Raymond Carney, Director of Procurement and Trading at Portwest, joins the judging panel for the National Procurement Awards 2026, bringing almost two decades of international business leadership and deep procurement expertise to one of Ireland's most respected recognition programmes for procurement excellence.

Raymond's career at Portwest spans nearly 20 years, during which he has held some of the organisation's most senior operational and commercial roles. As former Chief Operating Officer, he developed broad leadership experience across product management, supply chain, and procurement before moving into his current role as Director of Procurement and Trading. That transition from COO to procurement director reflects both the strategic importance Portwest places on its procurement function and the depth of commercial understanding Raymond brings to it.

His expertise spans strategic sourcing, supplier management, commercial negotiations, and supply chain resilience, covering the interconnected disciplines that define high-performing procurement in a global trading environment. Portwest operates across international markets, and managing procurement at that scale demands not just category expertise but a rigorous understanding of how supply chain decisions affect commercial outcomes, risk exposure, and long-term value creation across the business. Raymond has spent nearly two decades developing precisely that understanding.

The breadth of his executive background, from COO-level operational leadership through to procurement and trading strategy, gives him a perspective on procurement management that extends well beyond sourcing and into how procurement contributes to overall business performance. That perspective is particularly valuable in evaluating submissions to the National Procurement Awards 2026, where the strongest entries demonstrate procurement innovation that has delivered measurable organisational impact.

His Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors further reflects a commitment to governance and strategic leadership that complements his procurement specialism and reinforces the rigour he brings to the judging process.

The National Procurement Awards 2026 gala takes place on 22nd October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.

View the full list of judges here procurementawards.ie/judges, and subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with announcements, shortlists, and event news.