HEAD OF RETAIL AND LOGISTICS PROCUREMENT, SAINSBURY’S, 29
A winner of the CIPS SM Young Purchasing and Supply Management Award in 2004, Paul Parker began his career on the graduate scheme at GlaxoSmithKline. It was his work there as a category manager (international procurement) implementing e-sourcing programmes in 20 countries that earned him the CIPS honour.
He moved to Royal Bank of Scotland where he managed £230 million of spend as a senior category manager (marketing purchasing). This involved managing the performance of media agencies across 38 brands for 24 marketing directors. He also implemented a new purchasing strategy for permanent and temporary recruitment across the bank.
He joined Sainsbury’s in 2008, making savings of £13 million that financial year. He also made £4 million savings on the group’s marketing print requirements.
In his current role, where he manages an annual spend of £650 million, Parker led the negotiation to secure the UK’s first “in-store couponing” agreement, where customer discount vouchers are printed at the checkout based on the transaction that has just taken place.
