Ep. 21 – Building Procurement Resilience in a Volatile, Digital Age – with Kai Dittberner

Digitalisation succeeds when people lead the change, not just the tools.

In this episode, host Mike Jansen speaks with Kai Dittberner, VP Global Procurement at Giesecke+Devrient, about how Procurement at the global security technology company has evolved to drive resilience, innovation, and ESG impact.

He explains why successful digitalisation depends on strong processes and people engagement, how G+D leveraged “digital heroes” to embed change, and why regional diversification and supplier collaboration are must-haves in a fractured geopolitical environment. Kai also makes the case for ESG to become a measurable KPI in Procurement, with Scope 3 emissions one day sitting alongside savings and spend.


You’ll learn:

1. Why strong processes must come before digitalisation
2. How to leverage “digital heroes” to drive cultural change
3. Practical strategies for navigating global supply chain risks
4. How supplier collaboration builds true resilience
5. Why Scope 3 emissions should become a core Procurement KPI

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Get in touch with Kai Dittberner, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kai-dittberner-13b8aa29/


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About the host Mike Jansen:
Mike Jansen is Partner at H&Z Management Consulting with over a decade of experience enhancing the value that procurement delivers to organisations. Driven by a passion for tackling challenges, Mike thrives on competition—whether with others or himself. Outside of work, Mike enjoys quality time with his wife and children.


Get in touch with Mike Jansen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansen-mike/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

We truly considered ideas how to do the things uh digitly and having those people also being part of the journey. Uh we also used um I would call them maybe digital heroes to support the change management.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Welcome to the Procurement Initiative Leaders Podcast, the ultimate resource for top-level procurement professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve and drive meaningful change within their organizations. I'm your host, Mike Jansen, principal at Agent, Europe's leading management consultancy. Join me as I sit down with global leaders in procurement and other relevant areas to uncover the latest trends, strategies, and insights that are shaping the future of procurement. We tackle crucial topics like leadership, technology, value creation, cost management, resilience supply chains, innovation, and many more. Ready to up your game as a leader in procurement? Let's jump into this episode of the Procurement Initiative Leaders Podcast with me, Mike Jansen. Today, Kai Didberner, Vice President Global Procurement at Gizeke Endeavorent, joins us. Kai Ditbanner, welcome to our show. I have a few questions to you. First, tell me about your company. What are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 1:23

Thanks, Mike. Thanks for having me and uh happy to join this call. Sure. Our company, GD, is uh about more than 170 years old family-owned security tech company. Um, our group of companies secures identities. Our claim, for instance, is creating confidence. So basically, um, to bring it a bit down, we produce banknotes, machines for processing the banknotes, doing credit health cards, SIM cards, uh, passports, we do access control and protect cybersecurity, for instance, for governments.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

That sounds very interesting. And can you tell us something about your role at the company?

SPEAKER_00 2:09

Sure. I'm heading as a VP Global Procurement for the smart card business segment. One we call e-payments, everything around, like you can uh get introduced from the name around finance institutions and banking. And the other one is around uh telecommunication and IoT. We call that segment mobile security.

SPEAKER_01 2:35

So probably every one of our listeners uh has something to do with your products or your solutions on a day-to-day basis, probably.

SPEAKER_00 2:45

I I would hope so, yes. Um, we we sometimes have fun in just saying if you would open your physical wallet and you take out some of the bank notes, you have a look into who produces your beloved uh credit debit card, or you peel off your SIM card from your whatever it is, iOS or Android uh anti-device, most likely you have something from us in your hands. Yes. And you would been using it, and I hope you have fun to um to trust on the embedded security that comes from us.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Okay, and can you describe what your role and compass exactly? Sure.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

So as uh VP and heading global procurement, basically this is the full range of all strategic and operational procurement um things within such departments, uh, from selecting supplier, from running negotiations, from exchanging those, including systems and processes and controls. If you wish, it's the full uh nine yards of all the things that uh typical procurement function in a manufacturing company, plus adding some digital elements um would contain.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Okay. And can you describe to our listeners what kind of spend or categories you are responsible for in your field?

SPEAKER_00 4:19

I can. Let's start with money first. In terms of spend, it very much depends on the situation of our volume and pricing. And um in the major spend categories, um we drive around chips and uh the like to have those components being part of our devices. We have plenty of um capex and uh plastic components. Um we have uh transportation logistics, and for sure many, many um IT hardware and software related things um that we buy, just to name a few of them.

