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 While moving to SAP S/4HANA is top of mind for SAP users, many are unsure how to proceed. According to the 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, 47% are citing the move as a top challenge in 2025. Another 56% indicate that SAP S/4HANA skills are the most important to have this year—whether they have the talent on their team or not. Now that numerous enterprises have successfully transitioned to the platform, best practices have been tried, tested, and are poised to help those who are ready.

In this episode of ASUG Talks, Dr. Uwe Grigoleit, SVP of Customer Evolution at SAP, joins the podcast to share actionable advice for getting started on the ERP transformation journey. He guides listeners through decisions like Brownfield versus Greenfield transition, tapping AI for the heavy lifting on master data integration, and how AI tools from SAP help with testing new processes.

 Key Insights:

• Tangible steps for getting ahead of the 2027 end-of-maintenance date for SAP Business Suite 7 and SAP ECC 6
• Business transformation best practices
• The role of AI in testing automations, guiding decisions, and integrating with vendors

Related Insights: 

• ASUG Talks recent conversation with Dee Houchen, CMO of SAP Signaio and LeanIX: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/key-erp-innovation-insights-from-the-sap/id1613357106?i=1000728934206
• Read insights about the latest SAP S/4HANA research from ASUG and BearingPoint: https://www.asug.com/insights/sap-s-4hana-adoption-trends-insights-and-advice

With the looming 2027 maintenance deadline for SAP ECC 6.0, navigating digital transformations is a critical focus for many SAP customers. It's also a significant challenge. According to the 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, 47% reported migrating to SAP S/4HANA as a challenge for their enterprise. 

With that in mind, SAP is trying to help its customers through these challenges, complex, and resource-heavy digital transformation projects. The integrated toolchain--including SAP Signavio, SAP LeanIX, WalkMe, and SAP Cloud ALM--is aimed at assisting enterprises as they undertake SAP transformation projects. 

This week on ASUG Talks, we are joined by Dee Houchen, CMO of SAP Signavio and SAP LeanIX; and Kelly Downling, ASUG Director of Product Strategy. The two discussed the recent SAP Transformation Excellence Summit, where the toolchain took center stage, and how customers are leveraging these solutions to faciliate digital transformation projects. 

Key Insights: 

•  How SAP integrated toolchain solutions tackle different, vital aspects of digital transformation projects 
•  Examples of customers leveraging these solutions 
• How AI integration improves the transformation project

Related Insights 

•  Read an FAQ about the SAP Safekeeper program: https://www.asug.com/insights/your-sap-investment-unleashed-unlocking-sap-safekeeper-your-questions-answered
• Learn how Carlisle Companies unified its customer experience (CX) systems: https://www.asug.com/insights/how-carlisle-unified-its-cx-systems-to-strengthen-the-carlisle-experience

SAP hosted its quarterly financial results call last week. The first since the litany of announcements the software company made at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference in May, the event covered 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 Podcasts, is joined by Isaac Feldberg, Senior Editor at ASUG, to discuss the earnings results and what they means for ASUG members. 

Key Insights: 

• SAP's strong financial growth in Q2, despite uncertain economic conditions
• New 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 

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. 

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 focused 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

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

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. 

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. 

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.

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

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

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

Subscribe to ASUG Talks on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and Spotify

According to the 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, over one-third (35%) of respondents indicated that finding employees with the internal skills necessary to manage new technology is a top organizational challenge. As SAP S/4HANA adoption, cloud migration, and the growing utility of AI become more and more critical to SAP customers, it has never been more important to find IT professionals equipped with the knowledge and expertise to spur IT innovation. 

In this episode of ASUG Talks, SAP education takes center stage.  Shaquille Charles, a graduate of the St. Michael's Learning Academy (SMLA) SAP Veterans to Work program and a current Customer Success Manager at SAP, and Christine Aboud,  CEO & Co-Owner of SMLA, join the podcast. They discuss the Veterans to Work Program, Shaquille's transition from the military to his current SAP role, and the importance of building the next generation of SAP professionals. 

