In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Malin Schmidt, founder and CEO of Kodiak Hub, to discuss what it really takes to build a world-class SRM platform from the ground up. Malin brings an engineering and operations background to a space most founders enter from procurement itself, and that outside perspective has shaped everything from how Kodiak Hub's product is architected to how the company is run. This episode covers the full arc: from a niche supplier rat...
Apr 30, 2026•37 min•Season 6Ep. 13
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads speaks with Jeff Gerber, CEO of Suplari, about the evolution from traditional spend analytics to AI-powered spend intelligence. The conversation explores how procurement teams can move beyond static dashboards and begin leveraging predictive insights and autonomous agents to drive better decision-making. Can AI-Powered Spend Intelligence Transform Procurement? Jeff shares the story behind Suplari’s journey—from startup to Microsoft...
Mar 26, 2026•39 min•Season 6Ep. 12
In this episode of the Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads explores the rise of free B2B procurement software and what it really means for buyers. Joined by Tom Ruello, VP of Sales at SpendHound, the conversation unpacks how removing the price barrier can accelerate adoption—without compromising value. Can Free SaaS Management Software Beat Existing Tools? Tom explains how SpendHound’s model works: offering a genuinely free SaaS management and benchmarking platform, monetised through aggre...
Feb 26, 2026•34 min•Season 6Ep. 11
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Mike Cargiulo, founder of MJC Sourcing, for a conversation that challenges the tech-first narrative in procurement transformation. Mike shares how MJC Sourcing supports mid-market organisations with hands-on, execution-focused procurement expertise. Rather than leading with slide decks, Mike and his team roll up their sleeves — delivering rapid results in complex sourcing, stakeholder engagement, and supplier negotiations....
Jan 28, 2026•32 min•Season 6Ep. 10
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads is joined by Gregory Vider and Markus Sinz, co-founders of apadua, recorded live at their Indirect Procurement Days event near Frankfurt, Germany. Drawing on their backgrounds as procurement practitioners and founders, Gregory and Markus share a grounded, thoughtful perspective on what AI really means for procurement. Rather than hype or job-replacement narratives, the discussion focuses on AI as an enabler that amplifies human cap...
Dec 19, 2025•42 min•Season 6Ep. 9
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Matthew Spencer, procurement veteran and founder of FlockScore, a newly launched startup rethinking how supplier performance is captured and shared across industrial supply chains. Matthew brings a rare perspective as a procurement practitioner-turned-founder, having led SRM and sustainability at Bekaert Group before identifying a critical market gap: supplier scorecards were siloed, static, and lacked ecosystem-level insi...
Nov 20, 2025•36 min•Season 6Ep. 8
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads is joined by Gaurav Sharma, Head of Procurement Centre of Excellence at MTN, with a background that uniquely combines procurement expertise and data science. We explore how Gaurav’s journey from category manager to leading digital transformation has shaped his view on procurement technology, user adoption, and the need for more practical, cost-effective solutions. Alongside his corporate role, he introduces his side project, SuperN...
Aug 28, 2025•38 min•Season 6Ep. 7
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads is joined by Oscar Fernandez, founder of ProCREWment and former Principal Procurement at mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) company FreeNow. We dive into a compelling case study on building an effective procurement process using existing tools, without splurging on expensive enterprise suites. Oscar shares how his small procurement team transformed chaos into clarity by leveraging Jira, Workato, and Yooz to automate intake-to-PO, approva...
Jul 31, 2025•32 min•Season 6Ep. 6
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Brajan Gatys, Procurement Operations Lead at Personio, to explore how lean procurement teams can build powerful systems without specialist procurement tech. Recorded after James and Brajan met in person at the Wolf Pack Summit in New York, this episode is a masterclass in how low-code and no-code platforms can transform procurement operations at scale. Brajan walks us through how Personio uses tools like Airtable, Make, an...
Jun 26, 2025•38 min•Season 6Ep. 5
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads sits down in person with Harry Wilde, co-founder of Cotiss, a source-to-contract platform purpose-built for regulated industries. Recorded live at the Wolfpack Summit in New York, it’s a rare face-to-face conversation packed with insight, humour, and honest reflections on building procurement tech for complex sourcing needs. They unpack how Cotiss helps procurement teams running high-stakes, non-price-driven RFPs—think airports buy...
