Driving Procurement Excellence and Innovation at Planet: An Interview with Bogdan Asproiu, Head of Procurement
In this interview, we sit down with Bogdan Asproiu, the Head of Procurement at Planet, a global leader in integrated payment and software solutions. With over two decades of experience in procurement across various industries, Bogdan has been instrumental in transforming Planet’s procurement function. From building procurement processes from the ground up to driving sustainability, innovation, and resilience, Bogdan discusses his journey, the challenges faced, and the strategic vision for the company’s procurement future. His approach to procurement emphasises agility, digital transformation, and the integration of sustainable practices, positioning Planet for continued growth and success in an increasingly dynamic market.
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Career Journey in Procurement: Can you share your professional background and the path that led you to your current role as Head of Procurement at Planet?
My professional journey in procurement spans over 20 years across diverse industries, including FMCG, Retail, Financial Services, Telecom, and Consulting. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to procurement departments at five Fortune Global 2000 companies. My career path has been driven by a passion for integrating emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, ML, Big Data, Blockchain, and RPA with supply chain management.
This extensive experience, combined with working for some notable companies, has given me a strong foundation in developing procurement expertise and driving innovation. It is this background that led me to my current role as Head of Procurement at Planet. In this position, I am responsible for setting up the global procurement organisation from scratch, which includes managing multiple acquisitions and ERP systems, overseeing operations in 60+ countries, and handling over 160 different entities across the globe with an annual spend of more than 150 million EUR.
My role involves developing strategic processes and policies, controlling expenses through enhanced rules and setting limits, all with the goal of maximising procurement’s contribution to Planet’s results.
Procurement’s Role in Planet’s Operations: How does the procurement function align with and support Planet’s mission to provide integrated payment and software solutions across various industries?
When I joined Planet at the end of 2022, I was surprised to find that there was no clear procurement process or direction in place, which is not what you’d expect from a company of its size. The organisation had multiple unmanaged acquisitions, several ERP systems running independently, and unchecked expenditure needed attention. There was no clear vision or management of suppliers and their contracts.
It was a challenging journey to address these issues—putting out fires, creating alignment, establishing rules and policies, and advising (and even influencing) business decisions related to suppliers. It took significant effort to bring everything under control and steer the company towards a more organised and efficient procurement function.
Today, procurement plays a crucial role in supporting our mission to deliver integrated payment and software solutions across various industries. We manage both sides: sourcing for internal use and supporting clients who use our platforms and services. Our focus is on ensuring efficient sourcing, fostering strong supplier partnerships, and driving innovation—all while aligning procurement with the company’s broader goals.
Our efforts in automation, leveraging existing ecosystems around our corporate tools and ITSM, data-driven decision-making, and self-service procurement management have significantly enhanced our capabilities. These initiatives enable us to support Planet’s operational excellence and strategic objectives effectively.
Sustainable Sourcing Initiatives: Sustainability is a key focus for many organisations. Could you elaborate on the initiatives your team has implemented to promote sustainability and ethical practices within Planet’s supply chain?
Sustainability became a core focus of Planet’s procurement strategy in 2023. We have implemented several initiatives aimed at promoting ethical practices and sustainability throughout our supply chain. These initiatives include reviewing our CO2 footprint and improving the monitoring and reporting of these indicators with the support of our partners and suppliers (such as Navan, PAX, and hardware resellers).
Our efforts include partnering with suppliers who adhere to high ethical standards, incorporating eco-friendly materials into our sourcing, and continually assessing our procurement processes to minimise environmental impact. By embedding sustainability into our procurement practices, we align with Planet’s values while meeting the growing demand for responsible business operations.
Leveraging Technology in Procurement: With advancements in technology, how is Planet integrating digital tools and data analytics to enhance procurement processes and decision-making?
Planet is at the forefront of leveraging technology to optimise procurement processes. Since 2023, we have started implementing an overarching data governance program, incorporating advanced digital tools and data analytics to enhance decision-making and streamline operations. While we have not yet fully integrated technologies such as AI, ML, and blockchain, we are leveraging third-party insights and reports to make data-driven decisions. These technologies are in the pipeline, and their integration will enable us to achieve greater efficiency, cost savings, and overall effectiveness in our procurement activities. In a nutshell, I’m leveraging technologies and self-serve routes such as auto-NDA, real time survey/feedback on procurement deliverables, questionnaires/forms that feed into a ticketing system and get filtered according to specific rules, and others. All these help where possible to complement our deliverables, to be able to stay ahead and be the reliable partner our business stakeholders are expecting.
