Goretti Sampayo – Chief Procurement Officer Aernnova Group
5 November 2024
Last September, Aernnova Composites, our factory in Illecas, hosted the Semi-Annual Meeting of the CPO Network of TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P., which has a really wide portfolio of investments in several sectors, including aerospace, for sure our sector in Aernnova Aerospace.
In addition to the biannual presentation of our CPO, Goretti Sampayo, as in all previous meetings, and taking advantage of the physical presence of the CPOs of the different companies in our factory in Illescas, our strategic buyer, Patricia Alboniga presented “Our Value-Added Procurement for Composites”, highlighting how the strategies she develops for this commodity are integrated and complemented with the Composites Operations division.
Roland Verdon, who is the Procurement Coordinator for TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P., with more than 30 years of experience in procurement and supply chain management in multinational companies, accepted to answer a few questions about his role for Ann news.
What is the purpose of these meetings?
Roland joined TowerBrook in 2020 in a new position created to help TowerBrook portfolio companies to optimize their purchasing.
How?
From the beginning, Roland set out a clear strategy on how best to bring tangible value to this portfolio of companies: to ensure that there was a team in each of Towerbrook’s portfolio companies driving transformation and optimization around Procurement, by highlighting the critical role that Procurement teams play in the different companies, to ensure the delivery of competitive products and services, as they directly impact the satisfaction of the companies’ customers.
This has led to the creation of a network of approximately 20 CPOs across the portfolio. These CPOs ensure that, at the individual company level, Procurement is actively managed and enhanced to create value.
What have been the achievements?
Mainly, it has had a strong impact on P&L, with improvements in EBITDA, as well as better management of suppliers, purchasing processes, P2P and contract management.
How does it work?
The network of 20 CPOs meets by video and in person several times a year across the EU and in the UK to network and share their experiences, challenges, findings and best practices.
Taking advantage of Roland Verdon’s presence, we asked him several questions that we hope will be of interest to you.
ANNnews: What are the objectives of these meetings between all TowerBrook’s portfolio companies?
Roland: Sharing experiences, projects, best practices, learnings and to network.
Occasionally, we will integrate presentations from third parties that we believe might be relevant and might help a CPO in certain areas of their strategy and work.
ANNnews: What do you think of Aernnova’s organization in the challenges that have arisen in this meeting?
Roland: It is a great honour to be able to hold this live meeting at Aernnova Composites.
The Procurement Team of Aernnova will present a few areas of their challenges and solutions they have adopted. We also will have a Factory Tour by the Plant Manager which will enable the CPOs to understand the link between tenders and negotiation and the level of details needed to make sure that tomorrow’s material and services match the extreme high standards that Aernnova’s customers are looking for. But all of this has to be done at the best possible Quality/Service/Cost. None is neglected. So, this is a very good opportunity to see in real life how a Procurement Strategy can impact all areas of the Company but also how it has to be highly structured and verified at every level of the process.
ANNnews: What would you highlight as a common challenge for all companies in the procurement field?
Roland: The main and most recent challenges for procurement staff and leaders have been: inflation, cost increase in energy, transportation and raw material. Suppliers disappearing has also been a challenge in a number of areas. Technology has also been an important item in the areas of automation of the P2P process and other Procurement activities. Making the right choice with regard to AI is a challenge facing all companies, as the variety of options available is enormous and it can be quite difficult to find your way. The experience of others in these matters certainly has and will continue to help.
ANNnews: Anything you would like to add about the group & events
Roland: While the creation of this CPO Network was not a key step in our strategy, it appears to have been helpful to the CPOs and has enabled them to feel like part of the TowerBrook Family. We should also mention that ensuring there is a strong and experienced Procurement Leadership at the company level has made PortCo’s management and employees realise the many benefits, value and efficiencies in cost and suppliers’ relationship to another level. Procurement is now a part of PortCo’s management and is regularly reported at Board level. It has positively impacted EBITDA in addition to better management of suppliers and making employees’ purchases easier, faster and more efficient.
ANNnews: Then, a little about your experience about working with Aernnova the last year since we have created the Strategic Procurement department
Roland: I must say that I have found a very open mindset from Aernnova management to embrace and give support in optimising Procurement. I have found also the firm’s leadership and the teams to be very professional and happy to jump into this new world, bringing also much value in providing real life situations, challenges and most importantly, solutions and options. It’s a truly great team here at Aernnova and great results have already been delivered and we hope will continue to be delivered.
Our Purchasing staff would like to take this article to thank all the people from Illescas who helped organize the meeting, especially Néstor Aristegui and Ana Granado for all their help in organizing the meeting and making it a success. Most of the CPOs sent an email to thank for the hospitality and to reinforce that they were delighted to visit the factory to visualize what Patricia had explained in the room about the parts and processes that Néstor had explained to them.