SPEAKER_01 5:05

That's very broad. And I think based on that, we will have a quite interesting conversation today. So we decided to talk about three topics today. We want to talk about transformation and of course digitalization in procurement. We want to talk about the global geopolitical and supply chain complexities that are present at the moment, and also how ESG is currently driving procurement in your company. So let's start with the transformation and digitalization. So, how do you define transformation in procurement and why is it such a critical focus for you today?

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Okay, um, our answer to that question is um how to adapt ourselves towards um the upcoming opportunities and challenges on the horizon. So, how could we um help in the business transformation um that we see also on a top line in GD, but also on new technical possibilities, structural changes, definitely everything around innovation and resilience. So maybe in a nutshell, it is those things that are far, far more than just um cutting material prices only in procurement. So we see ourselves also as a value contributor within the company that offers solution uh that supports and sometimes that steers other functions and by that um helping them in achieving um our overall KPIs.

SPEAKER_01 6:57

Okay, understood. And what role has digitalization played in transforming the procurement function at GD?

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Digitalization had played a major or a huge uh role. Um we introduced uh couple of new digital applications to ease our processes. Um it is, as an example, the accessibility of the unharmonized uh data. Um we replaced also a couple of physical ways um when um doing previously the business and went it into a digital C, we did something on the digitalization, uh, but it played definitely a huge or a major role.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

Okay, coming back to the lessons learned in a bit, but before that, um so you did quite a few things in the past, and what I experience or what I hear from your peers especially is that there is quite often some cultural or organizational resistance to the digital transformation, and I think that quite often has something to do with what you just described as you just copy a bad process into a dig into a digital process. But um, how did you address that so that that won't happen at GD?

SPEAKER_00 8:25

Um by taking the concerns serious, and we have a great example, and I would say it's a huge success story within procurement that we have established a supplier management portal that went across the whole group of companies. And we we had the same challenge uh before we started. Um, so we took the concern very um serious. Uh, we truly considered ideas how to do um the things uh digitly, and having those people also being part of the journey. Uh, we also used um, I would call them maybe digital heroes to support the change management and to tell that these things um should be uh should be something that is in our joint interest. Um, but also um it is not about to have something automated or done because it is currently the next big thing, and everybody is riding onto that uh let's say hype or wave, and we felt to be pushed to introduce something. So um I would say these are probably the things um that provenly we did in the past.

SPEAKER_01 9:44

So, on the one hand, not just only looking at the systems, but also the people, and then also doing what is right and what is necessary, not only what is hyped at the moment.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Correct. Quite often you see that these, let's say, people with concerns, if they are taking it uh also honestly and seriously, have a good reason to uh raise their hands and um help us in uh thinking twice before we just go for the next step.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

Looking at bad processes, had you any lessons learned about balancing legacy processes with the need for innovation?

SPEAKER_00 10:31

We also had uh challenges with the migration uh when stopping previous processes and starting uh the new ones, and um we we saw also uh the the question to say do we need to enforce the people now as a must-have to new uh to take the the new uh system and um to get rid of what they were doing in the past, or is this rather do we need to convince them that with the own, let's say, um way of uh being being let's say uh convinced to do so that they are um um rather using this? And what we also have to take care based on some other lessons that we have learned, is this also a change that will last for a while, or are maybe some SMEs telling us, well, you will anyhow come back to us in two or three years, because then you have another wave of um let's say developments in the IT surroundings, and then we are replacing again and again and again. So it should be something that lasts a while to help them saying it is worth having that investment of time and effort.

SPEAKER_01 11:50

And did you choose the right path or was it learned the hard way?

SPEAKER_00 11:56

Both. Sometimes um where we haven't had any idea whether we would be challenging these problems, um, we went the right path by coincidence, so to say. And sometimes we had uh to learn also the hard way. Um took a little bit longer, probably um cost a bit uh longer. Uh, we lost one or two mentally uh who were not longer uh part of that journey, who were maybe going out of that project team. Uh I would say um either or it's or sometimes both together.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

Um looking back at the whole history of GD, so you did some sort of a big transformation in your offering itself. So looking back at your shift from hardware components to software solutions, um, what was the biggest challenge or takeaway for procurement?

