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A listener asks a simple question that every procurement professional should take personally: what can we do right now to stay future-proof over the next five years? Our first instinct is to joke about AI hype and quitting to “find yourself”, but the real answer sits underneath the banter: the best way to future-proof your procurement career is to build durable skills that survive new tools, new job titles, and the next wave of “must-have” tech.

Then we do something oddly practical for a show full of chaos, we open up CIPS past papers from the mid-1990s and read what counted as expert purchasing knowledge. International purchasing case studies, transfer pricing, global contract terms, countertrade, customs duties, and a surprisingly sharp question on procurement ethics across different countries. It’s a reminder that supply chain management is not just strategy slides and stakeholder engagement, it’s also trade mechanics, contracting, logistics, and knowing how to protect delivery, quality, and long-term performance.

We also compare those older exam themes with modern CIPS Level 5 and Level 6 modules, and you can hear the shift towards category management, negotiation, teams, and stakeholder management. The takeaway is not nostalgia, it’s balance: keep your commercial fundamentals strong, stay curious about technology like AI, and don’t let the “new” procurement role erase the hard edges that still matter when contracts go wrong.

If you enjoyed this, subscribe, share it with a procurement mate, and leave us a review. What skill do you think will matter most in procurement by 2030?

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We turn a silly pun challenge into a serious guide to passing the Advanced Practitioner project and building change that lasts. It ends with a live CIPS results reveal at the airport and a cheer as the plane boards. Will Luke 10 get his final pass of the journey? Will we ever hear from him again??

• how to frame an assignment title that wins approval
• primary research using stakeholder interviews
• programme vs project and why it matters
• structuring a 10,000-word business case
• behavioural science for stakeholder buy-in
• efficiency tactics that save time and build trust
• cost–benefit analysis and implementation planning
• project surgeries, timelines, and self-discipline
• live results reveal and next steps for travel

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We answer a listener’s question on breaking into procurement, then unpack how frameworks speed buying while staying compliant. Along the way we share real CCS evaluation insight, social value pitfalls, and where a DPS can beat a framework.

• translating a law degree into procurement advantage
• core procurement cycle from need to contract management
• interview tactics using everyday buying examples
• stakeholder triage and relationship cadence
• what framework agreements are and why they matter
• CCS evaluation panels and pass–fail social value
• pros and cons of frameworks for buyers and suppliers
• when to consider dynamic purchasing systems instead
• transparency, audit trails, and market access trade-offs

“Only a low low price of $59.99. Non-negotiable. Only... you can negotiate up.”

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Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

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We share a quick check‑in from a cold January, outline what’s coming in 2026, and talk through Luke’s sabbatical plans with a mix of jokes and practical next steps. From a CIPS tutor session to vintage exam papers, we set a path for useful, human, and curious episodes.

• 2026 preview with banked episodes and production update
• CIPS tutor insights and assignment module results on the way
• Will Luke qualify or fall short question teased
• 1993 exam papers and how the profession has shifted
• Sabbatical plans, remote recording, and response expectations
• Travel route ideas using listener locations
• Everyday carry and buying the right travel kit
• Light procurement back-to-basics with real trade-offs

Get your messages for Luke in within the next six weeks and he will make sure he answers all of them every single question that you send in

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Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

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Ever wonder how much personal data passes through your contracts, emails, and supplier handshakes? We sat down with Sara, a compliance lead who lives at the intersection of data protection, information security, and business continuity, to translate privacy law into buyer-friendly moves you can deploy today. No jargon. No scare tactics. Just clear guidance on where risk hides and how procurement can control it.

We break down what “personal data” really means, why work email addresses qualify, and how to choose and document the correct lawful basis without painting yourself into a corner later. Sara clarifies controllers vs processors, when you need a data sharing agreement versus a data processing agreement, and why robust clauses on purpose, retention, breach reporting, and international transfers are non-negotiable. You’ll learn how to handle supplier due diligence, flow down obligations to subcontractors, and raise the bar when special category or children’s data is involved.

We also tackle AI head-on: automated decision-making rights, the need for human review, and how to think about model training data, ethics, and transparency without freezing innovation. Plus, we unpack real-world fines and breaches from British Airways to healthcare ransomware to show what goes wrong when integrity and confidentiality are an afterthought. You’ll leave with practical steps for DSAR readiness, building a living ROPA, and SME-friendly resources that cut through noise.

If you touch contracts, vendors, or data, this conversation will sharpen your instincts and your documents. Subscribe, share with a colleague who owns vendor onboarding, and leave a review to tell us your biggest data protection challenge so we can answer it next time.

