Perhaps this is what it's like to be a real CPO - arriving in a strange foreign city with only a Blackberry and laptop for company...

The City is a drisly Luxembourg, where we have endured a nerve-shattering flight on a Fokker 50 out of London City Airport to come and look around Vodafone's new central procurement hub. Our host for the day is its chief executive, and Vodafone's global supply chain management director, Detlef Shultz.

So far, so good. If it wasn't for the so-called "mild" turbulence during the flight and the gentleman in front who almost broke my legs when slamming back his seat, the flight would have been bearable. Still, small price to pay for Vodafone procurement executives who recognise the efficiencies and benefits of housing its entire procurement operation under one geographically central roof.

I look forward to hearing more about it and filling you all in on what it takes to establish a procurement hub for a company the size of Vodafone.