Blogs

Procurement, despite a wealth of evidence to the contrary, is still often viewed as simply a purchasing function. However, a successful procurement function isn’t just about saving money, and progressive CPOs are always on the lookout for new ways to deliver value. In fact, we would argue that this specialism is actually uniquely positioned to identify and pursue opportuniti...

Handling Counter Offers in Procurement So, you’ve been through the arduous process of applications, interviews, salary negotiations, and finally been offered a job at another company. However, once you decide to hand in your notice, your current employer, in an effort to make you stay, makes a counter offer, with a higher salary and perhaps even an attractive benefits packag...

As a system which enables the transfer of a huge variety of goods and services around the world, modern supply chains are vast ecosystems, with products often moving through multiple parties and regions. Naturally, this can lead to a number of inefficiencies. However, there are plenty of emerging technologies with the potential to disrupt this. Blockchain, the Internet of Th...

We’re delighted to share the news that 1st Executive has received a KellyOCG award for Supplier Excellence. KellyOCG, the outsourcing and consulting group of Kelly Services, presented the award last week at the Spring Supplier Forum in Amsterdam, recognising their top performers. Suppliers were evaluated on three criteria: Scorecard results of performance Compliance Engageme...

The debate on whether procurement should have a seat at board level has been an active topic of discussion for a while now, as more and more professionals make the transition to senior positions. However, compared to other departments the number is still negligible, and for many in the industry the procurement function is still severely undervalued. While this argument rages...

With the extensive, interconnected supply chains that businesses are using today, the likelihood of disruption is higher than ever. In fact, according to a 2018 study, disruption within the supply chain continue to grow at an alarming rate, and is at its highest since records began in 2010. This could be down to a number of factors, and picking them apart - to find out what-...

Recently, we hosted an insightful roundtable event on the future of procurement and the skills that future CPO’s will need, with procurement leaders from a range of organisations. Discussions were thought-provoking, and covered a variety of topics. Most of the panel concluded that while traditional procurement skills are still relevant, modern CPO’s need to be able to do muc...

So, at last we have some clarity on the introduction of the off-payroll working rules – otherwise known as IR35 - into the private sector. Or do we? The Chancellor announced in the Budget that, to bring the private sector in line with the public sector, businesses will become responsible for assessing an individual’s employment status. However, he also announced that the ref...

Back in 2012, Deloitte produced a report outlining what procurement needed to do to transform itself by 2020. Deloitte’s report at the time suggested that procurement was a service provider, an integrator and was building sustainable transformation through category leadership, advanced sourcing and performance tracking. The vision for 2020 was a radical rethink which positio...

According to a recent Raconteur report in The Times on the future of procurement, the job of a CPO does not feature widely in children’s lists of the top ten things they want to do when they grow up. Hardly surprising I hear you say, but a CPO is arguably one of the most varied and challenging jobs in business – especially given the evolving nature of the discipline and the ...