Would You Design Your Procurement Organisation the Same Way Today? | Hady Gohary, Nestlé USA

Hady Gohary leads technical services procurement at Nestle USA, where he manages between 1.2 and 1.5 billion USD of spend across equipment, MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations), facilities management, construction services, and trade assets, the coffee and juice machines Nestle sells to hospitality outlets on a B2B basis. He supports all Nestle USA operating companies and business divisions, including the food and beverage operating company, Pet Care, and Nestle Health Science. His career has taken him through Heinz, IKEA, SC Johnson, and Mondelez, and across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the United States, shaping his belief that procurement is a strategic capability that enables growth, builds resilience, and creates competitive advantage.

How has working across companies and regions shaped your view of procurement?

Hady Gohary reflects on the realisation that changed how he approaches the function, and on how business culture shapes decision-making.

“I particularly enjoy procurement because it sits at the intersection of business strategy, finance, operations, and innovation. It is much more than purchasing or negotiating better prices. It is about enabling business growth, building resilience, and creating sustainable competitive advantage. One of the defining realisations in my career was that procurement’s greatest contribution does not necessarily come from negotiating the lowest price. It comes from understanding what the business is trying to achieve and finding creative ways to deliver that outcome. Moving into leadership reinforced another lesson: individual expertise can only take you so far. Your real impact comes from developing people, empowering teams, and creating an environment where others can succeed.

Culture also plays a big role. In Asia, it is a more authoritative culture, and decisions can be top-down. If the leadership team aligns cross-functionally on a decision, it is done and implemented across all business divisions. In the U.S. market, a lot of autonomy is given to different sides, so it takes real effort to get the right alignment before we make a decision. The effort you put behind this is totally different.”

What do people outside procurement most often misunderstand about the function?

Hady Gohary argues that procurement should be seen as a strategic enabler, and that involving the function early is where the value is created.

“The perception is that procurement is very transactional, and that you only involve it when you need to issue a PO. Procurement should be perceived as a strategic enabler. Financial performance and savings are fundamental to what we do, but when companies measure procurement exclusively through cost reduction, they underestimate the broader value the function can create. Another challenge is involving procurement too late. When it becomes involved only after business requirements and supply preferences have been established, many opportunities to create value have already been lost. Organisations should measure procurement by the business outcomes it enables, not simply the savings it reports.

So my approach is to engage with business stakeholders early, understand their priorities, and jointly define what success looks like. Next month, I am scheduling sessions with cross-functional leaders across engineering, facilities management, and other teams to align on the business priorities for 2027. We are leading these sessions as procurement, so that when we start implementing, we have cross-functional alignment and do not go through the battle again of re-establishing who is doing what and why.”

Where does human judgement remain essential as AI reshapes procurement?

Hady Gohary describes how AI agents are already being used in negotiations, and why data foundations, governance, and human leadership still matter.

“We are entering one of the most transformative periods in the history of procurement. Historically, procurement professionals have spent significant time collecting information, analysing supplier proposals, conducting market research, and preparing negotiations. AI has the potential to fundamentally change that operating model. We are now using some AI agents in our negotiations. We have run several campaigns to extend payment terms using an AI agent, and we are testing the tool for much more complex negotiations in construction projects. That would be very disruptive, and it will elevate the role of procurement professionals. However, technology alone is not the answer. We still need a strong data foundation, human oversight, appropriate governance, and the willingness to rethink how we work.

As AI makes information increasingly accessible, the differentiator will be our ability as humans to interpret it, connect different perspectives, and translate insights into effective business decisions. That takes adaptability, emotional intelligence, because leadership will always involve people, and technological literacy. Future leaders do not need to become technical experts, but they must understand how emerging technologies can transform their business. For me, the future belongs to leaders who combine technological intelligence with human leadership.”

What will distinguish the strongest procurement organisations in three to five years?

Hady Gohary sees three developments reshaping the function, from intelligent tooling to supplier ecosystems.

“I see three major developments. First, procurement will become increasingly intelligent and technology-enabled. AI and advanced analytics will transform how we conduct market research, evaluate suppliers, manage risks, and make sourcing decisions, allowing professionals to concentrate on strategic priorities. Second, procurement will become more integrated into business strategy. Our role will increasingly involve influencing decisions before they are made, rather than simply executing sourcing activities afterwards.

