Transforming procurement through real-world success The impact of Coupa’ s solutions is perhaps best illustrated through its work with global companies like AkzoNobel.
João points to this implementation as a prime example of procurement transformation:“ Within 18 months, Coupa was implemented across 60 countries, serving 8,000 users. AkzoNobel has been able to achieve 95 % of user adoption and has seen a significant increase in transactional volumes through catalogue-based purchasing, which rose from 5 % to 25 %.”
The results speak for themselves: millions in savings, reduced processing times to just two days and a more efficient, sustainable source-to-pay process. By integrating all ERPs and solutions into one system, AkzoNobel’ s procurement teams now work from a single source of truth, demonstrating the transformative power of unified procurement platforms.
The evolution of procurement in 2025 As the procurement landscape continues to evolve, João identifies two key trends shaping the future.
“ Businesses are moving beyond traditional source-to-pay strategies and embracing‘ design to pay’,” he notes.“ This shift means that companies must redesign their supply chains to remain agile amid global uncertainties – whether that’ s adjusting to evolving trade policies, new tariffs or rising operational costs.”
The second major trend concerns the emergence of autonomous procurement.
“ Companies are seeking AI-driven processes that anticipate needs, negotiate with suppliers and allow procurement teams to focus on strategic decision-making rather than manual processes,” João continues.
To support this evolution, Coupa has developed sophisticated AI-powered compliance tools, such as Spend Guard, which enhance financial security by detecting fraud, duplicate payments and cost inefficiencies before they occur.
60 April 2025