Procurement across Europe and the UK has reached a clear turning point.
AI is no longer confined to pilots or experimentation. It is already shaping real decisions, real risk exposure, and measurable business outcomes. For today’s CPOs, the question is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to apply it responsibly, transparently, and at enterprise scale.
Recent research from The Hackett Group, conducted in partnership with Zycus, highlights the growing role of AI agents in procurement transformation. The study found that 64% of procurement executives believe AI agents will drive the greatest transformational impact on procurement teams over the next five years, reinforcing the shift toward more intelligent, outcome-oriented procurement operating models.
This evolution, from traditional Source-to-Pay to Intake-to-Outcomes approach, forms the central theme of Zycus Horizon EU & UK 2026, taking place in Vienna, convening senior leaders, analysts and innovators to explore what procurement leadership looks like in an outcomes-driven, AI-enabled era.
Zycus Horizon EU & UK 2026 will be held from 10–12 March 2026 at the InterContinental Vienna.
What makes Horizon EU & UK different?
Horizon EU & UK 2026 is intentionally designed as a senior-level leadership forum, not a mass-market conference.
Over three days, 150+ CPOs and senior procurement executives from Europe and the UK will engage with enterprise practitioners and leading analysts to explore how procurement is evolving, from operational execution to outcome-driven leadership.
Speakers include leaders from organisations such as Bolt, Nippon Gases, Bank of Cyprus, Tenneco, Tiger Consumer Brands, Tate & Lyle and more, alongside analysts from Gartner, Forrester, and IDC.
This dialogue builds on broader industry recognition of Zycus’ approach to AI-led procurement, including its recognition as a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Source-to-Pay Suites, reinforcing the importance of scalable, governed AI in enterprise environments.
From Source-to-Pay(S2P) to Intake-to-Outcomes (I2O), with Agentic AI
At the core of Horizon EU & UK 2026 is the transition from Source-to-Pay (S2P) to Intake-to-Outcomes (I2O).
As enterprises face sustained economic pressure, regulatory complexity, and increasingly interconnected supply ecosystems, procurement leaders are expected to deliver:
- Faster, better-informed decisions
- Clearer visibility into risk and performance
- Outcomes directly aligned with business priorities
Agentic AI plays a critical role in enabling this shift, not as a replacement for human decision-making, but as a mechanism for intelligent orchestration, guided execution, and measurable outcomes.
Horizon explores how organisations are applying Agentic AI to:
- Translate business intent at intake into governed, outcome-oriented execution
- Embed human-in-the-loop controls to support compliance, auditability, and trust
- Move beyond task-level automation toward connected, end-to-end decision flows
The focus is not on autonomy for its own sake, but on control, accountability, and business impact at scale.
What can attendees expect over three days?
Horizon EU & UK 2026 offers a balanced mix of strategic perspective and real-world insight, including:
- Enterprise-led transformation stories from CPOs and global organizations, sharing what changed, what delivered results, and what they would approach differently
- Analyst insights cutting through market noise to highlight the trends shaping procurement leadership and technology adoption
- Live demonstrations of Agentic AI, showing how intelligent agents are influencing procurement decision-making, execution, and day-to-day operations
- Peer networking with 150+ procurement leaders and 20+ speakers, alongside curated experiences that reflect Vienna’s imperial charm
Beyond the conference sessions, Horizon places strong emphasis on experience. From interactive ice-breaking activities to a Gala Awards Night, the event is structured to foster meaningful connection in a relaxed yet purposeful setting.
Why Vienna?
A setting designed for strategic reflection
Hosted in Vienna, Horizon EU & UK 2026 offers an environment that mirrors the event’s intent: composed, considered, and forward-looking.
Vienna’s blend of historic elegance and modern innovation provides the space for leaders to step away from daily execution and focus on longer-term procurement strategy, capability building, and leadership in an AI-driven era.
Looking ahead
Zycus Horizon EU & UK 2026 marks a pivotal moment for the procurement community across Europe and the UK.
As procurement enters an era defined by intelligence, outcomes, and accountability, Horizon offers a timely forum for leaders to align perspectives, exchange practical insight, and help shape what comes next.