Elena Comis

As Global Category Lead at Booking.com, I managed the purchasing strategy for a high-stakes international scope, with a spending volume of several hundred million euros (SaaS, IT, digital services, and innovation).

My main responsibilities:

Defining and deploying the global category strategy aligned with business and financial priorities

Managing a strategic portfolio representing the top 20% of suppliers (approx. 80% of total spend)

Negotiating complex contracts (SaaS, AI, data, digital transformation), including RFP structuring, pricing models, SLAs, and risk management

Conducting 80/20 analyses and optimizing the supplier base

Generating significant savings (tens of millions of euros) while ensuring performance and scalability

Managing and coaching a team of 5 buyers, structuring responsibilities, and developing skills

Close collaboration with Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Tech/Product teams in international environments

I notably led strategic negotiations with major technology players, balancing financial performance, innovation, and long-term partnership.

At Bristol Myers Squibb, a highly regulated international pharmaceutical group, I managed purchasing activities within a demanding framework for compliance, risk management, and supply continuity.

My main missions:

Conducting complete sourcing processes in an environment subject to regulatory requirements (GxP, quality, auditability)

Negotiating and implementing framework agreements compliant with group legal and compliance standards

Managing critical suppliers with risk assessment (quality, supply continuity, strategic dependency)

Close collaboration with R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance

Contributing to supplier audits and regulatory documentation

Analyzing expenses and securing budgets in a sensitive pharmaceutical context

This experience allowed me to develop a purchasing approach combining regulatory rigor, operational security, and economic performance, essential in the life sciences sector.

At Bentley Motors, a premium automotive manufacturer, I was responsible for purchasing Interior & Electrical commodities in an industrial environment with demanding quality, cost, and delivery requirements.

My main responsibilities:

Managing a supplier portfolio for interior components (trim, finishes, cockpit systems, etc.) and electrical components

Participating in product development phases in collaboration with Engineering teams

Launching and managing RFQs, technical and commercial analysis of offers

Negotiating prices, contractual terms, and logistics clauses

Monitoring series costs and contributing to cost reduction objectives

Managing supply risks and coordinating with production

Participating in supplier reviews and performance improvement (quality, OTD, costs)

This experience allowed me to develop a strong understanding of industrial challenges, supplier management in a manufacturing environment, and cost management in the automotive project cycle (NPI / series launch).