SPEAKER_00 12:56

It is that we have to have an answer on the skill sets that are needed. Um, when a company is planning to have a significant revenue share in our area, for instance, to be done in a digital environment and replacing physical components instead of this, it has naturally an impact on what uh falls on the table of procurement. So um, those people who physically were in that area and were responsible for it, we had um to give them maybe I would call it a refresher on how to buy, for instance, software products. You would see that this is a different supply base, this is a different ecosystem, it has its own rules, and then you are transforming also um the people um into it. So we um had to engage um to to those things, um, also to newly acquired companies um that that were part of the extended business, a bit of a mind uh set change also. And if you allow me, my comparison, because I had also been working for a couple of 13-14 years in automotive business, it's what this um industry currently is underway. So if you are used to buy for components in a combustion engine, I don't know, you're responsible for pistons, let's put it this way. But now the car producer is saying no more, we go for EV only. You have to find something new as your home in procurement, but you can still do cool things, I would say.

SPEAKER_01 14:42

And maybe allow me that question. Do you think your team is now better prepared for upcoming changes or um yeah, I think it's changes in terms of, for example, using AI or other digital tools, also because the supply base now is different than before?

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Better, yes, finished no. So if you would see it like a journey, I would then say, well, let's put ourselves back into I don't know, the beginning of 2023, something like this. Uh, the first news came across hey, there is open AI. Have you ever heard about ChatGPT? And now, meanwhile, we see that we have a couple of uh cool integrated AI products um at GND, and we also invested into a company making AI where we got in procurement as a prototype some, I would believe is it 40 or 80,000 tokens of uh using uh a nice um system to do things that we were never dreaming before that this is possible.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

Yeah, yeah, I think that that's a quite interesting approach because uh when that is a question that a lot of of your peers are asking at the moment. So, what is the right profile for the buyer of the future? And I mean, the question was also raised 10 years ago, and uh it's it's constantly evolving, so it's quite interesting to see what helps and and what not.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

I would agree, and I would also say that some of the past questions you have raised maybe 20 years ago are not fully outdated, they still have their relevance, but they would be probably uh enriched with the new questions that we are now having to add on those.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

Yeah, that's an endless journey, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Some degree I would agree to it, yes.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

Um, do you have any practical advice that you would give other procurement leaders that are navigating through their own transformation journeys?

SPEAKER_00 16:59

Yeah, to pay attention to your communication as an example. Um being ready for some sticky messaging, for repeating those messages to make them stick. Uh, perhaps using also, if if you are not the uh super pro uh on on doing these of your own communication or marketing team, sometimes you may be surprised that these colleagues have a really cool idea uh that could also help. And last but not least, you're not alone uh as such. You may use networks, peers. You can also look outside the window of your company and see who else may have um experienced a similar situation and get free of charge such um let's say um advices from others.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

I think that's a to to me at least a very reasonable advice because you said before one important part in your journey was the change management and also looking at the people, and I think especially in those technical changes, organizational changes, that sometimes maybe not the first focus of a lot of topics because it's so technically driven, for example, and then then you uh you have the risk that you lose the people that after the project is done still need to to work with what has been changed, yeah. And um, and therefore change management is I think a very important topic for for especially those big transformations and changes.

SPEAKER_00 18:42

Yeah, and I have to I have to say, Mike, I do not know the ratio how much change management would help, but it is um definitely something I would say it's not only part uh of the message and the overall things that need to be done, is also helping people to have the right click in their brain to say, now I got it. Um I I was thinking about something different, but now I'm really convinced um to be part of this. And we are the famous sitting in the same bus and everybody whoops, huh? Yeah, go go for that uh direction.

SPEAKER_01 19:16

Yeah, I I mean you talked about the mindset shift, and uh there is another energy when you're all walking towards the same goal in the same direction, or if you have to yeah, to catch uh all the outliers and need to constantly yeah push just because agree. Um looking at our next topic with the yeah changing geopolitical situations and also complexities in the supply chain, looking at the volatility of the past years, um, not only mentioning corona and such, but um how have those geopolitical shifts and also tensions shaped your strategy at GD?

