Linda Siegert

As technology accelerates at near-exponential rates, invariably bound up with the internet and big data, security considerations explode in accordance with this growth. A very large part of these security concerns is around ‘identity’.

PwC’s recent Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey found that of 1,296 executives surveyed across 53 countries and regions, 51% of organisations said they had experienced fraud in the previous two years - the highest level in PWC’s 20 years of research.

We interviewed Linda Siegert, the Senior Director of Global Procurement for SailPoint Technologies, to find out how they man the digital barricades, and leverage culture in procurement to influence the future. 

SailPoint is the leading provider of identity security for the modern enterprise. They help organisations discover, manage and secure all identities across all environments.

As Senior Director of Global Procurement, Siegert began her career in accounting and quickly found that while she was good at the numbers, she more enjoyed the working relationships and the stories that the numbers could actually tell. So she transitioned into an HR role and moved into HR leadership, which further solidified how much she enjoyed empowering people for success, she says.

“Procurement is really the brilliant marriage of the two - of the numbers and the people, and it enables me to do what I'm passionate about and gives me a unique perspective and approach to our strategic goals.”

“Today, I have the privilege of leading an incredibly talented procurement team with a focus on sustainable strategic procurement that stretches beyond simple spend management, but also includes risk in contractual management, supplier lifecycle management, full compliance and audits and sustainability throughout our lifecycle, and we are on a continual growth track. The exciting part is the continual maturity road on which I get to lead the team.”

Now at SailPoint, Siegert sets her sights on the intersection between culture, sustainability in procurement, and security. These aspects mesh more naturally than one would expect.

SailPoint's unique procurement philosophy: The four ‘I’s

Siegert says that SailPoint sets itself apart in the way they approach challenges in that the company “lives and breathes culture” through the Four ‘I’s of Innovation, Impact, Individuals and Integrity.

Within procurement, these values are cornerstones to every internal and external interaction that SailPoint has.

They inform their buying approach and allow them to look past dollars to drive ROI deeper into the business. 

“Our dollars shouldn't just buy things, they should grow things,” Siegert says. “We don't view the buying landscape as just a numbers game - because numbers are only a part of our overall success.

“When two companies interact, it's relational, and if we're to achieve long-term strategic success, we can't only focus on the numbers. We need to look deeper, expect higher values from our suppliers, and ensure that our suppliers’ company goals align with SailPoint's goals for spend sustainability.”

SailPoint utilises its core values to maximise the value of all  their supplier interactions because, says Siegert, “within this structure, success can always be found.”

Read the full story HERE.