Conclusion
The findings of the ProcureCon CPO Report 2025 make one thing clear: procurement is no longer a back-office function. It is a strategic linchpin in a world defined by disruption.
CPOs are rising to meet today’s challenges by prioritising supplier diversification, ESG integration, and resilience. Yet the path forward demands more than reactive measures. It calls for a reinvention of how procurement teams think, act, and influence the wider organisation.
The integration of AI and automation is already underway, with tools being deployed across supplier risk, contract management, and payments. However, implementation remains uneven. Legacy systems, change resistance, and data limitations are real barriers - but also opportunities for transformation. As AI’s role matures, it will be the CPO’s ability to combine human judgment with machine-driven insights that defines success.
Meanwhile, sustainability and risk management are converging. Climate disruption and ESG compliance are no longer niche concerns, they are central to operational continuity and business reputation. The growing influence of procurement in shaping enterprise-wide risk frameworks marks a fundamental shift in strategic positioning.
Yet the future workforce remains an open question. As AI takes over traditional entry-level tasks, procurement leaders must act decisively to reshape training models, career pathways, and talent pipelines.
Ultimately, this year’s report reflects a function in transition - from cost controller to value creator; from reactive operator to proactive strategist. Procurement leaders must continue to lead with clarity, invest with intent, and collaborate across the business. The next generation of procurement success will belong to those who adapt with purpose, and who are ready not just to respond to change - but to lead it.
"The drive to procurement as a strategic function can be aided with Agentic AI, creating incremental savings and other business value 24x7 while procurement teams sleep. It can act with autonomy and authority to identify savings opportunities and negotiate those en masse with suppliers through outcomes of tangible savings. Agents in procurement allow a shift from reactive, transactional activities to more strategic, proactive functions. In addition to cost savings, agents enable more resilient and agile supply chains."
Kaspar Korjus, CEO, Pactum
