Ajay Channana

I am a procurement and commercial leader with over twenty years’ experience delivering complex, high-value programmes across the public and private sectors. I work where commercial decisions materially affect delivery, risk, and long-term value.

I have operated at director and head-of-function level in organisations where the stakes are significant and the margin for error is small — advising senior leaders while working directly with programme, project, and operational teams to ensure commercial decisions hold in practice.

My work spans the full commercial lifecycle: from spend analysis and category design through sourcing, negotiation, contract management, and supplier performance management.

I have experience of analysing procurement spend of up to £880 million and developing multi-tier category structures, sourcing strategies, procurement policies, and commercial operating models. My category experience spans major spend areas including Professional Services, Clinical-Surgical, Corporate, Logistics, and Marketing. I have developed bespoke commercial models for complex business requirements including Capex, Leased, and Managed Service for Medtech and FM services. I have commissioned Mental and Community Health services and awarded insourcing contracts for out-of-hours emergency and GP services.

My Technology category experience extends across Digital, Data, and Telecoms — including Cloud, Networking, Cyber, SaaS, consumption-based, and emerging technologies. I have led procurement transformation programmes, established supplier relationship management functions, and put in place supplier performance frameworks including bespoke KPIs and SLAs.

I have deep working knowledge of UK public sector procurement routes to market — frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems, direct award mechanisms, and the regulatory requirements that govern them. That includes the Government Commercial Agency (GCA, formerly Crown Commercial Service), NHS Supply Chain, G-Cloud, and the compliance obligations introduced under the Procurement Act 2023. This is the foundation for the market access advisory work I deliver for technology and medtech companies seeking to enter or expand within UK public sector markets.

My work includes post-merger integration, carve-outs, contract rationalisation, supplier consolidation, and independent commercial due diligence for investors, acquirers, and businesses preparing for sale.

Based in the UK. Worked across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and South East Asia.

Professional Bodies & Current Programmes

C-MCIPS
C-MCIPS
Chartered Member, Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply
FCMI
FCMI
Fellow, Chartered Management Institute
FCILT
FCILT
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport
IACCM
IACCM
Member & Advanced Practitioner — CCMAP & SRMAP
MCMI
Member, Chartered Management Institute
MBCS
MBCS
Member, BCS — Chartered Institute for IT
FIoL
FIoL
Fellow, Institute of Leadership
MBA
MBA
MBA with Distinction, Strathclyde Business School
Oxford
Oxford
AI & Digital Transformation in Govt · AI, Justice & the Rule of Law (both in progress)
AI UK
AI UK
AI Ethics, Compliance and Data Analysis Courses (in progress)