Frankfurt Forward: Shaping the Future of Procurement with AI

Frankfurt became the latest stop on a journey that’s reshaping global procurement—one conversation at a time. 

Following the powerful launch in Amsterdam, the Zycus Procurement AI World Tour touched down in Frankfurt with the same energy—but even deeper conversations. Hosted as an invite-only, insight-rich gathering, the event brought together some of the sharpest minds in procurement across industries. 

From automation-minded CPOs to risk-aware strategists and transformation leaders, the room was packed with people asking tough questions, sharing honest realities, and collectively mapping what AI in procurement should look like next. 

Keynotes that Set the Tone 

The day opened with a trio of high-impact keynotes that hit all the right notes—from macro trends to tactical execution. 

• Peter Scharbert (EY) shared takeaways from the 2025 Global CPO Survey, making a compelling case for procurement as a driver of enterprise resilience and long-term value creation.
• Bislim Goxhufi (Tenneco) pulled back the curtain on how Tenneco is already achieving: 

1. 40–50% faster intake cycles 
2. 30–40% faster supplier onboarding 
3. Autonomous negotiation directly embedded into Microsoft Teams
   “Strategic minds shouldn’t get stuck in tactical talks—it’s time to let ANA take the wheel,” he said. 

• Kai Nowosel (Adecco Group) challenged attendees to rethink procurement transformation, calling for both greenfield innovation and brownfield disruption. His mantra? “Grow Without Growing.” 

Roundtable Sessions: Where Real Conversations Happened 

Beyond the stage, the real power of the event emerged at the roundtables, where delegates took on three focused topics: 

Intake Friction 

Procurement leaders reflected on how GenAI-powered intake orchestration—especially within platforms like MS Teams—could radically improve ease and compliance. 

Key insights: 

• Guided buying agents are critical to reduce effort and enforce policy 
• A single view for business users; let procurement decide the backend path 
• Conversational, centralized data entry is the next frontier 

Supplier Risk Mitigation 

With increasing geopolitical and regulatory risks, the group discussed moving from reactive to predictive supplier risk management. 

Key insights: 

• Risk should involve the full supply chain 
• Agentic AI can help forecast, educate, and suggest actions 
• Standardizing AI outcomes would drive adoption and trust 

Negotiation Velocity 

Tail spend often escapes strategy. The discussion focused on autonomous agents that can negotiate low-value purchases with speed and control. 

Key insights: 

• Definitions of tail spend vary, but urgency to reclaim it is universal 
• AI should own the long tail—freeing procurement teams for strategic efforts 
• Guardrails must be in place to delegate with confidence 

Who Was in the Room? 

The event brought together senior leaders from a broad mix of companies and sectors. From early-stage transformation to AI experimentation, each attendee brought a unique perspective—and left with actionable takeaways. 

Final Thoughts: More Than a Tour—A Movement 

Frankfurt proved what we already suspected: this isn’t just a roadshow. It’s a transformation in motion. AI in procurement is no longer a slide deck idea—it’s operational, measurable, and scalable. 

As the Zycus Procurement AI World Tour continues across Europe, we’re excited to see what each new stop brings. The problems are real. So are the solutions. 

To everyone who joined us in Frankfurt—thank you. Your presence and participation made this kickoff truly special. 

Let’s keep the momentum going. 

📍 Next stop? Paris

Related reads –  

1. Amsterdam Sets the Pace: A Powerful Start to the Procurement AI World Tour 
2. CPO eProcurement Checklist for Belgium  
3. 2025 Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) Trends & Insights: Key Challenges, Automation, and AI-Driven Strategies  
4. Procurement Fails You’ll Recognize — and Fixes You’ll Want to Steal  
5. GenAI Execution with Evolving Regulatory Landscape