Abdi Azimi

At a glance:

Joined Baringa in
2019

Works across
Procurement and supply chain in all industries

Wise words
“Help others to help yourself”

In detail:

Abdi has been optimising supply chains and procurement processes across all sectors – from government, financial services, telecoms, energy and utilities, pharma and retail for over two decades, generating an estimated £1bn of value.

Little did Abdi know that his lifelong passion and enthusiasm for this field would be sparked when he joined Hewlett-Packard after training as an engineer. He found himself working on the integration of Compaq, one of the largest tech deals in history. It turned out that the single biggest source of value from the merger came from synergies and efficiencies in joining the supply chains of the two businesses. Abdi was hooked, and has worked in this function ever since.

Abdi’s vision for the function is one where there are no barriers in the relationship between suppliers and buyers, where they work shoulder to shoulder, rather than follow competing interests. No business can achieve anything without strong supplier relationships, and no supplier can be successful without understanding and working with their customers. Abdi doesn’t see supply chains and procurement processes as transactions, but as a series of relationships based on trust and shared objectives. His message to CEOs is to search for value outside the four walls of their organisations, and to treat procurement as the magic door that can lead them to long-term competitive advantage.

Abdi grew up in London, in the middle of the welcoming and warm Iranian community. He strongly believes in the power of a diverse society, celebrating differences while ensuring that they don’t ever limit our potential. At Baringa, he leads the ethnic diversity network and our own strategic planning.

In his free time, you’ll find Abdi in his trainers. He’s a keen runner and runs every day - not just to stay fit, but also because of the spiritual benefits he gets from running. Often he finds answers to challenges on his runs – which is why he carries a notebook with him.