Meet the Category Manager - Ian Reed

Name: Ian Reed

Position: Category Manager – Fleet

How long have you been working at YPO? Since May 2005

What do you like most about working at YPO?

YPO is a great place to work, with a really friendly environment and is always striving to be better at meeting our customers ever changing requirements.

What are your main responsibilities?

Within my role I’m responsible for the management and delivery of a range of Fleet Frameworks, development of the procurement strategy for Fleet, in context of current market and legislative matters, and line management of the Fleet team.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Fleet is now starting to see innovation come into the sector with the introduction of the Road to Zero, Clean Air Zones (CAZs) anticipated to be in place by the end of 2020 in Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton other areas of interest are, Fully Electric Vehicles, Automated and Connected Technologies & Direct Vision Standard for HGVs. Our main challenge within Fleet is to refocus on our customer’s needs over the coming years.

Describe your role in three words: Exciting, Transforming, Challenging  

How did you get involved in procurement?

I’ve been involved in procurement for large parts of my career, starting in an Assistant Buyer role at a wine company, (fantastic samples!) I then moved to YPO in 2005 starting as a Purchasing Assistant within Food, moving to Assistant Procurement Officer in 2007 after a year’s secondment to Contracts I was offered a Buyers role within Fleet, progressing to Category Manager in 2015.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

 Live Music, Mountain Biking, Fishing, I have recently started running/training a local U13 Girls Football team in the City of York Girls League & will be taking my FA Level 1 Coaching Badge in the near future.