“I was humbled by the buy-in from the AOP community because, ultimately, people came on trust. They came on the trust that we would deliver what we said we would for our first in-person event.” - Philip Ideson, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Art of Procurement
Now that Art of Procurement's first-ever in-person event, Catalyst LA, is in the rear-view mirror, co-hosts Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner sit down for a candid debrief about what it took to launch a new kind of procurement event and how it may impact procurement’s approach to learning, community, and collaboration going forward.
From their initial vision of creating something different in the procurement event space to the unexpected challenges on the May 6th conference day itself, Philip and Kelly share the behind-the-scenes story of how they transformed their digital-first community into a world-class experience focused on procurement operating model transformation.
In this episode, Philip and Kelly reflect on:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
Much like the classic plot twist in old thriller movies where the characters realize the threat is coming from inside the house, the most revealing insights about supplier tactics are coming from inside Fine Tune’s own house in this eye-opening tenth episode of Buy: The Way…To Purposeful Procurement.
Co-host Rich Ham was initially reluctant to tap into his own team’s expertise for this podcast series, but the guests’ insight and insider knowledge proved too valuable not to share.
In this episode, Philip and Rich interview two former supplier-side executives – Alex Carlson and Angie Claeys – who are now working on the opposite side of the fence at Fine Tune, and therefore perfectly positioned to divulge the very tactics they once used against procurement teams.
They are, indeed, “poachers turned game wardens.”
First, Alex, a former CBRE executive and Wells Fargo procurement leader, explains how janitorial service providers deliberately underbid with limited scopes to help procurement “check the box” on savings goals. Likewise, he’s seen elevator maintenance providers bill for preventative maintenance that is never performed. Just because a category of spend is managed on paper doesn’t mean it’s being actively managed where it counts the most, on the ground.
Similarly, in the second half of the episode, Angie Claeys, former VP of Operations at Aramark, lays out the uniform industry’s playbook (a notoriously complex category). Here too procurement has to watch out for “presumptive” billing that can cost the business unnecessarily if procurement isn’t on top of it.
Alex and Angie’s experiences on the supplier side point to a troubling dynamic: procurement’s incentive structures actually encourage these nefarious supplier behaviors and, by not focusing more on ongoing cost management, procurement is inadvertently signaling to suppliers precisely how they can ‘game the system.’
This episode, part one in a two-part series full of insider insights, provides an unfiltered look at the consequences of half-hearted spend management and makes a powerful case for extending procurement’s influence beyond the contract.
Stay tuned for part two, where Bob Schreiner and Keith Robinson expose similar tactics in security services and pest control.
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“Change is about first having an awareness. Once you have that awareness, then that other party that you're trying to drive that awareness has an understanding. And when that understanding is there, then they're motivated to take action.” Pratik Patel, Director - Category Management - Labor/North America Technology Spend, Mastercard
Services procurement can be a rewarding field, but it also has some unique (and fairly complex) challenges that require procurement to develop a strong approach to spend and performance management.
In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Pratik Patel, Director - Category Management - Labor/North America Technology Spend at Mastercard, about his own experience transforming technology services procurement from a decentralized, inefficient process into a streamlined, data-driven program that delivers unprecedented business value.
Pratik walks listeners through:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
"I’m a big believer in market intelligence, where we educate the business on the providers and the levers to pull. It's not about just pricing; it's understanding the market." - Amy Fong, Partner, Sourcing and Vendor Management, Everest Group
Service categories are experiencing unprecedented change driven by generative AI, which is shifting workforce models and evolving commercial structures across the business.
Procurement has to be continuously focused on how these changes are affecting the business. For procurement leaders managing these services categories, navigating this transformation requires new ways to think about areas like contracting, relationship management, and value measurement.
In this episode of Art of Procurement, Philip Ideson speaks with Amy Fong, Partner, Sourcing and Vendor Management at Everest Group, about the rapid evolution of business services sourcing. Amy brings unique insights from analyzing thousands of contracts and observing what leading companies are doing to adapt their sourcing strategies and their approach to output- versus outcome-based contracts.
In this episode, Amy explains:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
Twenty-five years after co-founding Corporate United, the first indirect GPO in the United States, David McCarty points out an inconvenient truth: the very tools procurement once developed to leverage spend are no longer as effective in today's supplier-dominated landscape.
In this episode of "Buy: The Way…To Purposeful Procurement," David joins co-hosts Philip Ideson and Rich Ham to discuss the evolution of Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), from their early promises of dramatic savings (15-30% back in the early 2000s) to their current state, where GPOs are much more limited in their ability to determine and optimize spend.
With refreshing candor and a healthy dose of optimism about today’s forward-thinking GPO leaders, David confirms what many procurement leaders have long suspected: most GPOs are less effective today than when they were founded, partly because they've become a kind of checkbox solution that gives procurement a "false sense of security" rather than a true route to optimized expense management.
For procurement leaders who are worried that their suppliers might be gaming the GPO system, David provides realistic guidance on how to select the right GPO partner (from looking at contract age and rebidding frequency to volume transparency and customization options). He also points out the key areas where GPOs can still deliver differentiated value, but only if they are leveraged appropriately and procurement puts the time and effort into measuring the value they expect to receive.
