EXECUTIVE INSIGHT
Natasha Gurevich is a powerhouse Chief Procurement Officer ( CPO ) with more than 25 years of experience driving transformational change and operational excellence in global enterprises .
With an outstanding track record , Natasha has led Procurement functions with Fortune 500 companies to deliver in excess of US $ 17bn in cumulative savings , streamline operations and cultivate inclusive leadership cultures .
Natasha spoke to Procurement Magazine to discuss her beginnings in Russia to her previous role as CPO at Nike , sharing insights on her journey and the procurement landscape .
Q . TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR CAREER IN PROCUREMENT
» I came to the US 28 years ago for six months to study English . When I was able to put a couple of sentences together , I started as a temporary employee at The Gap . My first job was verifying the accuracy of business cards , matching invoices versus POs . It was a simple task but apparently , when done well , it can lead you to the next step , so I was offered a role as a buyer . Procurement happened to me but over the years it became my passion , my field , my commitment .
“This field offers endless opportunities for innovation and problem-solving . Embrace the diversity , enjoy the challenges ”
Q . WHAT PREVIOUS JOB OR ORGANISATION HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOUR CAREER ?
» Every organisation brought something . My six-and-a-half years at Gap trained my brain to switch from known tasks to completely unknown categories of spend . At eBay , I was a one-woman show at first , building a procurement organisation for PayPal . My consulting experience allowed me to see different customers and best practices . McKesson introduced me to low-margin , high – volume medical supply distribution . At Salesforce , the pace and the magnitude of acquisitions was eye – opening and Nike allowed me to bring together all the experiences I ’ ve accumulated .
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