2 minutes reading time
Here at CDS, we’re incredibly proud of our 170-strong team – after all, they’re the ones who make all the magic happen.
That’s why, every month, we’re giving our blog readers a chance to get to know each member of the CDS family in our employee Q&A series.
Next up in the hot seat is our Head of Strategic Sourcing, Brian Davis. With just 10 minutes on the clock, let’s go…
1. Sum up your role at CDS in one sentence:
To manage the third-party suppliers we use to meet our client needs, ensuring compliance and making sure they work with our business model.
2. What’s your favourite thing about your job?
The diversity of the supply base we use, the positive feelings they have towards CDS and the difference we can make to improve how we work with them.
3. How did you become Head of Strategic Sourcing?
I was looking for a role that better balanced the use of my experience and was in an industry that I was familiar with and interested in. I also wanted to work somewhere with more flexibility. After initially interviewing with Ian, I had face-to-face meetings with peers in Leeds and started at the beginning of 2022.
4. What drew you towards choosing CDS as an employer?
Having had a career mixed between marketing and procurement roles, it felt like a really good initial fit. Then, when I researched the business more, I was impressed by the projects that the business worked on and the clients they were working with. I liked the look of the challenge that the role presented and felt I could introduce a more collaborative way of working with suppliers.
5. Describe the CDS ethos in just three words:
Collaborative, flexible, undaunted.
6. What’s been your favourite project so far and why?
For me, the best moments are overcoming a challenging situation and finding a solution to answer a difficult question or problem. At CDS, when we have turned a negative supplier relationship into a more collaborative one, it's always positive as it shows just how we are trying to improve things in the Supply Chain.
7. Which brand would you love to work on a project with?
Any project that provides a client with a balanced end-to-end piece of client comms that incorporates a print, digital, data, cloud, and content element.
8. Complete this sentence: For businesses, employing an effective strategy means…
Working with suppliers that understand your business, represent your brand with respect and are keen to grow with you.
9. For a bit of fun, if CDS were a variety of biscuits, which would it be and why?
Oreo: underestimated by the competitors, liked by all who try them, works well in individual parts but even better when put together.
10. Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to your 10-year-old self, what would it be?
Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to take a chance in life.
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