OCTOBER 2019CIOAPPLICATIONSEUROPE.COM9The minds that can handle the technology make the data meaningful and unleash its real powermore than 25 nationalities operating across 3 hubs in Barcelona, Krakow, and Zurich, we pride ourselves on our development program. We have come to realise that the role of procurement diverges from what it once was. In the past, it was essential to be a strong negotiator. Today, we have to teach the next generation more soft skills, that include emotional intelligence, collaboration, agility and stakeholder management on top of the ability to read and gather insights from data. Given we rely heavily on very specific skills and we invest in the development of our people, we have to ensure we create the right environment and can engage the employees on all levels. That is why we have launched a Procurement Academy and the Procurement Council to attract new people to Ecolab, but also develop the team and export the talent to other regions or roles in different parts of our business. While systems everywhere might evolve, they will also start to offer the same benefits to any company. Data mining, dashboards, trends and predictive analytics, the name of the software might change, but the outcome should be very similar. What will really create a competitive advantage to any procurement function is the talent behind the data. The minds that can handle the technology make the data meaningful and unleash its real power. The future success of procurement depends on our ability to balance a perfect combination of digital tools, transparent and seamless processes, and insightful teams.
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