Dubai, UAE — Procurement × AI
Fortune 500 procurement leadership.
Hands‑on AI engineering.
Two decades leading procurement and supply chain across MEA and global programs — and a working AI practitioner who personally builds agents, automation workflows and ML systems. That combination is rare, and it compounds.
My AI assistant is online — it answers questions about my experience 24/7.
01Executive outcomes
0+
Years of procurement leadership
$0M
Annual spend managed
$0M+
Savings delivered
0
Global regions led in PPO
02About
I've spent 20+ years building and leading procurement organizations for Fortune 500 operations — from hands-on contract management on multi‑billion‑dollar EPC megaprojects to regional and global leadership at Emerson Automation Solutions, spanning strategic sourcing, cost optimization, risk management and mega‑project spend across MEA and worldwide.
I'm an engineer by training (B.Eng., Electronics & Communication) and a technologist by practice: I build AI agents, automation workflows and machine‑learning systems myself — then use that fluency to transform how procurement actually runs.
YouTube: @samerainews · @Thakaa‑AI
FCIPSFellow, CIPS — since 2014
PMPPMI — since 2008
PMI‑RMPRisk Management
PMI‑SPScheduling
B.Eng.Electronics & Communication, PSUT03Experience
2020 — Present
Emerson Automation Solutions
Leading Project Procurement & Contract Management across the Middle East and Africa, with significant contributions to mega‑project wins and high‑GP project execution, driving strategic initiatives and regional innovation.
2020 — 2023
Emerson Automation Solutions
Led global project procurement operations across five regions, driving strategic procurement transformation and operational excellence worldwide.
2013 — 2020
Emerson Automation Solutions
Developed and executed strategic sourcing initiatives across the Middle East and Africa, managing supplier relationships and cost optimization programs.
2006 — 2013
Consolidated Contractors International Company
Hands-on procurement and contracts for multi‑billion‑USD projects — including the $1.8B Ras Laffan Expansion and the $550M Shah Sulphur Station, with $10M+ total cost reduction versus budget.
B.Eng., Electronics & Communication Engineering — Princess Sumaya University for Technology (2006) · PMP (2008) · PMI‑RMP & PMI‑SP (2010) · FCIPS (2014)
04Selected wins
$10M+
Ran procurement packages on the $1.8B Ras Laffan Expansion and the $550M Shah Sulphur Station — closing more than $10M below budget through disciplined negotiation and contract management.
Growth
Aligned sourcing strategy with sales proposals so pricing, supplier commitments and risk posture were credible at bid and executable after award — supporting project wins valued in the tens of millions of dollars.
~90%
Implemented supplier payment discipline where roughly 90% of invoices were paid after 80 days or back-to-back with customer terms — strengthening working capital without damaging supplier relationships.
05The AI Lab
Unlike typical executives, I bring hands‑on expertise in building AI agents, automation workflows and machine‑learning systems. Deep technical knowledge, combined with 20+ years of procurement leadership, delivers a practical edge in transformations that often stall between strategy and execution.
Custom AI agents and automation systems built through personal projects and continuous learning — from RPA to intelligent document processing. Solutions that can reduce up to 80% of manual effort in suitable document‑heavy workflows.
Expert in AI‑powered development — vibe‑coding techniques and advanced AI systems for sophisticated solutions, alongside no‑code platforms. I architect, build and deploy personally, so results are practical and measurable.
A rare combination: a Fortune 500 procurement leader who codes AI solutions. I speak boardroom and terminal fluently — bridging a gap that usually takes entire teams to fill.
Master AI implementation through hands‑on tutorials and real‑world automation examples — in English and Arabic.
English channel · @samerainews
Live from thaka2.ai — my AI education platform.
Read my latest AI articles and episode companions on thaka2.ai/blog.
The chat bubble in the corner is my own build — an n8n‑powered agent that answers questions about my experience, 24/7.
Fine‑tunes, spaces and experiments published in the open on Hugging Face.
huggingface.co/SamerGMTM2206Testimonials
Samer is an incredible leader. He built a work culture of mutual trust between the team, always communicated with honesty, and helped me to develop my career. Samer is very supportive, passionate, empowering and stay approachable no matter his workload. For me, he became an example.
He is true leader who leads by example, extremely innovative and a passionate supply chain professional. He is an active member of CIPS and represents team in global supply chain forum. Apart from an ethical professional, he is also a good human being.
Open mind, leader as team player, he is the perfect director for a company that knows that procurement is a key element of success. I recommend him with absolutely no doubts.
Samer was always willing to collaborate and share information helpful to my job. He is a very innovative thinker always looking for ways to improve work processes for himself and for the whole team. Despite being part of a remote global team, Samer was a proactive participant in all initiatives.
I found Samer highly energetic, active, intelligent and willing to create difference positively. He is an astute leader. I wish him all the best for his career.
One of his key strengths is resolving cross function issues through confronting and collaborative approach, thus satisfying stakeholder's needs and exceeding their expectations. I highly recommend Samer to be part of a professional organization that is looking for highly qualified and versatile Engineer.
Samer is one of the best engineers I have worked with; he goes deep in details on his work and well organized. He is the one you can depend on in difficult situations and hard issues to solve. I'm sure that he will be a true asset to any company that he works for.
