Meet The Team: James Platt
James Platt has recently joined the Ebit team as our Chief Operations Officer -Delivery. James works closely with our clients and our team of consultants to ensure we deliver high quality procurement projects.
With a strong background in procurement, management and consultancy as well as deep level GNFR experience across manufacturing, retail and food, James brings experience and expertise to our clients and proactively supports our team of consultants.
What does your role encompass?
My main focus is operational delivery, including oversight of all client engagements (ensuring they are on track & on budget delivery) and the management and development of the consultancy team.
I’m also keen to remain in touch with new business development working alongside our sales team.
What are you enjoying most about working for Ebit?
I’ve only been here briefly but I was really drawn to Ebit due to the breadth of client experience the business has, the chance to put my stamp on the way the business delivers for its clients.
I am looking forward to working with a strong team of people (which was apparent during the interview process)
What’s your professional background?
Since graduating I’ve always been in Procurement and Supply Chain delivery and transformation roles.
I started life at Jaguar Land Rover as a graduate buyer working alongside the SLT team in a supply chain rationalisation and management project before progressing quickly to a Senior Buyer where I bought interiors for cars.
I then wanted to broaden my experience so moved to Mitchells and Butlers (managed pubs and restaurants) where I was responsible for a whole host of GNFR categories which provided a vastly different challenge to those at JLR.
After M&B I wanted to work internationally. I found a role in Sydney, Australia with Woolworths Supermarkets where I looked after in-store capital equipment and fit-out. After running a very successful internal and external signage project there I decided to re-locate back to the UK and London.
Once back I joined a boutique procurement consultancy and managed the Hovis Ltd account as an outsourced Head of Procurement and Supply Chain for a number of years.
Most recently I have been working across a number of engagements as a procurement consultant and director.
What would your advice be to someone considering procurement as a career?
Get used to preparing for meetings and engagements with suppliers as you have to be ready to be challenged and be ready to have awkward conversations – these are very effective skills in Procurement, especially when you want something.
Procurement is a great function because it touches most other departments in the business and you can often be quite entrepreneurial with the commercial solutions that you present back. You are also often the main conduit to external supplier partners and their expertise which means you will learn a lot of things at a very fast pace!
What was your first ever job?
I used to wash cars at a garage in the village in grew up!
When you’re not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
Fairly typical – I like keeping fit by running and training at the gym and trying to play golf. I enjoy seeing the world and have been on some well-placed solo travel trips!
Do you have a favourite book / podcast? Why is it your favourite?
It’s not a classic, but the book Yes Man by Danny Wallace gave me a kick up the backside in my early 20s…I read it and then decided to take the plunge with a few extended trips to see the world and the move to Sydney (the book is better than the Jim Carrey movie)
How would your friends describe you?
Well intentioned and a bit of a dreamer
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