During the third edition of FORWARD, the event dedicated to the transformation of the Procurement function, a round table was held around the question : what are the priorities for Procurement Departments by 2030 ?
Who better than experts on the subject, including Jérôme Lamoureux (Chief Procurement Officer – Groupe COVEA), Guillaume Chatelon (Head of Procurement and Finance operations & Board Member – Euronext), Anthony Angé (CPO – Europe Snacks & VP CNA) and Thomas Chotard (Partner Supply Chain & Procurement – Wavestone) ?
Moderated by Jean-Rémy Jacono (COO – LittleBig Connection), this round table was rich in ideas and discussions. Discover the main priorities Procurement Departments have by 2030.
I. Anticipating risks : a matter of sovereignty and performance
By 2030, in a geopolitical context marked by uncertainty, Procurement Departments must anticipate risks better than ever before. Financial, currency, sovereignty, and compliance risks are all parameters to consider in the procurement strategy.
Risk anticipation starts with building a supplier panel designed to address them. To do this, it must include resilience criteria : geographical coverage, financial stability, document compliance, sensitivity to local regulations.
For off-panel suppliers, often strategic, these criteria can be considered from the sourcing phase, provided one is well-equipped, notably with marketplaces and commercial portage. Procurement thus ensures both operational continuity and risk control and, by extension, profitability.
To effectively anticipate risks in managing professional services, one key factor stands out : data. It is data that allows for the categorization of suppliers based on their level of criticality, the identification of dependency areas, the detection of weak signals, and the adaptation of contractual clauses accordingly. Without consolidated data, there can be no proactive risk management.
We don’t have a crystal ball. But we can prepare by structuring our processes nd all possible scenarios.
This is where tools like VMS (Vendor Management Systems) become essential. By centralizing key information such as compliance, performance, deadlines, and contract history, these solutions enable Procurement Departments to move from operational management to strategic steering. Thanks to data, Procurement no longer simply endures unpredictability : it models, forecasts, and...
The VMS market is accelerating year after year. Procurement Departments are massively equipping themselves to make data speak, in a centralized space.
The buyer is a risk manager and must model and plan it as best as possible in their procurement strategy.
Our job is risk management. Even more so in the insurance sector.
II. From cost-killer to architect of corporate strategy
Long seen as a "cost-killer" function, Procurement has now redefined its role. While cost control remains a pillar, it is no longer enough. The 2030 buyer still ensures profitability but does so as a strategist : they intervene from the earliest phases of projects to guarantee economic viability, compliance, and impact. Procurement must evolve from cost-killer to "solution finder."
This evolution is reflected in a prominent role within executive committees and increased cross-functionality with other departments – finance, business units, CSR. The buyer becomes a partner to general management, initiating transformations both operational and strategic. The term "procurement-to-sales" is gaining traction, emphasizing Procurement’s strategic support role, even for sales functions. Procurement Departments sometimes take on the role of coach to help teams implement the procurement strategy.
We managed to become coaches for sales teams to support them. Procurement-to-sales is mentioned more and more.
III. Sustainability, sovereignty, locality : choosing a vision
Anticipating risks, yes. But above all, offering a clear vision. In 2030, Procurement Departments will need to be able to chart a course : what choices regarding responsible sourcing ? What sovereignty strategy ? What role for local sourcing in an international organization ?
To be unifying and encourage company-wide adoption of the procurement strategy, this vision must rely on powerful digital tools that centralize data, accelerate decision-making, and enable precise management. Far from being a gadget, digitalization becomes a prerequisite for building a robust and sustainable Procurement governance aligned with corporate strategy.
By 2030, those integrating responsible purchasing into their strategic vision will likely strengthen both their economic performance and adaptability. These topics are no longer optional but performance levers, as many risks impacting value chains are climate- and environment-related. Professional services are no exception : they too must meet traceability, impact, and diversity requirements.
ESG is now inseparable from business challenges and is taking on new dimensions. Today, ESG also means Energy, Security, Geostrategy.
IV. Conclusion
The Procurement function is transforming. In an uncertain context, the buyer of tomorrow will have to combine operational rigor with strategic vision, rely on data to anticipate, and rally the entire company around a Procurement policy aligned with major business challenges.
The third edition of FORWARD confirmed it : the 2030 buyer will be a central player in the sustainable performance of the company. An enlightened strategist, a conductor connected to the ecosystem, a bridge-builder between innovation, performance, and impact.
