Aquila Group, an investment and asset development company, is one that takes sustainability seriously. It invests in and develops clean energy and sustainable infrastructure assets – therefore, a focus on ESG is baked into the business. So for Ozer Ergul, Group Head of Procurement at Aquila Group, it’s the perfect canvas for his passions and expertise to come together.
A focus on procurement has been one constant for Ergul. He’s always been in this segment, covering everything from supply chain sourcing to operational excellence. It’s something of a destination job, for him. People come from all different backgrounds and disciplines to work in procurement because the key common factors are always the same. Understanding the value of money to a specific business, understanding the manufacturing methods of what you’re buying, and having people skills that can be used to influence and negotiate.
Purposeful procurement in energy
When Ergul started in the energy sector, he moved from power transformers, to wind energy, to solar energy in 2014. Aquila Group, which Ergul joined in 2022, invests in and develops renewable assets and sustainable infrastructure, making sure that everything it does is focused on climate change mitigation, placing significant emphasis on maximising the positive and minimising the negative impact of its actions.
Hence, Ergul joining the company. He found Aquila Group to be a purposeful organisation that matched his passion. “I can’t imagine working for an industry that doesn’t have a positive impact on the planet or people,” he says. As a result, working in energy is unquestioningly appropriate for him.
“If you look back at how procurement has evolved, in the 90s, our main focus was total cost,” he explains. “We were taught, at the time, that you could maximise profit by reducing costs without increasing price. This placed huge responsibility on procurement people. So most of us collaborated with suppliers to find sustainable solutions and quick wins by going to low-cost countries like China and India in order to buy things cheaper.
“However, you can’t simply go to China and find a supplier that provides the same quality at a lower cost. It’s not possible. So after that, there was a swing from China and India towards Eastern Europe, but someone being able to deliver a product with a shorter lead time could mean people are being overworked to make that happen.”
Collaboration for good
Collaboration is one way to eliminate question marks in the supply chain. For Ergul and Aquila Group, this is a real focal point. That collaboration with suppliers is part of a joint effort to improve sustainability across the energy supply chain. So, that begins with empathy, for Ergul.
“Empathy allows us to understand each other,” he explains. “Change isn’t always easy to implement for suppliers because buyers have complex needs and there are standards to adhere to. However, if you procure with purpose, you can work on influencing your suppliers. You’re consistently communicating with them, letting them know what their requirements are and what their value is. Value isn’t about cost anymore – it’s about impact. It’s about intention.”
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