Mark Edwards
Bath,Wiltshire
Summary
Hands-on Purchasing and Procurement Manager with over 25 years’ experience leading end-to-end procurement activities in fast-paced manufacturing environments, including automotive-adjacent, engineered products and complex supply chains. Brings a strong balance of strategic commodity leadership and day-to-day execution – comfortable moving from supplier negotiations and cost challenges to people development, stakeholder engagement and operational problem-solving. Known for a positive, pragmatic leadership style, the ability to challenge constructively, and for building strong, motivated teams that deliver results. Experienced in developing suppliers, executing cost-reduction strategies, managing contracts, and keeping procurement aligned to short- and long-term business objectives. Thrives in environments that value craftsmanship, quality, pace and collaboration, and motivated by organisations where people, pride and purpose matter.
Overview
39
39
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional Procurement Manager – EMEA
Rotork Manchester
05.2021 - Current
- Hands-on leadership role with accountability for full end-to-end procurement delivery across a complex, multi-site manufacturing footprint supplying engineered products to demanding global markets.
- Lead procurement activities across direct materials, owning supplier strategy, contracts, cost and performance.
- Develop and execute commodity strategies aligned to business priorities and plant requirements.
- Actively lead supplier negotiations, cost reduction initiatives and performance recovery actions.
- Embed Design-to-Cost, Should Costing, DFM and Value Stream Mapping into sourcing decisions.
- Balance strategic planning with day-to-day operational procurement support.
- Lead and develop regional buyers, providing coaching, direction and hands-on support.
- Engage cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Finance.
- Industrial / Engineered Products
- Built a fit-for-purpose EMEA procurement and buyer structure to support a complex production network.
- Delivered material cost and performance improvements through targeted supplier actions.
- Successfully challenged suppliers and internal stakeholders to improve value, quality and lead times.
- Led procurement elements of a global MRP implementation in a live manufacturing environment.
- Strong relevance: Design-to-Cost, engineered parts, supplier challenge, fast-paced manufacturing, people leadership.
Head of UK Purchasing
MacDermid Enthone
12.2020 - 05.2021
- Hands-on purchasing leadership role with direct accountability for production continuity, supplier negotiation and operational problem solving.
- Managed UK purchasing teams handling day-to-day raw material procurement.
- Negotiated contracts across production and non-production spend.
- Supported NPI/NPD activity and material substitutions.
- Managed CapEx procurement and supplier engagement.
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Consolidated fragmented purchasing teams into a single, effective UK function.
- Maintained uninterrupted production through Brexit, chemical shortages and logistics disruption.
- Strengthened supplier accountability and operational decision-making.
Head of Packaging (Global)
BP Lubricants
01.2014 - 11.2020
- Global leadership role combining procurement, engineering and supplier development in a highly visible manufacturing environment.
- Led a global team of buyers and packaging engineers.
- Owned global packaging commodity strategies and supplier relationships.
- Worked closely with manufacturing, brand, quality and engineering teams.
- Accountable for safety, performance and cost across packaging supply chains.
- Delivered sustained $10–15m annual cost reductions through sourcing and standardisation.
- Led the development of innovative packaging solutions removing 10,000 MT of plastic.
- Built strong supplier partnerships while challenging cost and performance assumptions.
- Operated effectively in high-pressure, stakeholder-rich environments.
Base Oil Procurement Director (Interim)
BP Lubricants
01.2015 - 12.2016
- Led a global procurement team managing $1.5bn spend.
- Developed supplier strategies and commercial frameworks.
- Translated volatile commodity markets into forward cost planning.
Chemicals Procurement Sector Manager
BP Lubricants
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Managed $250m complex technical spend.
- Delivered >$15m savings through supplier and distribution strategy changes.
- Worked closely with Technical and Engineering teams on specifications and performance.
Procurement Transformation Manager
BP Lubricants
01.2007 - 12.2011
- Led procurement capability improvement across global spend.
- Implemented sourcing processes, governance and e-sourcing tools.
- Delivered >$400m savings.
Procurement Specialist
BP
01.1999 - 01.2006
- Hands-on sourcing, supplier negotiation and cost modelling.
- Key contributor to BP/Castrol integration delivering ~$45m savings.
- Castrol
- Durin this period I undertook at 6 month secondment to our facility in Istanbul to establish and develop the technical team locally
Marketing Executive
BP
01.1996 - 01.1999
- Developed technical sales training and customer-focused tools.
Chemist / Product Specialist
BP
01.1987 - 01.1996
- Product development and testing across automotive, aviation and industrial lubricants.
- Co-inventor on two aviation lubricant patents.
Education
First-Class - Chemistry
Chemistry Graduate
Skills
- Purchasing & Procurement Management
- Automotive Manufacturing
- Engineered Manufacturing
- Supply Chains
- Commodity Strategy
- Supplier Development
- Cost Reduction
- Design-to-Cost
- Contract Negotiation
- Supplier Governance
- People Leadership
- Buyer Development
- Cross-Functional Stakeholder Engagement
- Market Analysis
- Risk Management
- Fast-Paced Environments
- Change-Driven Environments
Personal Attributes
- Positive, pragmatic and commercially curious
- Comfortable challenging suppliers and stakeholders constructively
- Enjoys variety, pace and rolling sleeves up
- Strong believer in team development, pride in product and craftsmanship
Timeline
Regional Procurement Manager – EMEA
Rotork Manchester
05.2021 - Current
Head of UK Purchasing
MacDermid Enthone
12.2020 - 05.2021
Base Oil Procurement Director (Interim)
BP Lubricants
01.2015 - 12.2016
Head of Packaging (Global)
BP Lubricants
01.2014 - 11.2020
Chemicals Procurement Sector Manager
BP Lubricants
01.2012 - 01.2014
Procurement Transformation Manager
BP Lubricants
01.2007 - 12.2011
Procurement Specialist
BP
01.1999 - 01.2006
Marketing Executive
BP
01.1996 - 01.1999
Chemist / Product Specialist
BP
01.1987 - 01.1996
First-Class - Chemistry
Chemistry Graduate