The 2026 Judges of the Global Procurement Awards

Procurement has never operated under both greater scrutiny and greater opportunity. Supply chain disruption, the race to embed AI into sourcing and mounting pressure to demonstrate measurable social and environmental value have elevated the function to the boardroom.

With this in mind, the Global Procurement Awards 2026 arrive this September as both a celebration and a benchmark for the future of the function. 

This year's judging panel brings together 18 of the most respected procurement leaders across six industries, each selected for the depth of their expertise and the breadth of their impact.

Public sector and nonprofit

The judges within the public sector and nonprofit industry bring a profound understanding of rigid governance, commercial agility and absolute ethical transparency. 

Andrew Swift, Chief Procurement Officer at the British Council, offers more than three decades of global leadership across heavily regulated environments. Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (FCIPS), Andrew manages a high-performing network of over 110 professionals across 100+ countries. 

Wayne Bell, former Head of Procurement at Cancer Research UK (CRUK), joins Andrew, with over 20 years of experience bridging the private and third sectors. Wayne is a renowned specialist in procure-to-pay transformations and hyper-digitalisation.

Financial services and insurance

The financial services and insurance judges represent an elite circle of sourcing leaders operating in heavily regulated, risk-sensitive and fast-moving corporate environments. 

Allen Schramm, Vice President of Strategic Sourcing at Regions, holds extensive expertise in large-scale banking supply chain risk management and enterprise sourcing.

Alongside him is Lauren Richards, Chief Procurement Officer at Revolut, who is a prominent voice on the integration of Agentic AI and automation. Lauren specialises in rapidly scaling operational efficiency and capturing value under strict, fast-evolving international regulatory fintech frameworks.

Alonge Allen and Lauren are Donna Trowbridge and Hiten Parmar. Donna is Group Head of Procurement at QBE Insurance Group and brings international experience in managing complex, multi-region supplier relationships and embedding sustainability into corporate value chains. 

Hiten Parmar, Chief Procurement Officer at Beazley Group, is widely recognised for his strategic focus on leadership transformation and supply chain resilience in market volatility. 

Technology, digital, and consulting

Pioneers in software-driven scalability, agile sourcing and enterprise-wide digital transformations, Fannie Boulanger, Chief Procurement Officer at Airbnb, specialises in supplier relationship management and hyper-growth scalability strategies that allow digital platforms to expand seamlessly. 

Vitold Horodecki, Chief Procurement Officer for the Americas at Capgemini, brings deep advisory and consulting expertise, specialising in driving massive IT vendor ecosystems and enterprise-level technological overhauls.

Technical visionaries Alex Gorchakov and Anna Barej join Fannie and Vithold. 

Alex Gorchakov, Global Lead for Procurement Transformation, Technology & AI at Unilever, is a premier expert on pioneering digital architectures, having successfully spearheaded the integration of automated ecosystems and AI frameworks. 

While Anna Barej, VP of Procurement at Best Buy, has an extensive background in omni-channel tech retail and consumer electronics sourcing provides deep commercial insight.

Consumer goods, retail, and media

The consumer goods, retail and media judges bring a vital perspective on tight margins, intense brand alignment and rapid consumer trends. 

Haresh Ratnasabapathy, Director of Global Procurement at Pladis, has deep category expertise in international food manufacturing, specialising in agricultural commodity sourcing, cost optimisation, and building resilient value chains. 

James Jones, Chief Procurement Officer at Novolex, complements this with expertise in sustainable packaging solutions, circular economy principle and manufacturing procurement, helping businesses navigate complex environmental regulations and retailer demands.

Sunita Palla and Aaron McMillan join from a media perspective. Sunita Palla, Senior Director of Procurement, Strategic Initiatives at Paramount Pictures, is an expert in entertainment production sourcing, intellectual property vendor management and high-stakes media capital expenditure.

Aaron McMillan, Editor-in-Chief at Procurement Magazine, offers a high-level, holistic view of the entire global landscape. 

Industrial, facilities and mobility

The judges here excel in heavy asset management, large physical footprints and massive infrastructure logistics. 

Joe DeMarco, Chief Procurement Officer at ABM Industries, is an elite expert in facilities engineering and workplace solutions procurement. 

Joe specialises in managing highly decentralised labour supply chains, vendor consolidation and embedding sustainable, energy-efficient technologies across billions of square feet of managed real estate. 

Stuart Farrell, Chief Procurement Officer at DC Zero, brings his expertise in cutting-edge data centre infrastructure, sustainable energy procurement and high-tech industrial asset management. 

While Harinder Bansal, Head of Procurement at Mobility Operations Ltd, is an expert in fleet management, transit logistics and public-private mobility partnerships. 

Manufacturing and chemicals

The manufacturing and chemicals industry represents one of the most capital-intensive, volatile and strictly regulated supply chains in the global market. 

Dr. Prasanta Gupta, Executive Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer at Aarti Industries, has decades of technical experience navigating the complex chemical manufacturing industry, where procurement involves sourcing volatile raw materials, managing hazardous substance logistics and maintaining strict compliance with international environmental and safety standards.

Don’t miss out on your chance to enter the Global Procurement Awards. Entries close in one week!

Join us on September 8 and 9 for Procurement LIVE: The London Summit, co-located with Supply Chain LIVE and Sustainability LIVE at the QEII Centre, Westminster.