**London**: Joel Johnson, Vice President of Consulting at GEP, has been awarded the prestigious Pros to Know award, recognising his influential role in the procurement sector, innovative projects, and commitment to leveraging technology, including AI, to drive efficiency and transformation in supply chains.
Joel Johnson, the Vice President of Consulting at GEP, has been recognised as a key figure in the procurement sector by being named an overall winner in the Top Procurement Pros category of the prestigious Pros to Know award, announced by Supply & Demand Chain Executive. This accolade highlights his significant contributions and influence within the procurement community.
With a career spanning over 15 years, Johnson has honed his expertise in a variety of domains including process transformation, strategic sourcing, procurement strategy, and technology deployment. His role at GEP encompasses leading the design and implementation of comprehensive global procurement transformation programmes, which require close collaboration with client executives to effectively align people, processes, and technology.
In the past year, Johnson successfully led a global team comprising over 250 GEP procurement professionals across 15 countries. This team was tasked with executing a strategic cost reduction programme for a Fortune 500 life sciences company, aimed at achieving a remarkable $2 billion reduction in external spending by 2024. This project involved managing over $20 billion in total spending, which included both direct and indirect categories. Additionally, Johnson co-led a similar initiative with one of the world’s largest consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, focusing on enhancing value across various markets, including Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Johnson has also played a pivotal role in developing GEP’s innovative digital tail spend management solutions. These solutions, designed to tackle the challenges associated with low-value and often unmanaged purchases, streamline supplier interactions and reduce order-to-receipt cycle times. Importantly, the solution employs generative AI to facilitate autonomous sourcing and negotiations, thereby significantly reducing manual workloads for procurement teams.
Looking forward, Johnson is set on driving ambitious growth targets for GEP’s strategy and advisory business, aiming for at least 20% growth in 2025, with a substantial portion originating from AI-related consulting services. He intends to continue leading GEP’s “Digital Garage” workshops, which provide immersive experiences for clients to explore AI opportunities and develop actionable digital transformation plans.
In an exclusive discussion with Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Johnson elaborated on his professional journey, tracing his roots back to his degree in international business and finance. He expressed his passion for addressing procurement and supply chain challenges through innovative technology integration. He stated, “One of my core strengths is blending strategic vision with hands-on execution, ensuring that transformation efforts deliver tangible value.”
His insights extend to the future of AI in procurement. “AI is transforming procurement in ways we couldn’t have imagined even a few years ago,” Johnson remarked, outlining how it enhances predictive analytics, autonomous procurement, and risk management.
Johnson’s ongoing commitment to thought leadership is evident through his involvement in industry events, where he shares knowledge and guides the next generation of procurement leaders. He underlined the importance of building relationships within the procurement space, emphasising that long-term success is as much about influence as it is about expertise.
As he continues to drive advancements within GEP, Johnson remains passionate about reimagining possibilities in procurement and leveraging technology to create resilient supply chains, thereby maintaining his pivotal role in shaping the future of this crucial industry.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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