Managing Supplier Relationships and Compliance: What strategies does Planet employ to maintain strong, ethical relationships with suppliers and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations?
Maintaining strong and ethical relationships with our suppliers has been one of our key successes at Planet. We employ comprehensive strategies, including regular performance reviews, clear channels for communication and escalation, and dedicated “war rooms” for addressing urgent issues. By fostering transparent and collaborative relationships, we ensure compliance with industry standards and build long-term trust with our suppliers. This approach not only mitigates risks but also enhances the quality and reliability of our supply chain, ultimately bringing long-term benefits for Planet.
Adapting to Market Volatility and Supply Chain Disruptions: The global market is subject to volatility. How does Planet’s procurement function adapt to changes in market conditions, such as fluctuations in commodity prices or supply chain disruptions?
Adaptability has become more essential than ever. At Planet, we employ agile procurement strategies to respond to market changes and supply chain disruptions. The organisation’s flat structure, without a pyramidal or multi-layered hierarchy, greatly aids in the decision-making process. Our approach includes diversifying our supplier base, leveraging predictive data analytics, and maintaining robust contingency plans. These measures help us effectively manage fluctuations in commodity prices and other market variables, ensuring continuity and minimising risks.
Supporting Innovation through Procurement:
How does the procurement team collaborate with other departments, such as R&D and product development, to foster innovation and bring new solutions to market?
Our agile procurement team actively collaborates with R&D (Product & Technology) and product development departments to foster innovation. We source cutting-edge technologies, support and pioneer business initiatives when entering new markets, and contribute to the development of new solutions that meet and enhance market needs. This collaborative approach ensures that procurement not only supports but also drives innovation at Planet, helping us stay ahead of industry trends and deliver superior solutions to our clients.
Developing Talent in Procurement: What initiatives does Planet have in place to attract, develop, and retain top talent within the procurement function, and how do you foster a culture of continuous improvement?
At Planet, we place a strong emphasis on attracting, developing, and retaining top talent within our procurement function. For me, having solid years of procurement experience is not enough when choosing a candidate. I prefer individuals with broader expertise, particularly in finance or project management, and those who genuinely want to contribute, own, and deliver results. At Planet, we offer continuous learning opportunities and foster a culture of innovation and ongoing improvement. I’m always available to guide the team and ensure that our procurement function remains dynamic, capable, and tech-savvy to meet future challenges.
Navigating Regulatory Challenges: In light of evolving regulations in the payment and software industries, how does Planet’s procurement strategy address compliance and mitigate associated risks?
Compliance with evolving regulations is a key component of Planet’s strategy, and this extends directly into our procurement processes. While it’s not an easy task, we proactively monitor regulatory changes, particularly in our regulated entities and locations. We conduct recurring training on compliance requirements and are working to implement robust risk management practices as part of our Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) approach. Additionally, we actively collaborate with various partners within Planet—including Risk & Compliance, DPO, AML, Legal, Treasury, and Operations—to ensure that we mitigate associated risks and uphold the highest standards of compliance in the payment and software industries.
Future Vision for Procurement at Planet: Looking ahead, what are your primary objectives for the growth and development of Planet’s procurement function in the next five years?
Our primary objectives for the growth and development of Planet’s procurement function over the next few years are centered around a few key pillars: sustainability & ESG, innovation, and resilience.
Sustainability & ESG: We aim to integrate sustainable practices into every aspect of our procurement process. This includes prioritising suppliers who adhere to environmental standards and reducing our carbon footprint through strategic sourcing. Although we started focusing on sustainability later in Planet’s journey, we have set an ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040, through decarbonising our operations and supply chain. This is clearly outlined in our public Supplier Code of Conduct document.
Innovation: Leveraging modern technologies is crucial for our future vision, as we aim to maintain a competitive edge. We have identified specific use cases for technologies such as predictive analytics for demand forecasting, OCR for contract management, and AI-supported supplier selection. These technologies help us streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance our decision-making capabilities.
Resilience: Our focus here is on diversifying our supplier base to mitigate risks and ensure continuity. Additionally, we are working towards ensuring a robust backup for critical platforms. We plan to implement advanced risk management tools in the future to proactively address potential disruptions.
