Women In ERP

Women in ERP Podcast | WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network – Give to Gain Series

Episode Overview

What does it take to move inclusion beyond individual intent — and embed it into the fabric of an organisation?

In the final episode of the Women in ERP x SAP Business Women’s Network “Give to Gain” series, hosts Abigail Allman and Meena Confait bring together one of the most senior panels across the series to explore how inclusion operates at a system level within global organisations like SAP.

This conversation shifts the focus from individual leadership behaviours to organisational responsibility — examining how inclusion is shaped by structures, leadership accountability and decision-making at scale. The panel share honest reflections on what it takes to move beyond allyship as intent, and into consistent, embedded practices that sustain across regions, cultures and teams.

From the role of HR and business leadership in driving change, to the challenge of maintaining consistency in global organisations, this episode explores what lasting inclusion really requires — and how organisations can build environments where inclusion outlasts individuals.

As the series draws to a close, this episode brings together the core themes of leadership, trust and responsibility — and looks ahead to the legacy leaders leave behind.

Guests

• Thomas Pfiester — Head of Customer Engagement and Adoption, Member of the Executive Board, SAP SE
• Nuno Saramago — Managing Director, SAP Portugal
• Hande Genç — HR Director, Southern Europe
• Sean O’Brien — Executive Industry Leader, Public Services
• Meena Confait — Global Business & Customer Engagement Lead, Global Co-Chair, SAP Business Women’s Network

Hosted by:

Abigail Allman (Founder, Women in ERP)

Key Themes in This Episode

• Moving from individual allyship to organisational responsibility
• Embedding inclusion into systems, structures and decision-making
• The role of leadership accountability in driving lasting change
• Aligning HR and business leadership to scale inclusion
• Building consistency across regions, cultures and teams
• Creating environments where inclusion outlasts individuals

About the Series

The WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network “Give to Gain” series brings together leaders from across the SAP ecosystem to explore leadership, inclusion and career progression in enterprise technology. Through honest, experience-led conversations, the series highlights how giving time, trust and opportunity creates stronger individuals, teams and communities.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women in ERP Podcast | WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network – Give to Gain Series

Episode Overview

Trust is often talked about as a leadership value - but what does it actually look like in practice?

In the penultimate episode of the Women in ERP x SAP Business Women’s Network “Give to Gain” series, hosts Abigail and Meena explore how trust moves beyond words and into action.

Bringing together leaders from across SAP, this conversation focuses on what it really means to back people - not just when it’s easy, but when it requires belief, preparation and a willingness to let others step forward.

From creating environments where people are set up to succeed, to knowing when to step back and trust others to deliver, this episode explores the balance between support and autonomy. The panel share honest reflections on how trust is built over time, how it can be lost quickly, and why leaders play a critical role in preparing people - not just promoting them.

This episode is about leadership in action: backing people properly, preparing them well, and building trust that holds under pressure.

Guests

• Leila Romane — Managing Director, SAP UK & Ireland
• Sandra Martins — Business Manager, Finance
• Gergi Abboud — Co-Head of Strategic Customer Program, EMEA
• Brigitte Yakoub — Public Sector Account Executive
• Luis Mora — Business Development Expert

Hosted by:

Abigail Allman (Founder, Women in ERP)

Meena Confait (Co-Chair, SAP Business Women’s Network)

Key Themes in This Episode

• What trust-based leadership looks like in practice
• The importance of backing people beyond words
• Preparing individuals for opportunity, not just giving it
• Balancing support with autonomy and accountability
• How trust is built, maintained and sometimes broken in leadership environments

About the Series

The WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network “Give to Gain” series brings together leaders from across the SAP ecosystem to explore leadership, inclusion and career progression in enterprise technology. Through honest, experience-led conversations, the series highlights how giving time, trust and opportunity creates stronger individuals, teams and communities.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women in ERP Podcast | WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network – Give to Gain Series

Episode Overview

Mentorship is often talked about as a cornerstone of career growth — but what happens when it’s treated as a tick-box exercise rather than a genuine commitment?

In Episode 6 of the Women in ERP x SAP Business Women’s Network “Give to Gain” series, hosts Abigail Allman and Meena Confait explore what meaningful mentorship really looks like in practice - and why it only works when leaders truly mean it.

Bringing together voices from across SAP, this episode unpacks the responsibility that comes with supporting others: from creating trust and psychological safety, to actively advocating for people when it matters most. The conversation moves beyond surface-level advice to examine the behaviours, consistency and intent required to build mentorship relationships that actually make a difference.

Together, the panel share honest reflections on sponsorship vs mentorship, the role of leadership in opening doors, and why genuine support isn’t passive - it’s a deliberate act.

This episode is a powerful reminder that mentorship isn’t about optics - it’s about responsibility.

