AI, Insight, and Impact — Highlights from the Procurement AI Executive Roundtable in Madrid 

Early this month in Madrid, Zycus and EY co-hosted an exclusive executive roundtable bringing together some of Spain’s leading procurement minds for an evening of ideas, innovation, and intelligent conversation. 

The energy in the room was undeniable — senior procurement leaders from industries such as manufacturing, banking, telecom, retail, and hospitality joined forces to discuss a defining theme:

“Beyond S2P to I2O – Reimagining Procurement from Intake to Outcomes.” 

Setting the Stage: From Process to Purpose

The evening opened with a shared recognition — procurement is at a crossroads.
As global organizations face evolving challenges in efficiency, risk, and digital transformation, leaders are rethinking how procurement can move beyond operational efficiency to strategic intelligence and measurable business outcomes. 

The session began with EY’s perspective from its Global CPO Survey 2025, which provided a data-driven lens on how leading enterprises are building AI-ready procurement organizations.
This was followed by Zycus’ keynote, “From Efficiency to Intelligence: Rethinking Procurement Value in the Age of AI,” which showcased how AI can move procurement from a transactional process to a dynamic, outcome-oriented function. 

AI in Action: The Agentic Shift

One of the evening’s highlights was the Solution Spotlight — a deep dive into Zycus’ Merlin Agentic Platform, where participants experienced how AI Agents are revolutionizing the Source-to-Pay ecosystem. 

From guided intake and autonomous negotiation to policy-aligned decision-making, attendees saw how Agentic AI doesn’t just assist — it acts, learns, and delivers.
Discussions centered on how AI can help procurement leaders simplify intake, accelerate approvals, and ensure consistent compliance — all while improving supplier relationships and delivering tangible business impact. 

Read more: Procurement Innovation in Public Services: London’s 2025 Strategic Guide

Roundtable Discussion: Procurement’s New Frontier

The roundtable discussion — “Beyond Automation: Building a Strategic Procurement Roadmap with AI Agents” — brought candid, real-world perspectives to the table.
Participants debated questions such as: 

• How can procurement evolve from process efficiency to outcome orchestration? 
• What does “intelligent intake” mean in practice, and how does it reshape user experience? 
• How can Agentic AI help leaders move from copilots to fully autonomous procurement ecosystems? 
• What are the real barriers to adoption — technology, talent, or trust? 

The conversation was open, authentic, and forward-looking.
Across the board, one sentiment stood out — AI is no longer a concept; it’s a competitive advantage. 

After-Work Cocktails & Networking

The evening concluded with an informal cocktail session hosted at the EY Madrid office, where participants continued their discussions over canapés and drinks.
New connections were formed, ideas exchanged, and collaborations sparked — exactly the kind of dialogue the Procurement AI World Tour was designed to inspire. 

The Takeaway: Building the Future, Together

The Madrid roundtable reaffirmed what we’ve seen in every city so far — from Amsterdam and Frankfurt to Paris and Copenhagen — the Procurement AI World Tour is not just a series of events; it’s a movement. 

A movement toward intelligent, data-driven procurement that delivers outcomes — not just outputs.
A movement powered by partnership, thought leadership, and technology that’s ready to transform the way organizations work. 

To everyone who joined us in Paris—thank you. Your presence and participation made this kickoff truly special. 

Let’s keep the momentum going. 

The conversation continues as the Procurement AI World Tour heads to London — where leaders will once again explore how AI is reshaping procurement from Intake to Outcomes. 

Stay tuned for more insights, and if you’d like to join us on the next stop of the tour, visit Zycus World Tour. 

Related reads –  

1. CPO eProcurement Checklist for Belgium  
2. 2025 Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) Trends & Insights: Key Challenges, Automation, and AI-Driven Strategies  
3. Procurement Fails You’ll Recognize — and Fixes You’ll Want to Steal  
4. GenAI Execution with Evolving Regulatory Landscape  
5. Ardent Partners’ Procurement Metrics That Matter in 2025