May 29, 2025•36 min•Season 6Ep. 4
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, Raphael, co-founder and CEO of Growin.Co interviews your usual host, James Meads, alongside Linkana co-founder Leo Cavalcanti. It's a lively and forward-looking discussion about the next wave of digital transformation in procurement. They explore how AI, agentic automation, and no-code tools are disrupting traditional approaches—especially for mid-market businesses looking to leapfrog outdated ERP systems and legacy S2P suites. Postcards from ...
Apr 24, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 3
In this episode of the Procurement Software Podcast, host James discusses the critical topic of cybersecurity in procurement with expert Jano Bermudes from CyXcel. They explore the importance of cybersecurity in vendor selection, the regulatory landscape, and the necessary precautions organisations must take to protect their data. Cybersecurity 101: what to consider when Buying Software The conversation covers security questions procurement professionals should ask when evaluating software vendo...
Feb 27, 2025•33 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Welcome back to The Procurement Software Podcast! We’re kicking off Series 6 with a shift to a monthly format and an emphasis on more guest episodes. This week, host James Meads welcomes back Sheldon Mydat, founder and CEO of Suppeco, marking his third appearance on the show. Together, they dive deep into the transformative potential of generative AI in SRM and how it’s revolutionising the way procurement professionals handle unstructured and qualitative, rather than quantitative data. This epis...
Jan 30, 2025•37 min•Season 6Ep. 1
In this special Christmas episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, we celebrate the end of 2024 with a roundup of the latest developments in the procurement technology space. James shares insights on the evolution of the industry and presents predictions for 2025 in the "state of procuretech address." Whether you're enjoying a festive meal or relaxing during the holiday season, this episode aims to educate and inspire professionals about the exciting changes shaping the procurement landscape...
Dec 25, 2024•38 min•Season 5Ep. 39
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads welcomes Gregory Vider, co-founder and CEO of Apadua, to discuss their recent Indirect Procurement Days invite-only mini conference held near Frankfurt, Germany. Their conversation delves into the benefits of networking in a more intimate setting compared to larger conferences. Tune in to explore how these innovative events could shape the future of marketing in the procurement space. Private Events as a Marketing Strategy Thi...
Dec 18, 2024•32 min•Season 5Ep. 38
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads welcomes Richard Brown from Anvil Analytical to discuss the transformative power of spend analytics in procurement. The conversation explores the evolution of spend analytics technology, highlighting the advancements from previous years and discussing practical applications that can help organisations operate faster, better, and smarter. Tune in to learn how these developments are reshaping the procurement profession and the t...
Dec 11, 2024•34 min•Season 5Ep. 37
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads explores the critical role of A players in leading digital transformations within procurement teams. He discusses the challenges organisations face in finding the right talent to implement digital procurement tools and emphasises the importance of having experienced and adept change managers Tune in for insights that can help drive your organisation's success in embracing technological changes. Why A Players must lead digital ...
Dec 04, 2024•19 min•Season 5Ep. 36
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads delves into a provocative topic inspired by a LinkedIn post from industry commentator Jon W. Hansen. The post claims that 83% of AI initiatives fail and predicts that 75% of AI solution providers will be out of business by the end of 2025. So, is this likely? Tune in as he breaks down these bold claims and offers insights into the future of procurement technology. How many procuretechs will still be here in 2 years? This week,...
Nov 27, 2024•15 min•Season 5Ep. 35
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James welcomes Praveen Kalamegham, CTO of Workrise, to discuss the importance of industry-specific solutions in procurement technology, particularly in the oil and gas sector. The conversation dives into how tailored tools can better meet the unique needs of different industries and enhance procurement processes. Tune in to learn how to confidently choose and implement the right procurement tech to drive efficiency and innovation in your ...
Nov 20, 2024•32 min•Season 5Ep. 34
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads explores most the exciting opportunities in procurement technology, focusing on three emerging categories: spend analytics, e-sourcing, and AI-driven co-pilots, each offering unique solutions to procurement’s evolving challenges. Tune in to learn how these innovative tools are reshaping the future of procurement, helping organisations stay competitive in an ever-evolving market. Which categories of procuretech excite me? This ...
