A Reflective Close to Day 1
The first day of CPO Outlook 2025 ended as it began — with realism and courage. After a full day of data, debate, and lived experience, the final session invited delegates to pause and look forward. The goal was not philosophy but perspective: to acknowledge how much is changing and how much we still don’t know.
For fifteen years, EBG has gathered procurement leaders to make sense of that very tension — performing while transforming. Day 1’s discussions showed how hard that balance can be: expectations keep rising while resources stay the same; data grows faster than understanding; technology moves faster than organizations can adapt. As one delegate said earlier in the day, “We’re evolving and firefighting at the same time — it’s like rebuilding the engine while driving.”
Performing While Transforming
The surveys presented on stage had already revealed the paradox: most describe their functions as developing rather than advanced in digital maturity, and yet nearly half are already testing AI beyond embedded features. Procurement is expected to automate and analyze, to manage risk and enable growth — all at once.
It was within this context that Arjan de Jong, Vattenfall, took the stage. His session looked to 2040, not to predict the future, but to stretch the imagination of what procurement might face. “My 2040 vision isn’t about being right,” he said. “It’s about preparing for the unthinkable — because what we don’t plan for usually hits us first.”
Arjan’s message was clear: the speed of change demands a mindset shift. Procurement cannot lead by waiting for certainty — it must build confidence in the unknown.
Preparing for the Unthinkable
Arjan described a world where “black swans become the new white swans,” where disruption is no longer rare but routine. To him, the opportunity lies in using technology to reclaim time and creativity. “I hope generative AI will help us work more with suppliers, create more value, and do more interesting things together,” he said.
He spoke about moving beyond the familiar language of volatility and uncertainty — and toward a mindset defined by readiness. For him, procurement’s future depends on being sustainable, adaptive, and driven by insight rather than reaction. It’s less about predicting every risk and more about building the confidence to respond when the unexpected happens.
He also challenged the audience to show belief in their own strategic role. “Procurement must believe in itself,” he said. “We’re the only ones who truly know both the business and the market — that’s where our strength lies.”
Reflection
As the session unfolded, the discussion became less about technology and more about mindset. It tied directly back to the data shared earlier in the day — the sense that procurement stands between possibility and overload. The message was not to predict the next breakthrough, but to prepare for it.
“We are programmed to stop thinking when we start believing something is unthinkable — and that’s exactly when we need to think harder.”
That line captured the purpose of the session — and perhaps of the entire summit: to bring realism and imagination together, and to remind each other that the future is something we shape, not wait for.
Networking with EBG
The conversations continue.
Join us for CPO Outlook 2026 in Stockholm on October 14–15, and through the EBG | Xperience 2026 workshop series — smaller, hands-on sessions where shared insights become concrete actions.