Key Insights

• Retiring IT professionals and the gaps they fill on teams
• Shaquille's journey from U.S. Army medic to SAP professional 
• How SMLA develops education and equips its graduates with the skills necessary to IT success 

Related Content

• As Christine mentioned, register for the Dallas-Fort Worth ASUG Chapter meeting on Oct. 17
• Read insights from the SAP for Utilities conference keynote stage
• Tune into last week's ASUG Talks focused on IT challenges in the oil and gas industry

Subscribe to ASUG Talks on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and Spotify

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 

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.  

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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

To debrief major announcements from the most recent editions of Microsoft Ignite and ASUG Tech Connect, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott and Carolyn Szczurek, ASUG Communications Lead, recently welcomed Holger Bruchelt, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft, to a special episode of the ASUG Talks podcast.

 ASUG partnered with Diginomica for a special episode of ASUG Talks. Recorded at ASUG Tech Connect,  Jon Reed, Co-Founder at Diginomica, hosted a conversation with  Geoff Scott, CEO & Chief Community Champion at ASUG, and Joshua Greenbaum, Principal at Enterprise Applications Consulting. 

 The three thought leaders fielded live questions from the audience focused on two areas of vital importance: artificial intelligence and enterprise architecture. During the session, the three experts had an insightful dialogue on how enterprises can leverage AI to drive improved business outcomes, and how the enterprise architect role is evolving.  

Tune in for a special episode of ASUG Talks dedicated to insights from the recent collaborative research project ASUG undertook alongside DSAG and UKISUG. Focused on AI, the research examined how members of the three communities are approaching the technology and implementing it into their IT ecosystems.

In this roundtable conversation, ASUG Research Director Marissa Gilbert is joined by Geoff Scott, CEO & Chief Community Champion; Conor Riordan, Chairperson at UKISUG; and Jens Hungershausen, Chairman at DSAG. The four thought leaders break down the research's highlights and key findings and discuss the impact of AI across the SAP ecosystem.

Dive into the full research project here.

 Efficiency and safety are critical components of oil and gas operations. As the SAP portfolio expands and evolves, how is the software company still arming its OGE customers with solutions and offerings that enable efficiency and safety? 

 Ahead of their session at ASUG Best Practices (Oct. 6-8; register here) oil and gas industry leaders Justin Lester and Bob Pennington sat down with ASUG Talks to discuss the changing world of IT in this field. Given their collective experience, the two veterans charted how OGE operations have changed, and how SAP is factoring into many enterprises' IT operations.

 Key Insights: 

• The importance of correct data input in oil and gas operations
• Training the next generation of oil and gas IT professionals
• How AI factors into oil and gas operations

 Related Insights: 

• ASUG Talks recent interview with Jan Gilg,  Chief Revenue Officer & President for SAP Americas and the SAP Global Business Suite organization, about the state of cloud, AI, and enterprise architecture in the SAP ecosystem. 
• ASUG Editorial team covered the highlights from the SAP for Utilities, Presented by ASUG conference.
• Join the ASUG Communities on Sept. 16 for a session focused on the SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC). 

Supply chains have steadily become a major priority for organizations in recent years, especially as black swan events severely disrupted normal supply chains and trade routes. Enterprises must take steps to ensure their supply chains are effective and resilient, even in the face of unplanned circumstances.

In this latest ASUG Talks Roundtable, supply chain experts Isabelle Leclerc, Vice President Supply Chain, Cascades; and Darcy MacClaren, Chief Revenue Officer for SAP Digital Supply Chain, sit down with ASUG to discuss how organizations can leverage technology to bolster their supply chains. During our conversations, we learned how SAP approaches developing effective supply chain solutions based on its customers’ needs, and how customers--like Cascades--are using SAP supply chain solutions to confront modern hurdles and drive their businesses.

