Procurement Magazine: A Year in Covers

It's been a huge year for Procurement Magazine, which rounded off 2025 as a twice-monthly publication – meaning even more cover stars.

Our incredible designers excelled with a series of eye-catching front pages, showcasing influential CPOs and technologists alike. 

January: The AI Revolution & The Rise of Autonomous Procurement

AI is revolutionising the corporate world, making even traditionally overlooked areas such as procurement exciting. Leading organisations are turning to AI to streamline processes, cut costs and drive growth, creating an interconnected network of data, systems and talent.

Procurement, often seen as functional rather than flashy, is undergoing a transformation. Generative AI platforms optimise source-to-pay (S2P) processes, eliminating inefficiencies and delivering smarter strategies. Lior Delgo, Co-Founder and President at Globality, calls it “one of the coolest functions in the enterprise”. 

We heard from Lior, Michael van Keulen and Olivier Berrouiguet in a roundtable discussion. 

To read the full issue, click here.​​​​​​​

February: Zycus: Pioneering Agentic AI in Procurement to Unlock Deep Value

Founded in 2001, Zycus has evolved from a procurement technology innovator to a global leader in AI-driven Source-to-Pay solutions. Under the leadership of its Founder and CEO Aatish Dedhia the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of procurement technology, focusing on delivering deep value through innovative solutions that transform how organisations approach procurement.

"Zycus was founded with a clear mission: to simplify and transform procurement through technology," explains Aatish. "Back in 2001, the procurement landscape was largely manual and disconnected and our initial goal was to automate and bring efficiency to these processes. Over time, as the industry evolved, so did our mission. Today, we aim to empower procurement teams to become strategic enablers of business success and unlock deep value by leveraging advanced technology  like AI Agents."

At the core of Zycus' strategy lies its transformative Deep Value plan, which represents a fundamental shift in how organisations approach procurement.

"The Deep Value plan is at the heart of what Zycus stands for today," explains Aatish. "It's our commitment to delivering outcomes that go beyond surface-level efficiency gains. Instead of just automating tasks, the Deep Value plan focuses on unlocking strategic advantages such as deeper savings, increased efficiency, improved compliance, cost optimisation, risk mitigation and sustainability alignment."

To read the full issue,​​​​​​​ click here.​​​​​​​

March: How Vertice is Simplifying Procurement

On a mission to simplify procurement, Vertice announced US$50m in Series C funding – which will accelerate its growth, allow it to open new regional offices, drive product development and launch new automated products.

It is all part of its mission to become the unified backbone for modern procurement teams.

Vertice was founded in 2021 by serial entrepreneurs Roy and Eldar Tuvey, who have two decades of experience running enterprise SaaS companies under their belts, most notably founding ScanSafe and Wandera, which exited for US$200m (Cisco) and US$400m (Jamf) respectively.

The funding marks a landmark moment for Vertice in what has been an incredible two-and-a-half year journey since going to market with its first product, a SaaS purchasing solution.

To read the full issue,​​​​​​​ click here.

April: Digital Transformation: Empowering PepsiCo's Procurement

As PepsiCo looks to unlock efficiency across the board, procurement’s focus is on aligning with the wider company vision and, with that, two key pillars. 

The first concerns strategic supplier partnerships – in other words, trying to negotiate better terms and achieve savings, but also long-term partnerships that drive innovation.

The second is a strong prioritisation of sustainable solutions. PepsiCo’s procurement professionals are constantly looking for new ways to make good on the organisation’s PepsiCo Positive (pep+) environmental efforts, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, becoming net water positive and reducing the use of virgin plastic.

At the very heart of PepsiCo’s procurement efforts is Lauren Hymen, VP, Strategy and Transformation. 

She stresses that AI is “here to stay” and highlights the rapid rate at which the company has expanded its use, with a particular focus on spend analytics. AI is used to process vast amounts of unstructured data, enhancing spend visibility. Advanced sourcing and risk management are other areas where the technology is being applied.

To read the full issue,​​​​​​​ click here.

May: How Graphite Connect is Revolutionising Supplier Management

The traditional methods of supplier information management can plague organisations with inefficiencies, fraud risks and wasted resources. Conrad Smith, Founder and CEO of Graphite Connect, says his company's network architecture can fundamentally transform how procurement teams manage suppliers & their data.