While there are still benefits to using this model, it’s clear, says David, that in 2025, strategic procurement through GPOs requires a more discerning, purpose-driven approach than ever before.
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“In a transformation, make your good examples in the beginning, where you think you will make a difference.” - Joel Andersson, Process development and digitalization project leader - indirect procurement, IKEA
Building a mature indirect procurement function that’s strategically aligned with the rest of the business is a journey filled with problem-solving, stakeholder relationships, and continuous learning. It requires a ‘thinking-on-your-feet’ approach and a willingness to adapt as the business and its priorities evolve.
For IKEA, this transformation began about five years ago when they moved from a self-organized approach to a centralized, strategic function that drives measurable value beyond just cost savings.
In this episode of Art of Procurement, Philip Ideson speaks with Joel Andersson, Process development and digitalization project leader - indirect procurement at IKEA, about the company’s indirect procurement transformation journey.
Joel shares insights on how his team built credibility through early wins, implemented foundational technology, and is now exploring advanced capabilities including services procurement optimization and generative AI.
Listen in to hear:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
"If you can't understand how procurement affects the ultimate end users in your organization, whether it's a state prison, or whether it's a manufacturing facility in Germany, then you're abdicating your role, you're just a robot. And that's why procurement has a superpower." - David Yarkin, CEO, Procurated
Long before "DOGE" became a buzzword in government efficiency, the state of Pennsylvania led a pioneering strategic procurement transformation that saved taxpayers millions… $140 million to be exact (and on a recurring basis, at that). The key to their success wasn't just smart buying strategies, but highly effective communication that helped secure executive support and turn resisters into supporters.
In this episode of Art of Procurement, Philip Ideson speaks with David Yarkin, CEO of Procurated and former Chief Procurement Officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. David brings a unique perspective influenced by his background as a former press secretary and in procurement leadership.
In this episode, David shares how he led Pennsylvania to unprecedented savings through strategic sourcing initiatives and a powerful approach to communication:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
More than one hundred years after John C. Dinsmore wrote in Purchasing Principles and Practices that “there should be no great chasm between the board of directors who represent the stockholders whose money is spent and the person who does the spending,” procurement is still struggling with the same fundamental problem of misalignment.
In the eighth episode of “Buy: The Way…To Purposeful Procurement,” Philip Ideson, Kelly Barner, and Rich Ham, CEO at Fine Tune, convene to grapple with the insights – and even a few uncomfortable truths – uncovered in their recent conversations with procurement veterans Rob Hills and Kate Vitasek (episodes 6 and 7, respectively).
Rich, Phil, and Kelly challenge conventional wisdom about cost avoidance (is it just “funny money,” after all?), the gap between negotiation and execution, and why procurement’s performance metrics have remained largely unchanged over the years, despite their obvious flaws.
This conversation challenges procurement to think about the practices, processes, or assumptions that no longer serve them, and it also sets the stage for upcoming episodes that will begin to explore tangible solutions to these and other challenge areas.
Tune in as the co-hosts gear up for their upcoming discussion with David McCarty and prepare to tackle new definitions of procurement value that could finally liberate procurement from its self-imposed “savings jail.”
The path to purposeful procurement is becoming clearer with each episode…
“I understand that tension between procurement and legal could happen, but it really is a disservice to each other. It's like two brothers fighting. It doesn't make any sense.” - Paul Bagley, Director of Commercial Contracting, Acosta Group
Procurement and legal often find themselves at odds, despite the fact that they’re usually working toward the same goals for the business. We can usually trace this tension back to a few key areas like contract cycle times, risk management approaches, decision-making processes, or contract negotiations. But, when procurement and legal are true collaborators and combine their expertise, they can create measurably better outcomes for the business.
To get to that point, both sides need to get to the root of the tension and develop workable processes and expectations that leverage the strengths of both teams without creating bottlenecks or roadblocks… for anyone.
In this episode of Art of Procurement, Philip Ideson speaks with Paul Bagley, Director of Commercial Contracting at Acosta Group. Paul has a unique perspective as both an attorney and an experienced procurement professional. Because of that, he is able to directly challenge the notion that conflict between procurement and legal is inevitable, and he advocates instead for a more collaborative, supportive approach between the two.
In this episode, Paul explains:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
“You’re not going to be able to completely eliminate your tariff exposure. There are three frames under which to think about tariffs: How will you mitigate in the short term? How will you think about it in the medium term from your customer's perspective and pricing? And how will you think about a long-term realignment of supply chains?” - Richeek Maitra, Director, AlixPartners
With tariffs dominating the news cycle and sending global markets on a wild ride, procurement is scrambling to figure out the practical implications of tariffs on global supply chains and their own organization’s procurement strategy.
In this timely Art of Procurement podcast episode, host Philip Ideson welcomes Richeek Maitra, a Director at AlixPartners and an expert on tariffs and their effects on the global supply chain and procurement operations. As Richeek advises, procurement shouldn’t (over) react to every single news story about tariffs, but everyone should be planning both short- and long-term strategies to safeguard their organizations from negative tariff-related fallout while still maintaining a competitive advantage.
