Celebrating Excellence in Contracting
It is with great pride that we announce the shortlisted entries for the World Commerce & Contracting 2025 Innovation & Excellence Awards for our EMEA regional entries.
WorldCC's Innovation and Excellence Awards stand as the industry's definitive recognition of exceptional performance, innovation, and leadership in commercial and contract management. This year's shortlisted candidates have demonstrated remarkable vision and exemplary practice.
Shortlisted entries demonstrate the transformation happening across our profession. Through their innovative approaches and commitment to excellence, they are actively reshaping how organizations approach commercial and contract management. Their achievements serve as powerful case studies that demonstrate the strategic value that outstanding commercial and contracting functions deliver to organizations.
This program delivers more than prestigious recognition. It paves the way for enhanced professional standing with a platform to promote standards and raising capabilities in commercial practice. Successful submissions echo our collective mission to elevate contracting and commercial management as essential strategic functions that deliver measurable business value.
Special thanks to our panel of esteemed judges - as leaders in the field of CCM across public, private, and non-profit sectors, they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our awards program ensuring that every submission is evaluated with the highest level of integrity, impartiality, and transparency.
Their collective expertise guarantees that each award is not only a symbol of genuine achievement but also an inspiration to the entire commercial and contract management community. We are proud to have such a distinguished group of judges dedicated to recognizing the brightest minds and most innovative practices in our field.
Shortlist and submission summaries
We are pleased to announce the following shortlisted entries across our 6 award categories. We received a very high calibre of entries, so to have made the shortlist is a big achievement – congratulations to everyone included, also a huge thank you must go to all entrants.
Company: Deutsche Bank
Submission Title: Deutsche Bank Office for Negotiation - Negotiation Excellence-as-a-Service & Function
Summary
The Deutsche Bank Office for Negotiation is a central one-stop-shop boutique for 'Negotiation Excellence-as-a-Service & Function', based in London & Frankfurt, we operate on-demand & worldwide to create value for our clients & for our bank. To date, we contributed over €200M in financial upside through Dealmaking & Deal Advisory and trained over 4,000 colleagues across divisions, regions & ranks from Graduate to Board. We measure our success by contributing to Deutsche Bank's purpose & aspired culture, ensuring sustainable & ethical results and consistently striving with deep dedication for the greatest impact —what we call 'going northeast.'
Company: Strategic Sourcing Sphere
Submission Title: Transforming Negotiation Deadlocks into Strategic Alliances: Strategic Sourcing Sphere's Mastery in Negotiation Excellence
Summary
Facing a critical negotiation deadlock between a major client and an international supplier, Strategic Sourcing Sphere (SSS) transformed a potential project-halting impasse into a successful, mutually beneficial agreement. Through effective communication, empathy, and innovative problem-solving, SSS facilitated a deal that optimized value for all parties involved. The initiative not only ensured the timely delivery of a significant construction project in Saudi Arabia but also established a model for successful international procurement negotiations. SSS's approach underscores the power of understanding and addressing the core needs of each side to overcome barriers and achieve outstanding outcomes.
Company: Nigerian National Petroleum Company Exploration & Production Ltd
Submission Title: Supertech Chemical Plant Gas Sales & Aggregation Agreement (GSAA) Negotiation Excellence
Summary
Over 12 Years of my career negotiating Multi-Billion USD Oil and Gas deals, I have witnessed firsthand how collaborative negotiations foster cooperation, trust, fairness and strengthen relationships amongst parties. More recently, the Supertech GSAA which our Team successfully negotiated clearly illustrate why a collaborative approach should be prioritized over any other strategy. While the benefits to parties from this deal are numerous, personally, it’s fulfilling to see a mere EOI mature into a full-scale Project, and I am anxious to witness the already evident successes of this project which will come alive in February 2025.
Company: Eren Enerji
Submission Title: Changing the heart of a body
Summary
A very difficult and risky decision taking process but focusing on trust relationship and creating more technical and commercial approaches rather than transferring the sole responsibility to the counter part provided better understanding the roles and execution steps for everybody in the process. It created a healthy communication environment by avoiding to hide information or data necessary to be shared with the parties to reach a mutual success.
