Colin Symington
About Colin Symington
Colin Symington serves as the Global Head of IT Procurement and Global Sourcing Leader at AXA XL, where he has worked since 2018. With over 20 years of experience in procurement, he has held leadership roles at various organizations, including TP ICAP and Old Mutual Wealth Management.
Work at AXA XL
Colin Symington serves as the Global Head of IT Procurement and Global Sourcing Leader at AXA XL, a division of AXA. He has held this position since 2018, contributing to the organization's procurement strategies and supplier management initiatives. His role involves overseeing IT procurement processes, developing sourcing strategies, and implementing best-in-class supplier management programs. Symington's leadership in this capacity has focused on achieving compliance and delivering substantial cost benefits to the organization.
Previous Experience in Procurement
Prior to his current role, Colin Symington worked at TP ICAP as the Head of Strategic Sourcing and Vendor Management from 2016 to 2018. He also held the position of Global Head of Procurement at The Workshop - Inventors of Play for one year in 2015. His earlier experience includes roles such as Group IT Procurement Manager at Unipart Group Limited and Head of IT Commercial and IT Procurement at Old Mutual Wealth Management, where he worked for three years. Additionally, he served as the Indirect and Supply Chain Procurement Manager at Logicalis.
Education and Expertise
Colin Symington studied at Wootton Bassett from 1994 to 1997. He has over 20 years of experience in procurement, specializing in IT sourcing with in-depth knowledge of outsourcing, managed services, data centers, cloud computing, and spend analytics. His expertise includes managing change, identifying and managing risk, and supporting projects from inception to completion. He has developed strategies and implemented processes that have consistently resulted in multimillion-pound cost savings.
Achievements in Procurement
Throughout his career, Colin Symington has demonstrated a proven ability to lead negotiations and achieve compliance while delivering significant cost benefits. He has consistently achieved multimillion-pound cost savings and value-added benefits that align with the long-term strategic goals of the organizations he has worked for. His track record includes successful management of multi-million-pound projects and the implementation of lean processes and best-in-class supplier management practices.
Global Experience and Leadership Skills
Colin Symington possesses truly global experience, having worked across Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. His advanced leadership and team motivation skills enable him to inspire teams to deliver on procurement objectives. He is recognized for his strong attention to detail and ability to assess and limit commercial risks, which are essential in managing multiple projects simultaneously.