Procurement’s measure of success has shifted. Efficient processes (clean P2P, tight contracts, and predictable savings) are no longer the benchmark. CEOs are looking to CPOs to move beyond cost-cutting and help the organization outpace the competition in an increasingly high-pressure and disrupted world.
Cracks in the procurement playbook
While roughly 75% of CPOs are still chasing annual savings of 2-5% (5-6% for top-quartile performers), according to the AlixPartners 2026 CPO Executive Insights Survey, volatility is making these annual reductions unattainable through negotiation alone. Traditional levers (RFPs, rate cards, technical takeout) were designed for more stable times, not repeated tariff shocks, supplier failures, or talent scarcity.