SPEAKER_00 20:03

To a very large degree. Probably you do not know, but GD is truly a global company. We have in the segment that I'm responsible for about 20 production sites in all regions. We have uh facilities in North, South America, Africa, EMEA, in Asia, uh, Australia, so always uh on. Um also because of the business that we need to support with super short SLAs in in that region. And you can imagine that uh we have seen also in the past couple of years, probably around the start of uh the COVID restrictions, that many regional protectism uh went on. And that means there is no more one fits all. I have one component, one standardized from one supplier, super large quantity, supply it all into all the facilities. That doesn't work. Uh, we have to pay attention that our strategy also will balance the regional diversification of the products. Uh, however, on an overall TCO cost effectiveness, uh we have to keep watching that this um is in balance um to all the tensions and uh geopolitical shifts. And everybody knows that I don't know when you will launch, for instance, this um podcast if we are still talking about the same tariffs or would there be different ones? And I'm not speaking as a German-based company into the US. It's also the counter or reciprocal tariffs if, for instance, my facility in China needs to buy something from a US based company, so it goes in both directions.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

I think balancing those different topics is quite new. To this extent in procurement. So I would say the the trends itself are not new, but the pressing matter of all of them combined, um, that was quite new the last years. Do you agree?

SPEAKER_00 22:16

I agree to the speed of the changes, and I agree also to the surprise in the message of such. I mean, those procurement experts who are a bit longer in business, they know you always had specific, let's say, areas to watch for. Before we had the euro, we were looking, can we buy in cheaper currencies? And in my experience, yes, we went to Portugal for the great escudo versus the Deutschmark. And after this, you have another element of uh to go for. But what they all have in common, and that makes it different to today, it appears to be a bit of more mid-term. And the current situations are coming out of heaven, I would say. And also, we have to be careful that we are not getting too much frustrated by just saying, hey, we we cannot change it. We have to just to see what is our solution for that uh circumstances.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

Yeah, yeah, definitely. So working on this global level, what kind of strategies do you use to prepare for those uncertainties in the global trade and also supply chain regulations?

SPEAKER_00 23:36

I have to have an answer on the alternative, like uh second, third best option to do so. I have to take care that everything that um works around those answers will mitigate risks, whether they are commercially, whether they are supply chain related, whether they are quality-related uh risk, and have an answer on, I would say, almost, and I'm not saying on all hundred percent, but on almost all potential shifts. And this is asking also support to other functions when we talk about, let's say, um, multi-qualification of the same products in case we do load balancing from one facility to another, or now from one supplier to another, so that we have these uh cross-abilities. Um, that is how we prepare for the uncertainty. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

And I mean going a bit deeper, how do you manage those supply chain risks or uncertainties effectively across such a global environment? So uh you mentioned it, we don't know when when our listeners are able to listen to the podcast what happened to the tariffs. So, how do you manage and balance that also within your teams, not knowing what is coming? Can you elaborate a bit how this uh listening to internal voices or departments looks on an operational base?

SPEAKER_00 25:22

I can. So, one element would be, for instance, if we got feedback from the sales organization in terms of um the bit elements for some specific products. Um, whether you have, let's say, internal manufacturing ratios to be fulfilled, whether you have to uh demonstrate a second business uh processing alternative um to safeguard if you have a disaster recovery plan uh in place.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

Okay. That was the one hand, the internal topic. Let's have a look at the other one. Um, so can you give us a practical example on how the collaboration with one of your suppliers helped to address one of those challenges?

SPEAKER_00 26:11

I can. We have suppliers that see that um we are not alone with the same seek for answers on the geopolitical tensions, so also depending on where the suppliers' major facilities are located, or in which, let's say, um, client um area uh the suppliers underway, he sees um business risks if not having a proper reply for what all the clients are asking him. So we could be probably first in checking um a second facility somewhere else that makes sense because there is a huge demand. Could be that they are closing harbors, could be that you have problems in getting vessels on time, could be that I don't know, um, other things uh may happen that we have experience to say we understand that problem as your supplier, and then we are evaluating um demand, uh trade regulations, um dependencies on transportations, but also qualification on stuff, personal and uh the like, uh what we see as um as a good option to go for.

SPEAKER_01 27:28

So to be pretty open-minded and to explore what kind of options you see, uh and to have an open conversation about what is really the pressing matter helps when I try to summarize it a bit, right?

SPEAKER_00 27:44

Right. They they they are sometimes really asking us to say if we would be going there, is this something you would be part of it? Would you also join us? It could be like we have no clue where to go. What can you recommend us? What would make sense? Can we partner with somebody else? We have cases where we put companies together that are currently producing something that is similar than let's say a subcomponent for the other company, and then we are bringing those two companies together, um, not only for the sheer material movement, but also for the cultural.

SPEAKER_01 28:21

You also mentioned the topic of regulations, and that brings us to our next topic uh in general. So um I would say ESG regulation sustainability was a pretty hot topic in the past and kept many procurement functions busy. My personal um how do I say it? My personal feeling is that it cooled a bit down in terms of priority in a lot of companies because of the tensions, uh especially in the past months. So, what role plays ESG sustainability currently at GD, and what role does procurement play in driving that at GD?

