leadership philosophy is rooted in Ken Blanchard’s “inverted pyramid” idea: I work for my team, not the other way around. My role is to remove roadblocks, make phone calls, provide advice, adjust budgets or provide approvals where needed. I also strive to stay accessible, encouraging informal communication through Teams or email for quick problem-solving. This approach ensures that issues don’t get stuck waiting for scheduled meetings.

Fostering strong, approachable relationships with my team is also vital. I’ve received positive feedback for balancing professionalism with accessibility, making team members feel comfortable sharing their challenges and ideas. This openness creates a collaborative environment where problems are solved more efficiently.

What influenced your management style?

It’s a mix of lessons from various managers. Some taught me what to emulate, while others showed me what to avoid.

At one company, the culture was aggressive, with lots of capital letters and exclamation points in emails. This created unnecessary anxiety and distance between leadership and employees. Clearly, exclamation points should be for positive messages, like congratulations, and they should be avoided in directives or routine communication.

At another company, I had no career conversations with my boss until I handed in my resignation. That experience taught me the importance of open dialogue about career aspirations. Employees should feel comfortable discussing their goals without fear of repercussions. I aim to create that environment for my team, though I admit I haven’t always been as proactive in managing my career.

As a Gen Xer, I grew up with the mentality of keeping my head down and expecting good things to happen. But I’ve realised the importance of balancing this with transparent communication about career goals. I encourage my team to do so and assure them there’s no penalty for being honest about their aspirations.

One of the key takeaways from my experiences is that leaders need to show genuine interest in their team’s development. If employees feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to perform at their best and stay motivated in their roles.

What led you to start your own advisory business?

I reached a point where I felt I had enough experience and knowledge to be credible and add value. Running a large department — close to 1,000 people at DXC — became less appealing due to the general management overhead. The day-to-day administrative responsibilities, while necessary, started to feel like they detracted from the work I found most fulfilling.

I wanted the freedom to shape my career on my own terms. Starting my own advisory business has allowed me to explore opportunities that excite me while leveraging my expertise in procurement and transformation. It’s been a long-term career aspiration and the timing felt right when the opportunity arose.

Additionally, I’m pursuing opportunities to engage with private equity firms. My goal is to work with portfolio companies on short-term engagements or contribute at the private equity level in operational excellence. This aligns with my desire for variety, learning and tackling diverse challenges.

What’s the most important factor in creating a procurement strategy?

The key is aligning with how the rest of the business is structured while maintaining a rational approach for suppliers.

Businesses are often organised by industry groups, but suppliers don’t align themselves that way. For example, there’s only one Dell, regardless of whether your business has separate teams for industrials and banking. Similarly, geographic differences must be considered—your business may be global, but many vendors aren’t.

When I joined DXC, a central team handled a lot of tactical work. While efficient, this led to misaligned priorities. I decentralised these resources, allowing those accountable for delivery to control their priorities. This may have reduced efficiency slightly but improved responsiveness and alignment with business needs.

A successful procurement strategy also requires adaptability. You need to balance efficiency with responsiveness, ensuring that your approach works for both internal stakeholders and external partners. Overcoming misalignments between these groups can make a significant difference in achieving strategic goals.

What advice would you give to people implementing a procurement strategy?

It depends on the scale of the change. Start small—implement in a single business unit or function, gather feedback and adjust before scaling up.

Flexibility is key. For instance, at DXC, I aimed to define tighter role scopes but found in Asia, where spending is smaller and spread across many countries, people needed to wear multiple hats. I let that happen—it was practical.

Go manual before automating. When we tested processing invoices through a credit card processor for rebates, we started manually. Only after proving it worked did we prioritise automation in the IT roadmap. This approach avoids wasted effort on unproven ideas and builds confidence in the solution.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of communication and collaboration. Aligning your strategy with both business and supplier needs requires ongoing dialogue and being open to feedback ensures continuous improvement.

To read the full story in the magazine, click HERE.

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