Managing the unpredictable in procurement: Lessons from 6 years of extraordinary projects

How does a consultant become a strategic pillar for a Procurement department over the long term? From managing a global logistics crisis to setting up a corporate headquarters for 8,000 employees, Arnaud Perucca reflects on his six-year immersion within a major player in the energy sector. A look back at the reality on the ground and the added value of a long-term partnership.

Leading in emergencies: When supply chain becomes vital

My immersion was marked by a major resilience test: the post-pandemic economic recovery combined with a global visual identity change for my client. In this high-stakes context, managing the critical procurement category of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shifted from a simple contractual exercise to a top-tier operational and safety challenge.

Faced with failing suppliers and worldwide stock depletions, I had to step outside the traditional buyer's role to act as a crisis manager. This situation required pinpoint international coordination: I had to help suppliers prioritize needs across the client’s various entities, while supporting and advising subsidiaries worldwide—from Europe to Latin America and Africa—all while ensuring a consistent and reassuring message to both English and French-speaking communities.

The solution lay in a deep transformation of the sourcing strategy. To absorb a colossal demand peak—equivalent to six years of orders concentrated into just three months—I led the transition from a single-sourcing model to an agile multi-sourcing panel. Qualifying new suppliers in record time was the essential lever to secure supplies and, ultimately, guarantee the physical safety of on-site employees.

Orchestrating a Major Real Estate Project

The trust built during those crisis years also led me to support one of the group's most ambitious projects: consolidating all headquarters staff within a new world-class office complex. Here, the mission involved co-piloting complex ecosystems where procurement must align with technical and IT requirements:

• Contractual Expertise and Project Management Support (AMO): I supervised the selection processes for consulting firms—from technical advisors to design offices and fit-out consultants—and collaborated with them over several multi-year phases.

• IT and Cybersecurity Stakes: One of the major complexities was the deployment of "Smart Building" solutions, such as connected lockers. This involved integrating cybersecurity concerns (connection protocols, data management) far deeper than a standard supply purchase, requiring constant interfacing with the client's IT departments.

Continuity: Why a Partnership Stance Makes the Difference

If a consulting mission lasts more than six years, it is because it goes beyond simple operational support. By establishing rigorous governance and maintaining "institutional memory" despite the client’s internal staff rotations, I was able to guarantee historical and strategic continuity.

This longevity reflects KLB's commitment: we don't just deliver a service; we integrate ourselves sustainably into your challenges to secure your performance trajectories, even—and especially—when the context becomes unpredictable.

The Human Element: The Guarantor of Tomorrow's Performance

This 6-year journey proves that beyond e-procurement tools, the success of a procurement transformation rests on adaptability and the ability to unite cross-functional teams (HSE, IT, HR). As new technologies reshape our professions, managing the exceptional and leading highly technical projects remains a matter of human expertise and on-the-ground commitment.

_ Arnaud Perucca, Senior Procurement Consultant, KLB | France

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