In this episode, joined by SAP’s Judy Cubiss, we delve into the key manufacturing trends of 2025 and explore the transformative role that AI and digitization play in shaping the industry. Discover how digitization and AI are revolutionizing the industry by streamlining solution integration, facilitating efficient data transfer, and providing essential information to workers across the ecosystem. Gain insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by globalization, uncertainty, and resource scarcity, and learn how industrial manufacturers are adapting to these forces.

Judy Cubiss has been working in the Discrete Industries space for over 20 years. She is responsible for industry marketing globally for industrial manufacturing and aerospace and defense at SAP and is responsible for telling SAP’s unique value proposition for those industries. 

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Oyku Ilgar has been working in the digital supply chain area at SAP since 2017. As a marketer and blogger, she creates written and visual marketing content about ERP and Supply Chain solutions and focuses on the topics of business trends, IoT, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn

Learn more about focusing on your Cloud ERP & how to bring out your best.    

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The post Episode 59: The Future of Manufacturing Trends: AI, Cloud ERP, and Sustainability first appeared on The Future of ERP.

In this episode, SAP’s Lalit Patil explores the impact of AI on cybersecurity within cloud ERP. It emphasizes the need for agile business transformation, sustainability, and robust security. The discussion includes cybersecurity strategies like zero trust, and AI’s role in threat detection/response. The speaker highlights balancing AI benefits with data integrity risks, advocating for proactive, AI-enabled security measures to protect sensitive business data in the cloud.

Lalit Patil, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for SAP Enterprise Cloud Services is heading the Office of the CTO organization which is responsible for defining the Technology strategy, Architecture, Security and Service Portfolio for SAP Enterprise Clous Services. SAP Enterprise Cloud Services helps our customers accelerate their path towards becoming an intelligent Enterprise. Lalit has more than 20 years of experience in the Information Technology industry. 

Previously, Lalit served as Vice President and Head of Converged Cloud (Internal SAP IaaS). He has held various technology roles in the past, from being an SAP Basis Consultant to heading Enterprise Architecture team for SAP IT. Lalit holds a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Pune, India.

Lalit’s LinkedIn

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Oyku Ilgar has been working in the digital supply chain area at SAP since 2017. As a marketer and blogger, she creates written and visual marketing content about ERP and Supply Chain solutions and focuses on the topics of business trends, IoT, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn

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The post Episode 58: Proactive Cybersecurity Strategies for the Cloud Era with Lalit Patil first appeared on The Future of ERP.

In this episode, SAP’s Gabriele Fiata delves into the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, where technology is becoming a crucial component of defense strategies. While people, processes, and technology remain essential, innovations like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing the field. AI enhances cybersecurity by detecting unusual activities, identifying threats, and accelerating security processes, leading to faster incident response times. The discussion highlights how these advancements automate security tasks, enable quicker threat detection, and improve incident response. We also talk about the importance of effectively integrating these technologies and training security teams and how it helps businesses to mitigate critical risks.

Come join us as we discuss the future of ERP!

Thought leader with a strong background in security as well as business processes, controls, and enterprise risk management.

For more than 20 years, he has been leading teams in implementing innovative process improvements to identify and mitigate risks to promote resilience for the whole enterprise and enable overall business growth.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielefiata

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Oyku Ilgar has been working in the digital supply chain area at SAP since 2017. As a marketer and blogger, she creates written and visual marketing content about ERP and Supply Chain solutions and focuses on the topics of business trends, IoT, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn

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The post Episode 57: 2025 Cybersecurity Predictions with Gabriele Fiata first appeared on The Future of ERP.

As quantum computing advances, experts warn of an impending “quantum apocalypse” that could jeopardize current encryption methods. With roots tracing back to the 1990s, this threat highlights the urgent need for organizations to adopt quantum-safe cryptography. While significant technological hurdles remain, the potential for quantum attacks on sensitive data looms large. Experts emphasize the urgency of transitioning to quantum-safe cryptography to protect sensitive data from future threats, particularly as attackers may collect encrypted information now for later decryption. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is advocating for organizations to phase out non-quantum-safe cryptography by 2035, underscoring the need for immediate action in the face of evolving quantum capabilities.

Christian Cohrs is a Product Security Chief Expert and Product Manager at SAP. He has a background in computer science and worked in various positions at SAP during the last 25 years, starting as a C++ and ABAP developer and later moving into Product Management for SAP’s security and governance products. He is currently responsible for several cloud services in SAP’s security portfolio, including secure authentication for SAP GUI, cryptographic capabilities, and self-sovereign identities.

