Thomas Holzapfel

My belief and experience: Procurement can add value to the business far beyond cash-flow, cost savings, and sustainability. This value-add potential is achievable only once procurement has earned a seat as member of the management board and is invited to offer a uniquely broad business perspective. My way: Long ago, when looking for an exit from a highly technical role and the opportunity to combine IT and tech interests with a highly business-focused activity, the door to procurement opened. I entered and was hooked - convinced by the diverse, fast-evolving topics, and the change-driven environment. My career: Three themes mark my career in procurement and have shaped me: 1: Leveraging technology to achieve business goals at the forefront of the organization’s strategic development and growth. 2: Regularly building, creating or recreating something new - a team, a strategy, an approach. 3: Embracing opportunities to move into a range of industries and different types of companies. My reputation: I am known for my pragmatism, a commitment to personal ethics and values, people-orientation, a solution-focused mindset, a holistic view, and an approach that generates added value and truly makes things better. I take pleasure in discovering and implementing the non-obvious solutions. As a person who is passionate about leading and developing others, I am also developing as a leader. Since I started my training as an executive coach, I show up differently as a procurement leader. My personality: Creative, innovative, caring, curious, connecting, bold, humorous, easy going. My favorite tool: I achieve the greatest impact through listening to understand and asking the right questions.