Graphite Connect has grown to approximately 100 employees, split between the United States and international operations across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company was built with a strong engineering foundation to ensure scalability while maintaining real-time capabilities.

"When we built the business, we wanted to have the best of the best close by so that we could rapidly grow the technology and be prepared for the future and winning the network," Conrad explains. "Having just exceptional engineering and architecture, so we didn't have to backtrack a bunch of stuff was really important."

What distinguishes Graphite from other procurement technology providers is its team composition. "We are a strong engineering team, but that's balanced also with procurement people. We're built by procurement, for procurement," Conrad emphasises – ensuring current customers see Graphite as more than just a supplier management platform, but a partner in solving their procurement transformation.

To read the full issue,​​​​​​​ click here.

June: Lamborghini's Record Year Driven by Strategic Procurement

Lamborghini celebrated a record-breaking year in 2024.

Over the course of the 12 months, the Italian Marque's flagship Revuelto V12 hybrid high Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) was the top performer, with orders extending to late 2026. Meanwhile, the Huracán is ending its production cycle with deliveries continuing through 2025, to be replaced by the Temerario – the second vehicle in the brand’s HPEV range. 

The company also introduced the Urus SE plug-in hybrid, completing its transition to an entirely hybrid range and becoming the first super sports car manufacturer with a completely electrified portfolio.

For Lamborghini, which operates in 56 markets with 186 dealers globally, the record year reflects its successful approach to strategically balancing supply and demand, as well as its strong brand desirability and product residual value.

Lamborghini's procurement approach offers valuable insights for procurement professionals across industries. Silvano Michieli, Chief Procurement Officer at the luxury brand, leads his team with a balance of innovation, exclusivity and supplier relationships to support the iconic supercar manufacturer's record-breaking performance.

To read the full issue,​​​​​​​ click here.

July: Best Buy’s Procurement Revolution: From Reactive to Strategic

The procurement team at Best Buy is at the heart of driving the company forward following a successful transformation mission – spearheaded by Anna.

When Anna Barej, Vice President of Procurement at Best Buy joined the company in 2021, she inherited a procurement function that was fundamentally transactional in nature. While the team was competent in executing core sourcing and contracting activities, it lacked the strategic vision and capabilities needed to drive competitive advantage.

"I was recruited to transform the organisation," she explains. "The organisation at that point in time was more of a reactive, transactional team who did really good work servicing the business. What was missing was innovation and insights that enabled our businesses to actually have a competitive advantage."

Anna’s mandate was clear: transform procurement from a reactive function into a strategic partner through improvements in people, processes and technology. This comprehensive transformation would require significant changes to how the function operated, from redefining its core value proposition to revolutionising its technological infrastructure.

To read the full issue,​​​​​​​ click here.

August: Amazon Business Reimagines Procurement

A decade in business, eight million global customers and continuous innovation for global procurement functions – Amazon Business has a lot to celebrate. That the company, which streamlines procurement for organisations of all sizes, has been so successful is testament to its laser-focus on exceptional service. It’s also an indication of just how much the procurement function needs the kinds of solutions it offers. 

For those in the profession, the last year or two have been turbulent. Supply chain disruption, global complexity and the need to optimise diversified sourcing strategies have put strain on teams already under pressure. Factor in rapid digital transformation and a growing drive for responsible sourcing, and you have a challenging balancing act for senior leaders. 

For Shelley Salomon and the Amazon Business team, there’s never been a better time to reimagine procurement. In London, for the organisation’s annual Amazon Business Exchange event (ABX 2025) – a celebration of its 10-year milestone and an opportunity to discuss how to future-proof procurement – Shelley set out these challenges in more detail. 

To read the full issue,​​​​​​​ click here.

September: Deliveroo’s Procurement Transformed 

When Rob Turner joined Deliveroo as Chief Procurement Officer, the procurement function was failing to deliver the expected value. The multinational delivery company strives to connect consumers with restaurants and merchants through a hyperlocal marketplace for quick, convenient delivery. 

Rob brings 30 years of procurement and operations experience, having worked in manufacturing operations before moving into procurement in 2001 with PepsiCo. His first CPO role with Tarmac gave him the platform to lead procurement and supply chain, including M&A activity during a joint venture with Lafarge. This path led him to become one of the youngest CPOs in the FTSE 250 of the time. Later, he led procurement transformation at John Lewis, including a full-scale digital and operating model change with Coupa, before later building the procurement capability of the Amazon Fresh store programme. 

