The role of the Chief Procurement Officer is evolving rapidly. Today’s CPOs increasingly expand their focus beyond just cost control. They now help shape company strategy, guide AI adoption, and strengthen supplier ecosystems as disruption grows and cost pressures continue.

Based on insights from senior procurement, supply chain, and risk leaders, ProcureAbility’s latest benchmarking report, developed with  ProcureCon, shows where and how procurement priorities are shifting. It outlines where leaders plan to invest in the next 12 months and explains how organizations are updating their technology and operating models to support a more strategic procurement function.

Inside the report:

Procurement leaders share how they’re navigating transformation across four key areas:

• CPOs gain ground: 82% anticipate greater decision-making influence—significantly higher than last year.

• Supplier relationships take center stage: 55% of leaders say enhancing supplier relationship management is their top priority.

• Procurement goes cloud-first: 43% of CPOs see end-to-end, integrated platforms as mission-critical in the next 12 months.

• CPO Evolution: Interdepartmental leaders shaping sustainable strategy, business storytelling, and AI governance—united under one designation.

Why understanding CPO impact matters:

As procurement shifts from a task‑focused function to a strategic driver of the business, it’s important to understand how the CPO’s influence is growing. Our procurement benchmarking study offers practical insights into how top organizations are strengthening procurement’s role in decision‑making and preparing for an AI‑enabled future.