SPEAKER_00 29:12

So it is an essential part of procurement, it is part of our incentive scheme. Um, there's a strong collaboration that we do with the broader corporate ESG team in um GND.

SPEAKER_01 29:28

And uh coming back to one part of the initial question: how do you and your team drive that within GND together with the overarching team?

SPEAKER_00 29:44

Simple answer on that. We concluded two um concrete targets within ESG. We broke them down into what this would mean on the various uh material category segments. If we would be talking about product carbon footprint as one example, uh we know there is only one category to, I would call it, to manage and to get a better understanding of PCF. We have engaged supplier um pretty early. We ran by the end of last year the first ESG supplier summit in our head offices in Munich and had invited uh companies there. We have surprisingly seen great responses from the supplier uh and to my personal um surprise also from the non-European ones who quite often want to learn from the advanced European or probably in that respect the German understanding of that. And now we um bring it onto the street for 2025 and track on a regular milestones accepted and uh regularly steer calls, and um the more you see progress and the more fun it makes also for our procurement team to see hey, we yeah, we contributed to this and to this, yeah, and to to to move the color into a more green.

SPEAKER_01 31:14

Yeah, and talking about surprises and also your team, what has been the most surprising impact that ESG initiatives had on your team or on your operations?

SPEAKER_00 31:26

The most surprising. Hmm, the most surprising, how should I put and another surprise I would say is um we have not yet concluded on the right way of measuring the thing. So you have different ways of coming to the same solution. It's not like in in quality, for instance, where you look on tolerances or where you have, I don't know, a color delta E that is um without any disputes.

SPEAKER_01 31:54

Yeah, okay. So a bit of room for interpretation.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Oh, definitely, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

Um is there any advice that you would offer other procurement leaders which are looking to embed ESG more deeply into their strategies?

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Procurement people, in my view, have passion on clear measurable targets. Uh, the more like spent saving, cost avoidance, I don't know, uh OTIF, uh you name it. Um, you have to have something to say, what is the number that we are dancing around to be um good or bad? Um have a look on which systems are you using? There are really some cool solutions in the air that can help you making it far, far nicer and is makes also a bit fun using those systems, I would say. You have loans, you uh are asking for certain let's say support from banks who are putting also um their um their interests into uh how much you fulfill those ESG targets. So it has also a real financial element, um, let's say directly afterwards.

SPEAKER_01 33:09

Okay, thank you for sharing. Let's have a quick look into the future. How do you see procurement's role in ESG evolving over the next five years?

SPEAKER_00 33:22

Um, probably far more relevant. We spoke about the German Supply Chain Act, and we know that it would be replaced by a European act, so we are part of uh far more countries who are fighting for the same and uh for the good also and for the safeguarding of our blue planet. And I would say perhaps not only at GD, but also in the majority of manufacturing companies, scope 3 emissions are the largest contributor to the target. Uh by nature, it would come out of your supply chain by this. So you have a heavy element um to manipulate positively to influence um those uh targets. And um, as we probably also know, with a little generation shift also in procurement, uh younger people replace uh the older and so forth. My experience is that um the younger have larger passion on the ESG uh subject, uh they match it closer to how they also act privately. So it's not something where they need to uh turn their brain 180 degrees when entering into the company store. Um, that is truly something that they uh embrace also uh privately, and therefore, looking ahead, you gave five years as a target. I can imagine that this gets a larger role. If if you allow me to say, one of my dreams is if if you ask a procurement guy to say, tell me about your major three KPIs, and typically would say, Hey, my saving ratio is xyz percent, my spend is ABC something, and my scope three is so-and-so many um megatons CO2 equivalent, as an example. Currently, I would have troubles with the ESG number, I have to say, I need to dig into it and say how it is, and uh yeah, but should come.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

Yeah, you're you're not alone in this, I would say. Oh, okay, yeah, it's just yeah, and um I think quite interesting will also be the yeah uh the monetization of that. So what does the scope three equals in, for example, savings in the future? That that is something also some people trying to elaborate uh also to to make the business case, right?

SPEAKER_00 35:52

Right, yeah. It's also um difficult in the monetization to say would there be a benefit for our salespeople? Could you could you generate different revenues slash uh profit margins if your product would be qualified as this or as that? I agree, yes. Yeah, I remember in automotive we had we had a little bit like a monetarization when it comes to price versus weight of a certain component. So you could translate the saving in weight into some of the euros. Um, we cannot yet uh do such uh ratio for um CO2, I would say. Not yet.

