“Driving Global Impact Through Sourcing Excellence and Strategic Leadership.”
With over 20 years of experience in vendor relationship management, procurement strategy, and international operations, Adam Johnson has built a distinguished career by solving complex challenges with strategic insight, diplomacy, and results-oriented leadership. He is widely recognized as a dynamic executive who excels in driving innovation across vendor ecosystems, optimizing global sourcing functions, and reducing costs without sacrificing value—all while aligning procurement operations with broader corporate growth objectives.
Adam is known for his forward-thinking, “fail-fast” approach, and his ability to articulate the strategic value of initiatives to cross-functional stakeholders. His career includes transformative leadership roles at major tech companies and high-growth ventures, where he has consistently delivered scalable, impactful procurement solutions.
Adam’s professional journey began at Amazon.com in the late 1990s, where he started in customer service before rising to lead international QA and software localization. These early experiences laid the groundwork for his lifelong focus on global quality, cultural collaboration, and vendor integration. From 2000 to 2005, he served as International Software QA Manager, overseeing multilingual software testing and managing geographically dispersed vendor teams.
In 2005, Adam joined Microsoft, where he spent the next decade refining his expertise in global vendor operations. Over the years, he led sourcing and program management initiatives tied to enterprise programs with vendor budgets exceeding $40 million annually. He streamlined supplier networks, negotiated cost savings, and improved vendor performance metrics. Adam supported a 70-person leadership team and a 240+ FTE organization, driving improvements in budgeting, forecasting, supply chain management, and performance optimization.
In 2016, Adam returned to Amazon, this time in the Customer Trust & Partner Support (CTPS)organization, as a Vendor Relationship Manager. There, he built and scaled CTPS’s vendor program from the ground up, overseeing more than 70 global vendors and managing over $40 million in annual spend. He led strategic planning and contract negotiations, delivered measurable operational efficiencies, and ensured vendor compliance with GDPR and cybersecurity standards.
In 2022, Adam joined Wheels Up as Director of Vendor Management, where he established and led the corporate vendor management function. He managed over 250 vendor relationships representing $46.1 million in spend, executed a $13.6 million offshoring initiative in India, and implemented a series of high-impact cost-saving measures—including a mobile policy overhaul that reduced annual expenses by 33%, $250K in software licensing savings, and supply chain consolidation from 12 vendors to just two. These efforts earned him internal recognition and highlighted his rare combination of analytical rigor and people-first leadership.
In recent years, Adam has served as a strategic consultant at Meta and Dropbox, advising on vendor optimization and procurement system transformation in fast-paced, digital-first environments. His consulting engagements, and his advisory roles with organizations like the Dreams Matter Foundation and United Sports Seattle, reflect his dedication to mentorship, social impact, and building inclusive, purpose-driven teams.
Adam is currently an executive and leadership coach who provides expert guidance on team dynamics, organizational leadership, and strategic planning, with specialized knowledge in areas such as relationship management and artificial intelligence strategy.
A lifelong learner with a global mindset, Adam is proficient in English, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish, and holds BAs in both Russian Studies and Linguistics from the University of Washington, where he graduated cum laude. His certifications in TEFL and Life Purpose Coaching underscore his passion for personal development, coaching, and helping others unlock their potential.
At every stage of his career, Adam Johnson brings four defining traits to the table: strong Character, deep Knowledge, bold Strategic Thinking, and clear Communication.
Connect with Adam on LinkedIn to explore his full experience and insights.