Guests

• Seema Ansari — SAP Middle East South Portfolio Lead
• Bulus Fidan Tufekci — CFO, SAP South Europe and Francophone
• Alexandre Ponciano — SAP Consulting Manager
• Adrian Wolf — SVP, Head of Strategic Customer Program SAP EMEA

Hosted by:

Abigail Allman (Founder, Women in ERP)

Meena Confait (Co-Chair, SAP Business Women’s Network)

Key Themes in This Episode

• Why mentorship fails when it lacks intent and accountability
• The difference between mentorship and true sponsorship
• Building trust and psychological safety in leadership relationships
• The responsibility leaders have to actively support and advocate for others
• How meaningful mentorship shapes long-term career trajectories

About the Series

The WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network “Give to Gain” series brings together leaders from across the SAP ecosystem to explore leadership, inclusion and career progression in enterprise technology. Through open, experience-led conversations, the series highlights how giving time, trust and support creates stronger individuals, teams and communities.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women in ERP Podcast | WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network – Give to Gain Series

Episode Overview

What does leadership really look like when the pressure is on?

In Episode 5 of the Women in ERP x SAP Business Women’s Network collaboration series, hosts Abigail Allman and Meena Confait bring together senior leaders from across SAP to explore how expectations, behaviour and stability shape leadership during high-pressure moments.

From navigating demanding customer environments to leading large teams through transformation, this conversation dives into the reality of leadership when scrutiny is high and decisions matter most. The panel share candid reflections on how leaders maintain composure, build trust and model behaviour that keeps teams grounded even when the stakes are high.

Together, they discuss the balance between performance and empathy, the invisible expectations placed on leaders — particularly women in technology — and how consistency in behaviour becomes a stabilising force for teams navigating uncertainty.

This episode is an honest look at leadership in practice: how great leaders create calm in chaos, set expectations clearly and demonstrate the behaviours that shape culture.

Guests

• Augusta Spinelli — President, SAP EMEA
• Vanessa Camarro — VP & Chief Marketing Officer SAP
• Kristina Weber — VP, Head of Strategic Customer Program, SAP France
• Catarina Morgado Figueira — SAP Security Consulting Manager
• Sheena McCauley — Account Executive, SAP SuccessFactors
• Shailendra Sahay — Head of Industries, SAP

Hosted by:

Abigail Allman (Founder, Women in ERP)

Meena Confait (Co-Chair, SAP Business Women’s Network)

Key Themes in This Episode

• What stability looks like in leadership during periods of pressure and change
• The behaviours leaders model that shape team culture and performance
• Managing expectations from customers, teams and organisations simultaneously
• The emotional intelligence required to lead through uncertainty
• Why consistency and authenticity matter more than ever in modern leadership

About the Series

This special WERP x SAP Business Women’s Network “Give to Gain” series brings together leaders from across the SAP ecosystem to explore the realities of leadership, inclusion and career growth in enterprise technology. Through honest conversations and personal experiences, the series highlights the value of giving time, mentorship and support to strengthen both individuals and the wider tech community.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 4 of the Women in ERP x SAP Business Women’s Network International Women’s Day series: Give to Gain, Abigail Allman and Meena Confait explore a challenge many professionals experience in enterprise technology and SAP environments — the credibility gap.

Why are some people assumed to be experts the moment they walk into the room, while others feel they must repeatedly prove their technical knowledge and leadership capability?

This episode examines credibility, bias, confidence and voice in technical and ERP careers, and how these dynamics influence who is heard, trusted and promoted in complex global organisations.

Our panel of senior SAP leaders share honest experiences of navigating credibility in technical discussions, building authority in male-dominated environments, and finding the confidence to contribute when the room doesn’t automatically expect you to speak.

Featuring:

• Marleen Verhag – VP, Head of Industry – Services Industries EMEA, SAP

• Alina Iager – Global Director, Strategic Programs for Cloud ERP, SAP

• Celina Cazali – Chief Partner Officer UK & Ireland, SAP

• Antoaneta Radoslavova – Regional Lead Israel, Turkey & Greece, SAP Concur

• Pilar Navarro – Business Development, SAP EMEA Demand Management Office

Together they discuss:

• The credibility gap in technical and enterprise environments

• How bias and assumptions shape leadership opportunities

• Finding your voice in senior technology discussions

• What leaders can do to create more inclusive and confident workplaces

This episode is part of the Women in ERP International Women’s Day series – Give to Gain, exploring how community, leadership and opportunity shape careers across the SAP ecosystem and the wider ERP industry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does visible leadership really look like inside a global organisation?

In this special International Women’s Month episode of the Women in ERP x SAP Business Women’s Network podcast series, Abigail Allman and Meena Confait explore how leadership presence, attention and access can shape culture, opportunity and inclusion across large enterprise ecosystems.