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Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

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Ever failed an exam and felt like it defined you? We’ve been there, and today we unpack a practical, no-fluff plan to turn repeated CIPS Level 4 setbacks into momentum. Starting from Kareem’s email, we map the exact steps to recover confidence and results: how to structure essay answers under pressure, how to read examiner reports for recurring patterns, and how to practise in a way that actually sticks on test day.

We dig into timing discipline for constructive responses, including a repeatable cadence of planning, structured points, and concise conclusions that keep you on the mark scheme. You’ll hear how to convert a handful of core procurement models—STEEPLE, Porter’s Five Forces, Kraljic, and basic financial ratios—into adaptable tools, supported by short real-world examples that prove application rather than theory-dumping. For multiple choice exams, we share our favourite tactics: eliminating noise, spotting negative stems, handling compound answers, and using large question banks that mirror CIPS style to build pattern recognition and confidence.

Support matters as much as study. We talk about building a calm pre-exam routine, choosing the right environment for focus, and tapping into communities and resources that make the journey less lonely. From YouTube explainers to robust mock exams, we outline a lean toolkit and a weekly cadence to track progress. Most of all, we keep it honest and human: past attempts are data, not destiny. Ready to try again with a better plan?

If this helped, follow the show, share it with a colleague who needs a boost, and leave a quick review so more procurement pros can find us. Got a question or want feedback on your report? Email 2lukes1cip@gmail.com and we might feature it in a future episode.

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Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

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Ever wish stakeholders called procurement first, not last? We dig into a live MCIPS Corporate Award project aimed at fixing exactly that, using three levers—procurement efficiency, process automation and behavioural insights—to make early engagement the easiest path for the business. Along the way, we tackle the hot take that the Corporate Award is the “easy route,” share what CIPS accreditation actually says, and explain why assignments still demand rigour, evidence and real organisational impact.

We start with the accreditation noise and move quickly into the practicalities of a 10,000‑word project: defining a clear problem statement, proving viability, and getting manager sign-off. Then we break down the plan to reduce late involvement by cleaning up intake, standardising templates, and using guided workflows that route requests to the right people at the right time. For legal and finance, we discuss legal-ready packs, clause playbooks, and approval timing that avoids month end. For stakeholders, we use behavioural nudges, better framing, and small design choices—defaults, reminders, progress bars—that shift habits without heavy-handed change management.

Expect grounded tactics you can copy: choose one high-friction journey, map it, set success metrics like lead time and satisfaction, pilot the new flow, and publish before-and-after results. We also share how tutor checkpoints keep momentum, why scope discipline matters, and how a crisp data story builds credibility for the next wave of change. If you’re wrestling with late buy-in, slow legal queues, or unclear approvals, this is a playbook to speed decisions and earn trust through design, automation and human psychology.

If this helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a teammate who’s stuck chasing sign-offs—then tell us what you’d try first.

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A chance encounter at a wedding with a sportswear buyer kicks off a fast, funny, and deeply practical tour of the football kit business. We break down the hidden economics behind those £70 shirts using Porter’s Five Forces, showing where brand power wins, where it leaks, and how clubs and manufacturers really negotiate.

We start with the state of play: intense rivalry among Adidas, Nike, and Puma; contracts that churn every few years to refresh revenue; and why fans pay premiums even when material costs are low. From there, we get into barriers to entry at the top tier, the quiet role of multi‑club ownership in bundling deals, and what it takes for a new brand to be taken seriously by a Premier League team. It’s not price—it’s credibility, distribution, and launch reliability across global markets.

Substitutes cut from two sides. Material innovation tempts performance gains, but counterfeits hit harder, siphoning demand with £10 replicas. We talk practical defence: authenticity programmes, exclusive drops, better storytelling, and delivery that beats the grey market on experience, not just cost. Buyer power sits with the clubs—only 20 to sell to and all well‑informed—while supplier power belongs to factories that can scale ethically without missing day‑one demand. Along the way we test a make‑versus‑buy mindset for fitness brands eyeing football, and find niches where challengers can still win: women’s lines, training ranges, and even officiating kits if the proposition is bold enough.

If you’re curious how procurement logic, brand strategy, and fan emotion collide, this one delivers sharp insights with a smile. Subscribe, share with a friend who argues about kits every season, and leave a review to tell us which force you think dominates the modern game.

Support the show

Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

It would also mean the world if you can drop us a cheeky 5* rating on your platform of choice,

Cya Later