The Scottish Government National Procurement Conference is a pivotal event that is now marking its 18th year. This year the event will focus on ‘adapting to an evolving global economy’ and the impact this has on Scotland’s public procurement sector.
Change is constant and the world and the economy around us are shifting from month to month and year to year. For the procurement professional, we’re facing a dynamic and changing environment, which is presenting complex challenges. From global warming and the transition to net zero and from supply chain challenges to inflationary pressures, buyers need to be situationally aware and able to respond to meet the needs of their organisations.
Featuring leaders and senior stakeholders from across Scotland’s procurement community and beyond, it’s where delegates can learn and be inspired by what is happening now – and what’s planned for the future: all with the aim of improving public sector service delivery and delivering a better Scotland for all.
Join the debate – register to attend today
Confirmed speakers include:
Tom Arthur MSP
Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance
Tom Arthur was elected to the Scottish Parliament in May 2016 as the first ever SNP MSP for Renfrewshire South. He is a Deputy Whip and has previously served as Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs; the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice. He currently serves as Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance. Tom was the first MSP to be accredited as a Carer Positive Employer and led a debate in parliament to promote the initiative. He has also led debates on the impact of Brexit on the music sector and on tackling Hepatis C. Tom is also involved in Cross Party Groups on Social Enterprises, Basic Income, Culture and Consumer Protection. Born in Paisley in 1985, Tom was raised and educated in Barrhead where he attended Cross Arthurlie Primary and Barrhead High School, before going on to the University of Glasgow where he completed a BMus (hons) and MMus. After graduating, Tom worked as a freelance piano teacher and keyboardist, performing across Scotland at weddings and corporate events. Having had a longstanding interest in politics, Tom first became politically active during the 2007 Scottish Parliament Elections before joining the SNP in November 2009. He is a previous National Secretary of SNP Youth, where he modernised its constitution and represented the organisation internationally. Tom was also an election agent in the 2012 Local Government Elections, where he oversaw the election of two SNP Councillors. He lives locally with his wife and two pugs. Outside of politics, Tom enjoys reading, travel and music.
Gordon Beattie
Director of National Procurement
Gordon joined NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) in December 2019 from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where since January 2001, he has held various senior procurement roles. During this initial period in his new role, Gordon has led the national procurement response to the COVID-19 emergency and is now focusing attention on shaping National Procurement to be well placed to meet the challenges of the future. Gordon started in procurement in 1986 as a graduate trainee in food manufacturing then spent 10 years in the power industry before moving to the NHS. With a grown-up family, his cocker spaniels ensure he and his wife continue to enjoy an active outdoor life in his spare time. This includes both caravanning and sailing with his family and friends. National Procurement sits within the Procurement, Commissioning and Facilities strategic business unit of NSS alongside Business Development, Health Facilities Scotland and National Specialist and Screening Services.
Julie Welsh
Chief Executive Officer
Julie Welsh is the Director of Scotland Excel, the Centre of Procurement Expertise for local government. As the organisation’s senior officer, she provides leadership and strategic direction to ensure its services are aligned to the needs of the sector. Since taking up her post in September 2014, Julie has implemented strategies to extend the range of services provided by Scotland Excel, extend the influence of the organisation in the wider public sector landscape, and secure its future as a leading shared service.
Angus Warren
Chief Executive
Nikki Archer
Head of Procurement and Commercial Policy and Strategy
Nikki has worked in a number of private and public sector senior procurement and programme management roles since graduating in 1990 with a BA(Hons) in Business Economics and Marketing. With IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Agilent she gained extensive experience in leading national and international procurement and system transformation programmes. Since joining the Scottish Government in 2005 she has played a key role in driving and enabling public procurement reform in Scotland, with a particular focus on building Scottish Government’s Procurement, Commercial and Project Delivery skills. An FCIPS Chartered Procurement & Supply professional, Nikki currently sits on the CIPS Foundation Steering Group and is an ex-trustee of their Global Board of Trustees. With specific interests in developing the capability of individuals, organisations, supply chains and our Procurement People of Tomorrow, Nikki also plays an active role in encouraging diversity (in all its forms) within senior procurement and supply chain roles.