In this latest episode of ASUG Talks Live, recorded at ASUG Tech Connect, AI takes center stage. Marissa Gilbert, ASUG Research Director, is joined by Geoff Scott, CEO & Chief Community Champion, ASUG; Jared Coyle, Chief AI Officer, SAP North America; and Soulat Khan, Worldwide Head of SAP Solution Architects, AWS. 

Diving into recent ASUG research focused on the community's usage and attitudes of AI solutions, the panel also discussed the way AI is driving change in the SAP ecosystem along with ways listeners can effectively embrace these solutions. 

In a special episode of ASUG Talks, Thomas Saueressig, Member of the SAP Executive Board overseeing the Customer Services & Delivery Board area, sits down with ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott. 

Their conversation, recorded at SAP's global headquarters in Walldorf, Germany, focused on Saueressig's background, how he approaches his customer-centric role, and his thoughts on the importance of enterprise architects in the SAP ecosystem. 

In this ASUG Talks roundtable, we are joined by three change management experts--Jane E. Schwartz, Senior Director of Global Financial Services, Arthur Lawrence; Karan Froom, Transformation Change Leader & Owner of KFROOMCO Consulting; and Elaine Basa, Senior Director of Global Financial Services, Arthur Lawrence--to discuss how organizations can empower their employees when rolling out new software and processes. 

During the conversation, we touch on importance of change management efforts, common pitfalls companies can avoid, and how to approach budgeting. Listen here. 

Jeff Miers, Director of Partnerships and Alliances for the Energy & Utilities Industries at AWS, and John Downie, Global Energy Industry Lead at Accenture, joined Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion, to discuss growing value and utility of AI-powered solutions, as well as how AWS and Accenture are helping customers effectively implement and leverage next-generation technology. 

The steadily growing skills gap is complicating the implementation of next-generation technology, including cloud ERP and AI solutions. We're seeing this at play in the ASUG community. According to the 2024 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, 29% of respondents cited maintaining knowledge staff and turnover as challenges their organizations are experiencing. 

In the first episode of our roundtable discussions focused on topics vital to the ASUG Community, ASUG Talks dives deep into the technology skill gap, and how hiring companies and education institutions are working to improve current workforces and empower the next generation of SAP professionals. We are joined by three experts keenly focused on this issue: 

• Jelena Perfiljeva, Expert SAP Developer at Mindset Consulting & Chief Nerdess at Boring Enterprise Nerds
• Dr. Ronald Freeze, Director for Enterprise Systems & Professor at the University of Arkansas
• Christine Aboud, CEO of St. Michael’s Learning Academy

Listen in to our conversation, where we discuss where hiring organizations and education experts are seeing the skill gap, how both groups work with one another and SAP to improve the knowledge base of SAP professionals, and the importance of reskilling and upskilling. 

Kicking off the SAP for Utilities conference, Michael Sullivan, National Vice President of Renewable Energy and Utilities at SAP North America, joined Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion, to discuss cloud migration, the clean energy transition, the increasing relevance of AI, and how SAP is empowering its customers.

In a special, live episode of ASUG Talks recorded at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference, Marissa Gilbert was joined by Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion; Deirdre Toner Marketing Director for Specialists' Sales at Amazon Web Service (AWS); and Brendan Verni, ASUG Board Member.

Coming off the heels of SAP CEO Christian Klein's marquee keynote address where he emphasized SAP's focus on AI and announced an expanded partnership with AWS, the discussion focused on the place of AI in the SAP ecosystem and the experiences of customers working with hyperscalers. 

Listen here.

In this exclusive episode of the ASUG Talks podcast, celebrating ASUG Volunteer Week, three long-time ASUG Volunteers discuss their journeys through the SAP user ecosystem, reflecting on memorable moments from their ASUG membership and the important role of community engagement in achieving personal and professional goals. Listen now. 

Tune in to an exclusive conversation between ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott and ASUG Research Director Marissa Gilbert on key takeaways from the 2024 ASuG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, reflecting on what these results say about the ASUG membership’s outlook on key SAP topics. 

