An Interview with Rebecca Simpson, Chief Procurement Officer, Royal Mail Group | Introduced by Odgers

Lucy Harding, Partner and Head of Supply Chain & Procurement, joined Rebecca to discuss stakeholder influence, business transformation, and tips for leadership success.

How will your leadership influence your company and its wider stakeholders?

My leadership style is pacey, energetic and outcome-focused. I think can really help the business drive a cultural change, which is vital to deliver the transformation needed. I am strong on resilience, and this type of change requires that. 

The results the function will deliver will absolutely support the return to profitability for the business which is our core short-term objective whilst building a foundation for further modernisation and growth. Equally, driving our emission reductions will help build our position in the marketplace. 

My leadership style and the development of the team I hope will fundamentally change the perspective of procurement both internally and externally. 

What are your top three tips for success in leadership? 

1. Be the role model for capability and behaviours. For me, it has always been important to lead from the front, to set an example both in terms of work performance, values and behaviours. I think my teams would say I lean into challenges, lead and support, am decisive and build strong relationships. Being the role model for the values and behaviours we want to see and calling out those that do not fit, I think are equally important.
2. Set the vision and measure performance against this. It is important that as leaders we also set ambitious and inspiring visions and goals which excite our teams and broader stakeholders. We need to drive these goals and deliver tangible results that can be measured and recognised.
3. Celebrate the team’s success – no one ever does this on their own. For me, we win together and it is important our people feel enthused and are recognised and valued for the contribution delivered.
4. If I could have a forth, I would say continuously learn, stay curious and encourage that amongst your teams.

Introduced by Odgers | Success Story

Odgers partnered with Royal Mail Group to identify a transformative Chief Procurement Officer with Rebecca Simpson commencing her role in February 2023. 

To discover more about Rebecca’s ambitions, leadership agenda, and her journey with Odgers, click here to read her individual success story.

Introduced by Odgers | Rebecca Simpson Success Story

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