Maha.Ali@4cassociates.com, Author at 4C

Supply Chain Resiliency – Responding to US Tariffs

With the global 10% baseline tariff set to expire on July 9th, now is the time to act. We’ve outlined five critical questions every executive should be asking their CPO and Procurement teams.

In the News: Smarter and Leaner: How the Zero-Based Approach is Unlocking Up to 50% in Procurement Savings

In our latest article, we explore how zero-based approaches, and zero-based spend in particular, is unlocking savings of up to 50% in indirect costs for procurement leaders, providing practical strategies for smarter demand management and therefore rethinking what's bought, why it's needed, and how much is truly required.

In the News: 4C Associates Becomes Part of FourCentric

4C Associates is part of a wider Group of industry leading businesses with expertise across procurement, supply chain, operations and analytics. With the launch of FourCentric, focused on combining our expertise to offer clients impactful, sustainable results across planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery.

In the News: 4C Associates Joins the Management Consultancies Association

Continuing to look at ways to give our team the best foundations in consultancy, 4C have joined the Management Consultancies Association to ensure we are investing in our team, giving back to the industry as well as continuing to learn from our peers.

In the News: Young MCA: Day in the Life of a Young Consultant

Ever wondered what a typical day for a young consultant entails? From data analysis to client presentations, Kate Sinclair and Callum Bradshaw share their daily experiences on the Young MCA News channel.

Digital Procurement: Saving our Government’s Systems

Some 25% of government systems are outdated, according to findings from DSIT (2025) - contributing to an estimated cost of £45 billion a year to the taxpayer. If optimised correctly, technology in public sector procurement can enhance transparency, accelerate strategic decision-making, secure sensitive data and soften long-term cost to the taxpayer.

Software Asset Management: Cost Savings & Beyond

At its core, Software Asset Management is about more than just keeping track of your licensing estate. Think of it as an efficient and clinical software inventory of an organisation, uncovering hidden inefficiencies and ensuring every software asset is used to its fullest potential.

6 Practical Strategies to Break Down Silos in Consumer Products Businesses

In today’s consumer products industry, achieving effective cross-functional collaboration is essential. Silos between manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement departments create inefficiencies, limit innovation, and erode trust across an organisation. Breaking down these silos can unlock agility, promote end-to-end efficiency, and foster resilience, driving better outcomes for both the business and its customers. Based on insights from 4C Associates’ recent...

Navigating Economic Recovery: Strategies for Food & Beverage Companies in a Changing Consumer Landscape

Drawing on insights from the 4C 2024 F&B Survey, we’re examining how changing economic conditions are reshaping consumer choices in food and drink purchases. We explore how easing inflationary pressures have influenced shoppers' price sensitivity, and how factors such as product range and sustainability now play an increasingly important role in purchasing decisions. Furthermore, this analysis provides actionable strategies...

Can Agile Supply Chains Ease Pressures for FMCGs?

The consumer products industry is navigating the fallout of major international events such as concurrent geopolitical conflicts, inflation, and unpredictable demand. Businesses that fail to tailor their supply chain strategy to marketplace requirements risk their market share, competitiveness, or worse, their survival. So how can Introducing an agile supply chain help?

Effective Partnering for Competitive Advantage

How will sponsors and CROs achieve competitive advantage in todays clinical development environment? Be the first to make hybrid outsourcing models work with much greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Adapting to Evolution (and Revolution): Is Your Operating Model Fit for The Constantly Changing Global Environment?

We live in an era marked by rapid technological advancements, geopolitical shifts, unforeseen black swan events and the ever-evolving and dynamic nature of business and customer culture. As a result of this, organisations often find themselves having to navigate a fluid, complex and unpredictable global environment. The considerable challenge is to develop sustainable outcomes for the long-term when faced...

Analogue to Algorithm: Pioneering Change in a Digital Frontier

Delve into the importance of change in the procurement domain, how diverse approaches to change management can impact outcomes and how a harmonious blend of change management principles and technology can drive successful transformation.

Is Security of Supply Possible in Deflationary Supply Markets?

Falling prices can boost your bottom line, but can you secure supply in a deflationary market? This blog explores the challenges and opportunities of deflationary supply chains. Discover strategies for leveraging cost reductions while maintaining security.

Glide Paths for Sustainable Growth: Our Takeaways from The WPC

We recently attended the World Procurement Congress which provided a great opportunity to delve into pressing retail and consumer challenges that a lot of our current clients are facing such as ESG, resilience, performance, partnerships, and digitalization. Read our key takeaways here.