AstraZeneca

Transforming procurement professionals from process managers to strategic leaders

Challenge

Rethinking the long-term business strategy in the face of challenging market changes

Action

Leadership development that transformed risk-averse contract managers into strategic business leaders

Result

Almost doubling the initial multibillion-dollar savings target a year ahead of schedule, with a 60:1 ROI

CHALLENGE

AstraZeneca is a multinational pharmaceutical and biologics company. It is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and has operations in over 100 countries.

Changes in the pharmaceutical industry and the high cost of bringing new products to market challenged the long-term strategy in ensuring continued profitability. The procurement function had a key role to play in driving the efficiency of the organisation in terms of cost, speed and quality. 

Procurement professionals needed to shift from being:

process driven

business leaders

ACTION

We designed and delivered a leadership and management programme to transform how the procurement function engaged and influenced the organisation to support a step-change in efficiencies and value cost savings. 
The mission was clear; to create a world-class procurement function, optimizing value for the organisation through excellence in people, strategy and execution. The workshops and coaching delivered ensured participants uncovered and transformed their existing ways of thinking to design something new, fit for the future and capable of tackling the real-time business reality. Shifting to strategic, long-term, innovative leaders with a clear plan to deliver results.

RESULTS

  • 80% overachievement of multibillion-dollar savings target delivered a year ahead of schedule
  • Tangible ROI of 60:1 as a direct consequence of the programme
  • Recognition of procurement function by leading industry awards
  • 70% of the leadership talent pool are graduates of this programme who applied breakthrough thinking to deliver results
  • The culture of the 700-strong procurement function has transformed. Demonstrating critical competencies; business confidence, strong commitment, improved customer and supplier relations and the courage to enrol others
"They took our people, developed them and we are producing results we could only have dreamed about" Head of Procurement
"I have seen a lot of external consultants not make a great deal of difference. Achieve Breakthrough really has. They listened, took everything on board and created a real focus on execution" Head of Procurement