P&SC LIVE: The Big Picture with Snowflake's Greg Sloyer

At Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE New York, Greg Sloyer, Industry Prinicpal of Manufacturing for Snowflake, took to the virtual stage to share exclusive insights and expert advice on the big picture - the impact procurement has across the supply chain and back.

To watch Greg speak at Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE New York, click here.

A shift in focus for procurement professionals

Procurement has significantly evolved from a primary focus on cost to emphasising reliability, Greg explained: "It's not just about the cheapest price for a product; it's about obtaining it reliably and sustainably, mitigating risks for future orders and balancing the supply chain for more reliability."

Initially, the main goal was to secure the cheapest price for products. However, the modern approach prioritises obtaining products reliably and sustainably, mitigating risks for future orders and ensuring a balanced and dependable supply chain.

This shift involves a comprehensive assessment of costs, including transportation, storage and inventory management, rather than just the material cost.

There is also a growing emphasis on working closely with suppliers to achieve these goals. In contemporary procurement and supply chain management, data and visibility have become critical components.

"Conversations with procurement and supply chain leaders frequently highlight data and visibility as key topics."

 This comprehensive approach helps organisations achieve long-term sustainability and reliability in their procurement processes.

Procurement impacts the whole supply chain

Improving visibility in the supply chain involves more than just tracking transactions; it extends to capacities, inventories and plans across multiple supplier tiers.

"We see lots of manufacturers in organisations with multiple ERPs; getting that visibility can be difficult," Greg said.

"You wind up having to band-aid things together just to try and see where those materials are being purchased from globally."

This effort goes beyond simple performance scorecards, aiming to understand the broader impact of procurement on the entire supply chain.

"This is more than just developing scorecards and showing performance; it moves into how purchasing, sourcing and procurement impact the rest of the supply chain...That's a great deal of data, internally and externally, being brought together."

Integrating internal and external data is crucial for making informed sourcing decisions, ultimately enhancing reliability, production quality and customer satisfaction.

Hear more insightful discussions at Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE London. 

P&SC LIVE continues to expand

Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE continues to expand its repertoire of events, with more to come in 2024 and 2025. Discover our essential diary dates below.

2024 diary dates:

• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London | 24-25 September 2024
• Procurement & Supply Chain Awards | 24 September 2024
• Manufacturing & Mobility LIVE | 6 November 2024

2025 diary dates: 

• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Singapore | 11 February 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: Scope 3 | 5-6 March 2025
• Manufacturing & Mobility LIVE | 5-6 March 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Dubai | 29 April 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Chicago | 4-5 June 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London | 23-24 September 2025
• Procurement & Supply Chain Awards | 24 September 2025
• Manufacturing & Mobility LIVE Chicago | 4 November 2025