Bahar is a transformational procurement leader, and the Go Awards 2025 winner in both the Team and Individual categories—recognising his outstanding contributions to public procurement. As Director of Procurement at Queen Mary University of London, Bahar has defined the role of procurement as a strategic enabler of value, innovation, and impact. With early career experience in finance, Bahar entered the procurement field in 2007.

Since joining Queen Mary in 2012, he has delivered significant savings and recognised multi million in social value, while embedding ethical, sustainable, and social priorities into procurement practices. Bahar also contributes as an Executive Committee member of the London Universities Purchasing Consortium and a leader in several sector-wide working groups.

Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister, and ensures the effective running of government. As the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, Cabinet Office take the lead in certain critical policy areas.

They are responsible for:

• supporting collective government, helping to ensure the effective development, coordination and implementation of policy
• supporting the National Security Council and the Joint Intelligence Organisation, coordinating the government’s response to crises and managing the UK’s cyber security
• promoting efficiency and reform across government through innovation, better procurement and project management, and by transforming the delivery of services
• promoting the release of government data, and making the way government works more transparent
• creating an exceptional civil service, improving its capability and effectiveness
• promoting social action and National Citizen Service, and growing the social investment market
• political and constitutional reform

Having spent 15 years in global buying roles in industrial distribution, Emma moved to the Housing sector 4 years ago to work for MTVH. Her experience means she has led multi-disciplinary, customer-focussed teams across multiple geographies, where her strengths have been establishing common goals and joint aspirations together with a strong team ethos and sense of purpose.

Emma is also vice-chair of the G15 Procurement Leadership Group, where they come together to share best-practice and explore opportunities for collaboration across London’s biggest Housing Associations.

Esther Beaumont – Head of Category Management & SRM at 7F Commercial Services
MCIPS qualified, with over 25 year’s commercial experience & 17 years working in Public Sector Procurement, within Local Authorities and the Emergency services sector.
In my current role, I am responsible for a team of 28 people, directing & leading commercial activities, tendering & supplier relationship management activity across 7 Police Forces in the Eastern region. Key category areas include ICT, Construction & FM, Frontline Operational requirements, Corporate Services & Community Based services.
I have a particular passion for embedding Sustainability and Social Value into the procurement process, continually expanding upon this in contract and am currently focusing on the contribution our supply chain makes to supporting our Net Zero Carbon targets.