Third, supplier relationships will become an increasingly important source of competitive advantage. Companies that develop strategic supplier ecosystems, encourage innovation, and build resilient partnerships will be better positioned to respond to changing business conditions. Overall, I see procurement evolving from a function traditionally associated with purchasing and cost management into a strategic capability that directly influences business performance.”

How do you align priorities and build the next generation of procurement leaders?

Hady Gohary explains why senior leadership alignment matters, and how stretch assignments and mentorship build capability.

“Each function and each individual has different priorities. Where we do not have alignment, decision-making and transformation initiatives can get bumpy. In our MRO and facilities management transformation, different sites had different priorities and were not seeing the overall picture. This is where senior leadership plays a major role, ensuring cross-functional alignment and cascading the same business objectives down through each function. At a big organisation like Nestle, with many business divisions and markets, that means one standard operating model and SOP, so everybody understands their role in delivering the objectives for the next three to five years.

For my team, I encourage broader business acumen, critical thinking, and independent decision-making. I will not need to babysit each individual. Mentorship matters too, but not spoon-feeding. I give people stretch assignments they have not managed before, and I rotate them across areas and categories, because that is how you build muscles within procurement. I recently moved someone who was managing equipment to facilities management, where we are running a huge transformation in a very untapped space. It is challenging her to think differently and build skills she did not have.”

What is the one question senior leaders should ask themselves more often?

Hady Gohary closes with a challenge to leaders about redesigning organisations for the technology and workforce of tomorrow.

“If we were building our organisation from scratch today, knowing what we know about technology and the changing business environment, would we design it the same way? My guess is that in many cases the answer would be no. Organisations have developed processes, structures, and ways of working over many years, and while those approaches may have been effective in the past, they will not necessarily remain effective in the future.

With AI, evolving workforce expectations, and increasingly complex global markets, we have an opportunity to rethink traditional business models. For procurement, that could mean redesigning our operating models, redefining how we engage suppliers, and reconsidering where our people create the greatest value. Successful leadership requires the courage to challenge the status quo, including the systems and processes we have personally helped create. The objective should not simply be to improve what we are doing today. It should be to continuously question whether we are doing the right things for tomorrow.”

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As Hady Gohary has shown, the questions facing procurement leaders today, from early business alignment to AI adoption and operating model redesign, are rarely answered in isolation. Leaders at this level increasingly rely on peer-level dialogue to test assumptions, compare approaches across markets, and challenge how their functions are set up.

At The Ortus Club, we host curated executive roundtables that bring together senior leaders facing these exact challenges. Step away from the noise and join open, high-value conversations that connect global strategy with practical execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does a Procurement Director for Technical Services at Nestle USA oversee?

A: Hady Gohary’s scope covers equipment, MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations), facilities management, construction services, and trade assets, representing between 1.2 and 1.5 billion USD of spend. He supports all Nestle USA operating companies and business divisions, including the food and beverage operating company, Pet Care, and Nestle Health Science.

Q: Why should procurement be involved early in business decisions?

A: When procurement is brought in only after business requirements and supply preferences are set, many opportunities to create value are already lost. Engaging stakeholders early, understanding their priorities, and jointly defining success helps procurement move from a customer service relationship to a strategic partnership.

Q: How is AI being used in procurement negotiations today?

A: Hady’s team is using AI agents in some negotiations, including several campaigns to extend payment terms, and is testing the tool for more complex negotiations in construction projects. He stresses that technology alone is not the answer: a strong data foundation, human oversight, and appropriate governance are still required.

Q: Which skills will matter most for future procurement leaders?

A: Beyond sourcing and negotiation expertise, Hady points to adaptability, emotional intelligence, technological literacy, business acumen beyond the core function, critical thinking, and the confidence to make independent decisions.

Q: How can leaders develop their procurement teams?

A: Hady gives team members stretch assignments they have not managed before and rotates them across areas and categories, even within the same team. He pairs this with mentorship and coaching, while giving people space to innovate rather than spoon-feeding them.