The 32nd EIPM Roundtable for Chief Procurement Officers gathered leading procurement executives in the stunning wine region of Chexbres to explore how procurement can lead organisational transformation in an era defined by rapid change.
Under the theme “Be the Architect of Change: Leading Procurement into the Next Era,” the two-day event focused on the strategic pillars of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and talent development — crucial areas for building resilient and forward-thinking procurement functions.
The event began with a warm welcome over coffee, followed by an insightful Q&A session and a keynote where participants shared their challenges, ambitions and aspirations regarding procurement.
The evening culminated with a networking aperitif overlooking the shimmering waters of Lake Leman, and a gourmet dinner prepared by Michelin-starred chef Lionel Rodriguez — a perfect setting for fostering new connections.
The next day was marked by a series of compelling presentations and workshops:
- Thomas Udesen, Chief Procurement Officer at Bayer and Co-Founder of the Sustainable Procurement Pledge, opened the day with a vision for “Shaping the Future of Bayer Procurement: Sustainability and Dynamic Shared Ownership.” Considering the intense discussions the Dynamic Shared Ownership model generated, there is no doubt that we will hear from it again soon.
- Bertrand Conquéret, President Global Supply Chain & Chief Procurement Officer at Henkel, delivered a compelling talk on “Strategic Procurement Relationships, the Power of Collaboration,” emphasising how robust partnerships unlock competitive advantage in today’s complex supply chains.
- Dr Hervé Legenvre, Research Director at EIPM, led a workshop on “Unlocking the Power of Industry Collaboration: Opportunities, Pitfalls, and How to Get It Right,” equipping CPOs with practical tools to harness collaborative innovation.
- Thomas André, Head of Procurement Excellence at Capgemini, captivated attendees with insights into “Leveraging the Power of GenAI for Procurement,” showcasing how generative AI is revolutionising procurement excellence and decision-making, for real.
- Philippe Chraibi, Managing Partner at EIPM, led an engaging workshop on “Building an AI-first Culture” providing the actionable 3C framework to embed AI at scale in procurement teams and culture.
- Michael Munoz, former CPO at Nike, drew parallels between elite athletes and leadership in his talk “Sport & Business: What Can We Learn from Elite Athletes to Reach Sustainable High Performance at Work?” inspiring attendees to adopt elite performance mindset in the workplace.
- To conclude, Dr Hervé Legenvre returned with a session on “Lessons from BYD and Tesla: The 3E Framework,” sharing key innovation and operational insights from a sector that has been revolutionized by start-ups.
The Roundtable left participants invigorated with fresh perspectives and tangible strategies to drive procurement transformation throughout 2025 and beyond.
