Following 2022’s sold out event, last week saw The 12th Annual PASA CPO Exchange take place on the Gold Coast.
We welcomed 32 CPOs as delegates to Broadbeach’s five-star Sofitel hotel on 24-25th August for an exclusive invite-only CPO retreat, featuring high-level content and networking opportunities with peers as well as vendors and sponsor partners.
Celebrating its 12th successful year, the CPO Exchange – a premier event for procurement leaders – was as vibrant as ever, with an exciting program spanning two jam-packed days.
Procurement leaders enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere, participated in roundtable discussions on current challenges, and collaborated in a dynamic learning environment.
During the event, CPO delegates heard from a number of high-profile speakers, including Sarah Cook, former CPO at Coca-Cola Amatil; Sarah Morgan, Founder of Influential Leader Academy; Chris Sawchuk, Global Lead Procurement Practice, The Hackett Group; Enrico Rizzon, VP and Global Partner at Kearney; Harry Murphy Cruise, Senior Economist – APAC, Moodys; and Charlie Hollis, Director at MBB Group, Adelaide.
Our passionate speakers covered a wide range of well-received topics, such as:
- The top 10 issues facing procurement leaders right now and differentiating between global procurement priorities & ANZ CPO priorities (beamed live by Zoom from Florida and followed with a Q&A session)
- How geopolitics is complicating inbound supply-chain management plus risk questions around strategic sourcing
- The new procurement agenda in future centred around ESG, resilience and network optimisation
- The leadership challenge in procurement today – managing today and tomorrow
- Managing procurement as a shared services function
Always proving popular at the CPO Exchange, the event hosted five key roundtables across both days on topics suggested by the CPOs themselves.
Chaired by Kirsty Blokker, the opening discussion examined risk management, followed by a chance to talk about skills shortage with Dan Boulton – both for procurement and our suppliers.
Delegates also participated in a fascinating roundtable on AI and ChatGPT, chaired by Hannah Bodily, which looked at how procurement should be using AI now and in the future, as well as the limits for AI on the supply side both now and long term.
The second day’s roundtables focused on procurement transformation, chaired by Karl Gill, and building internal and external relations, chaired by Bruno Da Silva.
Meanwhile, the informal CPO Exchange dinner was a relaxed and fun affair, which many observed was the networking highlight of the event, providing an opportunity for our delegates to unwind with their peers and be entertained by our special guest star for the night, illusionist Joshua Norbido.
At the end of day two, a complimentary coach whisked happy attendees to nearby Coolangatta Airport as they headed home, while the weekend began for those who were staying on.
