With nearly two decades of experience across industrial manufacturing, telecoms, mining, FMCG, and real estate, Mohamed Abdlattif Osman brings a rare blend of regional insight and global strategy to procurement leadership. From managing critical fuel supply in crisis-hit Sudan to implementing Oracle Fusion, data centres, SAP S/4HANA, and AI-powered planning tools in the UAE, his career has been defined by adaptability, innovation, and measurable impact.
In this Executive Insight, he reflects on the evolving role of procurement across diverse sectors and markets, the importance of digital tools and ESG integration, and why cultural intelligence, curiosity, and consistent delivery remain the hallmarks of long-term procurement success.
Career Journey: Can you share your journey into procurement leadership and the key milestones that have shaped your approach across different industries and regions?
My procurement career began in Sudan’s industrial sector, managing the sourcing of machines, raw materials, and spare parts for steel manufacturing. I later moved into oil and gas with Petrodar, a joint venture between CNPC, Petronas, and the Sudanese government, during the country’s oil boom. This period taught me how to manage complex supply ecosystems under pressure.
I spent time in the FMCG sector with Coca-Cola, handling MRO supplies, followed by a pivotal role in the cement industry at ASEC Cement Group. I led procurement for a $400 million greenfield plant, one of only two in the region, where I built local vendor networks to reduce lead times, secured MRO and fuel during national shortages, and helped stabilise operations in a highly volatile environment.
At Alliance for Mining, a Gazprom subsidiary, I supported growth from inception to becoming one of the region’s largest gold producers. In telecoms, I led a procurement transformation at MTN Sudan, rolling out Oracle, introducing Sievo for spend analysis, and developing Power BI dashboards to improve decision-making. I also built a fuel distribution system for over 2,000 sites and delivered multimillion-dollar savings through OEM partnerships with Huawei, Ericsson, and Nokia.
Later, in the F&B sector, I oversaw regional supply chain operations across the MEA region, creating a UAE-based hub to enhance resilience. Across each role, I’ve carried forward the same principles: understand the market, tailor the strategy, and deliver measurable results.
Resilience Across Regions: How has your leadership contributed to overcoming regional challenges and building resilient procurement functions?
Resilience requires balancing local agility with global standards. In Sudan, I kept operations running through severe fuel shortages and currency devaluation by building a long-term fuel distribution programme backed by reliable African suppliers.
In telecoms, I developed redundancy across supply chains by diversifying vendors, leveraging OEM relationships, and using digital tools like Power BI for real-time stock visibility. At Julius Meinl, I built a UAE hub that capitalised on free-zone advantages to ensure steady inventory flow for the region.
Today, I rely heavily on SAP S/4HANA, Sievo, and other analytics platforms to drive compliance, performance monitoring, and supplier collaboration. My philosophy remains the same: qualify suppliers rigorously, plan proactively, and measure performance consistently.
Sustainability in Procurement: How are you integrating sustainable practices into procurement and what strategies have proven most effective?
Sustainability isn’t one-size-fits-all. In the cement industry, I partnered with FLSmidth on one of the few green cement plants in the MEA region, incorporating emissions controls and energy efficiency from the outset.
At MTN Group, I supported ESG initiatives to reduce fuel emissions and collaborated with local community organisations to repurpose warehouse waste sustainably.
While at Julius Meinl, a company with a 160-year legacy of sustainability, I supplied eco-friendly products to the MENA region. Supporting their food sustainability initiatives globally was both rewarding and aligned with my personal values.
My approach is to localise global sustainability frameworks, prioritising pragmatic solutions that align with the capabilities of the market while still driving real results.
Supplier Relationships and Quality Assurance: What strategies do you use to build long-term supplier partnerships and ensure quality delivery in complex environments?
In markets like Sudan, trust and loyalty are key. At ASEC Cement and MTN Sudan, close personal supplier relationships ensured consistency even under high-stakes conditions. I’ve always emphasised mutual value creation and cultural understanding.
