Ivalua: Navigating Trade Tariffs and Supplier Risks
Amid turbulent times, procurement and supply chain leaders must be prepared for sudden and dramatic change, from tariff implementation to third-party supplier risk.
Research from Ivalua reveals that procurement and supply chain professionals are responding to escalating disruptions by modifying their approaches rather than scrapping them entirely.
The operating landscape for supply chain executives remains challenging. Ivalua's recent survey of 100 US supply and procurement decision-makers found that 91% anticipate disruptions stemming from emerging trade policies, while 85% report that global instability is influencing strategic choices.
These findings underscore the persistent geopolitical pressures confronting industry leaders.
Alex Saric, Chief Marketing Officer at Ivalua, says: "There's a real risk that near-term disruption becomes a long-term excuse to pause innovation. However, risk is a constant in global supply chains, and the real differentiator is how leaders respond.
"The most resilient organisations adapt their strategies without abandoning them, acting decisively to innovate and strategically to become stronger and more competitive."
Ivalua's upcoming webinar, How to Navigate Trade Tariffs and Supplier Risks, will feature an in-depth examination of the aforementioned topics. To register, click here.
AI emerges as key tool to combat supply chain disruption
AI has emerged as a vital tool to combat trade turbulence, giving teams an opportunity to anticipate risk.
On 9 October, Alex will be joined by Jos Joos, Head of Procurement & Supply Chain at KPMG, and Guillaume Waline, Senior Manager Strategic Alliances at Prewave, for a webinar hosted by Procurement Magazine, examining how the ever-changing tariff landscape and supplier risk management are reshaping global commerce.
The session will demonstrate how tariffs influence domestic production decisions and supply chain planning through practical case studies.
Attendees will gain insights into developing robust third-party risk management (TPRM) frameworks and incorporating ESG considerations to address supplier vulnerabilities while maintaining regulatory compliance in an evolving policy environment.
The discussion will highlight how emerging technologies and AI can enhance TPRM processes and enable procurement teams to pivot quickly in response to tariff adjustments. Industry specialists will present critical findings from 2025 and offer strategic recommendations for the year ahead.
This session provides concrete approaches for managing trade policy impacts, strengthening supplier oversight and developing more adaptable, durable supply chain operations.
Ivalua's webinar will take place from 3pm (BST) on 9 October. To sign up, click here.
About the speakers
Alex Saric, Chief Marketing Officer at Ivalua
Alex brings 22 years of enterprise software growth experience, with 15 years dedicated to spend management solutions. At Ariba, he established and managed the spend analytics division before building the company's international marketing operations through its SAP acquisition, subsequently leading global business network marketing initiatives.
As a founding team member at Zeborg (later acquired by Emptoris), he developed industry-specific procurement solutions.
Alex's career began with the US Cavalry, where he commanded tank and reconnaissance units through two combat tours. He earned his Economics degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an international MBA from INSEAD.
Guillaume Waline, Senior Manager Strategic Alliances at Prewave
Guillaume brings deep expertise in supply chain optimisation and strategic partnerships, with a focus on leveraging advanced technologies including AI to address the mounting complexities and vulnerabilities in international supply networks.
His approach centres on converting intricate datasets into practical insights, empowering organisations to predict and address disruptions as they emerge. Through this methodology, he supports the development of robust supply chains capable of weathering geopolitical volatility, climate challenges, economic shifts and regulatory changes.
Jos Joos, Head of Procurement & Supply Chain at KPMG
With over 25 years leading comprehensive procurement and supply chain transformations across multiple industries, Jos has overseen numerous Ivalua deployments throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
He contributed to developing KPMG's Powered Procurement framework, now utilised in Ivalua implementations globally. His expertise spans procurement maturity evaluations and operational model restructuring for major international corporations.
Neil Perry, Group Broadcast Director at BizClik
Neil Perry leads broadcast operations at BizClik, drawing on 20 years of multimedia expertise. His background spans regional and national programming with Global Radio, where he served as bulletin presenter, broadcast coaching specialist, mentor and news editor.
In 2014, he transitioned to television, helping launch one of the pioneering local TV stations as assistant news editor and executive producer for current affairs programming.
To sign up for the webinar, click here.
