Stephen Ashcroft
Function: Procurement
Industry: Business Services & Consulting
Category: Professional Services
Level of responsibility: Senior
About me
FCIPS and Masters qualified senior procurement/commercial professional with a strong track record of achievement in strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, supplier management and transformation programmes, for a full range of FTSE100/Fortune 500 client companies and government organisations.
I like to think I'm able to engage and influence internal and external stakeholders at all levels. Audience/client feedback suggests I'm an engaging presenter.
Visiting lecturer at Manchester University on negotiation skills, published academically. Which is nice. But my real pride is in the feedback and results achieved by my clients in delivering accelerated benefits and efficiency improvement within complex business models.
My knowledge and skills come from real work - I have sense of humour and often need it!
And, really, I'm a procurement learner stuck in the body of a procurement veteran (as an author, researcher, consultant, coach and trainer) and with over 20 years’ experience, still see the glass as half full.
My new blog evidences my professional and personal interest in the importance of procurement to success in business https://thinkprocure.wordpress.com/
And I'm also, avidly, on Twitter, @ThinkProcure
I welcome your call on 0734 112 7916.
Specialties: Working with large, complex organisations in diverse industry sectors; I help Directors and leaders manage third party spend to drive improved performance.
- Deploying procurement strategies in multi-national environments
- Public sector practical support on the real-life application of 2015 Public Contract Regulations
- Risk identification and management
- Cost Reduction / Value Engineering
- Team Development & Mentoring & Coaching
- Designing and Delivering Complex Programmes
- Complex contract negotiation, pre- and post-contract award
Work Experience
Professional and financial services thematic group member (voluntary role)
International Festival for Business 2014
August 2013 - August 2014 (1 year)
The International Festival for Business 2014, the global gathering of the world’s most inspiring businesses, will take place in Liverpool in June and July next year.
The festival, a global showcase of business, where the city region will play host to hundreds of world-class events. It will attract more than 250,000 visitors from across the globe to take part in 61 days of events, exhibitions and celebrations, in order to realise the potential of global economic recovery.
The UK is the world’s leading international financial and professional services centre with an unrivalled concentration of capital and capabilities. This IFB thematic group aims to position the UK as the world’s partner and location of choice for financial and professional services.
Come join us, our programme of events covers 4 ways to approach profit, innovation and risk:
>>> http://www.brianfarrington.co.uk/2014/05/4-ways-approach-profit-innovation-risk/ <<<
Procurisk® Specialist Coach
Brian Farrington Ltd
April 2012 - May 2015 (3 years, 1 month)
This strategic and operational risk positioning solution has been designed for use in private and public sector organisations. Procurement and Supply Chain risk must be visible and risk mitigation strategies devised and implemented. The positive outcomes of our risk positioning solution include:
o Preservation of organisational reputation
o Robust contractual obligations placed on suppliers
o Absence of challenges from intellectual property rights holders
o Business continuity safeguards in place
o Control of long-term cost in purchased goods and services
o Knowledge of likely threats to long-term supply
The scope of PROCURISK®
PROCURISK™ has twelve carefully designed and structured areas (datasets) of Procurement & Supply Chain risk, including financial risks. These are:
o Contract Risks
o Financial Risks
o Supply Market Risks
o Supplier Relationship Management Risks
o IT Systems Support Risks
o Procurement Dependency Risks
o Intellectual Property Risks
o Pricing Decision Risks
o Vendor Risks
o Procurement Performance Visibility Risks
o Intellectual Capital Risks
o Contract Management Risks
To arrange a free use of a PROCURISK dataset please call me on 01744 20698 or [email protected]
Key Category Skills: FM (Security, Cleaning, Catering, M&E, Property Repairs, Maintenance, Voids, Energy Technology), Oil & Gas, Construction, HR Services (Occupational Health, Fleet Management, Travel Management), Marketing Services (Public Relations, Advertising, Interpretation and Translation Services, Print & Publications, Exhibitions), Defence (DEFCONs), Financial Services (Investment Banking, Payment Solutions, Insurance) Business Services (Outsourcing, Consultancy, Legal Services, Architects, Health Services). IT/ICT (CRM systems,Generic Software, IT Hardware, Electronic Trading Risk Management Systems, websites) & Telecoms.
