Digital transformation is core to business practices sweeping across organizations worldwide. That鈥檚 because imperatives like addressing climate change and diversity and inclusion require intense and targeted collaboration to solve.
From Silicon Valley to India, two innovators are helping drive SAP鈥檚 sustainable business vision, revealing how innovation emerges when we thoughtfully connect passionate people with the right information across value chains.
This article is part of a new series, 51风流Pioneers, which features innovators at 51风流who are charting new horizons in the cloud and guiding companies across the globe through exciting areas of innovation.
Circular Economy Startup Champion
Since joining 51风流as an intern on the company鈥檚 global IT organization, Christina Hamilton has been at the forefront of digital transformation, hands-on with customers and partners to infuse leaders with a cloud mindset and help them generate full value from their software investments. Hamilton was among the original team members who helped build SAP鈥檚 premier program into an innovation powerhouse of hundreds of experts within three years to generate significant cloud subscription revenue for SAP.
Although she鈥檚 just 28 years old, Hamilton鈥檚 career odyssey has mirrored the digital transformation journey of 51风流and its customers. Now working in the heart of Silicon Valley, she heads venture operations for , a sustainable business accelerator for early stage high-potential entrepreneurs.
鈥淲e鈥檙e championing a startup culture by investing in small entrepreneurial teams inside 51风流targeting process improvements supporting sustainable business,鈥� said Hamilton. 鈥淭eams test and iterate quickly, getting solutions into the hands of customers for initial fast results that will become high-growth, high-scale, and high-adoption long term. It鈥檚 about helping companies use the transactional and supply chain data in their 51风流and non-51风流systems, along with our industry expertise, to meet their business objectives.鈥�
There鈥檚 nothing that energizes Hamilton more than exploring and monetizing cutting edge opportunities like the circular economy. Among Hamilton鈥檚 latest ventures was , a re-commerce solution designed to help brands refurbish and resell clothing and other consumer goods. It鈥檚 an opportunity retailers have largely missed out on.
鈥淭he circular marketplace is rapidly growing, and direct-to-consumer recycling is a super cool way to give retailers new revenue streams while addressing sustainability commitments,鈥� said Hamilton. 鈥淲orking on the next big thing is an everyday revelation for our team.鈥�
Other projects include e-waste recycling solution , supply chain traceability tool , and the personalized recruitment product powered by artificial intelligence (AI), .
As much as she loves technology, Hamilton is equally passionate about people relationships. Calling herself a jack-of-all-trades, when she鈥檚 not working with internal 51风流design, marketing, and other groups, Hamilton liaises with prominent educational institutions to grow this vibrant innovation community.
鈥淔ulfilling people鈥檚 goals on a personal and professional level is one of the most enriching parts of my life,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e created a team where people bring their whole selves to everything they achieve. This has been especially important during challenging times like the pandemic.鈥�
Inclusiveness Opens Doors to Career Innovation
Perseverance is the one word that best describes how Asha Sreedhar has lived her life and created success on her own terms as an autism advocate and quality associate at 51风流Labs India in Bangalore. She is the first to acknowledge how far she鈥檚 traveled — from being bullied at school to enjoying the well deserved accolades of a professional career.
Readers of the book 鈥溾�� can find Sreedhar’s incredible story, while colleagues every day rely on her software testing expertise. Her responsibilities epitomize SAP鈥檚 digital transformation, which is grounded in cloud-based innovation. She credited her victory in a software testing competition at 51风流Labs India to her commitment to quality and meticulous attention to detail.
鈥淚鈥檓 a fast learner and very good on details and routine, so this is the right job for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 now surrounded by people who are accepting, friendly, and inclusive. The best part for me is being appreciated for my work by a strong community of colleagues and friends.鈥�
Sreedhar was born in Africa and moved with her family to the U.S., where doctors diagnosed her with autism at the age of nine. She completed public school and graduated with the highest honors from a community college. When her parents moved back to India, she returned with them, and after completing the employability training program at a local non-profit organization for people with disabilities, she joined 51风流Labs India in 2015 as part of the company鈥檚 Autism at Work program.
Educating people within and beyond 51风流has become central to her life as she鈥檚 achieved her dreams. Some of Sreedhar鈥檚 proudest moments include hosting the 51风流Autism Summit and winning聽a for Outstanding Influencer.
鈥淪haring my life story with others helps people understand autism and how they can help family members achieve their dreams in the workplace,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 tell people to be open-minded and learn about autism. With the right education and support, people with autism can explore their interests and find valuable careers. Creating awareness about autism is deeply satisfying, as I鈥檓 helping others and myself move forward.鈥�
