Reflections from EBG | Xperience STHLM 2025
On April 10th in Stockholm, procurement leaders from across industries came together for a powerful day of open, honest dialogue about what it really takes to evolve procurement — not in theory, but in practice.
Hosted by EBG | Network, the event was designed not around best-case blueprints or finished journeys, but around the realities procurement professionals are navigating today: shifting responsibilities, increasing expectations, and never-quite-perfect data, tools, or processes.
💬 A Shared Challenge – and a Shared Opportunity
Ahead of the event, participants were asked what they hoped to discuss. One answer captured the spirit of the entire day:
“Leadership in Procurement, to manage overwhelming demands, including regulatory changes, rising business expectations and ongoing digital transformation, while working with limited time and resources.”
This theme of empowerment under pressure flowed through every presentation, mapping exercise, and roundtable discussion.
🎯 A Clear Focus: Empowering People to Act
The day centered around a core truth: procurement’s ability to transform depends not only on strategy and systems — but on people who feel empowered to act even in uncertainty.
From the opening session with Jacob Dahl (Coupa) to the dynamic presentations and deep roundtable discussions that followed, attendees explored questions like:
- How do we make decisions when we don’t have perfect data?
- What structures support confident, cross-functional collaboration?
- How are roles evolving — and what do people need to grow into them?
📊 Insights from the Pre-Event Survey
Ahead of the workshop, participants responded to a survey that revealed a shared reality:
- Only 13% consider their procurement tech stack mature
- 0% feel they’ve fully embedded AI into workflows
- 60% see digital tools and automation as top skill areas to grow
- 70% rank risk and resilience as key future competencies
- Over 80% are rethinking roles and pushing toward cross-functional ways of working
- Most operate with lean teams — navigating increasing complexity without increasing headcount
But one of the most striking takeaways was this:
Almost every listed skill — from negotiation and relationship-building to data analysis, ESG, automation, and innovation — was marked as equally important.
This raised critical reflections across the day:
- Who are the people who can thrive in procurement now and in the future?
- What does it mean when “everything” is important — and no entry path is clear anymore?
- How can organizations support the evolution of tasks and responsibilities without overwhelming their teams?
Speakers and participants alike agreed: we can’t hire our way out of this. Instead, we need to:
- Grow capability from within
- Create clarity without rigidity
- Design structures that adapt with us
🔍 From Human Readiness to Structural Enablement
The day followed a thoughtful flow:
- Morning Mapping focused on competence and empowerment — where teams stand today in terms of skills and their ability to act confidently.
- Afternoon Mapping explored the structures, tools, and leadership conditions that either enable or block real transformation.
This flow allowed participants to reflect not only on their teams — but on the systems they’re embedded in.
🎤 Speaker Highlights
Jacob Dahl (Coupa) opened with a powerful message: transformation doesn’t require perfection — it requires clarity on what matters and courage to move despite ambiguity. He showed how AI and automation are enablers, not replacements — and how organizations can avoid “over-engineering” by keeping people at the center.
Emma Papakosta (NCC) challenged the idea that perfect data is a prerequisite for progress. “We make decisions all day, every day,” she said — so how can procurement teams feel safe to act and own their decisions, even in complex environments?
Maria Kämbrant (Länsförsäkringar) echoed this leadership focus, sharing how building trust and encouraging common sense — rather than over-controlling — can unlock greater engagement, even in regulated settings.
Linda Grubbström (Scania) spoke directly to the skills question: as traditional entry roles vanish, how do we reshape paths into procurement — and make sure our teams are both clear and adaptable?
Mirela Boldu (Electrolux) described Electrolux’s journey toward balancing performance and transformation. She emphasized that it’s not either-or: great procurement teams must manage risk, costs, and long-term innovation.
Maria Lindeborg (Ericsson) showed what it looks like in practice to build AI and flow-based sourcing into an operational model — using structure not as a control mechanism, but as an enabler of business responsiveness.
🧩 Roundtables & Mapping in Action
Each speaker session was followed by peer roundtable discussions and mapping exercises, where participants explored:
- How empowered their teams feel today
- What structural shifts might enable better collaboration
- How technology (even small tools) can support smarter decisions
Importantly, these discussions were grounded in real-life tensions — not abstract theories.
🟧 Mapping I: Competence vs Empowerment
(orange = team view, pink = “you” view)
🟨 Team Post-its:
Cluster left of center on competence, and mid-range on empowerment
→ Suggests teams are willing, aware, but often under-skilled or lacking clear roles
→ They may feel pressure to act, but not always sure how
🩷 “You” Post-its:
Mostly in the upper-right quadrant
→ Leaders feel they themselves are clearer and more capable
→ There’s a gap between leadership confidence and team readiness
🧠 Interpretation:
This gap reveals a structural challenge:
- Leaders are pushing for more agility and ownership
- Teams are trying — but may feel underprepared or insecure
🟩 Mapping II: Structure Fit vs Transformation in Motion
🟢 Observation:
Most post-its cluster near center-right, with some trending upward
→ Suggests transformation is happening, but not consistently
→ Structures may support pockets of speed, but not system-wide enablement
🧠 Interpretation:
- The org model is in motion — but it’s not always coherent.
- Processes may still be clunky or unclear, even as strategy shifts.
🔚 The Closing Takeaway
Transformation doesn’t begin with tools — it begins with people.
Across industries, companies are facing similar challenges:
- Teams overloaded with operational tasks
- Leadership gaps in decision confidence
- Structures that haven’t caught up with ambition
- Digital tools with untapped potential
But what came through clearly is this: everyone is moving — some fast, some slower, all learning. And that movement is powerful when it’s shared.
Gothenburg & Copenhagen
Next up EBG | Network will go to Gothenburg on May 6th and Copenhagen on May 8th >>see details here.
CPO Outlook 2025
In October during EBGs flagship summit will for sure pick up on the three workshop days. It is evident already that these conversations need to continue! Learn more about the summit >>here.