In short, procurement shouldn’t act as if the sky is falling, but they shouldn’t stick their heads in the sand and pretend it’s just business as usual either.
In this episode, Richeek explains:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
In this seventh episode of the “Buy: The Way…To Purposeful Procurement” podcast series, Art of Procurement’s Philip Ideson and Fine Tune CEO Rich Ham take a deep dive into procurement history with Kate Vitasek, Faculty of Graduate and Executive Education at the University of Tennessee, and architect of the groundbreaking Vested methodology.
With over 15 years of research and eight books dedicated to buyer-supplier strategic partnerships, Kate shares her insight into how procurement has traditionally tended to extract value from suppliers through power plays, as opposed to creating value through collaboration and alignment around mutually ‘Vested’ interests. She traces the historical roots of this dysfunction back to the 1980s with the rise of the Kraljic Matrix and Michael Porter's competitive strategies, both of which further embedded power-based negotiations into procurement's DNA.
Drawing inspiration from the Vested approach, Kate:
This episode challenges procurement to recognize when they're spinning their wheels with outdated supplier management tactics and encourages them to reimagine what's possible when buyers and suppliers align their interests toward genuine value creation and purpose-driven procurement.
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“Procurement isn’t just a cost center; it’s a true value driver. So when they’re recruiting, CPOs and heads of procurement are looking for someone who's current and who is bringing ideas to the table. They’re not just hiring buyers anymore.” - Derek Lutz, Founder and CEO, Lean Six Search
As economic and geopolitical instability sends ripples of doubt across global supply chains, the question of which procurement skills will remain valuable, as well as which ones are becoming obsolete, has never been more relevant.
In this episode, host Philip Ideson talks about the evolving challenges of procurement talent acquisition and retention with Deerek Lutz, Founder and CEO of Lean Six Search. Derek has filled roles in over 50 countries (and has himself travelled to 173), and he offers a truly global perspective on procurement talent trends.
Derek shares his perspective on the shifting nature of procurement leadership, as well as what makes candidates stand out in today’s job market.
His insights include commentary on:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
“Transformation is not just about how it's going to impact procurement, but about how it's going to impact the entire enterprise through the efforts that will be happening within the procurement function.” - Natasha Gurevich, Founder & CEO, Candor Procurement
Going through procurement transformation without the right approach in place and without support from the business is a bit like sailing into a storm… with a blindfolded crew. Your chances of making it to the other side in better shape than you started are slim to none.
In this Art of Procurement podcast episode, co-hosts Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner speak with returning AOP guest Natasha Gurevich. Natasha is a former CPO of Nike and Salesforce, and she is currently the Founder and CEO at Candor Procurement.
This wealth of procurement leadership makes Natasha the perfect mainstage guest at Art of Procurement’s upcoming live, in-person event – Catalyst LA – taking place on May 6, 2025, in Los Angeles, California.
In this episode, Natasha explains why Catalyst LA promises to be one of the most unique and value-generating procurement events she’s ever attended and what attendees can expect to take away from the event.
Natasha also discusses:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.
It’s been a long, winding road that has brought procurement to its current state of flawed incentive structures and measurement challenges. Rob Hills, CEO of Hills Advisory Services and former Deloitte partner, has seen it all unfold firsthand.
But recognizing problems and how they were created is only half of the battle.
With over three decades of procurement experience that stretches back all the way to the formative days of strategic sourcing at A.T. Kearney in the mid-1990s, Rob has seen the classic procurement dilemma play out more times than he would have liked. CPOs “plant a victory flag” on savings while CFOs fail to see procurement’s win materialize on the P&L.
In the sixth episode of “Buy: The Way…To Purposeful Procurement,” co-hosts Rich Ham and Philip Ideson speak with Rob about this measurement gap, how it has evolved over time, and why procurement’s measurement and incentive systems have remained largely unchanged over the years, despite their obvious flaws.
Rob also offers a unique historical perspective of the disconnect between negotiation and execution, especially as procurement grapples with balancing increasing workloads and larger portfolios of spend with shrinking resources.
Rob, Phil, and Rich also explore potential innovative thinking about incentives, metrics, and process design that could finally address the longstanding challenges in demonstrating procurement’s full purpose, value, and impact for the business.
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“We’re seeing data around the acceleration of procurement having to ‘do more with less’ and this is compounding year over year, so at some point, procurement’s operating model is going to break.” – Philip Ideson, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Art of Procurement
Procurement teams are facing unprecedented and compounding pressure to “do more with less,” and, because of that, it’s more important than ever for procurement’s operating model to evolve and mature to meet these growing demands.
In this episode, co-hosts Kelly Barner and Philip Ideson explore why procurement operating models have become such a top-of-mind topic in 2025 and what this reveals about process change, talent needs, and digital transformation. They examine how procurement’s organizational approach has changed over the years and the pendulum swings we’ve seen – from decentralized buying to centralized control, then from center-led and now to a kind of “invisible” procurement model.
In this episode, Phil and Kelly also discuss:
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Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time.
Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement.
Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.