Recorded in Lisbon during SAP’s GTMKOM, the conversation brings together senior leaders from across SAP to discuss the signals leaders send through how they spend their time - who they meet, which conversations they prioritise, and whose voices they amplify.

Joining the discussion are:

• Rita Feio – Global Head of BTP Delivery at Scale, SAP

• Carlos Lacerda – SVP & Managing Director, Southern Europe, SAP

• Jorge Silvestre dos Santos – Global Head of Business Data Cloud & Data Management Delivery at Scale, SAP

• Sanjay Kulkarni – Global Head, Delivery Hub, Customer Services and Adoption, SAP

• Pablo Signorelli – Corporate Head SAP EMEA

Together they explore:

• Why time and presence are powerful leadership signals
• How leaders can create inclusion through access, visibility and attention
• The role senior leaders play in shaping culture across global organisations
• What visible leadership looks like in practice inside the SAP ecosystem
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This episode is part of the Women in ERP International Women’s Month series, created in collaboration with the SAP Business Women’s Network, highlighting leadership perspectives from across the enterprise technology community.

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What does it really mean to be the first? The first woman in a role. The first from your background in the room. The first to raise your hand when no one else will. In Episode 2, Abigail Allman and Meena Confait are joined by four SAP professionals who have navigated the unique blend of opportunity, risk, and isolation that comes with being a pioneer in enterprise technology and leadership. This is an honest examination of what being first actually costs, what it demands, and what it creates for those who come after.

Ekin Erim Tayali — Executive Communications Lead, SAP Southern Europe

Chetna Singh — Head of Human Resources, EMEA, SAP

Kathleen Muller — Global VP, Head of Demand, Corporate & Indirect, SAP

Mohammed 'Redouane' Khrifi — SAP Presales Specialist

• What does being "the first" look like in enterprise tech? Guests share experiences of stepping into spaces with no blueprint — and what they built in its place.
• How do you manage the isolation of being a pioneer? Being first is rarely celebrated in the moment. The guests explore the quiet weight of navigating environments where you don't see yourself reflected.
• How do you balance opportunity with risk? From presales to global VP, guests examine how they backed themselves and moved forward without certainty.
• What role do male allies play? Redouane brings a distinctive perspective on what it means for men in the SAP ecosystem to show up as genuine allies.
• How can organisations support those who are first? Chetna Singh offers an HR leadership view on making being first less isolating and more sustainable.

🔹 The Weight of Being First — An honour and a burden. Guests reflect on moments with no map and no guarantee of what came next.

🔹 Isolation as a Hidden Tax — One of the most common but least discussed experiences of those who break new ground. This episode names it and begins to dismantle it.

🔹 Risk as a Career Accelerator — Every guest took a risk others around them did not. Risk reframed not as recklessness, but as calculated self-belief.

🔹 Pressure and Identity — When you are first, the pressure to perform is amplified. Guests explore managing professional expectation alongside personal identity.

🔹 Creating the Path for Others — Being first carries responsibility for those who follow. That purpose is what sustains pioneers through difficulty.

🔹 Male Allyship in Enterprise Tech — Inclusion is not a conversation for women alone. Redouane's perspective makes that case with clarity and conviction.

Across the SAP ecosystem — from S/4HANA and presales to HR technology and executive communications — professionals at every level will recognise these experiences. Essential listening for SAP customers, partners, and professionals who understand that diversity is not just a value — it is a performance driver.

"Someone's got to be the first. This episode is for everyone who has been that person — and for everyone who can make it easier for the next one."

Related: SAP S/4HANA | Women in ERP | Enterprise Leadership | Presales Careers | HR Leadership EMEA | Male Allyship | Psychological Safety | Inclusive Culture | Career Risk | Executive Communications

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Podcast: Women in ERP Series: In collaboration with SAP Business Women's Network Host: Abigail Allman | Guest Co-Host: Meena Confait, Co-Chair, SAP Business Women's Network

Keywords: active listening, psychological safety, women in tech, ERP careers, inclusive leadership, SAP Business Women's Network, career inflection points, senior allies, HR strategy, enterprise leadership, S/4HANA, SAP ecosystem

This episode explores how being truly listened to can become the most defining moment in a career — particularly for professionals in enterprise technology, ERP, and SAP environments. Host Abigail Allman and guest co-host Meena Confait are joined by senior SAP leaders to examine how listening, belonging, and inclusive leadership drive individual career growth and measurable business performance.

