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The Big Interview with Joe Bakowski

Written by: Procurement Heads
Published on: 7 Mar 2018

BIG INTERVIEW

The Procurement Heads Big Interview Series launched in 2017, and features Procurement Professionals throughout London and the Home Counties. It’s an opportunity to shed some light on the specialist world of Procurement and those who work within it. To be featured in Procurement Head’s next Big Interview, contact info@procurementheads.com
 

How did you get into procurement?

Prior to my Procurement career, I worked in all sorts of fields – I started out in engineering construction where I was responsible for managing process plant installation projects all over the world – Asia, Africa and Continental Europe.  I didn’t realise it at the time, but the focus on contract management was a great foundation for the future!  I did an MBA, had a brief slot in consulting, ran a public/private education company, did a stint at one of the major high street banks, and ran a graphic design company.  I joined Metro Bank in its early days in 2011 and initially ran banking operations. In 2014 I was given the job of setting up our Procurement & Supplier Risk team and I haven’t looked back since.  I love it.

What success are you most proud of in your career to date?

I get a buzz out of every commercial deal that we do, but one does stand out. Metro Bank processes coin for customers and non-customers alike for free, whereas if you do it in the supermarket you’re charged 9%.  As a result, Metro Bank is one of the highest volume coin processors in the country.  Coin processing is a dirty, expensive and sometimes risky business and we struggled to find the right partner to work with, but eventually we found a small niche player in Northern Ireland that we partnered with to help them set up on the UK mainland.  They operate a unique commercial model which allowed us to cut our costs by >90%, but more importantly their service is exemplary and our Magic Money Machines – a key feature of our stores – are kept running every hour that we’re open.

What do you love about your role?

I love structuring a commercial deal, solving problems for the business and bringing in great new suppliers to support Metro Bank.  I also love developing my team – we hire high achievers from industry and consultancy and train them up over 2-3 years in a fast moving, high growth environment, before laying the groundwork for them to broaden their careers or develop them elsewhere.  I’m really proud that the first procurement manager that I recruited has now gone on to front up Metro Bank’s commercial approach to the open banking market – a fantastic opportunity for him. 

Are there any aspects of your role that can be challenging?

The most challenging issue for me is recruitment – we are extremely selective and finding the right calibre of professional experience and cultural fit takes a long time.  In the current climate, recruiting specialist supplier risk people is a little bit like looking for millennium bug engineers in 1999.

To read the full Big Interview with Joe Bakowski, please visit the Procurement Heads website. 

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