Special mention for highly commended submission
- CREOSUM APS: Strategic Innovation Meets Negotiation Excellence: Kemp & Lauritzen's SMARTnership Journey
- Nordic Negotiation Hub: Doubling production capacity by Buying a new Plant
Company: Strategic Sourcing Sphere
Submission Title: Driving Contract Excellence Beyond the Award: Strategic Sourcing Sphere's Commitment to Transformative Outcomes
Summary
Strategic Sourcing Sphere (SSS) demonstrated exceptional commitment to optimizing contractual agreements post-award for a major infrastructure project in Saudi Arabia. Faced with global disruptions and evolving regulatory requirements, SSS ensured the contract delivered on its envisaged outcomes within set time and cost parameters. By adapting contract terms, effectively implementing necessary changes, and managing conflicts proactively, SSS maintained cooperation and progress among all parties. Their efforts not only safeguarded the project's success but also delivered ongoing value and positive outcomes, reinforcing SSS's reputation for excellence in contract management and transformative collaboration.
Company: Accenture
Submission Title: Right contract structure saves millions
Summary
In December, we executed a Strategic Consulting contract initially presented as a $10 million fixed fee agreement with one payment milestone at the end of the year. We restructured it into 12 monthly payment milestones, reallocating deliverables accordingly. In April, when we exited the marketplace, this revised structure saved us 30% of the contract value internally. We subcontracted 30% of the work, giving up 97% of the value, and mutually terminated the remaining 30% of milestones, ensuring a litigation-free and efficient exit strategy.
Company: Socar Türkiye
Submission Title: Cost Control Activities in Contracts Post Award Processes
Summary
SOCAR Türkiye, a subsidiary of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), is Turkey’s largest integrated energy company. In 2023, economic uncertainties in Turkey significantly impacted SOCAR’s costs, especially due to rising subcontractor expenses. To address this, SOCAR implemented two key innovations in long-term unit price contracts. First, an efficiency factor was incorporated into price escalation formulas to stabilize costs. Second, unit price descriptions were revised to prevent excessive payments. These measures led to an annual cost-saving target of $0.9 million. Monitoring contract processes closely has ensured long-term efficiency, sustainability, and stronger contractual structures.
Company: LLC Clarity App
Submission Title: Clarity Project
Summary
Clarity Project is one of the largest open data-based analytical platforms in Ukraine. It is the only platform that offers users analytics of public procurement combined with data from more than 140 Ukrainian registries. Unique public procurement analysis tool and a user-friendly interface makes Clarity Project one of the most useful analytical system on the Ukrainian market.
Company: Serco PLC
Submission Title: Commercial Adoption of Generative AI in Bids
Summary
The Commercial and Finance Team responsible for winning new business and retaining existing business through competitive public sector procurements have augmented key steps in the sales process with Artificial Intelligence driven language engines to improve both the efficiency of the process and the outcomes from the process. Partnering with AutogenAI, the Team have enriched and streamlined the competitive and environment analysis in the early stages of the bid lifecycle, and have used AI to generate brand new content, accessing a deep and diverse set of information, including well curated Serco know-how.
Company: KBS Maritime
Submission Title: Multi-disciplinary Framework Contracts for Portsmouth Naval Base
Summary
KBS Maritime has created a Multi-disciplinary Supplier Framework for the delivery of Hard FM services for Portsmouth Naval Base. The framework has breathed new life into the supply chain, and encouraged greater local supplier participation. With the ability to 'lot' work and reducing the volume of contract negotiations, this initiative not only ensures resilience in the supply chain but also demonstrates operational efficiency, enabling faster timescales for delivery of critical infrastructure projects. This initiative makes KBS Maritime well placed to deliver the infrastructure challenges and requirements for Portsmouth Naval base both now and into the future.
Company: Lenovo
Submission Title: Operational Improvement - One Lenovo Contracting Community
Summary
We set up the One Lenovo Contracting Initiative at Lenovo made up of over 70 legal and contracts professionals providing global coverage for all Lenovo vendor and sales contracts including products, solutions and services contracts. This team includes recently established dedicated India and Mexico Teams supporting transactions around the clock. The team supports a range of work from lower value, lower complexity sales agreements reviewed by AI through to managing complex customer transactions, dispute resolutions and contracting and commercial matters.
Company: North West London Procurement Shared Services
Submission Title: Stronger Together: NWLPS’s Transformation in Procurement and Operational Efficiency
Summary
North West London Procurement Shared Service (NWLPS) has revolutionised NHS procurement through its "Stronger Together" strategy, delivering £15.4 million in savings in FY23/24 and transforming operational efficiency across nine NHS Trusts. By merging procurement teams, standardising processes, and leveraging real-time data analytics, NWLPS has achieved a 95% requisition turnaround within two days. Sustainability and social value remain at the core, with carbon reduction initiatives and staff insourcing enhancing equality and wellbeing. NWLPS has set a benchmark for excellence in procurement, ensuring cost-effectiveness, compliance, and improved patient care while aligning with NHS priorities for a future-proof healthcare system.
