Harrison Leaves CIPS Role, Institute Appoints Interim CEO
It’s all change at the top for the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), with a new CEO taking over the role less than 72 hours after his predecessor left.
Global Procurement professionals were caught off guard with the unexpected news that CIPS CEO Malcolm Harrison was leaving his role with almost immediate effect. In a statement sent to global members, Alison Barto, Chair of CIPS’ Global Board of Trustees, thanked Harrison for his “dedication, integrity, and his commitment to the Institute during his time as CEO”, a role that he held for over four and a half years.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect was the speed with which Harrison’s departure followed the communication. The announcement was only sent on the 31st of March, but it noted that Harrison would be leaving the Institute at the end of the month.
The surprises didn’t end there either. Less than 24 hours later, Nick Welby, most recently Global Business Services (GBS) Director at Imperial Tobacco, was appointed on an interim basis, starting in the role on Monday the 3rd of April.
A change in CEO in any organisation is usually something planned down to the finest detail, with departures and new starter announcements done months in advance of any change. The speed with which CIPS’ actions seemed to be carried out raised a number of questions about the exact nature of Harrison’s departure and exactly how long this had been in the pipeline.
A Challenging Time to Lead
Unfortunately, the questions over his rapid exit risk overshadowing the role that Malcolm Harrison played, and the achievements that CIPS made under his leadership, since he took the role in July 2018. It is widely noted that Harrison led CIPS through one of its most challenging periods, with the collective profession facing enormous upheaval as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts and massive supply chain disruption.
During Harrison’s tenure, CIPS provided support to global professionals in several challenging fields, such as coping with massive inflation and making strides to close the gender pay gap in Procurement. The Institute also grew its global membership and presence during this period, something that Harrison can be credited with leading on.
Given the highly stressful nature of the role at this time, it was suggested by leading Procurement commentator and former CIPS President Peter Smith that Harrison’s departure was not a “total shock”, even if the timing of it, and the lack of a handover period to the new CEO, was.
Smith went on to note that CIPS’ recent – and public – issues with its new IT and Digital systems may have played a part in both Harrison leaving the role and how quickly it happened.
Interim in the Hot Seat
And so, in possibly less than ideal circumstances, the job of leading one of the world’s foremost professional associations for Procurement now falls to CIPS’ new Interim CEO, Nick Welby. Welby is no stranger to the profession, having held senior Procurement roles in four globally-renowned multinational organisations.
In a statement issued on the 1st of April, only hours after the announcement of his predecessor’s departure, Welby spoke of the “privilege” of taking on the role, and that he would be working with the organisation and its branches to “bring to fruition the great work” underway as CIPS celebrates its 90th birthday in 2023.
Welby’s statement also acknowledged the “frustration that the implementation of our new digital platform has caused”, with the Interim CEO highlighting this as one of his key focus areas at the start of his tenure. What actions Welby takes in this area remain to be seen, but it is clear from this that the Institute has placed these issues front and centre for resolution in order to meet its members’ expectations.
Currently no further announcement has been made regarding the longevity of the Interim role for Nick Welby, nor on a search for a permanent CEO. CIPS members will have to wait for more information to come their way, but will be watching with interest to see how the next chapter in the Institute’s story plays out.
