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Procurement and Finance Outlook Intelligence

UPM join CPO Outlook 2024

May 31, 2024 By ebgnetwork

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UPM join CPO Outlook 2024

What is a strategy without a clear reflection over how it may come to life? EBG welcome Vesa Kuismanen, Director, Sourcing Transformation at UPM joining CPO Outlook 2024.

Vesa have a deep understanding in what it takes to realize changes in a large organization. Operating model considerations, competence reflections, process development – change management efforts. If it is one thing that has been recurring since 2010 it is that all recognize change management is the hardest.

AI will not change this fact.

Register to join CPO Outlook 2024

An EBG summit aim to inspire but also offer the possibility to learn and listen to peer and expert reflections. In October Vesa will share the below

Transformation and Change Management supporting the journey towards Future Proof Sourcing and Procurement

Expectations towards Sourcing and Procurement are continuously increasing. Closer business integrations, a very volatile market environment, economic crises, requirements from different types of mega-trends, changes in regulations and different types of sanctions are setting bar up to a new level and sense of urgency for Sourcing and Procurement to develop operations.

How is Sourcing and Procurement transformation helping the focus on “Future Proof Sourcing”? What is the role of change management during the journey? 

In the presentation we’ll be scratching the surface of future expectations for Sourcing and Procurement and learning from the UPM Transformation- and Change Management journey. As efficiency has been the main target and strategies accordingly being fulfilled – business value is the key focus from 2023 and on. Here you will learn what that means and how it is enabled!

  • What can companies do to free up time for sourcing and procurement to focus on value adding tasks in line with corporate strategies?
  • Operating model is execution model of Source to Pay process – what should trigger change of the model?
  • How to keep people skills relevant in a quickly changing business environment?
  • How to move from nice speeches to concrete actions and appropriate resourcing of the change management!

Note the two final bullets – competences and change management. Following his keynote invite you to join his round table discussions focusing on;

How can procurement build in an adaptive approach to strategy alignment and execution?

What will the future be like? If we know one thing, it is that we do not know. Sourcing has found itself in situations where fresh strategies are obsolete in a few months after they are ready, and operations turn out to be just tactical and operational. The business environment is changing rapidly, questioning old structures, operating models, and ways of working as they have not been adaptive enough. Sourcing professionals are still using too much time for operational ad hoc tasks and too little on value adding activities. It is also evident that sourcing and procurement will contribute even more to corporate visions, strategies, and concrete results. There is not only one solution for all the companies, but best approaches vary depending on the company.

This discussion will focus on experiences and thoughts on how you can build agility and robustness into strategies. As procurement already has too much to do – how can you ensure time is spent on the right tasks?

  • How to stay a relevant partner for company businesses in a very volatile business environment?
  • How to incorporate systematic change management model and culture into your procurement operating model design?
  • What role does technology play enabling efficiency and value creation?

No one knows what the future will be like. Many want to build a flexible structure that can adapt to changes in the market. Is that possible? Will AI solve this challenge? Let’s find out.

About Vesa

Vesa is Director, Sourcing and Business Transformation. The transformation aims at new level of value add through Sourcing and Procurement digitalization and implementation of new operating models. Measured by targeted Value Add.

Prior Vesa was responsible for MRO Sourcing spend management, strategies and way of operating.
He headed a Sourcing and Procurement professionals team of ~40 people in solid line organization and ~100 people in matrix organization at mills around the world.

Starting at UPM in 2012 Vesa was responsible for Sourcing and Materials Management for UPM Paper Business Group mills. He was heading a team of ~300 sourcing and materials management professionals in 22 mills around the world. Responsibility of future strategy and daily operations. Key Success factor in the role was seamless collaboration with Sourcing Categories and business stakeholders at the mills.

Measured by savings and organizational efficiency.

About UPM

UPM deliver renewable and responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Fibres, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood. They are committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the science-based targets to mitigate climate change. UPM employ 17,200 people worldwide and their annual sales are approximately EUR 11.7 billion. Their shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.

About CPO Outlook 2024

What if you could join a summit focusing on experience exchange beyond shiny powerpoints and 15 year ahead visions? If you could join a fair priced summit based on what your peers think is important to discuss? If you got the time to ask questions about change management, data quality, competence development, leadership considerations and much more?

EBG | Network focus on all of the above and have been doing so since 2010. We hope to see you! Make sure to >>register with a discount – a 3 course dinner is included (terms apply)!


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Want to share Your experiences? Contact Anna or Lars!

>>Download agenda

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