Company: Advanced Oilfield Technology Company
Submission Title: Streamlining Operational Excellence through Contract Management Innovation
Special mention for highly commended submission
- byte, Bayerische Agentur für Digitales GmbH: Public Sector Ready: Agile Legal, Procurement & Data Protection from Day One@byte
- Saudi Electricity Company: Enhancing Contractual Procedures
- Conga: Conga Revenue Lifecycle Management
- Amadeus IT Group: Achieving Operational Excellence in Global Contract Management
Company: Shell
Submission Title: The Modern Contracting Program: Delivering increased value in a changing world
Summary
Shell's Modern Contracting Program addresses the challenges of capital project contracting. The program promotes a transformational change in contracting mindset, focusing on adaptability, optimism, and value creation. It includes a hybrid delivery format with workshops, self-paced study, and group sessions. In 2024, 30 professionals were trained. They emphasise the eye-opening behavioural meaning of the training and its overall skillfulness of delivery. The program is crucial in the era of energy transition, when once dominant transactional commercial models do not seem to work anymore in capital contracting. Enhancing relationships with contractors and optimising organisational alignment is Shell's way forward.
Company: Norlys
Submission Title: Leading to transform – a flexible Contract Management organization in an ever-evolving business environment
Summary
Norlys is a multi-facetted business, leading to diverse contracting needs and contract & vendor management practices. This lack of consistency and digitalization made it difficult to manage contracts, ensure compliance, and support growth. To address this, Norlys launched a strategic CVM initiative in 2023, creating a standardized flexible Operating Model and selecting Sirion for contract lifecycle management (CLM). Implementation started in 2024, already resulting in improving contract compliance, efficiency gains, and higher value creation from contracting. By 2025, Norlys will have a fully integrated system, achieving significant annually savings, strengthening regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency across buy- and sell-side contracts.
Company: Ministry of Defence
Submission Title: Defence Digital Commercial Directorate
Summary
MOD Digital Commercial Directorate acquire £4.7bn/annum of digital capability and aim is to drive greater pace and agility into acquisition of digital and technology capabilities. The Digital Commercial strategy is a highly effective, leading edge commercial strategy servicing the whole of Defence and to the benefit of wider His Majesty’s Government and the Government supplier ecosystem. Delivering game changing technological outcomes, helping to deliver operational advantage in conflict situations globally, across all domains and at all security classifications. Delivering value for money to the tax payer far exceeding savings and income generation, best practice run rates within industry and government.
Company: Valmet
Submission Title: Enhancing Strategic Contract Management for Long-Term Value Creation
Summary
Valmet's strategic agreement business development initiative has elevated commercial excellence by aligning contract processes with corporate goals, enhancing customer collaboration, and driving long-term value creation. Through process optimization, digital integration, and a customer-centric approach, Valmet has achieved measurable improvements in efficiency, compliance, and revenue growth.
Company: Personio
Submission Title: Enabling Growth and Scalability
Summary
The Personio Legal team developed a new contracting model to enable the wider business strategic priority and help to accelerate growth through scalability. The team adopted innovative approach to contracting with a wider stakeholder perspective to shorten deal cycles through self-service and streamlined contracting model.
Special mention for highly commended submission
- Rolls-Royce plc: Rolls-Royce Management System: Driving Business Transformation
- Lenovo: Strategic Achievement for Concord
- North West London Procurement Shared Services: A Journey Towards Strategic Collaboration and Innovation
Company: Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA, UK Government)
Submission Title: Leading the way - Driving sustainability and green outcomes across Government
Summary
Ronnie Keenan as ‘Connectivity Category Lead’ should be recognised for his pioneering efforts to accelerate sustainability and VFM through leading our Defra Digital Technology Security (DDTS) Mobile Voice & Data Services (MVDS) Procurement Project. Ronnie analysed the market, understood opportunities and embedded sustainability through every stage of the Procurement demonstrating his unwavering commitment to our ‘Government Digital Sustainability Alliance’ (GDSA) strategy. This ground breaking project not only sets a precedent for government departments but also inspires the broader commercial community to pursue sustainable procurement practices and won the Government Commercial Organisation Sustainability Award in Nov 2024.
Company: eRevo
Submission Title: Energy Revolution Through Partner Ecosystem - Built in Just 1 Day!
