The author shares their experience as a procurement leader at P&G and highlights the common challenges and opportunities faced by procurement roles across different industries. They emphasize the importance of understanding end consumers for procurement professionals, especially in the CPG industry, as it helps in developing and improving product offerings. The author also notes the use of social media by CPG firms to gain consumer insights and how suppliers rely on procurement professionals for direction on economies and consumer sentiment. The direct connection to consumers and buyers helps procurement professionals understand the pulse of the business, new trends, and the direction of the economy in each geography. Overall, the author suggests that procurement leaders need a solid understanding of procurement skills to lead through challenging situations.
