“There is a limit on how much you can save, but there is no limit on how much you can make."- Sergio Martin
Procurement leaders talk a lot about value, but what does that actually look like in practice? How can we enhance the customer experience, build stronger supplier relationships, and empower internal stakeholders, all while managing costs?
In this Art of Procurement podcast episode, I speak with Sergio Martin, Procurement and Supply Chain Advisor and former Global Head of Procurement at Dyson. Sergio offers a rare perspective: a former stakeholder turned procurement leader, he blends deep operational insight with a relentless focus on service and partnership.
Here’s what stood out from our discussion and why I think his approach should be a blueprint for any procurement team ready to move from tactical to transformational.
The Customer Experience Starts with Procurement
"Besides the standard work expected from a procurement professional at Burberry, I needed to think about how those services will improve the overall customer experience, which at the end of the day, will increase our revenue."
This is something we don’t talk about nearly enough: procurement is a customer experience function. Whether we’re enabling smooth downstream supply chain execution or removing friction for internal teams, our work shows up in how end customers experience the brand.
Sergio’s point reminds us that a procurement strategy disconnected from revenue is a missed opportunity. The strongest teams don’t stop at savings; they create competitive differentiation through service quality.
Put Yourself in the Stakeholder’s Shoes
"If we need to get something out of this podcast, it would be, please, every procurement professional … put yourself in the shoes of your stakeholder. Try to understand their problems and everything they're going through."
Empathy isn’t soft; it is strategic. Sergio’s experience as a stakeholder gives him an edge many of us in procurement didn’t start with, but we can cultivate it. When we listen first and seek to understand what our internal customers are solving for, we earn the credibility needed to influence real outcomes. That trust creates the conditions for collaboration, not just compliance.
Influence Requires Expertise
"You build credibility by being an expert in your field. And when you're an expert in your field, people gravitate towards you."
There’s no shortcut to this one. If we want stakeholders to invite us in early, we need to offer something they don’t already have. That means not just procurement expertise, but category fluency, commercial acumen, and the ability to operate confidently in ambiguous conditions. As Sergio says, credibility and empathy are the twin engines of trust, and we can’t afford to leave either behind.
Supplier Relationships Are a Strategic Asset
"My objective is that the supplier wants to work with my company because we are the best at what we do, we are easy... to do business with, and we have similar objectives."
In too many organizations, supplier relationships are managed like contracts, not partnerships. But when disruption hits – as it inevitably does – it’s those deep, well-tended relationships that protect continuity and unlock value others can’t access.
Sergio’s view of supplier management is refreshingly human: long-term, mutual, and values-aligned. That’s how you become a customer of choice and why it pays off in ways you can’t always predict.
Continuous Improvement Starts with Ownership
"If you want to do something, you will find a way to do it."
Time and again during our conversation, Sergio emphasized personal accountability. In a world of constraints, excuses are easy to come by. But the procurement leaders driving transformation are the ones who own their influence, invest in their development, and put in the effort to master both the technical and relational sides of the job. Continuous improvement isn’t a project; it’s a posture.
Sergio also encourages us to remember that procurement isn’t a back-office function; it’s a relationship business. When we show up with credibility, empathy, and a service-oriented mindset, we don’t just get a seat at the table… we help design the strategy that drives the business forward.
