Report Summary
While technology is the most prominent discussion point, the underlying message isn’t about technology. It’s about leadership, through a period of disruption and into one of design. The next 12 months in procurement will be exciting, as concepts and changes that have long been discussed begin to be implemented at scale. So, for current and aspiring leaders, the challenge is no longer whether change is coming, but how they choose to lead it.
The 2026 CPO Report captures a procurement function operating in an environment that is no longer defined by recovery from disruption, but by the need to operate effectively within it. Volatility across supply markets, regulation, geopolitics, cost structures, and technology adoption is now the norm rather than the exception.
With insights from senior procurement leaders, the year’s report explores how expectations of the function continue to evolve. Procurement is increasingly expected to provide stability, clarity, and assurance to the wider organization, alongside its traditional commercial responsibilities.
Rather than focusing on individual tools or initiatives, the report highlights how leading teams are adjusting their operating models, decision-making frameworks, and priorities. The emphasis is on execution discipline, proportionality, and clarity of purpose, particularly where resources are constrained and complexity is increasing.
Operating in a State of Permanent Disruption
Procurement leaders consistently describe an environment where disruption is no longer episodic. Supply instability, inflationary pressure, and geopolitical risk are now persistent factors that must be managed as part of normal operations.
The report reflects a shift away from crisis response towards building resilience into procurement strategies, supplier relationships, and decision-making processes. This requires accepting uncertainty as a baseline condition and designing operating models accordingly, rather than assuming a return to stability.
“Supply chain shocks used to be occasional; now it feels as if we are managing through a permanent one.”
Maureen Brunst, Director Remarketing and Procurement, Arval BNP Paribas Group
A Broader and More Explicit Definition of Value
While cost management remains a core responsibility, the report shows a clear move towards a broader understanding of procurement value. Continuity of supply, risk mitigation, speed of execution, and protection of the organisation are increasingly seen as equally important outcomes.
CPOs emphasise the importance of being explicit about what value means within their organisation. Without this clarity, procurement risks are being measured against narrow metrics that fail to reflect its full contribution.
“There is a lot of talk in our profession about value beyond savings. I think it’s essential to define and celebrate the value that you want to be known for.”
Jeff Amsel, CPO, Computershare
Risk, Protection, and Organizational Assurance
Risk management is positioned as a central component of procurement leadership rather than a secondary consideration. Contributors highlight that when issues arise, scrutiny tends to focus on contractual protection, accountability, and preparedness rather than on commercial terms alone.
The report reinforces procurement’s role in providing assuring the organization, particularly in areas such as third-party risk, data protection, and regulatory exposure. This shifts the function further into a governance and stewardship role, alongside commercial delivery.
“If a company’s customer data were ever breached, the first questions wouldn’t be about the negotiated price that was achieved.”
Brad Keighley, Head of Procurement, Instacart
AI as a Baseline Capability
AI features prominently throughout the report, but it is not presented as a differentiator in itself. Instead, it is described as an expected capability that must be integrated responsibly into procurement processes.
The emphasis is on how AI supports better decision-making, improves insight, and enhances efficiency, rather than on adoption for its own sake.
The report also reflects a strong awareness of the governance and judgment required to use AI effectively within regulated and high-risk environments.
“AI, resilience, and data became baseline language, no longer the language of pioneers.”
Simon Geale, EVP Procurement, Proxima
Capacity, Capability, and Prioritization
The report acknowledges a growing tension between the expanding scope of procurement and teams’ capacity to deliver.
Expectations around resilience, digital capability, stakeholder engagement, and value creation continue to increase, while access to experienced talent remains constrained.
As a result, prioritization emerges as a critical leadership capability. High-performing procurement teams are described as those that make deliberate choices about where to focus effort, aligning resources to areas of greatest value, risk, or organisational dependency.
Procurement as an End-to-End Lifecycle
A consistent theme throughout the report is the importance of viewing procurement as a continuous life cycle rather than a series of discrete sourcing activities. Outcomes are shaped long after contracts are awarded, through governance, execution discipline, and ongoing commercial management.
The report reflects a growing recognition that value erosion often occurs post-award, not due to supplier failure, but because of weak oversight, unclear accountability, or insufficient follow-through. Leading teams are therefore placing greater emphasis on ownership across the full life cycle of supplier relationships.
