In 2019, the procurement profession still has momentum and is more critical to business operations and results than ever before. But, a decade of Ardent Partners research shows that the profession is also approaching a performance plateau. Breaking plateaus and launching into a new performance trajectory demands new and innovative ideas and approaches. It also requires a broad, multi-faceted approach since no single ingredient can alter the overall procurement recipe. To avoid a frustrating and momentum-killing plateau, Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) must work to elevate their organization’s capabilities and gain improvement across a host of areas in a deliberate attempt to rethink what is possible. They will also need catalysts to ignite a new sense of urgency and new sources of value so that their departments can work smarter, expand their mastery, and raise their commitment.

Identifying these new catalysts and sources and framing the different ways that CPOs can leverage them are central themes of CPO Rising 2019, Ardent’s fourth-annual procurement executive symposium. It is with this in mind that we are excited to announce the official agenda for CPO Rising 2019, which we’re holding once again at Boston’s historic Harvard Club (Back Bay Clubhouse) on October 29 & 30, 2019. The Ardent Partners team has been working in concert with some of the biggest names in the procurement and supply management industry to craft an engaging agenda that speaks to the heart of the issues, challenges, and aspirations of today’s procurement leadership. Here are some sample topics and titles straight from the agenda itself:

• “Procurement with a Purpose,” a keynote presentation to be delivered by Heidi Landry, the CPO and VP of Enterprise Supply Chains at Johnson & Johnson
• A panel discussion on Innovation in Procurement, led by Bob Cohen, Ardent’s Research Director and VP of Marketing
• “Talent is Everything: Developing the Right Team,” a keynote presentation to be delivered by Beatriz Loizillon, the VP of PNA Procurement and Real Estate/Corporate Services at Panasonic Corp.
• A CPO panel discussion on Expanding Procurement’s Value, moderated by me, and featuring Shelley Stewart Jr., CPO Rising Hall of Famer and former CPO of DuPont
• “Leading Procurement through the Gig Economy,” a keynote presentation by David Kern, head of global procurement, TripAdvisor Media Group
• “Spend Therapy: A Modern Approach to Classic Challenges,” another keynote presentation delivered by Dan Warn, CPO of AthenaHealth
• And many more panel discussions, keynotes, and breakout sessions.

We’re constantly updating the CPO Rising 2019 Agenda, so check back frequently, and be sure to register for the event, as tickets are starting to go. We hope to see you in Boston in October!

Tagged in: Ardent Partners Research, Chief Procurement Officer, CPO, CPO Honors, CPO Rising Summit, Innovation, People, Strategy, Transformation