Chief Procurement Officers are being stretched like never before. Between managing unprecedented geopolitical volatility, supply chain disruptions, talent shortages, and mounting cost pressures, procurement leaders are expected to deliver more with less. Yet many are still relying on traditional playbooks that no longer suffice in today's turbulent environment.

The stakes have never been higher. Organizations that master modern procurement strategies are outperforming peers by significant margins—achieving COGS reductions of 5-6% annually compared to industry averages of 3.5%. Meanwhile, those clinging to outdated approaches risk exposure to cyber threats, supply disruptions, and missed competitive advantages.

What sets leaders apart

Developed in partnership with Art of Procurement and LeanSixSearch, AlixPartner’s 2026 CPO Executive Insights Report is based on survey responses from 120+ CPOs across 11 countries and 11 industries. We found that procurement “Leaders” (top 30% of performers) distinguish themselves from their peers, “Followers”, through:

Aggressive digital transformation: Organizations with advanced AI implementation deliver a P&L impact of 4.7% on average compared with 3.6% in less mature organizations
Expanded spend management: 70% of Leaders manage over 80% of spend, compared to just 15% of Followers
Advanced cost levers: Leaders harness design-for-value, specification optimization, and supplier innovation—techniques most organizations have barely explored
Strategic resilience: Proactive supply chain visibility and multi-tier supplier management minimize disruption and competitive disadvantage

The procurement function is at an inflection point. Organizations that act now will build competitive advantage; those that delay risk falling further behind. Get the full report to benchmark your performance and chart your path to resilience.

Read the full report

Cover of AlixPartners 2026 Executive Insights Report

Over 70%

of CPOs are working towards some reshoring, with half expecting to transfer over 30% of their currently offshored volumes

Only 5%

of organization have fully deployed AI across procurement processes, and most are still in piloting or planning phases

Almost 50%

of respondents cited digitization as their primary value lever, with ambitious goals to digitize up to 70% of procurement processes by 2027

The Earth as seen from space with blue data points overlayed connecting different parts of the globe

Chart your path to resilience

Read the full report for guidance and resources to chart your path to resilience:
• How the top 30% of performers achieve 2-3x better cost outcomes
• The critical role of AI in next-generation procurement
• Practical frameworks for supply chain resilience and risk mitigation
• Actionable roadmap to bridge the Leader-Follower performance gap
• Industry-specific insights and benchmarks

Read the full report