28 June 2010 | Rebecca Ellinor
Two groups of purchasing professionals fought it out in the fierce London heat for supremacy in SM’s Battle of the Buyers on Friday.
The close-run competition involved a dozen procurement and supply professionals gamely signing up to be part of the day-long event with very little information as to what it would involve. The strangers gathered at the offices of SM in Central London on Friday morning and were divided into two groups. They were given £150 and six-and-a-half hours to return with a hamper of unusual and premium items they had sourced and purchased – or negotiated for free – that day.
Gavin Hodgson’s Team 1 – Stuart Alford, Wojciech Karnas, Sarah Billson, James Williams and John Crawley – demonstrated energy and ingenuity, but Team 2 – Tina Fegent, Robin Potton, Stuart Stephen, Amanda Doyle and Sam Mercer, led by Patrick Wolff – triumphed.
Both teams succeeded in completing the task on time and under budget, but judges Andy Davies, Jenny Radcliffe and chairman Dick Russill determined that the teamwork and lower spend of Team 2 meant they should clinch the title.
* Coverage of the event, which tested project management, teamwork, influencing and negotiation skills, will appear in the 5 August issue of SM.
