Procurement professionals to soar in 2011

After a tough 2010, procurement professionals are once again ready to bounce back, albeit cautiously.

CPO of Parmalat Australia, Stephen Rowe, said that a main aim for his company was to increase efficiency, encourage lateral thinking and use procurement’s innovative side.

At the forefront of thinking was “outmanoeuvring the potential impact of another global financial crisis”, said Mr Rowe. Given the massive impact the GFC had on the procurement industry over the last 18 months, Parmalat is one of many Australian companies ready to bounce back.

“Managing the expectations of the business, addressing issues such as raising awareness of the volatility of the markets, focusing on cost containment rather than cost reduction will be key”, he said.

The profession in Australia has benefited in some way from the GFC in that organisations have realised that spend needs to be managed, Mr Rowe said.

Director of Global Strategic Sourcing, China, Wendy Liu has prioritised planning and executing cost avoidance for 2011.

“We need to understand how geopolitics affects global material flow and how to prepare our sourcing, procurement and supply chain to fit our businesses long-term plan”, she said.

Both CPO’s have a cautious approach to 2011 but have learnt from a tough 18 months that planning and precise execution are now at the forefront of their positions.

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