After months of planning—and following high-energy stops across Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Paris, Madrid, Brussels, South Africa, and Vienna—it was finally London’s moment as the Procurement AI World Tour continued its global journey.
This London edition carried forward the global narrative shaped by PLaN (Priorities, Leadership Agenda & Narratives), centered on the theme: “Beyond S2P to I2O – Reimagining Procurement from Intake to Outcomes.”
For me, this stop underscored just how quickly the procurement landscape is evolving—and how vital it is for leaders to rethink their operating models in an AI-driven world.
Setting the Tone: Connecting Early, Aligning Quickly
The morning opened with arrival networking over coffee, and as the room filled, one common sentiment was clear: procurement transformation is no longer theoretical. Organizations are actively searching for practical pathways to adopt AI, streamline intake, and better connect business objectives to outcomes.
These early conversations set the tone. Leaders are aligned on the challenges—but also increasingly aligned on the opportunities.
PLaN 2026 Keynote Screening: Understanding What Comes Next
The screening of PLaN 2026, featuring insights from Aatish Dedhia, CEO, Zycus Infotech, delivered a concise but impactful view of what CPOs must prepare for in the coming year.
Key messages that stood out:
- Procurement must move beyond task optimization and toward decision and outcome orchestration.
- Leadership expectations are shifting—CPOs must become drivers of intelligence-led transformation.
- AI is no longer an overlay; it is reshaping the core operating model.
The pace of change demands new capabilities, new mindsets, and new ways of working—and the keynote made that unmistakably clear.
EY Fireside: Priorities for the Transformation Agenda
The fireside conversation with Faraz Kamlani, Partner at EY, explored the evolving priorities for procurement leaders.
Several themes resonated strongly:
- Transformation requires clarity—not just on technology choices, but on the roles teams need to play.
- AI adoption must be structured and purposeful, aligned to enterprise value, not experimentation.
- Leadership alignment is essential for scaling outcomes, not isolated use cases.
The discussion grounded the morning in the practical realities leaders face today.
Solution Spotlight: Demonstrating Intelligent Procurement in Motion
The Solution Spotlight showcased how Zycus is supporting organizations through:
- Intake automation to simplify request management
- Negotiation agents that help standardize and accelerate sourcing
- Policy-aligned workflows that reduce manual oversight and improve compliance
This session clearly demonstrated how AI can operationalize strategy and reduce friction across the procurement lifecycle.
Peer Roundtable: Moving Procurement Beyond S2P to I2O
The peer roundtable encouraged leaders to reflect on procurement’s next horizon.
Key insights included:
- Moving from S2P to I2O (Intake to Outcomes) requires reframing procurement’s value proposition.
- Leaders must focus less on managing steps and more on orchestrating results.
- Data governance, intake clarity, and aligned success metrics will determine how effectively AI can scale.
The conversations were candid, constructive, and aligned with the direction of the profession.
Closing Reflections: A Clear Direction for 2026 and Beyond
As the session concluded, one message stood out:
Procurement is entering a new phase—one defined by intelligence, automation, and outcome-driven operating models.
London reinforced that leaders are ready for this shift. The discussions, questions, and shared perspectives reflected a community that understands both the urgency and the opportunity ahead.
For those who want to go deeper—even before the next stop—you’re invited to take a tour of the Zycus Merlin Experience Center.
It’s the most immersive way to see how our Agentic Platform reimagines procurement end-to-end, connecting every intake to a measurable outcome. You’ll get a first-hand look at how intelligence, automation, and orchestration come together to deliver greater value, sharper visibility, and tangible savings across the entire Source-to-Pay journey.
Merlin will show you what’s truly possible.
Related Reads:
- Leveraging GenAI for Smarter Contract Negotiation and Risk Management
- Whitepaper: 7 Intelligent Steps of Spend Data Aggregation & Analysis with GenAI: For Maximum Cost Savings
- Whitepaper: The CPO’s Guide to Mastering Generative AI in Procurement
- eBook: 10X Source to Pay with GenAI
- Redefining the Procure to pay Lifecycle with GenAI
- Embracing Analytics with GenAI: A Procurement Revolution in the Making
- Procure to Pay Consulting: How Generative AI is Transforming Advisory Services
- Challenges for GenAI Adoption in Procurement: Ethics, Data, & Security
- eBook: Strategic GenAI Adoption- A Blueprint for Modern Procurement Leaders