Summary
eRevo, a pioneering hydrogen technology startup, revolutionized sustainable energy storage by co-creating an adaptive partner ecosystem in just one day. Partnering with Flowdays, they accelerated co-innovation through collaboration, setting a new benchmark for speed and efficiency in contracting. This initiative inspires organizations to rethink traditional procurement and supply chain strategies, fostering a win-win mindset to create a greater positive impact on the environment, society, and economy. By leveraging agile methodologies, eRevo demonstrated how rapid co-innovation can drive meaningful change and unlock new opportunities in the evolving energy landscape, proving that impactful transformation can happen faster together.
Company: Co-op
Submission Title: Transforming Waste Management in Co-op Funeralcare: Implementation of Offensive Waste
Summary
Through Horizon Scanning conversations with our Waste Management Provider, Co-op has launched a new waste segregation initiative within its Funeralcare business. By distinguishing between clinical and offensive waste, Co-op has significantly reduced disposal costs and carbon emissions. Initially trialled at Salford Care Centre and expanded across Wales, the initiative has now been rolled out across the entire Funeralcare estate, resulting in substantial cost savings and a reduction of 410 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This project underscores our commitment to operational excellence and sustainability, while also highlighting the value of effective contract management and strong supplier relationships.
Special mention for highly commended submission
- Eren Enerji: Changing the heart of a body
- Strategic Sourcing Sphere: Pioneering Sustainable and Inclusive Contracting: A Transformative Approach in Procurement Excellence
Company: Open Contracting Partnership
Submission Title: Digital Restoration Ecosystem for Accountable Management
Summary
DREAM – a digital ecosystem that collects, organizes and publishes open data across all stages of reconstruction projects in real-time. DREAM relies on the highest standards of transparency and accountability so that anybody, anywhere, can monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of project delivery and use these insights to mitigate risks, conduct accurate reporting, and improve project performance. DREAM gained support from the Government of Ukraine and international partners and is now used as one of the core elements for reconstruction transparency and accountability.
Company: ZeroAvia
Submission Title: Leveraging Generative AI, no code and low code IT solutions to build a Contract Lifecycle Management Ecosystem
Summary
The ZeroAvia team has leveraged generative AI, low code and no code IT solutions to build a Contract Lifecycle management ecosystem. Key tools include:
- a NDA Bot, built using Copilot Agent, which drafts NDAs and provides negotiation support
- a Contract Lifecycle App, offering easy access to contract data and intuitive dashboards; and
- workflow automation, using power Automate, to automate repeatable tasks
Company: Amadeus IT Group
Submission Title: A Blueprint for Global Contracting Excellence
Summary
Amadeus IT Group has successfully standardized its contract management process across 129 markets, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and financial accuracy. In 2024 alone, 7,721 contracts were processed, signed and activated through the CLM system, marking a 47.7% increase from 2023. By enforcing structured execution and governance discipline, Amadeus has built a repeatable, scalable contract framework that ensures long-term operational success. Unlike traditional CLM implementations, this project focused on rigorous execution planning, ensuring that every process was harmonized globally.
Company: Orange Business
Submission Title: Labeeb Gen-AI Contract assistant - The Future of Innovation and Efficiency
Summary
In the digital age, organizations face significant challenges in managing vast volumes of contracts, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs. Orange Business addresses these issues with Labeeb, an AI-powered contract management tool that streamlines the entire contract lifecycle. Labeeb enhances contract awareness, provides actionable insights, and offers customized templates for various teams, improving collaboration and decision-making. Recognizing similar challenges faced by customers, Labeeb was presented to the Orange Business Customers Executive Board in 2024, receiving positive feedback and paving the way for a Proof of Concept in early 2025. This initiative aims to empower customers and strengthen partnerships.
Company: Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş.
Submission Title: Contract Risk-Scoring System
Summary
The Contract Risk Scoring System brings an innovative approach to the contract evaluation process, which typically requires extensive manual effort. It successfully transforms words into numbers. The system operates through an algorithm that incorporates the company’s expected standard clauses in each contract and a weighted assessment of risk perception. At any stage of negotiation, it can generate a risk score output with single click, both at the clause level and for the contract as a whole. This not only identifies and makes the company’s contract-based risks visible but also simplifies the control of decision points throughout the process.
Special mention for highly commended submission
- Strategic Sourcing Sphere: Revolutionizing Contract Management through Innovative Technology Integration
Join us in celebration!
In recognizing excellence, we strengthen our profession.
Congratulations to all shortlisted candidates. Winners will be announced at the WorldCC EMEA Summit in Edinburgh on April 28-29, 2025, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa. We invite the entire commercial and contracting community to join us in celebrating these remarkable achievements.