From experience to evolution
When Maria Kämbrant, CPO at Länsförsäkringar, opened her session on Day 2 of CPO Outlook 2025, she didn’t start with talking about a framework or a five-year plan — she started with 30 years of experience.
“After almost 30 years in work life — what are my reflections?” she asked. “We know change is the only constant.” Her voice was steady, not nostalgic. Change, she made clear, is not new — but how leaders help others navigate it must be.
“I used to think I had a flexible mindset, that I leaned in,” Maria reflected. “But its very different to drive change than to be exposed to change that you are not controlling yourself. Its not enough to be a good project leader, you also need to know how to lead change, how to guide people so they start doing things differently.”
Situational-dependent leadership
Maria introduced a simple but powerful idea: situational-dependent leadership — the ability to balance industrialized and explorative modes of work. Procurement, she explained, needs both.
In an industrialized mode, structure, efficiency, and control create stability. In an explorative mode, learning, curiosity, and adaptation drive progress. “The challenge is not choosing one or the other,” she said, “but knowing when to shift — and how to lead through that shift.”
Structure, culture, and competence — the three enablers
Maria presented three foundations for change: structure, culture, and competence. Together, they determine whether an organization can adapt at speed without losing its core.
She posed three questions every leader should ask:
– Is it okay to question?
– Is it okay to fail?
– Is it okay to win?
“These might sound simple,” Maria noted, “but they tell you everything about your culture. Is it safe to learn?”
EBG | Xperience Stockholm Reflections
At EBG | Xperience Stockholm 2025 earlier this year, many participants mapped their own journeys along the same dimensions. The “Transformation in Motion” and “Empowerment & Competence” maps revealed what Maria articulated on stage — that organizations are committed to change but still shaping how to do it, and that teams are willing but often under-skilled or waiting for approval. Surveys show direction; conversations reveal capability.
Leadership as a learning system
Maria described leadership as the act of creating conditions for learning in motion. “Culture, structure, and rewards — they all need to support learning,” she said. “Be firm in your values and boundaries. Remain flexible in your approach — and stay humble.”
She urged leaders to meet people where they are. “Listen. Ask: What’s in it for me? That’s how you get everyone onboard.” Transformation, in her view, is as much about psychological safety as strategy.
The panel reflection – three lenses on progress
Maria’s reflections closed a session that brought together three perspectives on how procurement evolves:
– Linda Grubbström from Scania emphasized rhythm, clarity, and trust as the foundation for high performance while transforming.
– Emma Papakosta from NCC shared how digital capability is not a goal but an enabler for cross-functional ownership and better decision-making.
– Maria Kämbrant concluded that leadership connects it all — structure, competence, and culture must work together to sustain momentum.
Learning as the path forward
Maria ended with a simple reminder:
“Leadership is not about having all the answers — it’s about creating the conditions for others to learn and act.”
That spirit — firm in values, flexible in approach — summed up not only her message, but the tone of CPO Outlook 2025 itself: real leaders are those who keep learning while leading.
Networking with EBG
The dialogues that start on stage continue through EBG | Network. Join us for CPO Outlook 2026 in Stockholm on October 14–15, and for the EBG | Xperience 2026 series — where procurement leaders turn shared insights into action.