SPEAKER_01 36:38

Yeah, okay. Thank you very much for those very interesting insights. I would like to wrap this up now with some personal questions, which will be done in a rapid fire question mode. So, how did you originally get into the procurement function?

SPEAKER_00 36:59

Ah, by a bit of coincidence, I would say. Uh, in the late 9080s, early 9090s, um I practically showed interests in two departments. One is IT, because we had um some stories that attracted me, but also um procurement, procurement because of two things. One, I really liked the nature of products, people, and money. And I have to say, I had a super boss at that time in procurement, uh, that also um was good for for uh many, many of the other cases. And then suddenly that person went ill for a couple of months, and they remembered that I did it pretty nice when I uh joined this department for a little training, and they asked me if uh for a little half a year or something I could uh replace him with the support of definitely other people there, and that hit me, I have to say.

SPEAKER_01 38:07

Sounds like a great story, yeah. And and then it's and it's not an invented one for the podcast. That's even better. Yeah, and um so what do you recommend to anyone who hunts who also wants to have a successful career in procurement?

SPEAKER_00 38:27

I know that procurement is probably if you ask people from universities uh where do you want to go for, is not always the first area. And perhaps it's being underestimated. It's uh because we are not making so much noise like maybe some other um guys around sales and marketing, uh, I would say, but really test it. Um have also a look if uh procurement could be something that you may have uh seen in a different way, be open-minded, definitely. If and if you are in, be also ready for the unplanned. Um, and if possible, and you can focus on a few specifics to be really um becoming an expert of something within procurement. Um, and then you get the responses from the other people that they always ask you for these things, which is also nice in your own marketing. Maybe then this could generate a story out of it.

SPEAKER_01 39:29

That sounds good. And um looking also into the future, who should be our next podcast guest and why would you like to listen to him?

SPEAKER_00 39:41

I do not have the one and only recommendation, but I remember in a podcast, I don't know where, some years ago, um, I heard about a person working in a German merchandise company running it as a CEO. Company is called Rewe. Uh, that the CEO of this company previously is coming from procurement, and he shared uh the note to say if you look onto CEO's uh, let's say, way of becoming a CEO, you would typically say, Hey, you're an engineer, you're a finance expert, you're coming from sales marketing, and then it lasts a while until you would say, No, you're coming from procurement. So maybe you can pick somebody as a CEO whose original DNA is procurement, and to ask them how do you see now your role from procurement but being a CEO?

SPEAKER_01 40:44

Yeah, that I think that could quite be an interesting discussion and conversation there. Yeah, and um coming back to you. Do you have anything that our audience might be able to help you with? You can now address them directly.

SPEAKER_00 41:04

Yeah, that uh the audience is helping me on something.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

Yeah. Is there any hot topic you would like to talk about with peers or where you would like to have some experiences shared?

SPEAKER_00 41:15

I would say it's these things that um I wouldn't give it uh a top one uh priority, but it's uh around stuffing and development, it's around international organization, but it's also where I'm a little bit passionate uh as part of my role is um any other advice on further processing the procurement function a bit more um efficiently. Um I shared in the beginning of our podcast what we had been doing, and I'm I'm far away by saying we are done. There's nothing more to be done, just enjoy the situation that we have. If there's anything where uh probably it comes uh as a surprise to me, happy to be contacted through LinkedIn as an example.

SPEAKER_01 42:00

Okay, you said it already, but I still have to ask the question um, where do can people get in touch with you? LinkedIn is the preferred message.

SPEAKER_00 42:09

I think it is it is still to some degree professional enough, but I have to say there are a few occasions where I would say, is this truly something for LinkedIn, or are you misusing social media?

SPEAKER_01 42:23

Meanwhile, huh? Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Okay. Um, Mr. Ditbaner, thanks a lot for being with us and also to share all those interesting insights for our listeners. Thank you very much. It was a pleasure.

SPEAKER_00 42:41

Thanks for having me, Mike.

SPEAKER_01 42:45

Thank you for joining us on the Procurement Initiative Leaders podcast. I really hope you enjoyed it. Looking for more procurement insights, tips, and developments from meeting procurement professionals? Join our procurement initiative community on LinkedIn. Just open LinkedIn and search for the Procurement Initiative. And be sure to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode.