Pre-Conference Workshops
2nd December 2008

Workshop A ~ 09:00 -13:00
Effective Stakeholder Management To Drive Internal Change and Gain Buy-In For Strategic Procurement Initiatives

from reactive to proactive and strategic operations. One of the key factors that affect the success of these ventures is internal buy in and cross-functional engagement. In his role as CPO, Stephen has transformed the procurement function at Parmalat to not only reduce costs and increase efficiency, but made his department a key business partner. So much so that procurement is consulted on many key decisions adding real value to the business.

Drawing on his experience, Stephen will share winning strategies to help you:

• Manage internal relationships to build the business case you need to gain internal support
• Move procurement up the value chain from cost to value creation:
• Leverage differences between direct and indirect stake holder management
• Assess and implement various communication strategies to engage stakeholders

Stephen has worked in procurement for the last 12 years, working at Andersen as the UK Head of Procurement then transitioning to a global procurement role. After emigrating to Australia, Stephen joined Cadbury Schweppes as the Regional Strategic Sourcing Manager and is currently with Parmalat Australia as their Chief Procurement Officer. Having also worked in the retail and distribution sector for 15 years prior to his introduction to Procurement, Stephen has a rounded view of supply chain principles. Stephen is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of purchasing and supply.

Workshop B ~ 14:00 -18:00
Measuring and Benchmarking Procurement to Drive Continuous Improvements, Streamline Costs and Maximise Value

This workshop is an opportunity to spend dedicated time with Sudhir who brings with him over 9 years of procurement experience. In a focused, interactive classroom setting, you can draw on the experience of Sudhir and your fellow delegates to develop new approaches to managing both direct and indirect procurement functions.

This essential Master-Class will help you:

• Create and develop fit-for-purpose metrics that quantify the performance of your procurement function
• Critically evaluate results and feed them back into procurement processes and structure to increase internal efficiencies
• Implement key performance indicators to assess your suppliers to ensure they are continually adding value
• Communicate internally results of your benchmarks both upwards and sideways to ensure buy in for your initiatives
• Align procurement department goals with corporate strategy to elevate procurement to a strategic level and become a true partner of the business

Sudhir has more than 23 years of experience in the Information Technology industry across various functions, and 9 years of experience in the field of procurement. He has been involved in product development, customer support and operations. He is currently heading the supply chain function at Acer India. The job function includes material planning, procurement, production, operations and logistics. This diverse experience and expertise give him a unique 360o perspective on the positioning of procurement within a business, and the potential for value-add through interaction with other functions.