EP 39 – Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Matthew Laud on Diversity in Team & Supplier Selection

Procurement at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center requires abandoning traditional sourcing language when working with physicians whose primary concern is patient outcomes, not optimization metrics, but Matthew Laud, Director of Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management, has figured out the translation. Framing procurement's value into clinical terms creates the trust necessary for physicians to delegate critical supply decisions. His approach centers on connecting procurement capabilities to Memorial Sloan Kettering's mission of eradicating cancer, using the universal impact of cancer as common ground for building stakeholder relationships.

In turn, his distinction between good vendors and great partners hinges on suppliers who proactively deliver value beyond contractual obligations, whether through emerging technologies that provide competitive advantages or flexible pricing that redirects savings toward patient care. Matthew implements this through rigorous category management including quarterly business reviews, stakeholder scorecards, and regular rebidding of existing suppliers to drive continuous improvement. He also shares why visiting hospital rooms to see sourced medical devices in use with cancer patients provides fulfillment that recognition and praise never could, reinforcing the tangible connection between vendor negotiations and life-saving treatments.

Topics discussed:

Translating procurement terminology into clinical language that resonates with physicians focused on patient outcomes

Building trust with stakeholders in cancer treatment by connecting sourcing capabilities to the mission of eradicating cancer

Distinguishing good vendors who meet basic requirements from great partners who proactively deliver value through emerging technology, flexible pricing, or enhanced capabilities

Category management frameworks, including quarterly business reviews, stakeholder scorecards, and regular supplier rebidding to maintain quality while managing costs

Overcoming gatekeeper resistance from internal procurement teams through strategic networking at industry summits and tech events

Managing sourcing complexity across hundreds of acquired entities with independent sourcing teams and category structures

Thriving in procurement's inherent ambiguity by developing complete execution plans from vague, high-level business requests

Operating as an unsung hero who finds fulfillment in impact rather than recognition

Evaluating emerging AI tools and new vendors through rigorous RFP processes that test capabilities against established competitors

Advancing diversity in both internal team composition and supplier selection to reflect the patient populations being served