More than 1,500 industry professionals recently joined the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s conference in Riyadh, making it the biggest conference in the organization’s 90-year history. Key procurement trends and supply chain initiatives, as well as innovative practices of the future, were discussed at the CIPS Saudi Arabia Procurement and Supply Chain Conference and Awards 2023, under this year’s theme of “procurement excellence.”

“In a year where procurement professionals have seen no signs of the volatility and inflation of previous years abating, it’s more important than ever to network with peers and review current trends and best practices to stay resilient and face the toughest challenges,” said Sam Achampong, regional managing director of CIPS Middle East and North Africa.

“The record-breaking number of attendees at this event underscores the strategic importance of our profession across myriad sectors. In an increasingly globalized economy, businesses demand the skills and knowledge to navigate international procurement and supply chain management. The expertise encompassed by our organization has never been more crucial to the modern business environment. We continue to see rising prices and supply constraints and these are just some of the topics we discussed during the conference,” Achampong added.

“As part of the event, we also celebrated 30 ‘Procurement Pioneers’ who have made significant contributions to the profession and championed change and innovation,” said Achampong.

The “Procurement Pioneers” are a celebrated few from varied industries working within both the private and government sectors. Those gaining recognition include Abdullah Al-Osaimi, senior vice president of shared services at Ma’aden, one of the first Saudi nationals to achieve FCIPS — the highest grade of CIPS membership, as well as Muna bin Zoubaa, an adviser, who set up the MENA Women in Procurement initiative and has been a mentor and role model for many professionals in the region for many years. She is also the first Gulf national female to achieve FCIPS.

The event, which took place at the Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences on Nov. 13, included discussions on topics such as “How can procurement support Vision 2030,” “How to overcome supply chain disruption” and “How technology is influencing the workforce of the future.”