QXO Inc., the technology-enabled distribution startup targeting the $800 billion U.S. building products industry, has named Michael DeWitt as chief procurement officer in a move that underscores the company’s ambitions to transform how materials move through the construction supply chain.
DeWitt brings more than 30 years of global procurement experience to the role, including senior positions in retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. Most recently, he served as vice president of international spend management at Walmart International, where he oversaw $10 billion in annual purchasing across 18 countries. There, he led the rollout of advanced sourcing technologies—such as AI-driven negotiation platforms—that more than doubled annual savings for the retail giant.
For distributors, DeWitt’s appointment highlights QXO’s growing focus on centralized purchasing, supplier optimization, and digital procurement—areas that have traditionally been fragmented across the building materials sector.
“Michael has redefined what best-in-class procurement looks like,” said QXO chairman and CEO Brad Jacobs in a statement. “He’s driven billions in savings, pioneered the use of AI in sourcing, and built global teams that outperform.”
DeWitt’s background also includes CPO roles at Highmark Health and senior sourcing positions at Bayer, MEDRAD, and Hewlett-Packard. He began his career managing logistics and inventory in the U.S. Air Force—experience that aligns closely with QXO’s supply chain focus.
Launched in 2023 and based in Greenwich, Conn., QXO is acquiring and integrating distributors in the building products sector under a unified platform. Its goal: to modernize procurement, streamline distributor operations, and deliver better service and pricing through shared technology and scale.
DeWitt will lead the procurement transformation at QXO as the company expands its footprint and accelerates platform development, sending a clear signal to distributors that technology, sourcing intelligence, and supplier performance will be central to QXO’s value proposition.
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