Nov 14, 2024•25 min•Season 5Ep. 33
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads interviews Dan Gianfreda, the new CEO of DeepStream, to explore how procurement teams can move from reactive to proactive tech adoption. Focusing on key procurement challenges and organisational maturity, Dan shares actionable insights to help procurement leaders make smarter, value-driven technology decisions aligned with their team's capabilities. Tune in to discover how to transform your procurement function! Crushing eSour...
Oct 30, 2024•31 min•Season 5Ep. 32
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads dives into the essential, often overlooked aspects of digital procurement transformation that go beyond the software itself. He discusses 10 critical factors that organisations must address, such as people dynamics, internal politics, and deep-rooted organisational issues that technology alone can't resolve. Tune in for actionable insights on transforming procurement strategically 10 things Digital Procurement solutions CAN'T ...
Oct 23, 2024•18 min•Season 5Ep. 31
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads sits down with Paul Gurr, founder of Provalido, to dive into the nuances of building and managing a high-impact savings pipeline. From stakeholder alignment to identifying various different savings and value-driving categories, we drill down into key strategies and share insights to give your budgeting process a nudge in the right direction this Q4. Tune in to redefine your pipeline strategy! How to succeed with procurement sa...
Oct 16, 2024•31 min•Season 5Ep. 30
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads tackles why procurement is often seen as a back-office function and offers insights on transforming it into a strategic powerhouse. Outdated perceptions, poor data quality, inadequate technology, and a lack of executive mandate keep procurement from reaching its full potential as a value-driving function. Tune in for actionable steps on elevating procurement to a strategic role! Is procurement still a back office function? Jam...
Oct 09, 2024•15 min•Season 5Ep. 29
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads delves into the transformative impact of automation in procurement, focusing on how emerging technologies are reshaping the industry. Tune in to learn how these technologies, paired with critical human skills, can help you future-proof your career and enhance efficiency in your procurement processes. Automation's game-changing impact on procurement efficiency This week, James explores the transformative power of automation in ...
Oct 03, 2024•29 min•Season 5Ep. 28
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James welcomes Mark Gilham from Enable to discuss the complexities and opportunities surrounding rebates in procurement. They explore how effective tracking and reporting of rebates can lead to significant savings for organisations. Tune in to discover practical strategies that can help your organisation navigate the opportunities of effective rebate and post-signature contract management. Rebates, and their procurement savings potential ...
Sep 26, 2024•34 min•Season 5Ep. 27
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads delves into the game-changing benefits of intake and process orchestration solutions for procurement teams. James highlights how these solutions improve supplier management, compliance, and overall efficiency while freeing procurement teams to focus on strategic decisions. Tune in for valuable insights to modernise and future-proof your procurement processes. Can Intake and Process Orchestration eat S2P suites? In this episode...
Sep 18, 2024•18 min•Season 5Ep. 26
In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James welcomes Shaun Syvertsen, CEO of Convergent IS, to discuss how organisations can enhance their procurement processes by improving the user experience of SAP. They delve into the complexities of the system and share insights on how to leverage procurement technology to simplify the intake-to-procure process for companies who use SAP as their ERP. Tune in to discover practical strategies and tools that can help your organisation navig...
Sep 11, 2024•38 min•Season 5Ep. 25
In this week's episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads dives into the power of our Tech Maps and how they can simplify your search for the right procurement technology. Whether you're part of a small business, mid-market company, or a large enterprise, Tech Maps from ProcurementSoftware.site offer a tailored approach to finding the technology that best fits your needs. Tune in to learn how to leverage this valuable tool and explore the resources available to support your di...
Sep 04, 2024•19 min•Season 5Ep. 24
This episode of The Procurement Software Podcast delves into why big consultancies often partner with legacy source-to-pay suites. Host James Meads explains how their corporate mindset and focus on large organisations can limit their understanding of the broader digital procurement market. Also, how conflicts of interest can result in big consultancies shilling legacy software. Tune in to explore how to avoid falling for the trap of thinking the big consultancy is your friend when it comes to ad...
Aug 21, 2024•15 min•Season 5Ep. 23
