THE PROCUREMENT INTERVIEW
s Chief Procurement Officer at Johnson & Johnson, Julian Hooks leads a global organisation where he says“ talent comes first”. Why? He believes it is because“ worldclass outcomes start with a world-class team”. Julian set the company’ s enterprise procurement strategy, built capabilities, and invested in technology and a leadership pipeline that enabled Johnson & Johnson to deliver supplier management excellence.
This is what helps the company to unlock value through innovation: using data, automation and AI to improve speed and decision quality; partnering with suppliers to accelerate new solutions; and strengthening resilience and sustainability so supply is dependable in a healthcare environment.
The financial value he and his team create helps J & J reinvest in products and new research to deliver on its Credo commitment to help patients and improve health for humanity.
A generalist foundation for end-to-end value Originally from the UK, Julian didn’ t start in procurement, but saw his career begin by starting as a business generalist at Mars, with early roles as a Petcare Marketing Brand Manager, in Snacking Sales, working in the Czech Republic, then into manufacturing and supply chain operations in a pet food factory, before transitioning into procurement.
This path gave him a true end-to-end view of how value is created, from the customer and commercial strategy through operations, quality and delivery,
“ When lives are on the line, continuity of supply, quality and compliance are non-negotiable, and the smartest value creation strengthens the system while improving performance”
Julian Hooks CPO Johnson & Johnson
and he built a deep appreciation for the critical role procurement plays in enabling business performance.
“ Those experiences also shaped a leadership style grounded in servant leadership – closely aligned with Johnson & Johnson’ s Credo,” Julian adds.
“ For me, that means staying anchored to whom we ultimately serve, removing barriers so teams can do their best work and make decisions that balance performance with responsibility.
“ As you become more senior, your impact increasingly comes through others, so I focus on setting clear direction, building confidence and capability and creating an environment where people can take ownership, be innovative, collaborate across the business and deliver outcomes that matter for patients.”
20 July 2026