Luke van der Waals, North America Offshore Supply Chain Manager at SLB, shares how one of the world’s leading energy technology companies is evolving its procurement and supply chain practices through AI.
Drawing from decades of SLB’s work in AI across operations and software, Luke explains how the company is now extending those capabilities into procurement – from classical AI in contract management to exploring the new possibilities of Agentic AI.
In the interview, Luke offers an honest and forward-looking perspective on how AI is already reshaping workflows and decision-making and why it will continue to accelerate change in the years ahead.
He also speaks directly to procurement professionals who may be wondering what AI means for their roles, emphasizing that as automation grows, human skills such as influencing, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement will become even more valuable.
Your key take aways:
- How SLB has approached AI evolution over decades
- What classical, generative, and agentic AI mean for procurement
- Why AI will increase the strategic value of procurement roles
- The human capabilities professionals should invest in to stay future-ready
- A grounded perspective on how AI is reshaping supply chain work today
This interview offers a reassuring, inspiring lens into how AI and human expertise can work together to elevate procurement careers, not replace them.
