Procurement Podcast: Radian's Peter Sharoff on AI Strategy

Procurement leadership in a changing business landscape

The latest episode of the Procurement Podcast from Procurement Magazine welcomes Peter Sharoff, Strategic Sourcing Lead at Radian, for an in-depth discussion on the future of procurement, leadership and operational transformation. Hosted by Aaron McMillan, Episode 6 explores how procurement teams can evolve from transactional functions into strategic business partners.

Drawing on extensive experience across transformation, sourcing and enterprise operations, Sharoff shares practical insights into stakeholder engagement, AI adoption and the importance of customer-centric procurement strategies in modern organisations.

Why procurement is becoming a strategic business function

Operating within the financial services industry, Sharoff believes procurement now sits at the centre of organisational performance. He explains how sourcing and procurement teams influence everything from supplier risk management to employee and customer experience.

Throughout the episode, Sharoff highlights the growing importance of procurement in helping businesses navigate complexity, cost pressures and rapid technological change. Rather than focusing purely on cost reduction, he argues that procurement leaders must demonstrate measurable business value while strengthening relationships across the organisation.

A recurring theme is the shift from tactical buying to strategic leadership. Procurement, Sharoff explains, must become a connector between departments, balancing operational efficiency with long-term business goals.

The rise of customer-focused procurement

One of the episode’s strongest insights centres on procurement’s evolving role in stakeholder management. Sharoff describes procurement as a “dual mode” function, where teams must balance speed and service with governance and strategic oversight.

For lower-risk purchasing activity, procurement should prioritise agility and customer service. For higher-value or higher-risk engagements, the function must slow down, provide strategic guidance and manage stakeholder expectations effectively.

Sharoff argues that many procurement challenges stem from communication gaps rather than process failures. Transparency, clear timelines and stakeholder involvement can dramatically improve how procurement functions are perceived internally.

AI and technology are reshaping procurement operations

Technology and AI also feature heavily in the conversation. While Sharoff describes himself as cautious about large-scale AI hype, he sees significant value in smaller, practical AI tools that improve everyday efficiency.

He explains how technologies such as AI-powered analytics and presentation tools can reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing procurement professionals to focus on higher-value strategic work. Rather than replacing people, Sharoff sees AI as an enabler that creates more time for relationship building, collaboration and decision-making.

Importantly, he stresses that technology should never be implemented before the right processes and people strategies are in place. Successful transformation, he explains, always starts with people, followed by process optimisation and finally technology enablement.

Leadership, communication and stakeholder trust

Leadership and communication remain central themes throughout the episode. Sharoff discusses the importance of empathy, active listening and understanding stakeholder motivations in order to build trust across the organisation.

Using memorable analogies, including lessons drawn from acting and customer experience models, he explains how procurement leaders can create stronger engagement by “meeting people where they are”. He also emphasises the importance of incremental change management, helping stakeholders gradually develop confidence in procurement’s value.

For procurement professionals seeking stronger executive influence, Sharoff advises focusing on asking better questions, understanding business priorities and consistently demonstrating commercial insight.

The future of procurement and strategic sourcing

Looking ahead, Sharoff predicts procurement will become even more influential as organisations operate within increasingly interconnected global business networks. As geopolitical uncertainty, cyber risk and operational complexity continue to rise, procurement leaders will play a vital role in driving resilience and strategic decision-making.

He also believes the profession must continue embracing agility, removing unnecessary processes and using technology intelligently to manage growing time pressures across the enterprise.

For procurement teams aiming to strengthen their strategic impact, Episode 6 offers a timely and highly practical discussion on leadership, AI adoption and the evolving role of sourcing in modern business.

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Explore More from the Procurement Podcast Series

Catch up on Episode 5, featuring Head of Procurement at Susonity, Mathias Grünewald, who discusses digital strategy, AI, and global team leadership.