Rona Dougall
Journalist
Rona Dougall is a broadcaster, freelance journalist and also a popular TV presenter best known as the host of STV’s flagship current affairs programme ‘Scotland Tonight‘. The thirty minute live programme takes an in-depth look at the big news stories of the day, along with sport, politics, business, art and entertainment. Before becoming a Scottish Television anchor, Rona was Sky News Scotland correspondent for over 15 years. During that time she covered many headline stories, including the Dunblane massacre, the trial of the Lockerbie bomber at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands, the death of Princess Diana from Balmoral, the opening of the Scottish parliament and several Scottish elections. She was also part of the British Bafta award winning team which covered the terrorist attack at Glasgow airport. Off duty Rona Dougall is a mother to her two children, a keen runner and a voracious reader.
Cath Baxter
Voice Coach and
Cath Baxter is one of the UK’s leading voice coaches and a Public Speaking expert. For 14 years she was Head of Voice at Mountview, one of the top 5 drama schools in the UK, where she trained some of the UK’s best actors and musical theatre performers. Her time is now spent working with a wide range of business clients and companies, helping them to add greater impact to their communications. She has most recently delivered group training for the following organisations: Foreign Office - British Overseas Territories and Polar Directorate, Government Internal Audit Agency, Department for Education - Legal and Transactions, Home Office, Ministry of Defence, HM Treasury, HMRC, Crown Commercial Service, Health Education England, GSK – Global Supply Chain, GSK – Vaccines, NHS Improvement, Independent Office for Police Conduct, Cancer Research, Women into Leadership Conference and Ethnic Minorities into Leadership conference. Cath has a PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
David Taylor
Chief Operating Officer
David has over 30 years’ experience in managing complex supply chains in both the private and public sectors, and internationally. He is passionate about the value that the procurement and supply profession can add and has built his career developing high performing teams and being a business leader and advocate for the profession. Before joining CIPS, David was the Deputy Government Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for developing the capabilities of the procurement organisation across government and the wider public sector, with £50 billion of procurement spend under management and some 6000 procurement professionals in central government, who form the Government Commercial Function. David began his career in the public sector with the Home Office, where he became a part of the executive leadership team as the Chief Commercial Officer, managing a procurement spend of £4bn, revenue generation of nearly £2bn with a direct team of 300. Prior to joining the public sector in 2008, David had an extensive career in the private sector across multiple sectors, including technology and telecoms with Sony, Cable & Wireless, Vodafone and Orange. David has also worked with private equity and was the European Commercial Director in a leveraged buy out of Hertz from Ford, with a subsequent re-engineering of the global business and its supply chains, resulting in a successful IPO. David has lived and worked overseas, and was also a volunteer in Africa with Raleigh International, a youth development charity.
Graeme Roy
Dean of External Engagement & Professor of Economics
Marcia Broadfoot
Procurement Graduate
Joanna Wilson
Procurement Graduate
Debra MacLeod
Senior Portfolio Specialist, ICT Services and Software Team
Debra manages the Software Value Added Reseller Services (SVARS) framework and supports the procurement of various eCommerce contracts for Scottish Government. Debra has worked in various other Procurement roles in Scottish Government and at Transport Scotland.
Daisy Hall
Commercial Capability Officer
Gregor is a Chartered Procurement and Supply Professional who leads on improving procurement, commercial and project delivery capability. He is interested in making procurement a career of choice, and enabling procurement professionals to tackle the big issues facing Scotland.
Scott McCrindle
Collaborative Delivery Manager
The Collaborative Delivery Manager in Scottish Procurement who contract manages the Scottish national DPS for Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses. This key aim of the DPS is to provide Scottish Public Sector and Third Sector Bodies (Framework Public Bodies) with a clear path for the purchase of goods and services from Supported Businesses and in doing so, support the integration of disabled and disadvantaged citizens into the mainstream workforce.
Graeme Cook
Head of Scottish Government Procurement Services
Gary Gillespie
Chief Economist
Morag Angus
Chief Surveyor / Head of Property and Construction
Reasons to attend
- Join some of the leading experts from across public procurement during the morning keynote sessions
- Participate in a choice of breakout sessions covering topics relevant to public sector procurement personnel
- Learn more about the adapting to an evolving global economy and how this will impact Scotland's public procurement
- Network with peers and colleagues during breaks at Procurex Scotland
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