Business

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) is accelerating its growth across the Middle East as rising investment, regulatory complexity and sustainability priorities fuel increased demand for professional procurement capability across the region.

Building on strong global momentum in 2025, CIPS plans to expand its regional engagement, partnerships and events programme in 2026 to support organisations navigating increasingly complex supply chains, national transformation agendas and heightened expectations around resilience, transparency and sustainability.

Throughout 2025, CIPS strengthened its presence in key Middle East markets through high-level events, member engagement initiatives and strategic partnerships. This momentum is set to continue into the new year with a series of regional engagement events aimed at building connected procurement communities across the Middle East and neighbouring markets.

The regional expansion forms part of a broader year of global growth for CIPS. Overall membership increased by more than 10% in 2025, while digital engagement rose significantly, reflecting growing recognition of procurement as a strategic function within organisations. The institute also expanded its international footprint with new offices across Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, enhancing its ability to support members locally while maintaining global standards.

CIPS also advanced its sustainability agenda in 2025 with the appointment of Maxfield E. Weiss as Global Head of Sustainability. The move reinforces the organisation’s focus on supporting procurement leaders as they respond to climate, social and governance expectations embedded within modern supply chains.

“Across the Middle East, procurement is increasingly viewed as a strategic enabler of growth, resilience and national development, rather than simply an operational function,” said Sam Achampong, Regional Director for Asia, Australasia, the Middle East and Africa at CIPS. “That shift is accelerating. After a strong 2025, we are stepping up our presence across the region in 2026 by expanding partnerships and creating more opportunities for leaders to connect, share insight and build capability.”

Beyond professional development, the CIPS Foundation continued to deliver social impact globally in 2025, supporting initiatives focused on women’s economic empowerment, education access and modern slavery prevention. Plans are in place to scale these partnerships further in 2026.

With an expanding regional programme, growing membership and an increased focus on sustainability and leadership, CIPS enters 2026 positioned to play a stronger role in shaping the future of procurement across the Middle East.

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