Christian’s LinkedIn.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Oyku Ilgar has been working in the digital supply chain area at SAP since 2017. As a marketer and blogger, she creates written and visual marketing content about ERP and Supply Chain solutions and focuses on the topics of business trends, IoT, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn

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The post Episode 56: Quantum Apocalypse and Cybersecurity with SAP’s Christian Cohrs first appeared on The Future of ERP.

In this week’s episode of the Future of ERP podcast, we explore the evolving role of CFOs in driving corporate sustainability with McKinsey’s Peter Spiller. Spiller highlights the increasing pressure on CFOs to manage carbon emissions effectively, driven by stricter regulations like CSRD, CBAM, and ETS2. He emphasizes the need for accurate carbon data to inform business decisions across sourcing, R&D, and sales, and advocates for treating carbon as a “currency” within organizations. The conversation covers the advantages of integrating carbon accounting into ERP systems, using a low-carbon aluminum product example. Spiller also touches on capturing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, the importance of supplier data, and the evolving relationship between CFOs and Chief Sustainability Officers in driving holistic sustainability changes within companies. The episode provides insights for finance professionals and sustainability leaders on navigating the intersection of ERP and environmental responsibility.

Peter is a Partner in the Frankfurt office of McKinsey & Company, Inc. He leads McKinsey’s global Sustainability in Operations Practice and works across industries on sustainability strategy, supply chain decarbonization, and carbon accounting and tracking in value chains. He specifically serves clients in the High-Tech, Telecom, Consumer goods, and Automotive and Assembly industries.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

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The post Episode 55: Carbon Currency: The Evolving Role of CFOs in Sustainability with McKinsey’s Peter Spiller first appeared on The Future of ERP.

In this episode of The Future of ERP podcast, Richard Howells interviews Jonathan Rhodes from SAP, focusing on the evolution of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems towards cloud-based solutions. Rhodes emphasizes the shift to Software as a Service (SaaS) ERP, which automates many traditional processes, enhancing efficiency and user experience. He discusses how these systems help small and medium enterprises achieve sustainable growth by providing ready-to-run processes and reducing IT burdens. The conversation also covers the importance of agility in adapting to market changes and the role of intelligent assistance in improving daily operations. Rhodes highlights that cloud ERP solutions are designed to scale with businesses, offering flexibility to meet unique needs while ensuring compliance with evolving regulations.

Jon Rhodes is the Senior Vice President and Head of Product Marketing for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition and GROW with SAP. Leading a dedicated team, Jon oversees the solution and go-to-market strategy for SAP’s flagship SaaS cloud ERP solution. Jon’s team collaborates closely with customers to shape future product directions and drive value creation through innovations with SAP’s development teams and partners.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

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The post Episode 54: The Benefits of SaaS ERP with SAP’s Jonathan Rhodes first appeared on The Future of ERP.

In this episode of The Future of ERP, SAP’s Chief Sustainability Officer Sophia Mendelsohn discusses how sustainability is becoming a fundamental part of business operations. She highlights that today’s ERP systems are designed to treat environmental factors like carbon emissions with the same importance as financial metrics, enabling organizations to make informed decisions that benefit both the planet and their bottom line. Mendelsohn emphasizes the role of technology in enhancing transparency and accountability, particularly through innovations like the SAP Green Ledger, which allows businesses to track carbon emissions alongside financial transactions. The conversation also touches on the collaborative nature of sustainability efforts, involving various departments such as finance, procurement, and R&D, to ensure that sustainability is embedded into every aspect of business strategy.

As Chief Sustainability and Commercial Officer for SAP Sustainability, Sophia and her teams oversee SAP’s corporate sustainability and bring sustainability to market for our customers. Sophia’s long-standing area of focus is in guiding organizations on how to balance immediate financial goals with sustainability and ESG governance for long-term business viability. She has deep expertise in sustainability and specializes in executive stakeholder engagement. She designed and taught the first ESG at Harvard Extension School, is a recognised public voice on ESG, and was chosen as one of the top 10 sustainability leaders of the year by the industry’s leading publication, Sustainability Magazine. Sophia has a Master of Science in sustainable management from Columbia University. 

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

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The post Episode 53: The Green Ledger: Treating Carbon Footprints as Financial Assets first appeared on The Future of ERP.

