The automotive companies – Valeo, Nidec, and Varroc – where I spent most of my professional years, provided me with a solid foundation in managing purchasing processes, imposed high work standards, and taught me various techniques for overcoming obstacles. To this day, I use tools like 5WHY and 5W’s + 2H’s for problem-solving. Gemba, Genchi, and Genbutsu, which I learned while working at Valeo, have become my natural approach to gaining a thorough understanding of situations, analyzing them, and determining the best course of action. Thousands of hours spent negotiating with suppliers and internal clients within matrix structures have taught me how to find common ground at the negotiation table and achieve set goals. I’ve come to understand that negotiations held today will have future consequences, making thorough preparation and careful consideration of the negotiation process crucial.
For most of my career, I have been involved in direct procurement, specifically in areas such as electromechanics, turned and stamped components, plastics, and rubber. In recent years, I have been managing non-production expenditures related to maintenance, health and safety, investments (CAPEX), production lines, machinery, and facility infrastructure. While each of these categories has its own specific characteristics, the common denominator is a methodological approach to procurement management (regardless of the materials involved), the negotiation techniques and strategies used on a daily basis.
In addition to my procurement DNA, I am a Manager and an Employee who also has superiors. I want to work and create a friendly business environment filled with trust, respect, and autonomy, as this guarantees people’s engagement in their work. I am a strong advocate of “knowledge & experience sharing,” “on-the-job training,” and the Kaizen methodology. I firmly agree with Steve Jobs’ opinion, who said: “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” When leading purchasing teams, I focus on their cohesion, collaboration, and development. By involving all team members in finding the most optimal solutions and making decisions, I can see the benefits of collective intelligence.
Lastly, it must be mentioned that professional ethics and honesty in daily work and life are fundamental values for me, without which I cannot imagine working in the Purchasing Department.
I would like to express my gratitude here to Anne Fesson – Head of the Purchasing Department at Valeo, Matthieu Chatain – Spare Parts Division Manager at Valeo, Ute Herrmann – Supervisor, Purchasing Consultant (Nidec), Marcin Curyło – Head of Purchasing (Nidec), and Tomasz Barcikowski – Supply Chain and Purchasing Manager at Vesuvius. Anne showed me the value of questioning the status quo. Matthieu gave me tough lessons in perfectionism across all areas of work, Ute taught me that it’s possible to work hard and ambitiously while maintaining respect for colleagues and clear boundaries between work and personal life. Marcin invested his time in my onboarding to a new role at Nidec and showed me how to lead negotiations involving Top Management. Tomek proved that emotions don’t help in decision-making – better results come from a calm approach.
Today, my professional attitude and position have been largely shaped thanks to all of you. I appreciate every lesson learned with your involvement.
Thank you!
