Richard Edwards - Procurement Leaders
Richard Edwards is the news editor of Procurement Leaders. A business journalist, he is a regular contributor to a number of leading UK newspapers and magazines, including The Times and Sunday Express. From this author:
Scarce supplies and a local emphasis - welcome to 2016
Predicting the future is an imprecise science, as the past 10 months have taught us all. However, an innovative new study by the Global Commerce Initiative, Capgemini and Intel offers a tantalising glimpse of what the future may hold for procurement.
14:43, 03 Nov, 2008
Not so Far East
Competitive prices, shorter delivery times and a region that remains largely unscathed by the global economic slowdown – just three reasons why Eastern Europe is mounting an ever-more impressive challenge to South Asia’s current dominance as the sourcing location of choice.
09:17, 22 Oct, 2008
Tapping old conflicts
Companies relying on Russian vendors face an uncomfortable winter as the fallout from a cooling in relations has highlighted the west's increasing dependency on Russian supply chains, writes Richard Edwards.
17:31, 21 Oct, 2008
Back to black
Once synonymous with global warning, coal is enjoying a comeback – and Vattenfall CPO Stephan Biesenbach is playing a key role, writes Richard Edwards.
17:28, 21 Oct, 2008
In the eye of the storm
Banks are at the centre of one of the most turbulent economic times in history. How is financial services procurement coping?
16:47, 21 Oct, 2008
BT pulling no punches in sustainability fight
For a company that makes up almost one per cent of the UK’s energy usage it’s little surprise that BT has placed sustainability at the very heart of its network. The telecommunications giant, like many others in its sector, is coming under huge pressure to cut its carbon footprint, but BT isn’t following the green agenda for purely altruistic reasons, far from it, the company knows that sustainability is essential if it is to remain competitive in the global marketplace.
16:21, 20 Oct, 2008
Procurement no longer making up the numbers
Procurement is facing “a perfect storm” but the current financial crisis offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for it to answer “the call to arms” – just two findings from Hackett Research’s latest Book of Numbers, writes Richard Edwards in a Procurement Leaders Exclusive.
10:33, 10 Oct, 2008
Procurement in credit as crunch continues to bite
‘Nightmare on Wall Street’ was how one leading UK newspaper described the cataclysmic events in the US financial markets earlier this week – events that had achieved the unlikely feat of making everything that had gone before it seem positively tame, writes Richard Edwards.
10:55, 19 Sep, 2008
Eastern Europe bridging sourcing gap
Competitive prices, shorter delivery times and a region that remains largely unscathed by the global economic slowdown – just three reasons why Eastern Europe is rapidly mounting an ever-more impressive challenge to South Asia’s traditional dominance as the sourcing location of choice, writes Richard Edwards.
08:55, 28 Aug, 2008
Only the smartest survive
The best guarantee of corporate survival is to follow best practice, and for that you need to get hold of good research data, writes Richard Edwards.
11:38, 27 Aug, 2008
Gas and electricity price hikes set to ignite combustible situation
Benign energy prices over the past decade have seen procurement tucking them safely away in a file marked “no need to worry”. Although, according to a recent survey, seen exclusively by Procurement Leaders, this could be about to change, writes Richard Edwards.
09:37, 18 Jun, 2008
The bitter fruit of poor PR
There was a time when the only PR in procurement was in the first two letters of the word. Not any more, writes Richard Edwards.
10:18, 17 Jun, 2008
Deutsche Post World Net finds best fit to deliver procurement excellence
Any business project is greeted with a certain amount of trepidation, but when you’re overseeing the transformation of a procurement operation within a company with an annual revenue of over €60 billion, employing more than 500,000 people in 220 countries across the globe, you can be forgiven for having the odd sleepless night.
08:54, 17 Jun, 2008
Young, gifted and scarce
So what are the institutes doing to attract enough people, let alone the best people, into the profession? Richard Edwards discovers a training industry struggling to cope with the huge demand for supply skills.
16:27, 16 Jun, 2008
Spotlight on supply chains places focus on top performers
Supply chains can make or break a company - just ask one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers. When Boeing announced plans for its 787 Dreamliner it was hailed as a revolution in air travel. With increased fuel efficiency, the Chicago-based company claimed that its first new plane since 1995 would change the face of long-haul travel.
11:48, 01 May, 2008
Oil prices fuel procurement cost woes
There are few more pressing issues facing procurement at the current time than the seemingly inexorable rise in fuel costs, writes Richard Edwards.
12:27, 24 Apr, 2008
Freight Expectations
Sustainable procurement is more than a public relations exercise. In Wal-Mart's case, a negotiation to reduce supplier packaging led to almost 500 fewer freight containers and a €2.4M saving, writes Richard Edwards.
15:41, 16 Apr, 2008
Credit where credit's due
The UK’s Institute of Credit Management is leading a European push to publish details of how long companies take to settle invoices.
16:31, 15 Apr, 2008
Jessops turnaround
The impact that supply chain management can have on a company’s financial performance is clear, but one business which can point to its recent results more than most is UK camera retailer, Jessops, writes Richard Edwards.