Now, he applies his procurement expertise and transformation experience in a fast-paced environment at Deliveroo. Here, Rob spearheaded a rapid, full-scale cost and digital procurement transformation that included implementing Coupa’s source-to-pay (S2P) system and a company-wide risk management platform in just 13 months. 

To read the full issue, click here.

October: DPW Amsterdam 2025

DPW Amsterdam ranks among Europe's leading tech and innovation conferences for procurement and supply chain professionals, combining in-person networking with virtual accessibility in one of the continent's most dynamic cities.

Taking place between 7-9 October 2025 at the iconic Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam's city centre, this year's edition offers an agenda centred around the opportunities and potential of putting AI to work. 

Across multiple presentation stages, intimate meeting areas and dedicated networking lounges, DPW Amsterdam connects global leaders and decision makers shaping the future of procurement and supply chain management.

To read the full issue, click here. 

November (Week 1): Zycus: The Agent of Change

AI has become the focal point and dominant force of today’s business landscape.

That includes in procurement, where the technology is poised to power fundamental transformation. 

Aatish Dedhia, Founder and CEO of Zycus, has been at the forefront of this revolution since 2001 – long before AI went “mainstream”. His journey from solving data classification challenges to pioneering agentic AI in procurement offers valuable insights for leaders navigating the technological shift.

Aatish spoke to Procurement Magazine during Zycus Horizon at Dana Point, California.

To read the full issue, click here

November (Week 3): Zip Forward: AI Agents Move from Hype to Real Results

Zip Forward, the premier conference for AI procurement leader Zip, held its third annual event in sunny San Francisco, drawing over 700 procurement leaders from companies like OpenAI, T-Mobile, Gap, and AMD to the YBCA in the city centre.

Under this year's theme, "Agents of Change," the conference united procurement and finance leaders who are transforming how businesses spend, operate and grow through AI, orchestration and decisive action.

Across two days in October, the event was held across two venues in the heart of the city, with Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts playing host to Day 1, while Day 2 saw a short trip across the road to the W Hotel.

To read the full issue, click here.

December (Week 1) Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

When Jacqui Rock left her role as Chief Commercial Officer at NHS England last year, she took with her decades of procurement and commercial experience across healthcare, defence and financial services. 

She now serves as a Chief Advisor in Riyadh, helping shape the procurement strategy for Saudi Arabia’s healthcare reforms. It places her in a key position within the development of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s economic diversification plan, aiming to modernise public services. 

At the NHS, Jacqui oversaw an annual spend of £30bn (US$37.8bn), managed high-value contracts and led supply chain decision-making at a national level. Her earlier career included Chief Commercial Officer of the UK Test and Trace function, Commercial Director for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation at the Ministry of Defence and multiple senior roles across 20 years in investment banking. 

“When the pandemic hit,” Jacqui explains, “I was asked to run the country’s response, setting up Test and Trace. I had never been in healthcare before and it was fascinating. We then set up the UK Health Security Agency, where I acted as CCO, then took on the role at NHS England. I felt privileged to have held those positions.”

To read the full issue, click here.

December (Week 3): Coupa: Solving Agentic AI’s Disconnect

As enterprises race to harness AI, many are finding that speed alone isn’t the secret to success. Rather, trust, explainability and measurable outcomes are the desired results.

For Coupa, the global leader in spend management, the future of AI is not just generative, it’s agentic – a new model of intelligent systems that act, reason and explain within business context. And as Peter Truman, Senior Director of Technical Architects at Coupa, explains, this approach is transforming procurement and finance into a smarter, faster, more connected function.

The surge in AI adoption is being driven from the top. “Various organisations are driving the use of AI and wanting to see results fairly quickly,” says Peter. “We're seeing that from board level coming down into the organisation to use AI.”

But this demand for speed comes with structural and human challenges. Skilled AI professionals remain scarce, employees fear displacement and leaders face pressure to demonstrate a tangible return on investment. “It’s very difficult in many cases to actually see what that return on investment is,” Peter adds. 

“We’ve seen many organisations try to do all sorts of different things with AI and it’s really difficult to see the benefits that’s actually bringing.”

This disconnect between ambition and outcome is why Coupa is doubling down on a vertical approach to AI, says Peter, adding: “we are really focusing on the vertical approach to AI within what we’re doing within the Coupa platform.”

To read the full issue, click here.