ASUG Talks: Special Edition Episode: 2024 ASUG Pulse Of The SAP Customer Research ASUG Talks podcast

19:07

SAP unveiled its latest financial performance last week during its quarterly financial results call. The first since the litany of announcements the software company made SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference in May, the call focused on SAP's continuing focus on cloud adoption and innovative AI strategies. But, in keeping with its most recent messaging, SAP also continued articulating how its software can help organizations deal with current economic headwinds. Jim Lichtenwalter, Senior Producer of ASUG Podasts, is joined by Isaac Feldberg, Senior Editor at ASUG, to discuss the earnings call and what it means for ASUG members. Key Insights: SAP's strong financial growth in Q2, despite uncertain economic conditions Marquee customers leveraging SAP products SAP's new efforts in China Related Insights Check out the full ASUG editorial breakdown of the financial results Listen to the last ASUG Talks News Brief, recorded at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Join the ASUG Communities team on July 31 for an "Ask Me Anything" session on demystifying AI…

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ASUG Talks Roundtable: How Agentic AI is Reshaping the SAP Ecosystem 51:52

7 days ago51:52

51:52

AI is innovating at a rapid rate. After generative AI took the ERP ecosystem--and the larger tech industry--by storm in recent years, agentic AI is quickly capturing the attention of the community. It makes sense, as the capabilities enabled by agentic AI solutions are staggering. And SAP is introducing agentic-infused solutions, further enabling its customers. But what exactly IS agentic AI? What can it accomplish for users? In the latest ASUG Talks Roundtable, host Jim Lichtenwalter is rejoined by AI thought leaders, Paul Modderman, Founding AI Engineer at Nova Intelligence; and Anurag Barua, Transformation Leader at SAP. The three build on their previous conversation (focused on generative AI) and dive deep into the development and utility of agentic AI. Key Topics Practical applications of agentic AI Measures enterprises can take to mitigate data hallucinations The role SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) has in enable agentic AI solutions Around the ASUG Ecosystem Register for the ASUG Community Conversation Business Transformation Management: Making the Case for Change—and Proving It on July 24.…

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ASUG Talks Roundtable: What ASUG and SAP Research Reveals About Integration 20:10

15 days ago20:10

20:10

Dive into a recent collaborative research project conducted by ASUG and SAP focused on one of the chief focuses (and challenges) for ASUG Members: integration. Members of the ASUG Research Team, Blake Baltazar and Marissa Gilbert, join ASUG Talks host Jim Lichtenwalter to go over the second iteration of this research, specific trends they are seeing, and how ASUG Members are approaching their integration strategies. Key Topics: Integration challenges respondents reported Changes from last year's research How the 2027 deadline is impacting organizations' integeration efforts Related content: Join us for an ASUG Community conversation on July 22 fo cused on the difference between private and public cloud versions of SAP S/4HANA Read insights from ASUG's recent conversation with Balaji Balasubramanian, President and Chief Product Officer, SAP CX and Consumer Industries, about the growing impact of AI…

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ASUG Talks Customer Success Story: How SA Power Networks Managed a Dual SAP S/4HANA Migration 38:38

20 days ago38:38

38:38

Conducting a single SAP S/4HANA digital transformation is complicated enough. In this episode of ASUG Talks, we sat down with Travis Smith, Principal SAP Enterprise Architect at SA Power Networks. The Australian utility company tackled TWO RISE with SAP projects at the same time. Travis walks ASUG Talks through just how. Key Insights: The reasoning for a dual digital transformation and how SA Power Networks managed such a project Ways the organization obtained stakeholder buy-in for this digital transformation project SA Power Networks’ integration strategy Related Resources: ASUG Fall Conferences are gearing up. Join us for the following events: SAP for Utilities, Presented by ASUG : Sept. 8-10 in Denver, CO. ASUG Best Practices for Oil, Gas, and Energy : Oct. 6-8 in Houston, TX ASUG Tech Connect : Nov. 4-6 in Louisville, KY Listen to ASUG Talks’ interview with the authors of “SAP Business Technology Platform,” a recent SAP Press release…

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ASUG Talks Roundtable: Keys to Leveraging SAP BTP 35:03

29 days ago35:03

35:03

In this latest ASUG Talks roundtable, we dive deep into the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). The solution helps SAP customers tackle a variety of functions. But where should users begin? We are joined by the authors of the SAP Press publication SAP Business Technology Platform : Smitha Banda Shibaji Chandra Chun Aun Gooi They cover how enterprises can begin successfully leveraging SAP BTP and laid out some of the most interesting use cases featured in the publication. Related Resources Learn how Woodstream Corporation approached its SAP S/4HANA implementation. Read our interview with CIO Melissa Oldfield. Gain insights from SAP President of Cloud ERP, David Robinsion around the evolving SAP cloud ERP stategy. Listen to his thoughts .…

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ASUG Talks Executive Interview: David Robinson, SAP 30:57

