Ep. 23 – How Private Equity Redefines Procurement Value – with Will Harman
In private equity, the smartest procurement move isn’t scaling spend. It's scaling insight.
In this episode, host Richard McIntosh speaks with Will Harman, Founder & CEO of Trusted Value Creation and former Global Margin Expansion Lead at Apax Partners.
Will shares how private equity turns procurement into one of its most powerful levers for value creation. Drawing on his experience managing $12 billion in annual spend across 85 portfolio companies, he explains how PE firms create margin improvement through data-driven insight, precise timing, and selective intervention, instead of bulk buying.
From AI tools that turn spend data into opportunity maps to peer networks that unlock scale without complexity, Will shows why intelligent collaboration outperforms traditional cost-cutting. His perspective challenges procurement leaders to think differently, using PE’s focused, results-driven model to deliver measurable value and long-term business impact.
You’ll learn:
1. How private equity turns procurement into a core driver of profit and growth
2. Why collaboration often beats centralised buying for real results
3. How AI helps uncover opportunities before they reach the boardroom
4. What right-sized capability looks like in agile, fast-moving organisations
5. How PE’s value creation mindset helps procurement prove its business impact
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Get in touch with Will Harman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-harman-a20ab41/
Learn more about Trusted Value Creation: https://trustedvaluecreation.com/
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About the host Richard McIntosh:
Richard McIntosh, Partner at H&Z Management Consulting, has spent over 23 years helping procurement leaders succeed. Richard is an avid rugby fan, and a children's rugby coach, with a passion for helping children to become their best selves through sports. He spends his time outside of work with his wife and children.
Get in touch with Richard McIntosh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcintosh-richard/