As software adoption accelerates, participants described growing tension between business agility and governance requirements.

Thomas Mak, Global Director, Strategic Procurement at Plaza Premium Group, said procurement teams are now dealing with a far more fragmented environment than before, especially as departments independently identify software requirements. “We operate globally and 24/7,” Mak said. “There is constant pressure to add automation and new systems, but every new tool creates another layer of complexity.”

One technology leader described how business units sometimes approach procurement late in the process, after software decisions have effectively already been made. “We get caught on the back foot because the demand is already there,” the executive said. “Then we have to do the reviews, governance checks, and evaluations afterwards, and that pushes timelines back.”

In regulated industries, the challenge becomes even more complex. One banking leader described how risk and compliance teams must evaluate not only technical requirements, but also evolving regulatory obligations across multiple jurisdictions. “The regulations are not always black and white — there are many grey areas, especially when data crosses borders.”

They added that user requirements are often poorly defined during procurement discussions, creating delays later in the approval process. “If the requirements are not detailed enough, risk teams have to keep going back with more questions.”