5 weeks ago30:57

30:57

In the final episode recorded live at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference, ASUG Talks focuses on SAP cloud offerings. David Robinson, President of Cloud ERP at SAP, sat down with Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion for a conversation around SAP's evolving cloud strategy. With over two decades of experience at SAP, Robinson has been crucial in the development of this strategy, along with his role in the RISE with SAP launch. Key Takeaways How RISE with SAP can fits into the SAP Cloud ERP strategy Addressing skepticism about RISE, and how the offering can help customers set a foundation for innovation Insights into SAP's "suite first" mentality Related Insights Read our interview with SAP leaders --Deepti Patil, Senior Product Manager with SAP Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Customer Communication and Relations Team; and Tim Steuer, Vice President of SAP ALM--about the importance of adopting a clean core mentality, especially as you set a foundation to innovate. Join us on June 26 for a Community Conversation focused on the state of the Public Services industry.…

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ASUG Talks Roundtable: Cybersecurity in the Cloud 31:47

6 weeks ago31:47

31:47

As SAP customers migrate to the cloud, cybersecurity is a critical component of those transformation projects. Moving your IT ecosystem and sensitive organizational data from bare-metal, on-premises environments into the cloud requires a dedicated security approach, especially as threat actors’ efforts grow more sophisticated. In this ASUG Talks Roundtable, we dig into how enterprises should approach cybersecurity in the cloud. ASUG Talks host, Jim Lichtenwalter, is joined by the authors of the SAP Press publication Cybersecurity for SAP : Gaurav Singh Juan Perez-Etchegoyen Key Takeaways Initial steps enterprises should take when securing their cloud migrations The importance of adopting a shared responsibility security model The cybersecurity benefits of RISE with SAP Related Insights Join the ASUG Communities team on June 17 for a Community Conversation focused on the business transformation management announcements that came out of SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference. Learn Zeon Chemicals’ insights from its RISE with SAP project. Dive into Stefan Steinle, leader of SAP’s Customer Support & Cloud Lifecycle Management organization, thoughts on how AI is impacting the SAP support strategy .…

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ASUG Talks Live: ASUG Leaders Reflect on SAP Customers' Challenges and Focuses 32:51

7 weeks ago32:51

32:51

In the second live episode recorded at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference, Marissa Gilbert, ASUG Research Director, moderates a panel featuring several ASUG leaders: Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Kris Cowles, ASUG Board Member Brendan Verni, ASUG Board Member Using recent ASUG research as a foundation for the conversation, the group dives into the main focuses, investments, and hurdles relating to SAP technology and adoption as reported by ASUG members. Key Takeaways How enterprises are keeping abreast of the incredible pace of change and innovation in the SAP ecosystem Making sense of the consumption-based credit system that enables SAP customers to leverage SAP AI solutions The importance of prioritizing data governance as enterprises approach cybersecurity Related Insights Join ASUG on June 12 for a Community Conversation focused on the AI announcements and insights from SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Read our recap of the post-keynote Q&A for news outlets and analysts featuring Christian Klein, Muhammad Alum, and Philipp Herzig Listen to Philipp Herzig articulate his vision for SAP's AI strategy and roadmap in a recent episode of ASUG Talks…

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ASUG Talks Open Forum: Unpacking the SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Announcements 34:48

8 weeks ago34:48

34:48

The first in a series of special ASUG Talks episodes recorded in the ASUG booth at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference, we turn the mics towards the audience. Jon Reed, Co-Founder of diginomica, leads a brief conversation with Geoff Scott, CEO & Chief Community Champion of ASUG, and Joshua Greenbaum, Principal of Enterprise Applications Consulting, on the event's first keynote. The three discuss their thoughts about the announcements unveiled at the address, before answering questions from the live audience. Key Insights The three thought-leaders' thoughts and reactions to the keynote featuring SAP executives unveiling new SAP software capabilities Benefits of the public cloud options for SAP customers How ASUG approaches bringing feedback from its members to SAP Related Resources Read our recap of the day one and two keynotes addresses at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference, and how the announcements impact customers Listen to the ASUG Editorial team's i mmediate reactions and responses to the event's keynote addresses Register for a series of ASUG Community Conversations unpacking insights and announcements from SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference…

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ASUG Talks News Brief: On the Ground at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference 23:03

9 weeks ago23:03

23:03

ASUG Talks breaks down the major announcements from SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual conference. Jim Lichtenwalter, ASUG Talks Host, is joined by Isaac Feldberg, Senior Content Manager at ASUG, for a special news brief recorded at the conference. Following the second major keynote address delivered by SAP executive leadership, the two dive into the major announcements made at the event and what these updates mean for SAP customers. Key Topics Discussed SAP's suite approach to applications and expansion of Joule The new generative and agentic AI offerings announced How SAP positioned its offerings as a means to combat tariffs Related Resource: Listen to ASUG's exclusive interview with Philipp Herzig, SAP Chief Technology Officer Tune into an exclusive discussion with Jeff Suellentrop, Chief Information & Technology Officer of Phoenix Global, who sat down with ASUG Talks before joining SAP on the keynote stage Read ASUG's conversation with Jan Gilg, Chief Revenue Officer & President for SAP Americas and the SAP Global Business Suite organization Dive into our breakdown of the recent SAP Q1 2025 earnings call…

