Why CPOs Could Drive the Next Round of M&A Activity – Part 1
"If a foreign country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, better buy it of them with some part of the produce of…
There Has Never Been a Better Time or Justification to Automate AP and B2B Payments Than Right Now!
I’ve been involved in many AP automation initiatives over the course of my career, all of them involved some type of formal (or informal) ROI calculation and cost/benefit analysis. Most…
What Do Phased Reopenings Mean for the Workforce? Four Things to Watch
Across the globe, many countries have begun (or are about to begin) the process of “phased reopenings” of their economies, only three months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. In the…
Procurement’s Impact on Cash Management
The global uncertainty that pervades today’s market indicates a very real threat of a deep economic downturn. In response, the CFO’s new “hierarchy of needs” has placed a laser focus…
Contingent Workforce Weekly, Episode 440: A Conversation with Rich Oakes, President of GigSmart (SEASON FINALE)
Welcome to the Season Four finale of the Contingent Workforce Weekly podcast, sponsored by Beeline. This week’s power-packed episode includes some ruminations on the Future of Work (check out yesterday’s…
Ardent Partners FinTech Influencer Series: Brian Anderson, Senior Manager, Accounts Payable at Verizon Media
Ardent’s FinTech Influencer Series highlights innovative voices in the world of Accounts Payable (“AP”) automation. This series is the go-to spot for progressive thoughts on how technology, transformational thinking, and revolutionary ideas…
Mid-Pandemic Ruminations on the Future of Work
On the second Sunday in March, I awoke at 6am to begin my typical pre-gym routine. Before rushing out the door, I quickly checked the status of my grocery store…
20 for 2020: The Key Themes for the Modern CPO’s Agenda (#20 – Leadership)
We began this series in January as a way to aggregate important ideas for procurement leaders as they set their organizations’ course as they head into the new decade. It…
Throwback Thursday – The CPO’s Agenda 2009: Smart Strategies for Tough Times
In April 2009, I wrote our fourth annual CPO-themed State of Procurement report in the throes of the great recession. Things looked pretty bleak and there was a high degree…
Solving AP’s Reliance on Paper – Phase 3 – B2B Payments
[Editor's Note: Click to read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series] In Ardent Partners’ AP Metrics that Matter in 2020, our research indicated 55% of B2B payments were made…