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The 24 men and women profiled here have been named by their peers as the superstars of purchasing. We asked them to tell us, in their own words, how they reached the top. By Steve Bagshaw, Rebecca Ellinor and Helen Gilbert
Roll the drums and unfurl the red carpet, here come the Superstars of Procurement - those individuals nominated by peers in the profession who have contributed most to buying and who are the greatest role models to colleagues.
At the end of a four-month search, numerous nominations and an exhaustive sifting process, we now have our men and women.
So, how did we arrive at these people? After asking you, the readers of SM, to nominate the profession's top leaders, we received more than 100 names. And many of those people received multiple nominations.
What is so outstanding about these individuals? How did they reach their positions, not only as senior buyers in their organisations, but to be selected from among all the other CPOs and heads of function?
We hope the following profiles will provide the answers. Of course, there isn't just a single facet that separates them. In fact they come from a wide range of backgrounds: from the private and public sectors, financial services, health, manufacturing, Royal Mail, the BBC. We could go on.
Making savings, improving efficiencies, boosting supplier relationships and raising the profession's profile have all played a part. But if there is a common thread connecting them all, it is their ability to transform a procurement function. To take what was, in some cases, a failing or ailing department and to stamp their authority on it To slaughter some sacred cows, challenge orthodoxies and come out on top. And in the process raising the profile of their department. Inevitably this leads to a boost to their own reputation among bosses and staff - and it was from these sources that most nominations for the Superstars came.
As is always the case, we imagine there will be some readers who consider this list incorrect and that such and such a person should have been included. It is only reasonable. But after going out to the profession to compare opinions, we are sure we have the right people.
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