At Alliance for Mining, I worked closely with international and local partners to rapidly expand MRO and fuel capacity. OEM partnerships helped us maintain consistent standards across telecom network expansions.
In the UAE, I combine SRM tools with performance metrics like KPIs, supplier scorecards, and regular reviews. Transparent communication and cultural respect are the cornerstones of every supplier relationship I manage.
Digital Transformation in Procurement: Which digital tools have had the most transformative impact on your procurement operations?
Digitalisation has been integral to every role. At MTN, I led a major Oracle rollout, standardising procurement across a challenging landscape. Sievo provided clarity on spend, and Power BI dashboards helped monitor warehouse performance, including spares and indirect inventory.
At Julius Meinl, I consolidated inventory visibility across the MEA region using a regional hub in the UAE, which enhanced responsiveness and control. Today, SAP S/4HANA and Power BI continue to support compliance, analytics, and supplier collaboration.
The key is adapting the level of digital transformation to the market maturity, technology must serve outcomes, not just processes.
Inventory and Forecasting: How do you balance cost optimisation and availability in dynamic markets?
At MTN, I expanded forecasting to cover indirect materials, partnering with 3PLs like Bolloré and Aramex, as well as developing a local distributor as a logistics partner, to maintain supply across over 2,000 telecom sites. Strategic buffer stocks and safety inventory ensured business continuity.
In FMCG, I leveraged warehousing in Jebel Ali and DWC, partnering with RSA Global to create a regional hub. This structure reduced lead times and improved stock rotation while controlling working capital. Today, AI-powered planning tools combined with real-time market intelligence ensure high availability and JIT delivery across complex project schedules.
Risk Management in Procurement? With global volatility increasing, how do you ensure procurement continuity through effective risk planning?
Risk planning has been at the heart of my career. In Sudan, I developed fuel contracts that safeguarded supply during currency collapses and political unrest. At MTN, I used Power BI to track warehouse stocks and secured local backup vendors.
In mining, I built procurement models from zero to full-scale operations, layering redundancy and contingency planning across every phase.
At Julius Meinl, I mapped compliance and logistics risks using structured matrices. Now, I apply SAP S/4HANA scenario modelling to navigate geopolitical shifts and supply disruptions with greater foresight.
Challenges in Procurement: What challenges have you faced across industries, and how have you adapted to stay competitive?
In Sudan, I had to build vendor ecosystems from scratch, deal with limited infrastructure, and work under restrictive import laws. Success required adaptability, local ingenuity, and global quality benchmarks.
In Africa more broadly, procurement systems are often fragmented, navigating these required flexible frameworks and cultural intelligence.
In the UAE, compliance expectations and performance metrics are far more stringent. I’ve adapted by deploying scalable systems, investing in data visibility, and focusing on stakeholder engagement to meet rising demands without compromising speed or quality.
Trends Shaping the Future: What trends are redefining procurement and supply chain management in your view?
Digital transformation and ESG integration are leading the charge. In Africa, mobile-first procurement and blockchain pilots are gaining traction to improve transparency and inclusion. In the GCC, AI tools, predictive analytics, and sustainability reporting are quickly becoming essential.
I’m exploring machine learning to score supplier risk, ESG dashboards for sourcing, and greater cross-border knowledge-sharing to build smarter, more integrated supply chains.
The future belongs to leaders who can bridge global systems with regional realities, adapting innovation to deliver sustainable value.
Advice to Aspiring Procurement Leaders: With nearly 20 years in the field, what guidance would you offer to the next generation of procurement professionals?
First, master cultural intelligence. Relationship-building has been as crucial in Africa as technical know-how is in the UAE. Second, pace your technology adoption. I’ve moved from spreadsheets to Oracle, to SAP S/4HANA, always aligning tech with maturity. Third, measure your impact. Track results, savings, efficiency gains, delivery improvements. Numbers speak louder than narratives. Fourth, network widely and seek mentors. Diverse connections will expose you to broader ideas and faster growth. Finally, stay curious. Every market has unique lessons. That mindset, of constant learning and adaptability, has been my greatest asset throughout this journey.