14:55, 25 Feb, 2008
Supply chain transformation the key to survival
At a time of almost unprecedented global volatility, supply chain practice is under the spotlight like never before. Recent trends suggest that businesses are fast realising that an area traditionally viewed as a cost centre, now, if managed properly, offers the opportunity for competitive advantage that many companies are crying out for in difficult times.
17:36, 19 Feb, 2008
Stock Market jitters give procurement cause for concern
When a man of George Soros' standing tells the world that a recession in the US and the UK is going to be "hard to avoid", then it's time to sit up and take notice, writes Richard Edwards.
15:35, 25 Jan, 2008
Big business keen to exploit advantage provided by procurement outsourcing
Back in October, ELP reported that procurement outsourcing spend was set to rise by as much as a quarter by 2010, and now research by the Aberdeen Group has revealed that more major companies are looking at this area as a means of improving the performance of their purchasing operation, writes Richard Edwards.
08:53, 08 Jan, 2008
2007 - the year of sustainability
If anyone still harboured lingering doubts that corporate responsibility was one of the enduring themes of 2007 then the footage from the recent UN conference on climate change in Bali would have surely convinced.
14:13, 20 Dec, 2007
2007 - the year outsourcing reached its "tipping point"
Growing concerns over the global credit crisis, supply chain safety and sustainability have kept all of those involved in procurement on their toes for the past 12 months.
14:41, 13 Dec, 2007
60 seconds interview - Eduardo Ruibal at Altadis
Eduardo Ruibal at Altadis..
09:47, 11 Dec, 2007
60 seconds interview - Andre Le-Lerre at Ericsson
60 seconds with Andre Le-Lerre at Ericsson
11:08, 04 Dec, 2007
Leadership crucial in retention of talent
As any consultant worth their not insignificant day-rate will tell you - behind every successful team is a leader capable of inspiring his or her troops to greater deeds.
09:48, 21 Nov, 2007
Sharks circling as procurement software consolidation continues apace
As we at ELP reported towards the end of October, Italian-based procurement technology firm, BravoSolutions, has just reached an agreement to acquire Verticalnet to create a supply management provider worth upwards of €40m.
12:28, 12 Nov, 2007
BPO providers gearing up for procurement outsourcing boom
Despite recent sluggish growth in the US, the European and Asian outsourcing market is set to boom over the next two years, and the outsourcing of procurement could be at the forefront.
17:41, 30 Oct, 2007
IP protection and supply chain safeguards in China
As part of our ongoing China sourcing series, ELP caught up with Ping Wang, Achilles Lecturer in Chinese Law and Public Procurement at the University of Nottingham, to seek his views on IP protection and supply chain safeguards in the country.
16:31, 16 Oct, 2007
Top ten tips for successful working in China
Morgan Chambers (an EquaTerra company) has extensive experience of working in China - so who better to ask for the ten best pieces of advice for company’s looking to set up sourcing operations in the country. Authored by Sridhar Vedala & Ali Toure.
09:41, 15 Oct, 2007
Businesses face wake up call over pandemic
Here in the UK, fears over an avian flu pandemic have been usurped by highly-publicised outbreaks of foot and mouth and blue tongue disease. The threat of a potentially catastrophic pandemic has, however, gone nowhere, writes Richard Edwards.
14:16, 02 Oct, 2007
Attraction and retention on talent’s front line
If the "war for talent" is being fought on a global scale, then the front line must surely be in China. Talent shortages and retention are two of the biggest issues facing companies working extensively in the region, and if current trends continue then the problem is likely to become far more acute in the coming years, writes Richard Edwards.
10:08, 01 Oct, 2007
Protecting your IP in China
Anyone who attended the world's largest motor show in Frankfurt earlier this month would have walked directly into a storm. Despite the presence of cutting-edge cars from manufacturers such as Audi, Aston Martin, SAAB and Porsche, it was a Chinese-made SUV that caught the headlines - and the attention of BMW's lawyers.
16:29, 21 Sep, 2007
China syndrome puts supply chain management in a spin
After the world’s biggest toy firm issued their third recall in a month, there’s little doubt that, as I write, many involved in procurement are shifting nervously around their boardroom tables.
12:31, 07 Sep, 2007
Improving procurement’s value proposition – evolution not revolution the key
Improving the value proposition of procurement is one of the fundamental aims of any procurement organisation, but if anyone out there thought that revolution was the best way to achieve this they would be missing the point – according to new research by The Hackett Group, evolution is the key, writes Richard Edwards.
14:25, 29 Aug, 2007
Accelerated outsourcing – an expert’s perspective
The maturing sourcing market is having a huge impact on companies, as shared services, outsourcing and offshoring cease to be seen as ‘nice to have’ and have evolved into essential business tools. However, the time and resources consumed in negotiating sourcing solutions is significant and without tight control can reduce the benefits of undertaking the strategy.
09:44, 28 Aug, 2007
Swimming Against the Tide - Risk Management in Motion
If risk management wasn’t foremost in the minds of most procurement executives at the turn of the year you can safely assume it is now. Richard Edwards talks to Larry Beard about how Severn Trent's strategy stood up to the recent floods.
