CPO Crunch: Putting procurement at the heart of rapid investment - Procurement Leaders

CPO Crunch: Putting procurement at the heart of rapid investment By David Rae 15 June 2026 National Grid’s Simon Harnett shared how his team is playing a defining role in a £70bn infrastructure rollout It’s always encouraging to hear about CPOs playing a clear and tangible role in helping to drive enterprise projects with deep strategic relevance. Late last year, as an example, Jacob Nielsen, CPO of Nestlé, shared during a Procurement Leaders CPO Connect calls how his €2bn savings programme was directly funding the company’s return to growth strategy . And we’ve heard many other great examples of procurement being a crucial part of the picture rather than playing the supporting role it might have done in the past. Last week provided another great example, this time from Simon Harnett, CPO of National Grid ( pictured above ). National Grid is a UK-headquartered electricity and gas utility company that operates networks in the UK and the northeast of the US. With revenues of more than £17.5bn, the business is one of the largest public utilities in the world. Naturally, such a business model requires periodic infrastructure investment – and the levels can be mind boggling. In March, the company announced that it would be increasing its capital-expenditure programme by “at least” £10bn to reach a jaw-dropping £70bn over a five-year period to 2031. As CPO, Simon is a key piece of the jigsaw to ensure the successful delivery of the programme. According to the company’s recent annual report, “strengthening procurement strategies, supplier relationships, and commercial disciplines to mitigate supply chain risk” is a key focus. And so it was that Simon took the CPO community through the work he’s done to ensure the supply chain is ready, that risks have been mitigated and his team is also ready for the challenge ahead. What’s making things even more challenging is a shift to a seller’s market, as industry peers also look to upgrade their networks. Such competition results in longer lead times, inflationary pressures and shortages of key goods, services and labour. To address this scale and complexity, Simon has doubled down on some key areas, including a shift toward  Project 13 principles  and alliance-based contracting to foster deeper supplier partnerships, supply-chain mapping to understand exposure, a focus on team capabilities and working cross-functionally to drive simplification and bring the full scale of the business to market. So far, so good, it would seem. The supply chain and delivery mechanisms for around three-quarters of the £70bn capex programme have already been put in place. To receive weekly insights from the Procurement Leaders community, sign up to the  CPO Crunch  newsletter using the link at the top of this page . The CPO Crunch Inspiring CPO community insights – straight from the source into your inbox. Subscribe to your CPO newsletter: Thanks for subscribing to the CPO Crunch newsletter. Keep an eye on your inbox for your first one. More insights Being a CPO: Probably the best job in the world READ MORE Research – Beyond centre-led: The future of procurement operating models READ MORE World Procurement Congress 2024: We’re only just getting started READ MORE Thought leader: How to get early supplier involvement right READ MORE Procurement – much more than a job READ MORE CPO Crunch: The procurement culture club READ MORE New research: supply chain transparency – enabling insights into the invisible READ MORE CPO Crunch: A rewarding time READ MORE CPO Crunch: Hydrogen making its mark READ MORE CPO Crunch: Looking back on the ‘year of AI’ READ MORE 2024 planning: Supporting growth by expanding strategic procurement and optimising operating models READ MORE Research: Purpose-driven procurement: Entering an age of holistic value READ MORE Research: High-velocity procurement READ MORE Can brands save profits without squeezing suppliers? READ MORE Next generation category management READ MORE CPO Crunch: Cause for (cautious) optimism READ MORE CPO Crunch: Building for the next crisis READ MORE CPO Crunch: Communication key to cyber response READ MORE CPO Crunch: Reserving judgement on the balance between automation and human input READ MORE