Merck procurement leader Tricia Owen-Lyons recognized for digital transformation work

Influential Women featured Tricia Owen-Lyons, Merck’s associate director of sourcing and contracting, highlighting her role in procurement operations, digital workflow tools and team development. The profile points to how procurement leaders are using automation, negotiation skills and cross-functional coordination to keep pace with global business pressures.

Why it matters: - Tricia Owen-Lyons oversees work tied to Merck’s Procurement Business Operations U.S. hub, a function that affects sourcing, contracting and internal execution across the company. - Her focus on workflow tools, negotiation capability and team development reflects how procurement has become a strategic business function, not just an administrative one. - The profile also points to a broader challenge in the field: companies are managing tighter budgets, more competition and more pressure from economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Tricia Owen-Lyons, B.Sc., MBA, as Associate Director of Sourcing and Contracting at Merck. - Owen-Lyons serves as second in command for the Procurement Business Operations U.S. hub and also acts as Chief of Staff. - The profile was published June 26, 2026, in West Point, Pennsylvania. - A profile link was included for more information.

The details: - Owen-Lyons has more than 20 years of global procurement experience. - She introduced Microsoft Copilot and Planner over the past nine months to improve workflow efficiency, collaboration and operational visibility. - Her work on digital transformation and process optimization earned multiple quarterly leadership awards. - Owen-Lyons founded Merck’s first and only Negotiation Club to strengthen knowledge-sharing and negotiation skills across teams. - She describes her leadership approach as servant leadership, with emphasis on team growth, well-being and empowerment. - Owen-Lyons is a first-generation college graduate with an undergraduate degree from St. Francis College and an International MBA from the University of the West Indies. - She speaks French, Portuguese, Mandarin, Spanish and English. - Her profile says she enjoys gardening and the arts outside of work.

Between the lines: - The profile frames procurement as a place where technical fluency, financial literacy and cross-functional communication matter as much as category expertise. - Owen-Lyons’ focus on coaching, negotiation and inclusive leadership suggests Merck is rewarding managers who can improve both execution and culture. - Her emphasis on perspective, family and breaking cycles of limitation gives the profile a personal narrative that reinforces resilience and long-term leadership ambition. - The mention of workforce restructuring and fewer openings suggests the sourcing and contracting market remains competitive even for experienced professionals.

What's next: - Owen-Lyons says women entering procurement should start small, gain exposure and test whether the field fits their strengths before specializing. - She expects success in the field to continue depending on business acumen, financial understanding and the ability to work across legal, risk and finance teams. - The profile suggests her next focus will remain on adaptability, continuous improvement and helping Merck’s procurement function evolve.

The bottom line: - Tricia Owen-Lyons is presented as a procurement leader blending operational execution, digital adoption and people development to shape Merck’s sourcing organization.