In this episode, Dr. Marko Lange and Sergey Nozenko discuss the transformative impact of AI on the chemical industry. They address key challenges such as intense competition, fluctuating raw material prices, and stringent regulations. The conversation highlights how companies are enhancing research and development (R&D) investments and leveraging modern technologies like AI and IoT to improve efficiency and sustainability. Additionally, they cover the importance of skilled labor, with firms focusing on talent development and strategic partnerships to navigate these complexities effectively.

Dr. Marko Lange is Global Head Chemicals at SAP SE  and has been working at SAP for more than 20 years in various functions, but always with reference to the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. His current focus is on Industry4.0 and sustainability as well as the use of intelligent technologies in the chemical industry. He holds a degree in industrial engineering – technical chemistry and a doctorate in economics.

With 16 years in the chemical industry, Sergey’s background spans ERP consulting, business consulting, and business solutions architecture at top IT & business service companies. At SAP SE, he has focus on chemical and process industries for the past decade.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Oyku Ilgar has been working in the digital supply chain area at SAP since 2017. As a marketer and blogger, she creates written and visual marketing content about ERP and Supply Chain solutions and focuses on the topics of business trends, IoT, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn

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The post Episode 52: How AI is Reshaping Chemical Manufacturing first appeared on The Future of ERP.

Discover how a gamer’s mindset can revolutionize business systems by fostering curiosity, enhancing human-centered design, and transforming data analytics from mere historical insights to actionable, predictive strategies for success.

This week’s podcast episode features a discussion on integrating a gamer’s mindset into business systems. Key themes include placing human needs at the center of interactions, enhancing digital maturity, and fostering curiosity and agility in software development. The conversation emphasizes designing user-centric systems that prioritize engagement over rigid processes. It also covers the importance of collaboration across supply chains and the evolution of analytics from descriptive to prescriptive insights, enabling organizations to make informed decisions and enhance operational efficiency. This approach encourages continuous learning and adaptation, ultimately driving innovation in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape.

As a kid, Lego’s were my world and my imagination/creativity was insatiable. I was always looking for a creative angle to make whatever I was doing, become fun.

With over 20 years of experience in IT & SAP, legacy systems were challenging, disruptive technologies demanded change again and again, and digital transformation was at the center of it all.

I grew up in an analog world and in college, starting digital was key. Having lived that transformation in every aspect of my life, one thing is very clear: User/Customer Experience is the one thing which has to get simpler, as everything else gets more complex. I am working on that since entering college in 1996. When was the last time an inspiration challenged you to new heights? Don’t tell me … show me, challenge me!

Phil Loewen: LinkedIn

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

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The post Episode 51: The Gamer’s Mindset with Philip Loewen first appeared on The Future of ERP.

In this episode, Markus Nitsch from cbs Corporate Business Solutions discusses the necessity of cloud ERP in manufacturing. He highlights common challenges faced by manufacturers, such as cost efficiency and outdated systems, while emphasizing the advantages of cloud solutions, including faster implementation and scalability. Nitsch stresses the importance of early stakeholder involvement in ERP projects to facilitate change management. He also addresses the complexities of implementing cloud ERP in 24/7 production environments, sharing strategies for minimizing downtime and ensuring seamless transitions during go-live phases. The conversation underscores the transformative potential of cloud technology in enhancing operational efficiency for manufacturers.

Markus Nitsch has been working for cbs since 2012. About 5 years ago, he started building up the S/4HANA Public Cloud business area which he now leads and for which he is responsible for sales, know-how management and personnel development. Markus has led several successful Public Cloud implementations for the manufacturing industry and is acutely aware of the specific needs and risks of such projects. 

Before moving to the cloud, he was leading rollout projects all over the world, primarily in South-, Central- and North America and briefly also was the Product Owner for those projects at cbs. He is motivated by solving challenging problems in complex, new environments and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in SAP, always looking for new and innovative solutions. Markus studied business administration at the University of Cologne and the Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and is based out of Cologne, Germany.

cbs Corporate Business Solutions is part of the Materna Group and employs over 1,400 people at 30+ locations worldwide. They enable global market leaders to extend their lead through best-in-class, innovative corporate solutions and their GROW with Fast Value approach is the ideal solution for companies that want to future-proof their business processes in the cloud.

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Oyku Ilgar has been working in the digital supply chain area at SAP since 2017. As a marketer and blogger, she creates written and visual marketing content about ERP and Supply Chain solutions and focuses on the topics of business trends, IoT, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn

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The post Episode 50: The Future of ERP for Manufacturing: Challenges, Solutions, and the Cloud Advantages with cbs’ Markus Nitsch first appeared on The Future of ERP.