Season 2 Ep 25: Procurement a Global Profession feat. Ben Farrell (CIPS CEO)

RELEASED February 3, 2026

As business changes, procurement must change with it. There are many voices that want to weigh in on how change happens, what it looks like, and where it is led from. Making sure those voices are heard, and that their message resonates in C-suites around the world, is an ongoing effort being supported by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain (CIPS).

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, host Vishal Patel welcomes Ben Farrell to the show. Ben is wrapping up his first year as the Global CEO of CIPS after spending 20 years in the British Army and over a decade in retail, working for John Lewis Partnership.

During the conversation, Vishal and Ben discuss:

• The history of CIPS as a professional organization and what their global footprint looks like today
• What he heard from procurement professionals on CIPS’s recent world tour, including on the topic of AI
• The surge of energy and enthusiasm being shown for procurement in the developing world, and what that means for the future of the profession