Nordic CPO
of the Year
2026
The only dedicated award for procurement leaders across the Nordic region. Do you know a CPO who deserves recognition — or are you one yourself?
A rigorous, independent recognition program for Chief Procurement Officers leading organizations across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. Built on leadership-driven transformation — not just titles and savings.
See evaluation criteria →Open to CPOs, VPs of Procurement, and Heads of Procurement in private and public sector organizations of all sizes. You can nominate yourself, a colleague, or a leader you admire.
See eligibility criteria →Nominations open 24 March 2026. The form takes approximately 15 minutes. All content is treated confidentially and nominees are informed before any information is shared publicly.
Register your interest →Why this award
The Nordics have world-class CPOs.
Now we have an award to match.
Global procurement awards exist, but none are designed for the Nordic context. We believe Nordic leadership is distinctive — and it deserves recognition on its own terms.
Built around the values that define Nordic leadership: collaboration, trust, sustainability, and developing people. Not a global template adapted for the region.
Leading procurement at a 5,000-person company is different from a 50,000-person multinational. Our framework accounts for organizational context so every CPO competes fairly.
Evaluation is built around three equal dimensions: the People you develop, the Integrity you lead with, and the Results you deliver. All three matter — not just the savings number.
Evaluation criteria
What we look for.
Every nominee is assessed across three equal dimensions. The framework is designed to surface authentic leadership — not polished press releases or savings headlines.
Context always matters. A CPO leading a 5,000-person organization is not compared against one at 50,000. Every nomination is assessed against its own starting point.
- Develops people and builds team capability
- Sets clear strategic direction
- Leads cross-functional collaboration
- Communicates with clarity and conviction
- Inclusive — involves and empowers others
- Transparent and trustworthy at all levels
- Walks the talk — leads by example
- Promotes ethical and sustainable decisions
- Curious, brave and willing to challenge
- Drives consistency in ways of working
- Delivers both now and for the long term
- Builds a performance culture and structure
- Creates measurable financial value
- Improves business and people outcomes
- Sustains resilience and engagement
The process
From nomination to ceremony.
Full transparency at every step.
The evaluation is managed by Procure It Right — independently from EBG | Network. Every step is governed by confidentiality and procedural fairness.
Nominate
Submit online in ~15 minutes. Self-nominations welcome. Closes 6 June 2026.
24 March – 6 June 2026Screen & Shortlist
Procure It Right reviews all nominations. Shortlisted nominees notified before summer.
June 2026Interview & Jury
Confidential interviews after summer. Independent jury evaluates using anonymized summaries.
Aug – Sep 2026Celebrate
Nordic CPO of the Year announced live at CPO Outlook 2026. All finalists recognized.
14 October 2026The ceremony
A moment to remember.
A community to celebrate with.
The Nordic CPO of the Year is announced live on stage at CPO Outlook 2026 — the region’s premier gathering of senior procurement leaders. All finalists are recognized. The evening closes with a dinner open to all conference attendees.
The winner and finalists revealed on stage in front of the Nordic procurement community.
Every finalist is acknowledged publicly — reaching the final is itself a significant achievement.
The ceremony is followed by a dinner open to all CPO Outlook 2026 attendees. A rare evening with the people who define Nordic procurement.
Eligibility
Who can be nominated?
Open to CPOs and equivalent senior procurement leaders across the Nordic region.
- ✓CPO, VP Procurement, Head of Procurement, or equivalent
- ✓Based in or leading operations in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, or Iceland
- ✓Minimum 2 years in current or equivalent senior role
- ✓Private and public sector
- ✓All company sizes and industries
- ✓CPOs leading significant Nordic operations are eligible regardless of global HQ location
- →Self-nominations are welcome and encouraged
- →Can be submitted by colleagues, board members, peers, or consultants who see great examples when supporting projects
- →All nomination content is treated confidentially
- →No entry fee for nominations
- →Nominees informed before any public content is shared
Behind the award
Two organizations.
One shared belief.
A joint initiative created from a shared conviction that Nordic procurement leadership deserves dedicated, world-class recognition.
16 years building the Nordic region’s most trusted procurement community. Through CPO Outlook, EBG | Xperience, webinars, and research, EBG connects hundreds of procurement leaders annually.
16 years of Nordic procurement community building — since 2010
CPO Outlook — the region’s premier procurement summit
Active network across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland
Research-driven: annual surveys of 100+ procurement leaders
Independent procurement consultancy with 20+ years of experience transforming procurement and delivering cost savings. Nordic heritage, with projects across 60+ countries.
20+ years transforming procurement & delivering savings
1,000+ sourcing and procurement projects delivered
Nordic heritage — projects across 60+ countries
Independent evaluation — no conflicts influencing selection
Great awards require two things: a community that trusts the programme, and an evaluation process the community trusts. EBG | Network provides the first. Procure It Right provides the second. Their combined strengths form the foundation of this award.
The jury
Meet the jury.
Senior procurement leaders selected for their independence, experience, and standing in the Nordic business community.
Anna Falk
CPO, Boliden
Johan Lindqvist
CPO, NCC
Björn Stenecker
CPO, Vattenfall
Robert Liljeblad
Partner & CEO, Procure It Right
Jury Lead
Declared Interests
Jury members declare all relevant relationships — professional, commercial, or personal — before the evaluation begins. Transparency is the starting point.
Managed Conflicts
Where a jury member has a direct relationship with a nominee or nominating organization, they are recused from that assessment. The Nordic market is small — we plan for this.
Confidentiality
All jury members sign NDAs. Nomination content is never shared outside the evaluation process, and nominees are informed before anything is made public.
Structured Process
Evaluation is facilitated by Procure It Right using a structured framework. Assessments are based on evidence, not impressions — and documented throughout.
Nominate
Know a CPO who deserves recognition?
The nomination form takes approximately 15 minutes. No entry fee. Complete confidentiality.
24 March 2026
~15 minutes
None
14 October 2026
Have any questions? Email hello@nordiccpoaward.com
Download the nomination form as a PDF and submit it by email instead.