786: Mastering the First 100 Days as a CPO W/ Darshan Deshmukh

Art of Procurement

“For anybody getting into the CPO role, whether internal or external, you ultimately have to start with your own assessment of the organization and quickly come up with what your priorities are.” – Darshan Deshmukh, President at ProcureAbility

The role of Chief Procurement Officer has changed significantly over the last decade, with the focus shifting primarily from cost savings to value generation. In this Art of Procurement podcast episode, Philip Ideson talks with Darshan Deshmukh, President at ProcureAbility, about why CPOs need to strike the right balance between their ability to influence and their technical expertise.

Darshan has extensive experience working with procurement leaders across multiple industries, and in this episode, he lays out a structured approach newly-minted CPOs can take in their first 100 days to set themselves and their teams up for success.

Understanding business priorities, creating strong stakeholder relationships, and aligning procurement’s initiatives and processes with organizational goals should all be top priorities.

Philip and Darshan explore:

• How the CPO role has evolved over time, including strategic priorities and reporting and incentive structures
• How CPOs can drive positive change by balancing speed with purpose-driven change management, all while preserving critical stakeholder relationships
• The features of a practical process and organizational framework that CPOs can establish in their first 100 days

Links:

• Darshan Deshmukh on LinkedIn
• Overcoming Procurement’s Fear of AI
• Subscribe to This Week in Procurement
• Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube