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Kickoff 2026: Setting the Procurement Agenda for 350+ Decision-Makers
A kickoff keynote for 350+ procurement and supply chain decision-makers: which topics will define industrial procurement in 2026 — from geopolitics becoming structural and the shift from cost control to strategic value contribution, to data as the foundation, cross-functional networking and the pragmatic use of AI.
Industry:
Industrial Procurement
Region:
Europe / DACH
Period:
January 2026
Speaker:
Erik Esly, Managing Partner, PROCUREMENT reWIRED — hosted with technology partner Tacto
Scope:
Geopolitics, tariffs, supply chain resilience, data foundation, AI in procurement, procurement operating model
Situation
Procurement is no longer only tasked with managing cost — it actively shapes stability, transparency and competitiveness. In the kickoff session “Which topics will define procurement in 2026?”, I set the agenda in front of more than 350 procurement and supply chain decision-makers: which developments will shape procurement organizations in the coming years, and where concrete action is needed now. A central theme: the changing role of procurement. Where operational activities long dominated, procurement is increasingly becoming a strategic value contributor, with quality assurance, innovation capability, risk management and EBITDA impact moving into focus. This also changes the requirements for procurement teams — analytical capability, technical understanding, communication strength and confident handling of data and AI become core competencies. Procurement must not only evaluate data, but understand relationships and make them usable for strategic decisions.
Implementation & Result
Framing conditions for 2026: trade conflicts, tariffs, export controls and energy dependencies affect supply chains and cost structures permanently. Optimizing on cost alone falls short — modern sourcing strategies require resilience, diversification and forward-looking scenario thinking, with nearshoring, new markets such as India and the ASEAN region and the geopolitical assessment of supply chains moving into focus. Conclusion: 2026 will be defined less by individual trends than by the ability to adapt. Procurement organizations that use data systematically, develop their role strategically and deploy technology deliberately create clear advantages — which is why now is the right moment to set the course for the coming years.
About Tacto
Tacto is a Munich-based technology company building an AI-powered operating system for industrial procurement.
Founded in 2021, Tacto equips mid-sized manufacturers with software that consolidates supplier data, automates sourcing and compliance workflows, and surfaces supply-chain risk in real time. Its webinar series — the setting for this keynote — brings together 300+ procurement and supply chain decision-makers to translate macro shocks into concrete, data-driven action.
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