ASUG Talks

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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

More from ASUG 

• Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletter
• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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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 immediate 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

More from ASUG 

• Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletter
• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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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

More from ASUG 

• Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletter
• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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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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• Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletter
• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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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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• Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletter
• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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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. 

More from ASUG 

• Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletter
• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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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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• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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ASUG Talks dives deep into the technology of the moment: artificial intelligence. In this roundtable, Jim Lichtenwalter, ASUG Content Manager, is joined by two AI experts:  

• Paul Modderman, SAP AI Director, Mindset Consulting
• Anurag Barua, Transformation Leader, SAP

Over the past 18 months, SAP has taken massive strides in developing AI solutions and embedding them across its entire suite of solutions. During the conversation, Modderman and Barua lend their expertise to articulate the value of AI and how enterprises can embrace these solutions. Key topics covered in the discussion include:  

• Steps enterprises can take to effectively leverage AI solutions in their IT landscapes. 
• The importance of data security and governance and how SAP approaches this critical topic. 
•  The future state of AI and what development trends are telling us about where the technology is going. 

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• Subscribe the weekly First Five newsletter
• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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Each year, ASUG charts the shifting attitudes, focuses, hurdles, and solution adoption rates among its members with the annual Pulse of the SAP Customer Research project. With the release of the 2025 iteration, ASUG Content Manager Jim Lichtenwalter sat down with Marissa Gilbert, ASUG Research Director, and Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion.

The three discussed key highlights from the research--including popular focuses and challenges among ASUG members--and what the data is saying about how the ASUG Community is approaching SAP innovation.

Key insights from the conversation include:

• What SAP undertakings ASUG Members are prioritizing in 2025.
• Top challenges ASUG Members are facing, especially as they embrace SAP S/4HANA and migrate to the cloud.
• The breakdown of environments ASUG Members are leveraging to run their SAP investments.

Download the full 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer report here.

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• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
• Register for ASUG Tech Connect

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ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott traveled to New York for the SAP Business Unleashed event, where SAP unveiled its newest offering, SAP Business Data Cloud, and its partnership with Databricks, a data analytics and  management software company.

During his trip, Scott sat down with Irfan Khan, President and Chief Product Officer of SAP Data & Analytics. They discussed SAP's new offering and partnership, and how these announcements will help enterprises develop a data foundation for business insights and artificial-intelligence applications.

Key topics from their conversation included:

• How SAP Business Data Cloud is different from SAP Datasphere.
• The way SAP Business Data Cloud will sit in the SAP suite alongside applications such as the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) and SAP Analytics Cloud.
• The importance of integrating SAP and non-SAP data into a single data layer.

For more information on these announcements and their impact on the SAP ecosystem, check out the following SAP insights:

• The trust factor: Data, resilience, and innovation
• SAP and Databricks Open a Bold New Era of Data and AI

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• Find your local ASUG Chapter 
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