It’s a rare privilege to hear from an outgoing CPO on the very last day of their career, even more so when they have just handed over the reins to one of the biggest roles in procurement.
Ana Elena Marziano has been chief purchasing officer at US consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble for around six years, joining just before Covid brought the global economy to a grinding halt. It was nothing short of a baptism of fire.
But with a career that had already spanned over 30 years at P&G with roles in manufacturing, supply network operations and HR, Ana Elena had developed the toolkit required to thrive.
Last Thursday was her final working day, as she hands over the CPO role to Erik Roberts. Taking the time to join Procurement Leaders members on a CPO Connect call, Ana Elena offered a thoughtful analysis covering her time in role, the learnings that have stuck and her thoughts on the future of the function.
It was an insightful session and the thoughts she offered were clear, jargon free and to the point. First, leadership matters – and saying no is an important part of that. CPOs must be choiceful, shield the function where necessary and be laser-focused on executing on strategy.
Second, complexity is often self-inflicted. Leaders, she said, must constantly ask: “What is the problem we are solving for?” Ana Elena told members she is a believer in stepping back and questioning the “why” in a drive for simplification.
Third, relationships are gold – both internal and external, something which is true during good times and bad. Trusted, long-term and mutually beneficial relationships are the difference between success and failure.
Fourth, digitalisation is a strategy not a programme. Technology should be seen as fundamentally shifting procurement.
Fifth, transformation comes from being bold and visionary, which itself takes courage. Leaders will always face people who resist change, but sticking to a clear, consistent and high-impact vision will win out.
Finally, procurement is a profession – not a process or set of tools. Ana Elena is passionate about the function and a true believer in the value it delivers. “What we do is incredibly important,” she said.
On behalf of everyone at Procurement Leaders and our members, I’d like to thank Ana Elena for her contributions to the community and wish her well in her next steps.
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