CPOnet Convention

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Market news

Latest updates from across the market.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

CPO (Chief Procurement Officer)

The executive who owns sourcing strategy and supplier spend across an organisation. At a procurement convention such as this one, CPO-level buyers are the decision makers stand teams want in front of.

2

Category management

Splitting spend into categories (IT, logistics, marketing, facilities, raw materials) and managing each with its own strategy, supplier panel and savings target. Category managers are core attendees at this type of event.

3

Direct vs indirect spend

Direct spend buys goods and services that go into the product a company sells; indirect spend covers everything the business runs on. Conventions of this format typically mix both tracks on the stand floor.

4

Tail spend

The long list of low-value, high-count purchases that sit outside preferred supplier agreements. Controlling tail spend is a common driver for buyers attending to compare catalogues and e-procurement tools.

5

Spend analytics

Consolidating invoice and PO data to see who buys what, from whom, at what price. It is the data backbone behind category plans and the usual first meeting topic with analytics vendors.

6

Source-to-pay (S2P) and purchase-to-pay (P2P)

The end-to-end chain from sourcing and contracting through requisition, PO, receipt and payment. Solution providers at procurement conventions position platforms across this whole chain.

7

RFI, RFQ and RFP

Request for Information, Quotation and Proposal - the formal documents buyers issue to shortlist and price suppliers. Buyers often arrive at a fair already drafting one for their next category review.

8

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)

The structured programme of scorecards, business reviews and escalation paths used with strategic suppliers. It is distinct from one-off sourcing and usually sits with the same category teams.

9

Total cost of ownership (TCO)

The full cost of a purchase across its life, including logistics, maintenance, downtime and disposal, not just the unit price. TCO models are how buyers justify a switch to a higher-priced supplier.

10

Cost avoidance vs hard savings

Hard savings reduce the actual invoice; cost avoidance prevents a future increase. Procurement teams report both, and suppliers are usually asked which one their offer delivers.

11

ESG and Scope 3 procurement

Supplier codes of conduct, human rights due diligence and emissions reporting for purchased goods and services. Regulatory pressure has pushed these requirements into standard tender questionnaires.

12

Nearshoring and supplier localisation

Rebalancing supply chains toward closer or dual-source suppliers to cut lead times and risk. It is a frequent theme when buyers compare European and offshore vendors on the floor.

13

Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)

Tools and processes for drafting, storing, renewing and enforcing supplier contracts. Buyers with fragmented contract storage often shortlist CLM vendors at this kind of show.