The success of any global supply chain starts with procurement. But a lot of companies are getting that function wrong.

Procurement has long been viewed by most companies as a cost center, along with a reliable means of cutting expenses on a year-to-year basis. But that narrow view has resulted in a higher level of supply chain risk. It’s time to view procurement in a new light. On this episode, Anders Lillevik, chief executive officer of Focal Point, shares the biggest mistakes that he’s seen over the years, as a veteran chief procurement officer managing billions of dollars in spend. He also challenges some modern-day conventional wisdom about how to treat favored suppliers. And he offers tips on cooperating with other disciplines within the organization, without letting them disrupt procurement’s essential mission. Procurement, he says, is a “team sport.” Hosted by Bob Bowman, Editor-in-Chief of SupplyChainBrain.

Show notes:

A blog post from Focal Point: “What Should a Procurement Scorecard Look Like?”