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Melanie Pike , indirect procurement Manager for Massmart responsible for Masscash Retail and Wholesale division .
“ On the indirect spend side of things we are still very far behind with regards to recognising the importance and the value in what it can bring to a business .” Over the course of her career in procurement , one that she openly admits she “ fell into ,” Pike has worked at all levels of procurement in an organisation . This she feels has gifted her with an understanding of the key areas of a business and more importantly the pain points . “ I fought in the trenches a lot from my early days at the lower levels and that allowed me to understand the demands and the requirements at an operational level ,” she says . “ I know what I ’ m talking about and it ’ s not just a wishful thinking sort of attitude . I can do it with a bit more empathy for the relevant operational and internal stakeholders , as well as for external stakeholders .”
The very idea of procurement , and the value it can unlock , has undergone a major transformation over the last decade . Technology has proven a key driver of this change , particularly when it comes to visibility and accountability .
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