How Strategic Procurement Builds Resilience Amid Change
Procurement is undergoing rapid change as organisations look for new ways to deal with shifting markets and increasing uncertainty.
With the implementation of more virtual procurement functions & supplier relationship management systems, manual, tedious procurement is a thing of the past.
At Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London 2025, Jarrod Glover, Director of Cost Management and Procurement at Santander UK, will deliver his keynote, 'Strategic Procurement in Banking: Navigating Change and Complexity'.
To secure your tickets and hear from procurement and supply chain specialists, click here.
Procurement adapting to uncertainty
Market conditions now require procurement teams to build flexibility into every stage of their strategy.
Jarrod points to the need for agility and resilience, as supply markets continue to face geopolitical pressure and economic volatility.
Businesses that embed risk management within procurement functions are better able to manage disruption.
Organisations are increasingly using supplier relationship management (SRM) tools and digital procurement systems to replace manual processes.
These technologies encourage transparency, speed and collaboration between buyers and suppliers. Jarrod highlights that firms cannot rely only on efficiency; they must prepare their supply chains to withstand change.
"Cost is the non-negotiable baseline for procurement – but true value goes beyond that," he says.
For procurement teams, controlling spend is essential, but resilience, sustainability and innovation have equal importance when navigating complexity.
Santander’s digital procurement strategy
Santander places digitalisation at the centre of its procurement approach. The bank’s supplier portal provides partners with direct access to policies, standards and examples of best practice.
This online system allows suppliers to align with Santander’s goals and adjust quickly when expectations evolve.
Santander also runs an annual summit with its top 50 suppliers. This meeting addresses themes such as sustainability, cybersecurity and strategic objectives. Through sharing insights and expectations, Santander ensures suppliers are fully informed and able to contribute to its wider strategy.
Cybersecurity risk is one of the most pressing challenges in procurement. Over the past year, cyber threats have escalated, and Santander has responded by embedding cybersecurity requirements into its supplier management process.
In treating security as a baseline factor, the bank strengthens its supply chain resilience and reduces exposure to potential breaches.
Jarrod explains that supplier engagement must go beyond compliance: "Most procurement teams dedicate less than 20% of their staff to supplier collaboration, yet this is where the biggest impact can be made."
SRM systems enable teams to give greater attention to supplier partnerships, opening the way for new levels of innovation and flexibility.
Santander’s approach offers a case study of how procurement can integrate technology and supplier collaboration to meet future challenges. In blending digital tools with responsible practices, procurement leaders create supply chains that withstand disruption while continuing to deliver value.
Strategic Procurement in Banking: Navigating Change and Complexity
Join Jarrod at 03:25pm on Day 1 (September 23) of Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London 2025 on the Supply Chain Stage.
As the Director of Cost Management & Procurement at Santander, Jarrod is an expert on navigating market complexity in today's evolving banking landscape.
His keynote presentation will help you understand how to drive resilience and adapt to technological change, providing practical insights into building agile procurement functions.
About Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London 2025
Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE is returning to the Business Design Centre in London for its annual Global Summit.
This unmissable event is aimed at facilitating knowledge sharing and connections among the world's procurement and supply chain leaders.
Those attending can enjoy inspiring keynotes, engaging panels and exclusive workshops covering a diverse range of topics, including supply chain transformation, procurement technology, sustainability and ESG, AI, finance, logistics and supplier relationship management.
To secure your tickets, click here.
