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A slam dunk graphic for an upcoming webinar. But once again, is Practical Procurement Utilization taking a back seat to Progressive AI Theories?
The two webinar presenters are Pieter J. Den Hamer and Leinar Ramos. While both have incredibly impressive credentials regarding AI, besides Pieter’s reference to supply chain optimization as one of the many areas he has focused on, it would be safe to say that both primarily view the procurement function from a purely outside-in AI perspective.
While I want to clarify that I am not presenting in the above webinar, I have signed up to attend and will share my assessment in a follow-up post.
That said, I thought it would be interesting to compare our respective backgrounds in the context of procurement and supply chain focus, and more specifically, the practical application of AI, Generative AI, and Agentic AI.
At the end of today’s post, I will share a video on my development of an agent-based, self-learning algorithm AI platform to procure MRO parts to support the Department of National Defence’s IT infrastructure. Funded by the government’s Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Program, the platform’s core piece was my theory on “strand commonality” within the procurement practice.
Procurement strategy, digital transformation, supplier management, sourcing, and ProcureTech evaluation.
Using the 4-Model RAM Framework, how does practical procurement, high-tech experience, and expertise over 40 years compare with the Gartner webinar presenters?
MODEL 1
Comparison of Expertise
Predictive Analytics and AI Focus
Den Hamer: Strong focus on AI simulation and predictive analytics, aiming for long-term transformation. His work is theoretical, focusing on adaptive systems to predict supplier risks or optimize sourcing.
Ramos: Emphasizes Generative AI for practical applications (e.g., contract automation), with some predictive analytics capabilities. His operational experience adds a practical lens, though his focus is AI-centric.
Hansen (Procurement Insights): While Hansen acknowledges AI’s role in procurement, his focus is less on advanced predictive analytics and more on ensuring technology delivers practical value. He might advocate for simpler AI tools (e.g., spend analytics platforms) over complex predictive models, prioritizing ROI and user adoption.
Comparison: Den Hamer and Ramos lead in predictive analytics, with Den Hamer being more theoretical and Ramos more applied. Hansen lags in AI depth but offers a pragmatic perspective, ensuring tech aligns with organizational readiness.
Scalability and Practical Implementation
Den Hamer: AI simulation concepts are scalable in theory but lack practical implementation details, potentially challenging for organizations with diverse needs or limited tech capabilities.
Ramos: Offers practical implementation insights from his operational roles, but scaling Generative AI requires significant data preparation and training, a barrier for some organizations.
Hansen: Excels in practical implementation, drawing on 25 years of experience. His focus on user adoption and ROI ensures tech solutions are manageable for organizations of varying sizes and tech maturity.
Comparison: Hansen leads in practical scalability, followed by Ramos, with Den Hamer’s theoretical focus being the least actionable for immediate implementation.
Risk Mitigation and Supplier Management
Den Hamer: AI simulation can predict risks, but his expertise doesn’t emphasize supplier management directly, limiting its impact on addressing disruptions like tariff increases.
Ramos: Generative AI can streamline supplier interactions (e.g., contract compliance), but his focus is less on risk management, offering limited support for supply chain volatility.
Hansen: Specializes in supplier relationship management through his Relational Contracting Model, emphasizing collaboration to mitigate risks. His practical tech insights (e.g., using e-procurement for visibility) support organizations facing disruptions.
Comparison: Hansen leads in supplier management and risk mitigation, leveraging relationships and practical tech, while Den Hamer and Ramos offer less direct support in this area.
Ease of Use and Adoption
Den Hamer: His theoretical focus on AI simulation doesn’t address user adoption or ease of use, making his insights less accessible for organizations with limited tech resources.
Ramos: Generative AI applications require upskilling, which could challenge adoption, though his roundtables show awareness of these barriers.
Hansen: Prioritizes user adoption and practical solutions, ensuring tech is accessible for organizations with varying capabilities. His focus on relationships also supports manageable supplier interactions.
Comparison: Hansen is the strongest in supporting ease of use and adoption, followed by Ramos, with Den Hamer’s theoretical focus being the least practical for resource-constrained users.
Ranking Based on General Procurement Needs
Jon W. Hansen (Procurement Insights):
Strengths: Hansen’s 25 years of experience, focus on practical technology adoption, and Relational Contracting Model make him the best aligned with general procurement needs. His emphasis on user adoption and supplier relationships supports organizations balancing digital transformation with operational realities, while his tech insights ensure manageable AI adoption.