Group Manager
Risk in Procurement Network
August 2012 - Present (12 years, 3 months) | LinkedIn Group
Growth in business has led to leading operations growing their reliance on external parties- their supply chain and outsourced partners. Risk is inherent in the engagement and management of these critical relationships.
Whether you're looking for advice or willing to give advice, this is the forum for doing so in exploring key facets of risk in procurement. My ideal is that experienced risk/ procurement/ operations/ finance professionals will explore and develop 'best practice' by listening and sharing - and helping - the growing number of members who are signing up to this Group.
First Person Columnist
Supply Management
January 2012 - Present (12 years, 10 months)
Topical postings on purchasing and supply chain issues, book reviewer and regular editorial contributor including:
What buyers want: 10 tips for suppliers bidding for contracts
Eight tips for negotiation planning
The three key stages to managing risk
How to identify procurement risk
How to make a ‘high risk’ purchase
10 questions to ask non-procurement colleagues about contracts
What’s the use of open book accounting in supplier negotiation?
Finding the price index that is right for you
How robust is your financial due diligence of suppliers?
How to align buyer/supplier goals when tendering
Visiting Lecturer
University of Manchester
January 2003 - Present (21 years, 10 months)
1) Engineering Doctorate programme and 2) 'Elite' PhD programme addressing commercial awareness, commercial negotiation skills and managing and influencing in business: circa 12 days per annum input.
Professional and financial services thematic group member (voluntary role)
International Festival for Business 2014
August 2013 - August 2014 (1 year)
The International Festival for Business 2014, the global gathering of the world’s most inspiring businesses, will take place in Liverpool in June and July next year.
The festival, a global showcase of business, where the city region will play host to hundreds of world-class events. It will attract more than 250,000 visitors from across the globe to take part in 61 days of events, exhibitions and celebrations, in order to realise the potential of global economic recovery.
The UK is the world’s leading international financial and professional services centre with an unrivalled concentration of capital and capabilities. This IFB thematic group aims to position the UK as the world’s partner and location of choice for financial and professional services.
Come join us, our programme of events covers 4 ways to approach profit, innovation and risk:
>>> http://www.brianfarrington.co.uk/2014/05/4-ways-approach-profit-innovation-risk/ <<<
Associate Director, Lead Procurement and Commercial Advisory, Consulting
AECOM
July 2015 - Present (9 years, 4 months) | London
Since July 2015, I have been Associate Director and the Lead for Procurement and Commercial Advisory practice for AECOM, a Fortune 500 global firm and a Forbes World's Most Admired Company.
I am responsible for leading, growing and developing the Practice on a global basis throughout all our business and market sectors.
Our multi-disciplinary team is fully resourced and supported with proven systems and IP to deliver some of the World's most critical and complex infrastructure programmes. Our aim is to “do procurement differently”.
AECOM Procurement and Commercial Advisory delivers as a:
- CONDUIT to engage supply markets, innovatively, to find solutions to business challenges;
- SERVICE to reduce the cost and risk of procurement to maximise commercial benefits; and
- PLATFORM to create, enhance and sustain the world’s built, natural, and social environments.
We've been helping some of the world’s leading organisations with their procurement and commercial challenges – London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games is a good example.
More importantly, we’ve “walked the talk” with experienced people from industry, government, and consulting who know the risk and opportunities to address.
Our particular focus is on working with Directors and leaders. We help our clients focus on improving resilience, simplifying complexity and ultimately, delivering impact.
We’ve made it our mission to help procurement escape from being the “best kept secret” in programme and project delivery and to get our clients the recognition and rewards they deserve.
If you like what you’ve heard so far, and you think I may be able to help you with some of the challenges you’re facing, then please contact me - we’ll just discuss your situation to see if working together might be a good fit.
First Person Columnist
Supply Management
January 2012 - Present (12 years, 10 months)
Topical postings on purchasing and supply chain issues, book reviewer and regular editorial contributor including:
What buyers want: 10 tips for suppliers bidding for contracts
Eight tips for negotiation planning
The three key stages to managing risk
How to identify procurement risk
How to make a ‘high risk’ purchase
10 questions to ask non-procurement colleagues about contracts
What’s the use of open book accounting in supplier negotiation?
Finding the price index that is right for you
How robust is your financial due diligence of suppliers?
How to align buyer/supplier goals when tendering
Education
University of Liverpool
MSc
2002 - 2005
Coventry University
Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)
1988 - 1990
Membership
