Kavida.ai

We sat down with Luke Tomlinson, Global Category Manager at RS Integrated Supply to unpack why procurement's biggest challenges might just be creating its best opportunities. What we covered: → His practical approach to implementing ESG frameworks beyond checkbox exercises. → Why the current economic crisis might be procurement's biggest opportunity yet. → How the massive technological shift we're seeing could make procurement the most people-focused it’s ever been. → And why creativity may be procurement’s most underdeveloped skill in a tech-savvy world. Give the full conversation a listen, link in comments! ??

"If we (procurement) are not banging the drum loudly enough to change our role within the organisation, no one's going do it for us" Euan Granger ?? We sat down with Euan, a seasoned procurement professional at Morgan Sindall Construction to discuss evolving past "procurement in title, purchasing in mindset", and what this means for the function. We covered: → The endless possibilities of an AI-empowered procurement professional: less Monday morning order tracking, more strategic planning. → Why tech transformation usually hits a wall — from trying to reduce system count or being fixated on immediate ROI rather than long-term value. → His perspective on those unexpected career setbacks and the power of networking. → Why "next time just isn't an acceptable timeline anymore" for implementing sustainability initiatives, and the untapped potential of social enterprises in creating a supply chain that truly gives back to the community. Link in comments for the full conversation! ??

He started as employee #9, built a procurement function from scratch,?and now leads procurement in one of the UK’s fastest-growing EV companies. We sat down with Alvin Castillo, Vehicle Procurement Director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, to understand: → How he built a procurement function from the ground up at an early-stage disruptor in the EV space. → His tried and tested approach to building strong relationships—internally and externally. → Why invoking a contract could mean you’ve failed as a partner. → What separates your top suppliers from the rest. → And why there’s no better time to be in procurement. Link in comments for the full conversation! ??

AI agents will automate up to 50% of tasks. Cut 30% of operating costs. Reshape your entire operating model - where traditional RPA couldn’t. The shift is happening, and we’re seeing: → Leaner processes. → Smarter workflows. → Exception-based operations.? → Evolved procurement. We anticipate transactional roles will be the most impacted. We’re sharing a white paper that brings together everything we’ve learned about AI agent applications in manufacturing, to show you: → How manufacturing operating models are about to change, creating leaner, smarter and exception based workflows. → How the breakthroughs in agentic AI and LLMs are a paradigm shift in comparison to RPA. → What your agentic transformation journey will look like. Link in comments to get your hands on the full copy ??

A couple of weeks back, we had the chance to sit down with AllPoints Fibre's Head of Category Procurement, Courtney R.. From her first job in procurement to her take on sustainability, Courtney shared some refreshingly honest insights on what it takes to thrive in the industry. What we covered: → Her take on transactional procurement. “It’s firefighting. It’s messy. It’s the Wild West.” → Why digital transformations fail in a tactical setting, and what a strategic function looks like. → Building sustainable supply chains, beyond more than just ticking checkboxes. → Empowering women in procurement, and how to succeed in male-dominated environments. Link in comments for the full conversation ??

We're thrilled to introduce our newest team member, Mike Philpott! Mike is an expert in helping enterprises with technology implementation. He’ll be working closely with mid-size and enterprise manufacturers to implement AI agents and transform their operating models. Welcome aboard, Mike - super excited to have you on the team!

We asked 20+ leaders, 1 question: How do you see procurement and supply chain becoming more strategic, value-driven functions in the AI era? For decades, procurement and supply chain functions have been undervalued. Seen as cost centres rather than growth drivers. We’re on the brink of a transformation, where the future of procurement and supply chain will be shaped by go-getter practitioners and innovative leaders. At Kavida, we’ve been building for this future for years. That's why we reached out to 20+ changemakers - the individuals on the frontlines - to hear directly from them how they see AI transforming their work. Their insights are shaping a manifesto for the future of procurement and supply chain in the AI era. Here’s a glimpse of what they had to say ??

Over the past few weeks, we started looking for powerhouses and rising stars in procurement and supply chain. The purpose of this initiative was to bring together peers from the industry that are progressive, driven and paving the way for the future of procurement. We'll be celebrating the class of 2024 in person later today. But this is just the start. We have exciting things lined up - stay tuned! PS. Link in comments to read about these changemakers and what they stand for ????

Euan Granger MCIPS sharing the difference between traditional ERPs and AI Infused ERPs - and what it means for post PO management.

The future of manufacturing ERP transformation relies on thoughtful, human driven AI implementation for procurement, production and finance use cases. Our customers are leveraging the power of ERP AI Agents without additional training and 3 month long implementations. In this webinar, you will learn: → Actionable intelligence for smarter decision-making for procurement, production and finance. → Real-world examples of automating repetitive tasks and breaking down silos. → Instant access to ERP data with natural language queries. → Proactive stock management with auto replenishment. → Solve strategic purchasing, inventory and financial issues with AI copilots. Join Anam Rahman and Nathan Bailey next Thursday @ 3PM BST where they share ways to scale ERP manufacturing processes with AI.