Fit: Hansen’s strategies can help organizations mitigate supply chain disruptions through collaborative supplier relationships, and his practical approach ensures scalability across diverse operations.
Leinar Ramos:
Strengths: Ramos’ Generative AI expertise offers practical applications for automation (e.g., contract management), and his operational experience adds a grounded perspective. However, his focus is narrower than Hansen’s, and implementation requires more upskilling.
Fit: Ramos supports analytics-driven procurement but may be less effective for organizations needing simpler, more accessible solutions due to the complexity of AI adoption.
Pieter den Hamer:
Strengths: Den Hamer’s AI simulation concepts are innovative and align with long-term procurement transformation, but they lack immediate practicality for most organizations.
Fit: His theoretical focus is less actionable compared to Hansen’s and Ramos’ more applied expertise, making it less suitable for immediate procurement challenges.
Critical Perspective
Hansen’s practical experience and focus on relationships through Procurement Insights make him the most valuable for organizations seeking actionable procurement strategies in 2025. The establishment narrative, as seen in Gartner’s AI-heavy focus, often overemphasizes innovation (Den Hamer) or specific AI applications (Ramos) without fully addressing execution challenges like data quality or user adoption, which Hansen tackles directly. While Den Hamer’s vision of adaptive systems is forward-thinking, it’s ahead of many organizations’ current capabilities, and Ramos’ Generative AI focus, while useful, doesn’t match Hansen’s breadth. Hansen’s insights are the most actionable, ensuring both strategic and operational success in a volatile market.
MODEL 2
The comparison between Gartner’s Pieter den Hamer and Leinar Ramos and Procurement Insights’ Jon W. Hansen reflects a clear divergence in focus, depth, and practical impact when it comes to procurement and ProcureTech expertise.
1. Focus Area & Domain Expertise
Analyst
Primary Focus
Pieter den Hamer
AI strategy, maturity models, governance, and enterprise-scale AI roadmaps.
Leinar Ramos
Generative AI, AI value realization, and responsible AI deployment across domains.
Jon W. Hansen
Procurement strategy, digital transformation, supplier management, sourcing, and ProcureTech evaluation.
🟢 Hansen is deeply focused exclusively on procurement and sourcing, while den Hamer and Ramos focus more on general enterprise AI strategy with limited procurement-specific depth.
🧠 2. Experience in Procurement & ProcureTech
Analyst
Procurement Experience & Involvement
Pieter den Hamer
Indirect connection — provides AI frameworks that can apply to procurement, but no direct procurement leadership or category expertise.
Leinar Ramos
Discusses procurement occasionally in AI use cases, but lacks procurement domain credentials.
Jon W. Hansen
Over 25 years in procurement; former practitioner, tech founder, and analyst focused entirely on procurement transformation.
🟢 Jon W. Hansen brings practitioner-grounded expertise, including:
Real-time supplier risk commentary
Deep knowledge of P2P/S2P/AI platform evolution
Historic analysis of failed and successful ProcureTech deployments
📚 3. Thought Leadership and Publications
Analyst
ProcureTech Insight & Publishing Impact
Pieter den Hamer
Publishes frameworks on AI strategy, rarely specific to procurement systems like Coupa, Ivalua, or Jaggaer.
Leinar Ramos
Thought leadership on AI ROI and responsible AI — more relevant to CIOs than CPOs.
Jon W. Hansen
Authored 3,000+ procurement-focused articles, published multiple books, hosts the industry’s longest-running procurement blog (Procurement Insights), and covers specific tech providers by name and performance.
🟢 Hansen provides vendor-specific, system-level insight with practical comparisons, while Gartner analysts operate at the abstract/strategic level with limited vendor detail.
🧭 4. Industry Alignment and Audience
Analyst
Primary Audience
Pieter den Hamer
CIOs, Chief Data Officers, AI strategists
Leinar Ramos
Digital transformation and AI governance leaders
Jon W. Hansen
CPOs, procurement practitioners, sourcing teams, and mid-market leaders
🟢 Hansen speaks directly to the procurement profession — not just through frameworks but through daily operational insights.
🏁 Conclusion
Category
Best Analyst
Procurement Domain Expertise
✅ Jon W. Hansen
AI Frameworks & Governance
✅ Pieter den Hamer / Leinar Ramos
Practitioner Relevance
✅ Jon W. Hansen
Vendor-Specific Tech Insight
✅ Jon W. Hansen
Enterprise AI Strategy (broad)
✅ Gartner Analysts
🧾 Final Judgment:
Jon W. Hansen brings greater depth, practical experience, and real-world insight into ProcureTech, sourcing, and supplier collaboration than either Gartner analyst. If you are a procurement practitioner, digital sourcing leader, or CPO, Hansen offers more actionable value. If you are a CIO building an enterprise-wide AI roadmap, den Hamer or Ramos provide value at the strategic AI architecture level.
MODEL 3
Comparison Table
Dimension
Pieter den Hamer (Gartner)
Leinar Ramos (Gartner)
Jon W. Hansen (Procurement Insights)
Academic Credentials
PhD, MSc in AI, complex systems
MBA, B.Eng. Industrial Engineering
Practitioner, author, industry-recognized thought leader
AI/Analytics Expertise
Deep, strategic, research-driven
GenAI, analytics, implementation
Practical, selective, critical of “AI-first” dogma
Transformation, critical analysis, industry advocacy
Summary
Den Hamer and Ramos offer deep, research-based expertise in AI, analytics, and digital transformation, with strong backgrounds in supply chain and procurement technology from a strategic and advisory perspective. Their work is highly relevant for organizations seeking to understand and implement the latest AI/ProcureTech trends at scale.
Jon W. Hansen brings unmatched hands-on procurement experience, having led real-world transformation projects and developed practitioner-focused methodologies like “Velocity Procurement.” His expertise is grounded in delivering measurable business outcomes, blending technology with human judgment, and challenging overengineered or tech-first approaches.
In essence:
Gartner’s analysts are best for strategic, technology-driven guidance and AI/analytics adoption in procurement.
Jon W. Hansen is best for practitioner-led, outcome-focused procurement transformation, ensuring technology truly serves business needs and delivers real-world results.
MODEL 4
The following table provides a structured comparison of expertise across key procurement dimensions:
Conclusion
Practitioner Experience: Jon W. Hansen stands distinctly apart with extensive documented procurement practitioner experience spanning decades. Neither den Hamer nor Ramos have publicly documented direct operational procurement roles, though Ramos has strategic procurement advisory experience.
Technology Expertise: Pieter den Hamer and Leinar Ramos offer deeper technical expertise in AI and analytics, with den Hamer focusing on the technical implementation of analytics and Ramos on the strategic application of AI in procurement transformation. Hansen provides valuable perspective on technology adoption from a practitioner viewpoint.
Thought Leadership: All three contribute to procurement thought leadership through different channels – Hansen through independent publishing, books and media, while den Hamer and Ramos through Gartner research and advisory services. Hansen’s content is more practitioner-focused, while Gartner research tends toward enterprise strategy.
ProcureTech Impact: None of the three are documented as core developers or primary contributors to specific ProcureTech products or platforms. Their influence is primarily through research, advisory work, and industry commentary rather than direct technology development.
Complementary Perspectives: The three figures offer complementary perspectives that, together, provide a comprehensive view of modern procurement:
– Hansen offers deep practitioner insights and real-world experience
– Den Hamer provides technical expertise in analytics implementation
– Ramos bridges AI capabilities with strategic procurement transformation
For organizations seeking to understand the full spectrum of procurement expertise – from operational best practices to cutting-edge technology implementation – considering the combined insights of all three would provide the most comprehensive perspective.
Procurement Insights
Moving AI From Progressive Theory To Practical Procurement Utilization And Outcomes
Posted on May 13, 2025
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Discover how to prioritize AI initiatives using Gartner’s AI maturity assessment and roadmap tools: https://gtnr.it/4jNZORl
Register for our webinar to accelerate your journey ⬆️
A slam dunk graphic for an upcoming webinar. But once again, is Practical Procurement Utilization taking a back seat to Progressive AI Theories?
The two webinar presenters are Pieter J. Den Hamer and Leinar Ramos. While both have incredibly impressive credentials regarding AI, besides Pieter’s reference to supply chain optimization as one of the many areas he has focused on, it would be safe to say that both primarily view the procurement function from a purely outside-in AI perspective.
While I want to clarify that I am not presenting in the above webinar, I have signed up to attend and will share my assessment in a follow-up post.
