MICHAEL VAN KEULEN
COUPA
combine my finance brain with business and have a real impact in how the company is performing ,” he explains .
After being headhunted by Lululemon , he had the chance to help build a procurement function at a high-growth organisation from the ground up . One of the ways he managed to build that successful procurement and supply chain strategy was by deploying Coupa ’ s solutions , which ultimately helped lead him to his current position .
His balanced background of retail and finance has set him up perfectly for that role , as he feels it puts him in a strong position to empathically work with their customers having been in their position .
“ I always say to anyone in procurement , you need to have finance acumen , and you need to have an understanding of finance ,” he says . “ You need to understand what matters to the CFO because ultimately the CFO is a critical person . They can either be a strong ally or a strong disbeliever in the value that procurement can create .”
As well as knowing how finance is the engine-room of a successfully running business , Michael also appreciates the ultra-competitive nature of an environment like retail .
“ Retail can be ruthless . You can just look at the history books , how many retailers were flying high and ultimately didn ’ t make it ,” he adds . “ We always said ‘ retail is detail ’, and it taught me a lot around fact-based decision making , to really drive optimal outcomes by taking away the emotions and optimise our Operating Model .”
This appreciation of detail for Michael dovetails perfectly with the Coupa approach to its relationship with customers , as it seeks to make margins multiply for every user and aggregate improvements across their whole procurement , sourcing and supply chain operation .
MICHAEL VAN KEULEN
TITLE : CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER
INDUSTRY : PROCUREMENT LOCATION : UNITED STATES
Michael Van Keulen is a procurement evangelist with over 20 years of progressive experience in finance and procurement at global companies . A recognised thought leader , he is frequently consulted by practitioners aiming to transform Business Spend Management digitally . As a member of the Sourcing Industry Group ( SIG ) Board of Advisors , Michael has led multiple global digital procurement transformations , driving significant value . A three-time Coupa customer , he is particularly passionate about business transformation , ESG , diversity and inclusion , and sustainability . His extensive expertise and innovative approach make him a key figure in modern procurement .
54 July 2024