The first independent recognition program for Chief Procurement Officers in the Nordic region.
Welcome Björn Stenecker, CPO at Vattenfall – our fourth and final addition to the Nordic CPO Award jury in 2026!
Procurement is one of the most strategically complex leadership roles in a modern organization. CPOs operate at the intersection of commercial performance, supply chain resilience, sustainability commitments, and organizational development — simultaneously, and under real pressure.
The leaders who do this well deserve to be recognized. Not because the profession needs validation, but because excellence at this level is worth identifying, celebrating, and learning from.
That is the premise behind the Nordic CPO of the Year Award — created by EBG | Network together with our Award Partner PIR – Procure It Right.
What we are evaluating — and why
The award is built around three equal dimensions: People, Integrity, and Results.
They reflect what genuine procurement leadership looks like in practice.
People is about how a CPO leads people through real complexity. That means developing individuals and teams deliberately, setting clear strategic direction, communicating in ways that create genuine understanding and commitment, and leading cross-functionally — across the organization and with key suppliers. It also means involving others, not just directing them.
Integrity is about how you conduct yourself when it is not straightforward. Transparent and consistent communication. Following through on what you say. Promoting ethical and sustainable decision-making — including ESG accountability. Having the curiosity and courage to challenge the status quo. And ensuring that agreed ways of working actually stick across the organization.
Results is about the full picture of what gets delivered — short-term impact and long-term value, measurable financial contribution, and equally measurable impact on people and ways of working. It also includes building the performance culture and structure that makes results repeatable, not accidental.
Every candidate is assessed against their own starting point and context. Scale and sector are not the variables — the quality of leadership relative to the situation is. That is what makes the evaluation meaningful.
An independent jury
Anna Falk, CPO at Boliden, Björn Stenecker, CPO at Boliden and Johan Lindqvist, CPO at NCC, bring direct peer perspective from organizations where procurement operates at significant scale and complexity. Robert Liljeblad, CEO of Procure It Right, leads the evaluation process as Jury Lead.
The jury is independent. The outcome reflects the evidence — nothing else.
Why CPO Outlook
The winner will be announced at CPO Outlook in Stockholm on October 14, 2026 — EBG | Network’s unique procurement event, where CPOs and procurement leaders across the Nordic region meet to discuss strategy and direction.
It is the right venue because the people in that room are exactly who the award is for and about – and their teams. The recognition lands in context — among peers, at a moment that means something.
Nominations are open
Nominate at nordiccpoaward.com. Nominations close June 20, 2026.
The Nordic CPO of the Year Award is a joint initiative by EBG | Network and Procure It Right.
About the Award
The Nordic CPO of the Year Award recognizes the CPO who has most meaningfully advanced their organization’s procurement function — across people, decisions, and results. Nominees are evaluated by an independent jury against the conditions they actually operated in. Nominations close June 6, 2026. The ceremony takes place at CPO Outlook, Stockholm, October 14, 2026. Organized by EBG | Network, with PIR — Procure It Right as Award Partner. nordiccpoaward.com