Clare

@ Proxima

Over the last 25 years , Proxima has established itself as a world-leading expert on procurement consultancy services , helping a broad spectrum of customers to unlock their supply chain ’ s full potential , from the largest Fortune 500 entities to bespoke startups . “ Ultimately , we work with our clients ’ procurement and commercial teams to help drive value from their cost base ,” says Clare Harris , Senior Vice President .

As a company , Proxima helps customers optimise what they spend with suppliers and build exceptional procurement functions . “ When you think that , on average , about 70 % of organisational spend is with suppliers , then you can immediately understand the potential that exists for savings and innovation ,” Harris states . However , it isn ’ t necessarily a purely ‘ cost-saving ’ exercise ; the company specialises in maximising the value of every penny spent . “ It ’ s about understanding what value means to our clients , whether that ’ s cost , speed , return , risk efficiency , or quality .”

Contributing to the company ’ s enduring success has been a flexible strategy focused on being adaptable to the changing supply chain environment . That evolution , Harris says , has been characterised by increased networking , collaboration and emphasis on procurement itself .

The benefits of this industry development have been keenly felt by Proxima ’ s clients . One in particular , Arm , shares a close working dynamic with it : “ Proxima has been able to bring both commercial expertise and category knowledge , while also injecting capability at a time when Arm ’ s existing procurement team were quite stretched ,” Harris explains . Establishing a “ twoway feedback ” loop , the collaborators have been able to react swiftly to challenges and coordinate decisively , “ We work together at pace and deliver value quickly .” Using different time zones to its advantage , Proxima ’ s UK team can hand over to the US team and vice versa , creating a continuous cycle of problemsolving capability .

This kind of partnership will prove vital in the post- COVID-19 world , where traditional operational patterns no longer hold true and an innovative mindset is crucial . As other companies strive to build an operating model for procurement that matches today ’ s challenges , Harris believes that Proxima ’ s breadth of expertise will become even more valuable . “ I think a lot of companies are now asking , ‘ How can we transform ourselves to make decisions quicker ?’, and that theme will continue into 2021 .” Proxima ’ s aim , then , will be to guide that development and continue its ongoing mission of delivering real value to its customers .