Hinesh Kataria

I am a strategic and commercially driven procurement leader with a proven track record in building and leading high-performing teams, transforming procurement functions, and driving enterprise-wide impact. With over a decade of experience, I have successfully aligned procurement with corporate strategy to enhance profitability, optimise costs, mitigate risk, and unlock supplier-driven innovation.

My expertise spans food, beverages, packaging, operational supplies, and indirect categories, gained through both direct leadership and advisory roles across FMCG, retail, foodservice, QSR, and hospitality sectors.

I have a deep understanding of complex, global supply chains and excel at engaging C-level stakeholders to embed best-in-class procurement strategies that fuel business growth.

I specialise in developing and scaling high-performing procurement teams, embedding best practices, and executing large-scale sourcing transformations that deliver measurable business value. 

Beyond cost savings, I focus on procurement’s role as a driver of innovation, operational resilience, competitive advantage enabling organisations to achieve their sustainability goals and long-term strategic objectives.

As a forward-thinking leader, I bring transferable expertise in procurement, transformation, and corporate strategy, making me well-positioned for senior leadership roles that require commercial acumen, stakeholder engagement, and strategic execution.

I am always open to networking, industry discussions, and thought leadership opportunities, where I can share insights and collaborate with other business leaders.

Let’s connect to explore how I can help your organisation and clients elevate procurement as a strategic enabler of business success.

 

Procurement Director, (Packaging, Food & Beverage, Indirects)

HAVI/tms Sourcing | January 2022 – November 2024| London, UK|

HAVI/tms is a global, privately owned company specialising in supply chain management, sourcing, and consumer engagement services for leading brands across the foodservice, QSR, hospitality, FMCG, and retail sectors. TMS HQ is located in the US & employees 1,200 people across 26 countries.

Led the development of a centralised, high-performing, category- and customer-agnostic global source-to-contract procurement function—comprising both permanent and contract staff—by consolidating three decentralised teams across EU, NA, and APMEA. 

Oversaw source to contract services across Packaging, Indirect and Operational Supply categories for HAVI/tms’s largest global clients.

Managed multi-billion-dollar procurement spend and led multi-million-dollar source-to-contract initiatives on behalf of large global organisations, driving significant cost savings, cost avoidance, and supplier performance optimisation while mitigating risk.

Led the global implementation of an enterprise-wide e-procurement system which included: streamlining sourcing processes, RFx management, contract drafting, auditing, and repository management. Secured senior stakeholder buy-in by clearly demonstrating ROI and ensuring the solution aligned with business needs and priorities.

Successfully reduced RFx cycle times, enhanced governance, and ensured global alignment across procurement functions.

Established a best-in-class approach to sourcing lifecycle management by optimising practices across regions, ensuring consistency, enhancing efficiency, and embedding strategic procurement excellence.

Senior Procurement Manager (All Customer Accounts)

HAVI/tms Sourcing | July 2018 – November 2021| London, UK|

Led the integration of three separate procurement departments (Food & Beverages, Operational Supply, and Corporate Purchasing) into a centralised, category- and customer-agnostic procurement team, overseeing sourcing, RFx management, and contract lifecycle management.

Introduced a standardised procurement framework to drive consistency and effectiveness in source-to-contract activities across managed and reviewed categories, including:

Standardising RFx processes
Developing, deploying, and managing cost/spend analytics
Leading should-cost modelling discussions

Expanded the team from one to four members, hiring and managing three direct reports.

Procurement Manager, (McDonald’s Account) Food & Beverages

HAVI/tms Sourcing | August 2016 – July 2018| London, UK|

Driving the growth of HAVI/tms revenue by expanding procurement service capabilities in the food & beverage sector. 

Successfully pitching, securing, and expanding sourcing services for tms by winning additional food and beverage business from existing FMCG, QSR, and Food Service clients.

Leading sourcing programmes across multiple categories through an outsourced procurement model across EMEA, ensuring both commercial success and procurement excellence.

Categories Serviced:

Chicken Nuggets
Bacon Slices
Syrups & Toppings
Cheese Patties
Bottled Water
Children's Juices & Fruit Purées
Breakfast Bakery (Muffins, Cookies & Donuts, Pastries)
Hot Beverages & Vending
Dry Condiments
Syrups, Dip Pots & Toppings
Retail Dairy

Compass Group UK & Ireland/ Foodbuy UK | February 2012-July 2016| Chertsey, UK|

Foodbuy, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, is a leading procurement and supply chain organisation focused on delivering tailored sourcing solutions and driving value for its clients across the foodservice and hospitality sectors

Strategic Sourcing Buyer: October 2014 – July 2016

Category Buyer Yoghurts: January 2014 – September 2014

Retail Merchandiser/Space Planner: February 2012 – January 2014

BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology

Portsmouth University – 2:1 

(2008 –2011)