Manos Raptopoulos Global President, Customer Success — Europe, APAC, MEA, SAP

Carla Masperi Managing Director, SAP Italy

Yvonne McArdle Global HR Business Partner, SAP

Claire McPeak Director of Communications, SAP Middle East & North Africa

• What is a career inflection point? A moment — often triggered by a leader genuinely listening — that unlocks confidence, opportunity, and professional momentum.
• How does active listening affect performance in tech? It builds psychological safety and trust, often achieving more than a formal promotion ever could.
• What responsibility do senior leaders carry? Manos and Carla explore how executives shape environments where diverse voices are amplified, not just invited.
• How can HR drive talent acceleration? Yvonne McArdle examines how HR identifies potential, creates stretch opportunities, and turns listening into action.
• Why does internal storytelling matter? Claire McPeak on how narrative and visibility inside organisations shapes who gets heard — and who progresses.

🔹 Listening as Leadership — Active listening is a leadership competency. Career acceleration often begins with "I hear you," not a promotion.

🔹 Belonging as Commercial Advantage — Inclusive environments where people feel safe to speak and challenge translate belonging from aspiration into business outcome.

🔹 Senior Allyship — Executives in the SAP ecosystem have outsized influence over whose voices are amplified. This episode makes the case for intentional allyship at the top.

🔹 HR as Strategic Catalyst — HR can identify high-potential talent and create conditions where listening becomes tangible opportunity.

🔹 Narrative & Visibility — How stories are told inside organisations directly impacts career progression for underrepresented professionals in tech.

Whether you work in S/4HANA implementation, customer success, enterprise HR, or communications, this episode reframes inclusion as a commercial and operational priority — not just a cultural one. Essential listening for anyone navigating leadership and career growth in the SAP ecosystem.

The first episode in a series produced in partnership with SAP's Business Women's Network — a global community advancing women in technology and business. Grounded in practical action, honest reflection, and shared accountability.

"The most career-defining conversation isn't the one where you speak the loudest. It's the one where someone truly listens."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in 2024 live from SAP Dublin as part of the SAP Business Women's Network sessions, Meet two trailblazing women, Elmarie Caniffe of Heineken and Maria Jose Loret Crespo formally of Aptiv, who are breaking barriers in male dominant industries and redefining leadership in the ERP industry.

Elmarie shares her transformative 25-year journey at Heineken, revealing how innovative projects like SAP implementation have been pivotal in her career. Meanwhile, Maria invites us into her world, reflecting on how a childhood fascination with thunderstorms in Spain sparked her passion for numbers and logic. Together, their stories illuminate the profound impact of personal experiences on professional growth, underscoring the importance of diversity and inclusion in shaping successful careers.

The episode also unpacks the complex landscape women navigate to balance professional ambitions with family responsibilities. Through candid conversations, we explore the pressing need for supportive networks and organizational flexibility, which are crucial in building confidence and encouraging women to pursue their career goals.

The discussion brings into focus societal expectations and childcare costs, advocating for policy reforms to ensure that women aren't sidelined in the workforce due to these challenges.

We emphasize the necessity of strong allies, both male and female, in fostering an environment where women can thrive and overcome self-doubt.

As we shift gears, we delve into Heineken's ambitious digital transformation through its Evergreen strategy, highlighting how AI and ERP innovations are revolutionizing the brewing industry. This journey isn't just about technology; it's about cultivating a culture of diversity and inclusion to drive innovation and productivity. From the impact of diverse teams at Murphy's Breweries in Cork to the global efforts in achieving gender balance, we reveal how embracing diverse perspectives leads to better business outcomes.

By creating spaces for growth and collaboration, Heineken showcases the immense value of a diverse workforce in navigating complex transformation journeys.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this engaging episode of the Women in ERP podcast, hosted by Abigail Allman, we are joined by Kelly Dowling, the Director of Strategic Topics and Communities at ASUG (the American SAP User Group). Kelly shares her inspiring journey from event coordination at the University of Notre Dame to becoming a pivotal figure in the SAP community. She emphasizes the transformative power of community in navigating the complexities of SAP transformations and how ASUG serves as a vital resource for SAP users.

Kelly discusses the crucial role of SAP user groups in providing invaluable resources and expertise, streamlining access to critical information, and saving valuable time for organizations. Through real-world examples, she illustrates how community guidance has significantly benefited businesses, including assisting volunteers in attending impactful SAP events. The episode also highlights ASUG's dedication to fostering connections at the Sapphire conference and empowering women in the SAP community.

Listeners will explore how embracing change and continuous learning can be superpowers in the ever-evolving world of enterprise technology. Packed with insights, the episode delves into how businesses can navigate the overwhelming landscape of AI through SAP solutions, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and networking. Kelly encourages women in enterprise technology to embrace curiosity and seize new opportunities, sharing her personal superpower of embracing change.

Join us as we delve into the essential value of community in the SAP world, the empowering initiatives of ASUG, and the promising future for women in enterprise technology. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of SAP transformations and community engagement.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.