ProcureTEX 2025: Five key takeaways – Data, AI, Orchestration, Skills and Community

Last week in London, more than 250 procurement leaders, innovators, and practitioners gathered for the first edition of ProcureTEX, a new event convened by leading best-of-breed providers. Beroe, Keelvar and Zip built the event around the principles of interoperability, practitioner-led discussion, and practical innovation. 

As Beroe CEO, Vel Dhinagaravel, put it in his welcome address, ProcureTEX was designed from the outset to be an “unconference,” putting practitioners first, focusing on learning, collaboration, and creating space for honest conversations about the future of procurement and procuretech.  

One of the most distinctive aspects of this ‘unconference’ approach was the event’s emphasis on peer-to-peer learning. As well as keynotes and panel discussions, attendees were invited to practitioner-only sessions and workshops which encouraged candid conversations, while a series of hackathons offered the chance to deep-dive into real-world challenges. 

The result was a busy, high-energy day that demonstrated a clear appetite throughout the industry for a community-driven approach focused on shared learning. 

Here are five key takeaways from a day of lively discussion, practical case studies, and hands-on problem solving. 

1. No data, no AI (and bad data = bad AI) 

 Michael Wooldridge, Professor of AI at Oxford University, began the day with an engaging and educational keynote, reminding the room that “You can’t have an AI strategy without a data strategy.” Throughout the day, speakers and attendees reinforced this message – clean, contextual data is procurement’s most valuable asset, but also its greatest challenge. Without it, AI promises remain just that. 

2. AI in procurement has evolved from pilot to performance

Another notable theme throughout the day was that discussions about AI are now grounded in practice, not hype. From presentations on Roche’s AI orchestration journey to discussion of how Siemens Energy is using AI to tackle inflationary pressures, practitioners showcased real-world use cases. Talk is no longer just about how pilots and proofs of concept are performing, but about the ongoing challenge of turning data into real decisions.  

3. Orchestration is the new engine 

The best-of-breed model is now a viable alternative to purely traditional suites. The future is one of curated ecosystems with orchestration providing the connective tissue. As one participant noted, orchestration is not just workflow efficiency, it’s the data engine that powers AI, capturing structured, high-fidelity data at every step. What’s important is the quality and context of that data to enable optimal results.  

Hybrid approaches also have their place. Dashboards for structured use cases still work because they are easily digestible and accessible, but, in combination with more agile systems, they are a powerful tool in closing the data-to-action gap. 

4. Skills are a bottleneck 

With new, AI-powered procurement technologies ready to be deployed today, people and organizations aren’t always keeping pace. Throughout the day, the skills gap in data literacy and comfort with AI tools was highlighted as an area of focus for the sector. As Satvinder Panesar, Data and Analytics Director at AstraZeneca, puts it: “If you’re not competent from a digital perspective, you’ll struggle. Many large enterprises are like big slow ships, while AI is moving so quickly.” 

5. Community > Conference 

Beyond the inspiring speakers and rich content, it was the format that made ProcureTEX stand out. Interactive workshops, practitioner-only circles, and live hackathons created a space designed to stimulate peer-to-peer learning. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and the appetite from attendees for a closer community in which to work collaboratively and share ideas, more regularly, was clear. Watch this space for what’s coming next! 

The bottom line… 

Reflecting on the day, procurement’s future will involve a combination of strong data foundations, creative application of AI, and collaborative problem solving, moving from theory into producing scalable solutions with real-world impact. 

ProcureTEX 2025 showed that procurement’s conversation has shifted from “what if?” to “how to”. The tools exist now, the use cases are real, and the next step is how best to execute thoughtfully. 

As one attendee put it “The era of reimagining is over. Now it’s time to build.”