Who is Proxima's new Senior Vice President Julie Brignac?
Julie Brignac has been appointed as Senior Vice President at Proxima.
With more than three decades' experience in the procurement and supply chain space, she is set to strengthen Proxima's leadership presence in Chicago, support client delivery across North America and mentor early-career talent across the business.
An experienced practitioner and consultant
Julie's career spans both industry and consulting, having held senior roles at Fortune 500 companies including DuPont, Honeywell and then Newell Rubbermaid, where she served as VP of Global Procurement for major brands including Sharpie and Paper Mate. She later served as CPO at Brambles, focusing on logistics.
The past 15 years have seen Julie work in consulting and outsourcing. She then started her own consultancy business following the birth of her daughter, expressing a desire to be closer to home.
After merging with Vantage Partners in Boston, Julie moved to Accenture to manage the business process outsourcing division for the West region of North America.
More recently, Julie worked at WNS Denali, latterly leading the business as Business Unit Leader, before taking charge of SGS Maine Pointe's procurement consultancy business.
Cultural alignment and mentorship opportunities
Speaking to Proxima's website following her appointment, Julie discussed her career, what drew her to Proxima and what advice she would give to people looking to raise the importance of procurement within their businesses.
"The culture at Proxima was a huge draw for me," she said. "Many team members here are former colleagues or are connected to colleagues I trust.
"As I spoke with people at Proxima, I realized how closely aligned their values are with my own, particularly regarding career growth, learning and development.
"Additionally, I'm excited to be part of the Chicago office (I split my time between South Carolina and Chicago), where Proxima wanted more leadership presence, especially since we hire many early-career professionals. I'm looking forward to mentoring them and fostering a supportive environment, which is something I'm incredibly passionate about."
Discussing the skillset of today's procurement professionals, Julie believes the diversity of maturity levels is one of the most exciting aspects of the profession.
"With everyone's needs being so varied, consultants need to have skills which can be adapted in line with these," she added.
"I think it's crucial for early-stage professionals to develop a broad range of competencies and stay updated on industry trends, especially with the rise of AI.
"What sets us apart as partners is our ability to offer that "little something extra" to stay one step ahead – or, as I like to say from Cajun culture, lagniappe, which adds real value."
Going beyond cost savings
Julie is driven by a passion for building relationships with clients and being viewed as a strategic partner, rather than just a consultant. She wants to be the one who recognises what the client needs.
"The interactions we have can lead to incredible outcomes, and I love being a part of that journey," she continues. "It's something I can already see we do really well here at Proxima."
Julie believes procurement has come a long way in terms of its importance being recognised by the wider business, but admits there is still plenty of work to be done.
"It's essential to understand that procurement is not merely a finance function," she concludes. "It should be seen as a strategic partner that adds value beyond cost savings.
"Companies should recognise the broader impact of procurement on their overall success and focus on integrating it into the core of their operations. For those in procurement, it's about understanding your role as a valuable contributor to the overall business strategy."
