The 11th Procurement and Supply Chain Management Summit (STZ 2023), organized by the Purchasing Managers and Professionals Association (TÜSAYDER), was successfully held with the participation of over 500 procurement professionals. The summit brought together industry representatives from all over Turkey to address significant issues.

In her opening speech at the summit, TÜSAYDER President Meriç Atalay emphasized that in an era where economic stagnation has become a global norm, investments in digital transformation are rapidly increasing, and many companies are seeking ways to automate their procurement processes. Atalay highlighted the importance of technology in the business world, saying, “While economic stagnation has become a global norm, investments in digital transformation are progressing steadily and shaping up faster than expected. Currently, many companies are looking for ways to automate their procurement processes and accelerate time to market.”

The summit was held under the theme “A Matter of Homeland in Procurement and Supply Chain: Resilience and Digital Adaptation.” Within this framework, it was emphasized that, especially for decision-makers in procurement and industry representatives, there is a significant responsibility to create value, achieve success in global competition, and ensure a high level of welfare for Turkey in its 100th year.

During the summit, the strategic importance of the agriculture sector was highlighted, as meeting the food needs of a growing population, ensuring food security, and preserving natural resources have increased the significance of agriculture. Simultaneously, the opportunities technology and digital adaptation offer to Turkey and the roadmap for the future were discussed by experts and top executives worldwide. Solutions for Turkey to become self-sufficient with proper resource utilization were also proposed at the summit.

The participation of high-level executives was remarkable at the summit. Prominent figures such as Yılmaz Tokgöz, General Manager of Unilever Turkey and Central Asia; Oğuzhan Güngördü, General Manager of Paket Taxi; İsmail Karakış, Partner at PWC Turkey; Tuğrul Günal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TEDAR; Sencer Solakoğlu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TÜSEDAD; Hakan Aydın, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eurofres; Şeref Oğuz, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Nasıl Bir Ekonomi Gazetesi; Özcan Çavuş, Deputy General Manager for Data at Doğuş Technology; Bülent Karal, Director of Cloud and Business Solutions at SAP Turkey; and Gözde Turalı, Private Sector Partnerships Coordinator at KEDV, delivered speeches at the summit.

Sevgi Yılmaz, Vice Chairman of the TÜSAYDER Board, expressed that the association will continue to be one of Turkey’s leading procurement associations and will work to strengthen the sector’s global competitiveness through national and international collaborations. STZ 2023 received significant interest and shed light on the future of the procurement and supply chain management field.

[Website: www.tusayder.org]