Ivalua NOW 2026: Thomas Hardieck, Dun & Bradstreet

In an era where data-driven insights are the backbone of corporate strategy, the partnership between Dun & Bradstreet and Ivalua is proving transformative. Thomas Hardieck, Strategic Relationship Director at Dun & Bradstreet, highlights how many organisations struggle with fragmented ecosystems and a lack of transparency.

By integrating trusted business partner data into Ivalua’s platform, companies can finally eliminate operational silos and establish a "Golden Record" of information.

Speaking to Procurement Magazine at Ivalua NOW 2026, Thomas discusses the critical importance of moving away from gut feelings toward a model of efficiency and clarity, powered by high-quality, global data collaboration.

Could you tell me who you are and what you do, please?

My name’s Thomas Hardieck. I’m with Dun & Bradstreet. Dun & Bradstreet is probably known as the world's largest provider of business partner data.

Tell me about your partnership with Ivalua

Our partnership with Ivalua has two major parts. One part being that we provide the data that is necessary to fuel the processes that Ivalua supports.

So, think of it as there's a platform that opens up the opportunity to have Golden Records, and Dun & Bradstreet is the source of that trusted data that is needed to break up those silos and have that Golden Record capability within Ivalua.

What does that mean for a customer?

A customer would have that insight and that transparency that they tend to lack. They have complex ecosystems that have grown over time, so they do not have full visibility; they have no transparency, or at least limited transparency.

With the cooperation of Ivalua and Dun & Bradstreet, they have the opportunity to get that insight that they're lacking and missing. So, getting that Golden Record together and making sound decisions on the basis of that knowledge, having those silos broken up and those insights delivered, that is what it's all about.

That's where the magic comes in for companies that use D&B and Ivalua in collaboration.

Why is it so important to have non-siloed data?

Today, you can imagine in this fast-moving world, it's all about making the right decisions at the right time and having data available. You want to be a data-driven organisation. You want to make data the basis for your decisions rather than gut feeling. So, it's all about having that available, and that's why it's so important, and why the efficiency gains are so big. Whenever you have that insight and that data available at the time you make a decision.