Procurement professionals must prioritise trusted relationships and supply chain resilience, rather than focusing solely on cost reduction, delegates heard at a GenPro event held during Posidonia.

Speaking at the event, themed “End-to-End Connections”, Maria Theodosiou, Managing Director of GenPro, said the topic captured the essence of modern procurement and supply chain management, describing the sector as fundamentally people-driven rather than being defined only by contracts, pricing, systems or vendors.

“Procurement is often considered as contracts, pricing, systems and vendors, but in fact it is all about people,” she said, highlighting the importance of collaboration between suppliers, clients and vessel owners in addressing operational and commercial challenges.

She warned that the industry is operating in an increasingly complex environment characterised by supply chain disruption, geopolitical instability, inflationary pressures, regulatory change and growing ESG expectations.  In this environment, she stressed that trust becomes even more valuable as uncertainty increases, underscoring the need for stronger, more transparent partnerships across the supply chain.

While acknowledging that pricing remains an important consideration, she argued that availability, reliability, transparency and accountability have become equally critical factors for global businesses. She described procurement’s role as creating the governance, structure and resilience needed to support supply chains, helping organisations make better decisions, reduce risk and maintain continuity during periods of disruption.

Reflecting on more than two decades in the sector, Maria said one of the industry’s greatest strengths remains the long-term relationships and trust built between suppliers, customers and business partners.

This is something that must not be lost as digital platforms evolve. As they advance, success will depend on striking the right balance – harnessing data and technology while preserving the human judgement and collaboration that ultimately keep global supply chains moving.