That said, I thought it would be interesting to compare our respective backgrounds in the context of procurement and supply chain focus, and more specifically, the practical application of AI, Generative AI, and Agentic AI.
At the end of today’s post, I will share a video on my development of an agent-based, self-learning algorithm AI platform to procure MRO parts to support the Department of National Defence’s IT infrastructure. Funded by the government’s Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Program, the platform’s core piece was my theory on “strand commonality” within the procurement practice.
Analyst Backgrounds
Using the 4-Model RAM Framework, how does practical procurement, high-tech experience, and expertise over 40 years compare with the Gartner webinar presenters?
MODEL 1
Comparison of Expertise
Predictive Analytics and AI Focus
Scalability and Practical Implementation
Risk Mitigation and Supplier Management
Ease of Use and Adoption
Ranking Based on General Procurement Needs
Critical Perspective
Hansen’s practical experience and focus on relationships through Procurement Insights make him the most valuable for organizations seeking actionable procurement strategies in 2025. The establishment narrative, as seen in Gartner’s AI-heavy focus, often overemphasizes innovation (Den Hamer) or specific AI applications (Ramos) without fully addressing execution challenges like data quality or user adoption, which Hansen tackles directly. While Den Hamer’s vision of adaptive systems is forward-thinking, it’s ahead of many organizations’ current capabilities, and Ramos’ Generative AI focus, while useful, doesn’t match Hansen’s breadth. Hansen’s insights are the most actionable, ensuring both strategic and operational success in a volatile market.
MODEL 2
The comparison between Gartner’s Pieter den Hamer and Leinar Ramos and Procurement Insights’ Jon W. Hansen reflects a clear divergence in focus, depth, and practical impact when it comes to procurement and ProcureTech expertise.
1. Focus Area & Domain Expertise
🟢 Hansen is deeply focused exclusively on procurement and sourcing, while den Hamer and Ramos focus more on general enterprise AI strategy with limited procurement-specific depth.
🧠 2. Experience in Procurement & ProcureTech
🟢 Jon W. Hansen brings practitioner-grounded expertise, including:
📚 3. Thought Leadership and Publications
🟢 Hansen provides vendor-specific, system-level insight with practical comparisons, while Gartner analysts operate at the abstract/strategic level with limited vendor detail.
🧭 4. Industry Alignment and Audience
🟢 Hansen speaks directly to the procurement profession — not just through frameworks but through daily operational insights.
🏁 Conclusion
🧾 Final Judgment:
Jon W. Hansen brings greater depth, practical experience, and real-world insight into ProcureTech, sourcing, and supplier collaboration than either Gartner analyst.
If you are a procurement practitioner, digital sourcing leader, or CPO, Hansen offers more actionable value.
If you are a CIO building an enterprise-wide AI roadmap, den Hamer or Ramos provide value at the strategic AI architecture level.
MODEL 3
Comparison Table
Summary
In essence:
MODEL 4
The following table provides a structured comparison of expertise across key procurement dimensions:
Conclusion
Practitioner Experience: Jon W. Hansen stands distinctly apart with extensive documented procurement practitioner experience spanning decades. Neither den Hamer nor Ramos have publicly documented direct operational procurement roles, though Ramos has strategic procurement advisory experience.
Technology Expertise: Pieter den Hamer and Leinar Ramos offer deeper technical expertise in AI and analytics, with den Hamer focusing on the technical implementation of analytics and Ramos on the strategic application of AI in procurement transformation. Hansen provides valuable perspective on technology adoption from a practitioner viewpoint.
Thought Leadership: All three contribute to procurement thought leadership through different channels – Hansen through independent publishing, books and media, while den Hamer and Ramos through Gartner research and advisory services. Hansen’s content is more practitioner-focused, while Gartner research tends toward enterprise strategy.
ProcureTech Impact: None of the three are documented as core developers or primary contributors to specific ProcureTech products or platforms. Their influence is primarily through research, advisory work, and industry commentary rather than direct technology development.
Complementary Perspectives: The three figures offer complementary perspectives that, together, provide a comprehensive view of modern procurement:
– Hansen offers deep practitioner insights and real-world experience
– Den Hamer provides technical expertise in analytics implementation
– Ramos bridges AI capabilities with strategic procurement transformation
For organizations seeking to understand the full spectrum of procurement expertise – from operational best practices to cutting-edge technology implementation – considering the combined insights of all three would provide the most comprehensive perspective.
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