Lily Sawyer is an in-house writer for Supply Chain Outlook Magazine, where she is responsible for interviewing corporate executives and crafting original features for the magazine,...
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At its London stop of Procurement Innovation on Tour, Ivalua outlined its vision for AI-enabled procurement, unveiling new capabilities around IVA Studio whilst showcasing how customers are turning digital transformation ambitions into measurable outcomes.
Over 100 procurement professionals gathered at the British Museum on 16th June as Ivalua brought its Procurement Innovation on Tour series to London.
Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, geopolitical disruption, and rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), the event focused on a central theme: how procurement leaders can embrace innovation today to future-proof their organisations for tomorrow.
The agenda combined customer success stories, product strategy updates, and peer discussions, offering attendees a detailed insight into how procurement functions are evolving beyond automation towards more intelligent, autonomous operations.
The event also showcased IVA Studio, underlining Ivalua’s ambition to make AI more accessible, configurable, and actionable for procurement teams.
PERSPECTIVES FROM IVALUA
Whilst the stage sessions explored the future of procurement technology, conversations throughout the event highlighted the practical challenges organisations are facing as they seek to modernise their operations.
Speaking with Ian Thompson, VP, Northern Europe for Ivalua, it became clear that as AI becomes increasingly embedded in procurement workflows, the need for a single, unified platform is growing – particularly as companies look to navigate ongoing geopolitical developments and trade restrictions.
Supply Chain Outlook in conversation with Ian Thompson, VP, Northern Europe, Ivalua
Similarly, Alex Saric, Chief Marketing Officer at Ivalua, highlighted the importance of moving away from multi-agent AI and towards single-agent systems capable of orchestrating entire workflows, which IVA studio hopes to achieve as organisations increasingly seek to balance innovation ambitions with complex operational realities.
Supply Chain Outlook in conversation with Alex Saric, Chief Marketing Officer, Ivalua
INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS
Later, discussions with Varish Singh, Managing Director at Accenture, and James Tilley, VP, Supply Chain at Capgemini, reinforced a theme that would recur throughout the afternoon: successful transformation depends as much on people, processes, and data quality as on the technology itself.
Both Singh and Tilley remarked on the importance of networking and collaboration, and on how events such as Procurement Innovation on Tour play a key role in uniting members of the sector – from CPOs to clients.
Together, these perspectives reflect a broader shift across the industry: procurement leaders are increasingly focused on moving beyond isolated pilot projects and delivering scalable, measurable value from digital transformation initiatives.
FROM TRANSFORMATION TO VALUE
One of the event’s central themes was the need to turn transformation strategies into tangible business outcomes.
The session From Vision to Value: Delivering Transformation at Speed brought together procurement leaders from Capgemini, IPC International, and Smart DCC to discuss how organisations are leveraging AI to translate ambitions into results.
The panel explored the realities of modern procurement transformation and the steps businesses are taking to accelerate change whilst delivering value across their operations.
Speakers emphasised how technologies should ultimately support and supplement business objectives – helping procurement teams improve visibility, strengthen supplier relationships, and make more informed choices.
AI was undoubtedly a dominant theme throughout the afternoon, with sessions such as From Pilots to Real Work: Scaling AI into Your Daily Procurement Operations focusing on how organisations are beginning to integrate AI into procurement workflows, whilst exploring the potential role of agentic AI in the future.
Executives from Accenture, NESO, Rolls-Royce, and IntegrityNext shared their strategic blueprint for AI success, and how to assist clients in navigating the journey from pilot initiatives to scaling solutions.
This practical approach to AI adoption resonated throughout the event, with speakers emphasising the importance of deploying technology in ways that deliver immediate operational benefits whilst laying the foundations for longer-term innovation.
The event concluded with a forward-looking discussion on The Future of AI in Procurement and the role intelligent, autonomous workflows could play in shaping the next generation of procurement operations.
For Ivalua, the London stop of Procurement Innovation on Tour provided an opportunity to showcase how procurement technology is evolving beyond traditional automation towards more intelligent, outcome-driven solutions.
The message is clear – as procurement teams navigate increasing complexity and stakeholder expectations, organisations that successfully combine AI, data, and human expertise will be best positioned to unlock value and drive future growth.
This article was produced by the editorial team at Supply Chain Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across supply chains, manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, food production, and sustainability.
Supply Chain Outlook provides ongoing coverage of organisations and developments shaping the global logistics and supply chain sector.
Lily Sawyer is an in-house writer for Supply Chain Outlook Magazine, where she is responsible for interviewing corporate executives and crafting original features for the magazine, corporate brochures, and the digital platform.
