Ivalua NOW Day Two: From Strategy to Execution

Day Two of Ivalua NOW 2026 moved the conversation from high-level strategy to the how-to of modern procurement, as the event concluded on March 12.

The focus on Day Two shifted to concrete implementation: how leading organisations are unifying data from design to delivery to accelerate innovation. From deep dives into direct materials sourcing to the integration of specialised risk-data providers, the final day provided a masterclass in building a connected, intelligent enterprise. 

Attendees are leaving Paris not just with a vision of ‘new horizons’, but with the practical framework needed to transform their functions into proactive engines of value.

Following an incredible opening keynote from the executive team at Ivalua, people were treated to a range of sessions, panels, keynotes and firesides discussing the most vital topics in procurement.

Mastering the new supplier dynamics

One panel was looking at mastering supplier dynamics: navigating data, risk performance and collaboration. 

The panel explored how supplier management has shifted from a background task to a boardroom priority. Panellists Loïc Abgrall (SKF), Michael Bailey (IPC International), Jenny Eisen (IPC International) and Dr Miriam Schröder (Lufthansa Group) discussed the transition from transactional execution to a strategic balancing act involving clean data, proactive risk mitigation and deep collaboration.

The transition to a centralised platform often serves as a "data amnesty" for the organisation. Michael Bailey and Jenny Eisen highlighted how moving away from fragmented records revealed that legacy ERP systems rarely reflect the true extent of a supplier base. 

Jenny said:  "First day on the job: 'Where are my suppliers?' 'It is an Excel spreadsheet over there.' 'Where is my spend?' 'That is an Excel spreadsheet over there.' 

“It has been a real pleasure to see a real meaningful transformation where it is now all in one place."

This phase requires procurement teams to physically "open up drawers" and collect data from spreadsheets and post-it notes to build a single version of the truth.

Michael added: "Our implementation partner said to us: 'Your data is going to be your big issue to fix.' That prophecy definitely came through. By going with SRM first, we could flush out those data issues."

A recurring theme, particularly for large-scale organisations like SKF and Lufthansa Group, was the importance of restraint. Rather than launching every complex feature at once, these leaders prioritised a "Minimum Viable Product" to ensure business continuity. 

Loïc explained that SKF intentionally turned off "nice-to-have" features to prevent overcomplicating the system for end-users: "We made it very simple at the beginning: we even turned off some of the 'nice-to-have' functionalities just to not disturb the users or complexify the design. For us, that minimum viable product was really critical."

Dr Miriam Schröder emphasised that a step-by-step approach is the only way to ensure long-term adoption: “It is important to bring it into the organisation step-by-step to ensure adoption. Our biggest challenge is the streamlining of the data. Get our homework, our basics right and everything else will be on that plan."

Accelerating your AI transformation

The final session of Ivalua Now was with Michael Schürmann, CPO at Körber AG, who spoke about how businesses can accelerate their AI transformation, during a fireside conversation with Alex Saric, Chief Marketing Officer at Ivalua. 

The pair discussed the practical integration of AI in procurement. Schumann highlighted that AI is ingrained in Körber’s "innovative DNA," helping the technology group manage its complex supply chains.

Rather than chasing a single "silver bullet," Körber has deployed 12 distinct use cases, ranging from out-of-the-box Ivalua tools to internally developed solutions. Michael noted that simple, operational wins, like an automated NDA upload or an RFQ status checker, are vital for adoption. These "helpful use cases" allow employees to "lose the fear of AI" by providing immediate, tangible value.

Michael advocates for a hybrid approach, embedding AI into stable core systems rather than relying solely on startups. His primary advice for leaders is to empower the workforce through "base competence" and experimentation. 

His final recommendation for the AI journey was characteristically direct: "Get started."