As SAP encourages its customer base to undertaking innovative business transformations--including migrating to the cloud and embracing SAP S/4HANA--ASUG Talks recently sat down with Jan Gilg, Chief Revenue Officer & President for SAP Americas and the SAP Global Business Suite organization. 

During our conversations, Jan discussed the new "suite-first" approach SAP unveiled at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference along with the importance of clean core strategies, and the evolution of RISE and GROW with SAP. 

Key Takeaways: 

• The "pillars" of business transformation 
• Benefits of public cloud environments 
• The evolution of enterprise architecture in the SAP ecosystem

Related Insights

• Read ASUG Editorial's interview with Jan from earlier this year
• Learn more about SAP's updated clean core guidance strategy
• Gain insights on cloud adoption from ASUG Research
• Tune in to a recent episode of ASUG Talks to learn more about the upcoming ASUG Fall Conference schedule

Listen in to a special ASUG Tech Connect episode of the ASUG Talks podcast, recorded live from New Orleans, in which ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott hosts a lively discussion between Matt Schwartz, Global Head of AWS SAP Alliance and Partner Network at Amazon Web Services, and Max Wessel, Executive Vice President & Chief Learning Officer of SAP Learning. Reflecting on how organizations can develop, capture, and retain the skills and competencies needed to thrive during business transformation, the keynote conversation addresses the importance of continuous learning, the widening technology skills gap, and the need to impart SAP skills to younger generations.

In this eleventh and final episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Benjamin Deaver, Senior Solution Architect for SNP Group. 

In this tenth episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Joe Leimer, VP of Technology with Design Resources, Inc.

In this ninth episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Darin Schultz, AMS in Commercial and Logistics with Braskem America. 

In this eighth episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Mark Richardson, Chief Technology Officer at Rich Analytics.

In this seventh episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Scott Gordon, Senior Principal IT Technical Analyst for Medtronic. 

In this sixth episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Maria Hourani, Director General, Strategic Financial Governance with the Department of National Defense, Canadian Armed Forces.

In this fifth episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Kris Cowles, senior vice president of IT at Topcon Positioning Systems and a member of the ASUG Board of Directors.

In this fourth episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Amy Her, Associate Partner with AscendN.

In this third episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Jason Sprunk, Global Director, GRM Systems and Operations, Global Revenue Management for Rockwell Automation. 

ASUG is set to kick off its fall conference season, hosting three events aimed at helping attendees make the most of their SAP investments: SAP for Utilities, Presented by ASUG; ASUG Best Practices; and ASUG Tech Connect.

Ahead of these events, ASUG Talks sat down with the three ASUG programmers tasked with creating the agendas for the conferences and ensuring the content and insights present at these three events are meaningful and impactful:

• Kara Hughes, Director of Product Strategy – Experiences
• Lauren Milligan, Senior Associate Producer
• Alyssa Perna, Content Producer

The three broke down these upcoming conferences, highlighting crucial sessions, topics, and opportunities.

You can learn more about (and register for) the ASUG 2025 Fall Conferences here:

• SAP for Utilities, Presented by ASUG
• ASUG Best Practices
• ASUG Tech Connect

In this second episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Chris Pelchat, Corporate Technology Applications Manager with the Nebraska Public Power District.

Season 2, Episode 1

In this first episode of ASUG Talks: Candid Career Conversations, season 2, we talk with Tim Nguyen, consultant for the SAP S/4HANA Digital Transformation Project. Tim discussed his path to becoming a SAP professional. 

In this ASUG Talks episode, we talk with Bob Bucy, N.C. State University Teaching Support Specialist, about his career and academic pursuits.

Tune in to our newest ASUG Talks podcast episode for a Candid Career Conversation with Staci Baker. In a short 15 minutes, Staci breezes through her career experiences, educational pursuits, and what she's learned, and continues to learn about SAP tech solutions.