Procurement has a reputation problem, but what if it could become one of the most strategic, human-led functions in a modern business?

In this episode of the Talent Talks Podcast, we sit down with Darren Bosman, an experienced procurement leader who has built and scaled functions across continents and industries. From South Africa and the Seychelles to the UK, Darren brings a global perspective shaped by fintech, professional services and high-growth organisations. He is currently Head of Procurement at Tide, where he is helping the business scale through better systems, stronger stakeholder partnerships and a clear route to commercial value.

Darren shares practical insight into what it really takes to set up procurement in fast-growing businesses, how to overcome the “procurement as police” stereotype, and why trust and stakeholder experience matter more than perfect processes. The conversation also explores centralised versus decentralised models, supplier relationships, hiring the right talent, and how AI is reshaping procurement by removing admin and elevating strategic impact.

This episode is full of grounded advice, real-world examples and a refreshing take on where the profession is heading.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by Omnea.

If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, share, and leave a review to support the Talent Talks Podcast.

What The Episode Covers

• Setting up procurement functions in scaling businesses
• Overcoming negative perceptions of procurement
• Building trust with stakeholders and suppliers
• Centralised vs centre-led procurement models
• Managing resistance to change
• Why procurement skills are highly transferable
• Simplifying procurement processes and language
• The role of AI in automating admin and enabling strategy
• What Darren looks for when hiring procurement talent
• The future of procurement as a value-driving function

Chapters

00:00 – Who is Darren Bosman and what is his background?

01:00 – What are the biggest challenges when building procurement from scratch?

03:00 – How do you change negative perceptions of procurement?

05:20 – When should a business move from decentralised to centre-led procurement?

08:15 – How do you manage resistance while maintaining supplier relationships?

13:45 – Are procurement skills transferable across industries and regions?

18:05 – What lessons and advice have shaped your career most?

20:00 – How will AI and technology reshape procurement roles?

24:00 – What does the future look like for procurement and your team at Tide?

How does someone with no procurement background end up building one of Europe’s fastest-growing procure-tech companies?

In this episode of Talent Talks, Martin Smith sits down with Ben Freeman, co-founder and CEO of Omnea, the AI-native intake and orchestration platform transforming how companies like Spotify, Wise, Monzo and Adecco manage spend, supplier risk and procurement workflows.

Ben shares his unexpected path into procurement tech, from founding cybersecurity scale-up Tessian to spending 18 months searching for his next big idea. After more than 300 interviews with procurement leaders, Ben uncovered systemic problems around collaboration, process, risk and user experience - leading him to build Omnea in 2022.

Now over 150 people strong across London and New York, Omnea has raised more than $75 million from Accel, Khosla and Insight Partners, and is redefining how procurement operates in the AI era.

This conversation covers talent density, efficiency, product philosophy, market noise, AI realities, and what CPOs are really struggling with today. Ben’s honesty, clarity and founder mindset make this one of the most insightful episodes to date.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Omnea!

If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more listeners discover Talent Talks.

Some of the key moments during this podcast:

• How Ben went from cybersecurity founder to procure–tech CEO
• Why he spent 18 months exploring ideas before launching Omnea
• What 300+ interviews revealed about procurement’s biggest problems
• Why talent density is the most important factor in scaling
• Lessons learned from Tessian and applying them to Omnea
• The importance of patience and product quality in enterprise software
• Why brand awareness matters - even with an 86% RFP win rate
• How AI is reshaping procurement roles and team structures
• The difference between hype-driven AI and real operational impact
• Why the future of procurement is collaborative, connected and AI-native

Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Who Is Ben Freeman?
01:30 – How did a non-procurement founder build a procure–tech company?03:45 – What did 300+ interviews reveal about procurement’s biggest problems?
05:10 – How did Omnea scale to 150 people and $75m raised in 3 years?
06:35 – What pressures and realities come with leading a hypergrowth company?
08:15 – What has Omnea done right, and what’s been underestimated?
13:20 – Why is talent density the biggest determinant of success?
14:50 – How does Omnea balance efficiency with product quality and patient execution?
15:55 – Why is lack of brand awareness Omnea’s biggest growth limiter today?
19:55 – What does Ben really think about the current procure-tech landscape?
23:10 – What challenges are CPOs facing right now across industries?
26:00 – How can procurement fix its reputation and elevate its influence?
29:10 – How should procurement leaders position themselves for 2026’s opportunities?
32:00 – Will AI replace procurement roles, or transform them?
35:00 – What’s the difference between real AI substance and market hype?
36:00 – Final reflections

What does it take to grow from a young apprentice to leading global procurement transformation?

In this episode of Talent Talks, Leigh Hurrell, Director of Indirect Procurement at Entrust, joins Martin Smith to discuss his two-decade journey through aerospace, defence and technology. From BAE Systems, Thales, Onfido and now Entrust.

Leigh shares how he built a career grounded in curiosity, long-term planning and a deep belief in the value of trust and relationships.

Leigh offers practical advice for building great teams, fostering transparency with suppliers and balancing commercial rigour with innovation and agility.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Omnea!

If you enjoy conversations that unpack leadership, growth and the evolving role of procurement, this one’s for you. Don’t forget to subscribe, share and leave a review to help more people discover Talent Talks.

Some of the key moments during this podcast include:

How Leigh first discovered procurement at BAE Systems
The lessons learned from early management roles
Why having a 10-year plan changed his career
Building long-term supplier relationships based on trust and respect
Leading procurement transformation at Onfido and Entrust
Managing growth, acquisitions and rapid change
Balancing commercial decisions with innovation and risk
Hiring for values, not just skills
The evolving role of procurement in cyber and digital supply chains

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:40 – How Leigh started in procurement

02:50 – Early lessons from BAE Systems and Thales

06:36 – The power of curiosity and career planning

08:24 – Building lasting supplier relationships

13:19 – Moving to Onfido and adapting to rapid growth

17:42 – Procurement during acquisition and transformation

20:30 – Balancing technology, budgets and risk

23:14 – Building teams and hiring the right people

27:29 – Leadership and team culture

31:10 – The evolution of procurement and new challenges

37:14 – Quickfire questions and final reflections