96. Dirk Karl

Company: MTN Group – Global Sourcing and Supply Chain
Designation: Group Procurement Executive
Nationality: German
Global Headquarters: South Africa
Sector: Telecommunications

Karl assumed his current role in 2017. He has helped to transform procurement from a cost center into a revenue-generating center, achieving more than $300 million in cost savings in 2023. He also launched the Px360 Procurement Platform, an agile, data-driven neural engine that offers proactive real-time insights, risk identification, and optimal recommendations. Karl was previously regional chief information officer for Europe and Latin America for the General Motors Acceptance Corporation and chief procurement officer at ING Group N.V. He also serves as a board member for Global Sourcing Company and the Joint Audit Cooperation.