by Jonas Olsson & George Pastidis

Over the past fifteen years the pressure for companies to deliver on financial metrics mainly has led to what we often call the “rise of procurement”. Procurement takes more room and a way stronger role within organizations and given that often the other many customer stakeholders with agendas that vary have a hard time to come to a common consensus, procurement’s role becomes even more critical.  The previously secondary “back office” function is the team of people who today step up to deliver value through treating their suppliers as a commodity and negotiating them on price only read more…

by George Pastidis

An Olympics opening ceremony in the unparalleled city of Paris, very bold, partially eccentric and unconventional, super wet and totally French. The Paris Olympics ceremony some adored, some others hated but no one will forget. This openings ceremony will be much memorable to everyone read more…

by George Pastidis

A week ago Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Greek men’s basketball team to winning the qualifying tournament and booking their so desired spot in Paris Olympics. In the end of the game, Giannis burst in emotional tears, making me reflect a lot about it read more…

by George Pastidis

I kicked off my 35,000 km travel streak, flying to Toronto CA on May 13 and then Riyadh SA, Reading UK, Brussels BE, Belgrade RS, Bucharest RO followed and finally closed this today June 17 with Warsaw PO. It was tiring, challenging, educational and rewarding and perhaps the latter two made me overcome the fatigue and embrace the challenge read more…

I am thrilled to host a brilliant article of Ian Helps where he walks us through key findings from his work, from which higher performance in sales (and not only) can be gained . Ian is building today a start up supporting the transition beyond full-time working. Prior to that he has been a Board member, sales coach, mentor and educator read more…

by George Pastidis

Last weekend, my neighborhood’s traffic lights weren’t working. There’s one just around the corner of my place. Three times in a row, I stopped and only few seconds later, I realized that I should just check and go. Apparently, my unconscious behavior over many years is to stop when I see no green light at the specific place. That’s my habit. Because humans are creatures of habit read more…

by George Pastidis

You take a restless charismatic Chaplain who walks the talk and a visionary Dean who has trust in people, you mix with an alumni who adores the school he graduated from and helped him reframe things and find purpose in his youth, you put in a leading Business School that drives learning innovation and you serve with students eager to learn and develop read more…

by George Pastidis

Who hasn’t stand in front of the mirror, flexing his muscles and checking out himself? If you don’t do so after all, how will you know where you’re strong at and what are the muscles you need to work out on more. Shouldn’t we do that with our skills? Shouldn’t we find a way to understand what our skills gaps are and then do to the learning gym for filling in those gaps? read more…

by George Pastidis

Together with millions of people all over the world, I try to follow the news on the collision between the UK PM Rishi Sunak and the Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis over the Parthenon sculptures. I am Greek and I cannot but having a small bias which is controlled I believe given that I was born in London, I have family there and I have enjoyed great time during my childhood in England read more…

by George Pastidis

It was ten years ago that I got on the boat to cross first the Ionian and then the Adriatic Sea, get to Ancona and then head to Paris driving. It was ten years ago when family and I made the decision to leave Greece and move to France joining Ericsson which was a huge milestone in the lives of all three of us read more…