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What will procurement look like in 2030? In a recent Ask Me Anything session in our Vertice WhatsApp Community for Procurement Leaders, James Meads - procurement tech expert and host of the Procurement Software podcast – answered questions and shared insights on what procurement will look like by 2030. Here’s what stood out: 1️⃣ Category specialists will evolve Deep specialists may shift toward flexible consulting roles. The future belongs to generalists who can orchestrate across categories, manage suppliers holistically, and leverage AI effectively. 2️⃣ From rule enforcers to value creators Procurement will move beyond compliance to focus on top-line growth and demonstrating real value. Strong communication and storytelling skills will be key. 3️⃣ Upskill now for 2030 Curiosity, presentation skills, basic automation, and AI literacy aren’t optional – they’re what separates future-ready teams from the rest. 4️⃣ The human side still matters most Technology can multiply impact, but stakeholder engagement, empathy, and teamwork remain critical for success. Want the full insights from the Ask Me Anything? Check out the blog post – link in comments. We run these AMA sessions monthly. For info on how to get involved in the next one, see the link in comments. What do you think procurement will look like in 2030? Share your predictions below!

SaaS spending trends are hitting new highs - and they aren't slowing down. Mid-market and enterprise companies have increased their overall spend the most. Tech-heavy industries like Retail and IT are scaling their stacks fast to stay competitive. And Finance and Healthcare companies maintain some of the highest overall investment due to compliance demands and complex operational needs. It's all up and up and up. But here's the really interesting point: not everything is getting an equal share. HR and AI tools are seeing increased allocation in budgets, while collaboration and marketing spend is pulling back. The real question isn't "how much are you spending?" - it's "where is it going, and are you getting ROI?" We just published an analysis of the rising cost of SaaS and how companies are allocating software budgets, all based on data from our latest SaaS Spending Benchmarks Report. Link in comments.

Day 1 of PASA Confex in Melbourne wrapped up with some great conversations about software and AI procurement. Our team shared practical strategies on how to cut through vendor hype, negotiate better contracts, and handle the unique challenges that come with buying AI tools (think data governance, IP rights, security). Big thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with Jordan Tang, Geordie Sinclair, and Ethan McKean today. If you're at the event, come find us tomorrow for Day 2!

Why the SaaS procurement conversation has shifted - and what it means for your business 👇 Rob Smith (ex-Gartner Research Director, now Managing Director at Lionfish Tech Advisors) breaks down the evolution in this webinar clip. Two years ago: license cost savings. Today: workflow integration and process optimization. "You may save a few thousand on lowering a software license, but you may save tens of thousands if you integrate and streamline approval processes." The challenge? Proving it. Quantifying operational efficiency is harder than direct savings, which is why platforms now track granular metrics like request times and approval times across departments. Lionfish evaluated 9 major SaaS procurement platforms to give you an unbiased breakdown of capabilities, strengths, and which solution fits different use cases. Watch the full independent analysis - link in comments.

Nicolas Boucher has trained 5,000+ finance professionals and built a following of 3M+ teaching finance pros how to apply AI to real-world finance challenges. This week, he's talking about something most finance teams miss: the millions being wasted on software nobody's using. No fluff. Just the AI workflows, prompts, and processes he uses to automatically catch SaaS waste before it becomes a problem. 45 minutes, plus Q&A to get your specific questions answered. 📍 October 16 | 10 AM ET / 3 PM BST If you're in finance leadership and sick of paying for tools that just sit there, worth your time. Secure your spot here: https://vrtc.io/4nNH5qR

We're #4 on the FT's Sifted 250 🎉 Our teams across London, NYC, Sydney, Johannesburg, Brno, and Singapore have created something incredible together this year - and being recognized as one of Europe's fastest-growing startups (after hitting #1 on the UK & Ireland leaderboard earlier this year) is proof that the hard work is paying off. This isn't just about the ranking. It's about what we're building: a solution that saves companies time and money on procurement while giving them the visibility they need. We recently launched Vertice AI and there's so much more ahead in 2026. That's why we're looking for talented people to join us and help shape what comes next. If you want to be part of this journey, check out our careers page in the comments.

Hello from Amsterdam! 👋 We're all set up at booth 37 at DPW today and tomorrow. It's an amazing lineup of speakers and talks. We're especially keen on anything about procurement transformation and AI. If you're here, we'd love to see you, Swing by and say hi to Sammy Garcia, Ruth Hanrahan, Edward Chapman and Chris McLaughlin. They're ready for a great chat!

Every vendor pitch right now leads with "AI-powered" features. But when you're actually buying AI tools and negotiating contracts, that's the wrong place to start. Procuretech expert Joël Collin-Demers breaks it down: lead with business outcomes, not functionality. Walk vendors back to what you're actually trying to achieve. Where's the tangible value? How does this translate to the P&L? Everything claims to have AI in it now. So "is it AI?" is the wrong question. The right question? Does it solve your problem without blowing up your budget or locking you into unpredictable pricing? Joël puts it simply: focus on value, not buzzwords. He also shared a second tactic about using storytelling to win internal buy-in - complete with a brilliant analogy that actually lands. You'll need to watch the full session for that one. This was from our fireside chat on managing AI pricing and contracts in 2026. With only 17% of organizations equipped to handle AI procurement properly, this conversation was overdue. Worth a watch if you're ready to move past the hype and get practical. Full session link in comments.

Community Spotlight: Brajan Gatys from Personio ✨ Meet Brajan, Senior Procurement Manager at Personio, and one of our top community contributors! With a focus on automations and AI, he's known for managing massive workloads with a lean team. His advice? Upskill and get technical. You don't need to be an engineer, but you should understand what you're buying, especially when it comes to AI tools. Why did he join our community? To stay active and avoid working in a bubble, finding it validating to see others facing the same challenges as well as pushing him to think in new directions. Ready to join forward-thinking procurement leaders like Brajan? Join a highly curated network in our Vertice WhatsApp community. Get monthly Expert Ask Me Anything sessions, real-time peer conversations, and exclusive event invites to help you stay ahead of the curve. Comment 'UPSKILL' below and we'll send you the private link to join.

Congratulations to two of our customers for being named to CPOstrategy's Procurement Orchestration Champions Index 2025! Well done to Justin Cyr at Honor and Sean Park at Arm for this well-deserved recognition. We're proud to partner with procurement leaders who are driving innovation and excellence in their organizations. You can check out the full index at the link in comments.