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ASUG Talks Executive Interview: Philipp Herzig, Chief Technology Officer at SAP 37:31

10 weeks ago37:31

37:31

In an exclusive interview with ASUG Talks, Dr. Philipp Herzig, SAP Chief Technology Officer, discusses the talk of the SAP ecosystem: artificial intelligence. The constantly-evolving technology is steadily becoming a critical component of the software company's offerings, with SAP working to embed AI capabilities across its entire suite of solutions. Ahead of SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference 2025, Herzig sat down with Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion, for a wide-ranging discussion about the place AI holds in the SAP ecosystem and how he is working to further enable SAP customers to embrace the technology. Key Insights How Herzig is specifically driving SAP’s goal of being the “number one business AI company” Specific examples of how SAP is embedding AI capabilities across its entire portfolio The vision for SAP Business Data Cloud and how it empowers enterprises to embrace AI solutions Related Resources Read ASUG's exclusive interview with Jan Gilg, Chief Revenue Officer & President for SAP Americas and the SAP Global Business Suite organization Expand your AI knowledge with the ASUG Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals and SAP AI Solutions Content Collection Listen to ASUG Director of Strategic Topics and Communities, Kelly Dowling, on a recent episode of the Women in ERP Podcast , where she discusses her work building and empowering the ASUG community Listen to more ASUG Talks Jeff Suellentrop, Chief Information & Technology Officer at Phoenix Global, joins the podcast to walk through his organization's recent GROW with SAP project Andre Bechtold, President of SAP Industries & Experiences, lays out how SAP approaches technology innovation and building the next generation of SAP professionals Geoff Scott is joined by two members of the ASUG Board-- Mark LeClair and Craig Dalziel--to break down the SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) release and Databricks partnership…

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ASUG Talks Customer Success Story: Inside Phoenix Global's GROW with SAP Implementation with Jeff Suellentrop 26:04

12 weeks ago26:04

26:04

What exactly does a GROW with SAP project look like? ASUG Talks digs deep into this question during a conversation with Jeff Suellentrop, Chief Information & Technology Officer at Phoenix Global, a metals and mining services company. In an effort to jumpstart AI innovation and eliminate technical debt, the enterprise chose GROW with SAP to help facilitate its implementation of SAP S/4HANA Cloud. During the discussion, Jeff walks listeners through: Why GROW with SAP was the best option for Phoenix Global's digital transformation project and IT ecosystem How the team overcame specific hurdles during the go-live Advice for listeners about to embark on their own GROW with SAP project Check out these ASUG resources mentioned in the episode to stay up-to-date on what's happening around the SAP ecosystem: 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research : Gain insights into the top focus areas and challenges reported by 787 ASUG Members. ASUG Talks Executive Interview: Andre Bechtold, SAP : Listen to Andre's conversation with Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion, about how SAP is encouraging a culture of innovation and learning—both internally and among its customers.…

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ASUG Talks Executive Interview: Andre Bechtold, SAP 34:13

12 weeks ago34:13

34:13

While visiting the SAP global headquarters in Walldorf, Germany, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott recently sat down with Andre Bechtold, President of SAP Industries & Experiences. As the software company looks to spur continued innovation, Bechtold focuses on building memorable customer experiences. Through his work with the SAP Experience Centers , Bechtold helps SAP embrace new, cutting-edge practices to help their customers meet modern challenges. During this conversation, Scott and Bechtold covered: · How SAP approaches technology innovation · Bechtold’s thoughts on leveraging AI to assist with upskilling and reskilling · Building the next generation of SAP professionals Be sure to check out these ASUG resources to stay up-to-date on what’s going on around the SAP ecosystem: · ASUG coverage of the SAP Q1 2025 financial results : Despite uncertain economic conditions, SAP CEO Christian Klein touted key growth in total revenue and cloud revenue. Read our full coverage—and what it means for SAP customers. · ASUG and SAP Integration Research : This collaborative project examined how respondents approach developing and enacting integration strategies. Overall, the research teams found that ASUG members are devoting necessary resources to jumpstart integration practices at higher rates. Learn more.…

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ASUG Board of Directors Roundtable: Unpacking the SAP Business Data Cloud Announcement and Databricks Partnership 30:30

18 weeks ago30:30

30:30

Tune in to a special roundtable episode of ASUG Talks, where Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community, is joined by two ASUG Board Members: Mark LeClair and Craig Dalziel. A few weeks ago, the three attended the SAP Business Unleashed event in New York, where the software company unveiled the SAP Business Data Cloud along with a new partnership with Databricks . Aimed at helping ASAP customers establish a sound data foundation in order to embrace AI solutions, the offering is yet another in SAP's business AI development journey. The three thought leaders leveraged their extensive SAP knowledge to offer their thoughts on what the announcements mean for SAP Customers. Key topics covered in their discussion include: How SAP Business Data Cloud integrates into the larger SAP suite of solutions. The ways in which SAP Business Data Cloud can enable customers to improve their data management practices and set a foundation to embrace AI solutions. The three leaders' first impressions of the new solution and partnership.…

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ASUG Talks Roundtable: How AI is Changing the SAP Ecosystem 38:40

18 weeks ago38:40