His good work ethic and interpersonal skills enable him to build excellent rapport with all his colleagues and suppliers. He constantly demonstrates willingness to assist his fellow colleagues in their tasks. He is very keen in improving himself by taking trainings and programs. Samer is a team player and would make a great asset to any organization.
Samer is amazing, he has found a way to integrate his work with his passions and he makes a difference. Samer has an outstanding work ethic and it shows through his work. He works so intelligently and uses social media tools to increase the value of his work. He always stays on top of the current trends. Anyone would be lucky to work with him — he is a great partner to me.
I had the pleasure working with Samer at CCC in several major projects. Samer was dedicated and energetic procurement engineer. His attention to details and deep knowledge was key for the success of the contracts he managed. I admired mostly his passion to learn and his excellent capability to challenge the status quo. I am confident that he will be an asset for any team he joins.
I'm having the privilege working with Samer at the same office as he is a perfectly organized, inspiring hard worker. His Perception, Analytical and Strategic Thinking skills are derived from his endless knowledge in the field attained through his work experience, educational path and professional certifications. His enthusiasm and eagerness to learn more encouraged me to start working on my academic competency.
Samer has a very confident and cheerful character. He proved to be an eminent team player with great potential to be a very successful leader. I enjoyed sharing with him a personal friendship experience as well as a professional one. I certainly recommend Samer to any client or employer looking for an enthusiastic character that can make things happen.
All quotes are public LinkedIn recommendations
Project beneficiaries & organizations served
07Executive & recruiter FAQs
I am a Fortune 500 procurement executive based in Dubai, with 20+ years across MEA and global programs. I fit roles including Procurement Director, Head of Procurement, VP Procurement and Supply Chain, or CPO based on business size and organizational structures.
UAE-based, currently living in Dubai, open to remote global work and travel opportunities.
Managed up to $400M annual spend across roles and delivered $25M+ savings using competitive events, reverse auctions, and performance analytics. I don't view spend as the primary criteria to judge a procurement professional, rather, I focus on exposure, achievement, and complexity of spend.
I am deeply technical (proud geek) and consistently drive towards leveraging analytics and practical technologies like AI into Source-to-Pay and Procure-to-Pay systems, automate performance dashboards, and use decision intelligence to increase competitively sourced spend, accelerate cycle times, and reduce risk.
Structured SRM with KPI reviews, competitive tension through events, and contract terms aligned with execution risk. I harmonize playbooks across countries, then monitor risk with analytics and governance so issues surface early. I advocate that deepened supplier relationships are critical, always telling my team: "Suppliers to you should be the same as customers to sales; those relationships are our best assets."
Implemented disciplined supplier payment practices where approximately 90% of invoices were paid after 80 days or back-to-back with customer terms, which strengthened cash performance without harming supplier relationships.
Built and coached a regional procurement organization of 25+ professionals with approximately 5% attrition during transformation. I also led global project procurement operations across 5 regions, directly and indirectly affecting 160+ individuals.
Oil and gas, energy, industrial automation, EPC, and multi-country MEA projects. Categories include site services, EPC packages, long-lead engineered equipment, MRO, capital equipment, temporary resources, electronics, mechanical, electrical, and IT.
I align sourcing strategy with proposals so pricing, supplier commitments, and risk posture are credible at bid stage, then executable after award. This support helped win projects valued in tens of millions USD and contributed to record regional EBITDA.
Standardize policies and playbooks, automate with e-sourcing and reverse auctions where appropriate, embed analytics in approval and P2P workflows, and track a focused set of KPIs that drive competitively sourced spend and compliance. "Tighten the chains of delivery, and empower real-time data flows."
I use auctions when specifications are clear, supply is competitive, and suppliers are pre-qualified. Quality and service SLAs are locked in contractually, so the auction focuses on total cost and delivery, not cutting corners. I don't run major e-sourcing without clearing core terms and conditions with major bidders.
Skills upskilling in analytics and AI, complex documentation processing, and knowledge facilitation through vetted complex documents used as knowledge bases for chatbots that help harmonize process compliance, reduce onboarding time, and systematize feedback collection. I also use AI for ideation, scenario analysis, potential risk assessments, and more.
Cycle time reduction from request to PO, compliance and governance scores, supplier performance, proposal hit rate, EBITDA impact, and working capital improvements. Fundamentally, beyond figures and numbers, what matters most is the sentiment of my internal customers and stakeholders about how they are enabled by our department to achieve their goals and the enterprise's objectives.
FCIPS chartered since 2014. PMP since 2008; PMI-RMP and PMI-SP since 2010. Professional affiliations include CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply), PMI (Project Management Institute), and JEA (Jordanian Engineering Association).
I managed procurement packages for the $1.8B Ras Laffan Expansion and the $550M Shah Sulphur Station, achieving more than $10M total cost reduction versus budget.
Yes. I engage on transformation design, S2P and P2P improvement, supplier risk management, and AI-assisted procurement programs for executives who need fast traction and measurable outcomes.
English (professional fluency) and Arabic (native). I can support bilingual stakeholder environments.
Email samer@thaka2.ai, message me on LinkedIn, or ask my AI assistant right here on this site. I respond quickly to direct executive outreach.
08Contact
Whether you're a recruiter, a hiring executive or a leader exploring procurement transformation and practical AI — I'd love to hear from you.
Prefer asking questions first? — bottom right corner.