17:01, 15 Aug, 2007
Talent management reaps its rewards
If any top executives still harboured doubts over the importance of managing of their talent then the findings of a recent study by the Hackett Group should be enough to dispel them.
14:09, 06 Aug, 2007
Reverse auctions - education the key
A quick flick through the headlines surrounding e-auctions over the past month reveals much about an area that is still viewed by many as an under-used part of a CPO’s armoury.
14:02, 25 Jul, 2007
Procurement and sourcing market continues steady growth
It’s official – there’s has never been a better time to be involved in procurement and sourcing.
09:13, 25 Jul, 2007
Procurement exerting increasing influence in T&E
Back in February a survey of more than 1000 decision makers from global companies found that over two-thirds of respondents expected procurement’s role in travel management to increase in the near future. Despite this prediction the study also established that only one in 11 companies dealt with travel management purely as a services procurement issue.
10:20, 12 Jul, 2007
Procurement cards demonstrating value creation worth
Figures published last week suggest that the UK government is now saving over £108m (160 million euros), through its procurement card usage. The Government Procurement Card Annual Report 2006, which was published by the OGCbuying solutions (OGCbs) and Visa, claimed that savings had risen by over a third in the past 12 months.
09:57, 04 Jul, 2007
CSR race hots up
When a man who is renowned for driving his Bentley and counts flying as one of his favourite past-times, decides to go green then it’s a clear signal that, as Bob Dylan once memorably sang, ‘the times they are a changin’.
16:20, 29 Jun, 2007
New report calls for greater integration of Finance and Procurement
The relationship between finance executives and those in procurement has traditionally been an uneasy one, but recent research suggests that many financial organisations are beginning to realise that a close working relationship is essential in the ongoing battle to save costs, according to Richard Edwards.
12:19, 19 Jun, 2007
New benchmarking study shows vast gap in direct materials sourcing strategies
A new report by the Aberdeen Group has graphically illustrated the gap between the best and the rest when it comes to direct materials sourcing. Following a month long evaluation of 160 enterprises, the report, Direct Materials Sourcing – Living in a Materials World, found that best in class enterprises have an astonishing 98% of their direct materials spend under management.
14:39, 05 Jun, 2007
A question of currency
As a CPO there is always an acceptance, however hard to acknowledge, that there are some things you can control and some things you can’t. But in the current financial climate currency fluctuations are understandably taxing the minds of many.
11:10, 30 May, 2007
Choppy waters await those plotting a course for China, new report claims
When it comes to sourcing, many companies look no further than China. And it’s easy to see why. Low labour costs and cheap materials, make the far east giant a natural choice, writes Richard Edwards.
16:47, 11 May, 2007
Crossing boundaries - Friedhelm Felten interview
As part of our ongoing interviews with procurement professionals working away from their home country, ELN caught up with Friedhelm Felten, the Senior Vice President of DHL Logistics, to talk lunches, taxis and logistics.
15:17, 01 May, 2007
Compliance crucial to halt expense mismanagement
The implementation of a formal expense management program is crucial in stamping out mismanagement and enabling companies to negotiate better deal with suppliers, that's the opinion of a leading figure at American Express after the company this week published its study into 'Spend Psychology'. Article by Richard Edwards.
14:49, 27 Apr, 2007
No end in sight for the 'war for talent'
The 'war for talent' in procurement is being fought as fiercely as ever on battlefields as diverse as Mumbai, Shanghai and Singapore. With procurement playing an increasingly integral role in many company's corporate strategies the competition is unlikely to get any less intense.
13:55, 20 Apr, 2007
Spend visibility vital for 2012 Olympics
When the British Government last month announced that the budget for the 2012 Olympics had spiraled to £9.35bn – nearly four times the original estimate of £2.4bn – the cost of hosting the greatest sporting event on earth was brought sharply into focus.
09:37, 04 Apr, 2007
Analyse This
Ask any CPO how important spend analysis is and they will tell you, almost without exception, it is fundamental to their success.
15:32, 08 Mar, 2007
Companies still playing catch-up in global game
Offshoring is, without doubt, one of the fastest growing trends in the business world. Companies like the Royal Bank of Scotland, Europes third biggest banking group, recently announced plans to increase their headcount in India to 1200, and the UK’s biggest insurer, Norwich Union, proudly trumpeted their intention to move 7,800 jobs overseas by the end of 2007.
13:26, 23 Feb, 2007
CSR riding high on procurement agenda
“It’s time to face the 40 stone gorilla in the cupboard.” That’s how one senior executive recently described the need to address corporate social responsibility (CSR) in relation to supply chain management.
08:40, 15 Feb, 2007
Crossing boundaries - Haide Villuendas interview
With procurement very much a global marketplace it’s hardly surprisingly that some of the best and most influential figures in the industry are spread far and wide across the continent. To celebrate this, ELP is running a regular series of interviews throughout 2007 with CPO’s working outside their native countries, as we look to find out if home is still where the heart is.
11:22, 06 Feb, 2007
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