Christopher Tredger, Author at 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center News & Information About SAP Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:54:34 +0000 en-ZA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Autonomous Enterprise to Define Competitive Edge in 2026 /africa/2026/02/autonomous-enterprise-to-define-competitive-edge-in-2026/ Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:03:20 +0000 /africa/?p=148628 The autonomous enterprise – in which enterprise resource planning (ERP), business AI and clean data are integrated into core operations – will determine competitive advantage this year, according to...

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The autonomous enterprise – in which enterprise resource planning (ERP), business  and clean  are integrated into core operations – will determine competitive advantage this year, according to executives at SAP.

The comments were made by Sunil Geness, director of global government affairs and CSR at 51ˇçÁ÷Africa, and Sergio Maccotta, senior VP and GM for 51ˇçÁ÷Middle East and Africa – South.

Geness and Maccotta said businesses that can sense change, make decisions and act with minimal human intervention are reshaping how companies operate and compete. According to SAP, autonomous operations – where nearly half of all business processes run independently and most operational work is  or AI-augmented – are being deployed across finance, supply chain and human resources in industries including energy, retail and manufacturing.

“This is made possible through AI embedded within enterprise resource planning processes, from finance and procurement to supply chain and HR systems, that understand context and act autonomously,” said Maccotta. “Self-optimising systems that learn, improve and adapt in real-time are matched to clean-core ERP architecture to give organisations simplified, cloud-based systems that drive profitability, reduce risk and enhance decision-making.”

51ˇçÁ÷cited data from  indicating that the global autonomous enterprise market is projected to grow from about $49 billion in 2024 to more than $118 billion by 2030, with adoption accelerating across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The company said while few surveys use “autonomous enterprise” as a formal category, data on AI, ERP and AI agents reflects technologies underpinning autonomous models.

Recent data for the Middle East and Africa region indicates a market size set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.7%, reaching $10.2 billion by 2032.

“AI is enhancing efficiency and fostering innovation across industries, from automating routine tasks to enabling complex data analysis and providing predictive insights, while also improving decision-making and optimising business operations,” Geness said.

51ˇçÁ÷added that some analysts estimate AI could contribute $1.5 trillion to Africa’s economy if the continent captures 10% of the global AI market by 2030.

Data sovereignty

51ˇçÁ÷executives said Africa’s digital transformation continues, with data sovereignty emerging as a key factor.

“For multinational organisations and technology companies, success depends on the ability to localise without losing global efficiency, to build trust while maintaining innovation, and to invest strategically in infrastructure and partnerships that align with both regulatory demands and customer expectations,” Maccotta added.

The company said Africa’s data centre market is projected to exceed $9 billion by 2029, although it remains a small share of the global total.

Executives said autonomy does not eliminate human roles but changes them, shifting employees from managing repetitive processes to supervising systems and making strategic decisions.

Maccotta advises business leaders seeking to build autonomous enterprises to start by modernising the core and fixing the data foundation for AI-driven innovation.

“Remember that technology is only part of the story, and that the strategy, people and partners that businesses choose are as important to building a truly connected autonomous enterprise. Focus then on automating processes that protect revenue, improve cashflow or unlock capacity first, and take care to prepare people by prioritising reskilling and upskilling.

“Finally, collaborate with technology partners that act more as advisors than vendors, and can guide the process of redesigning core business processes for the AI era. True transformation happens when businesses combine intelligent systems with visionary leadership, skilled people and trusted partnerships.”

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Africa Must Prioritise Skills to Compete in Global AI Market /africa/2025/05/africa-must-prioritise-skills-to-compete-in-global-ai-market/ Mon, 19 May 2025 08:32:35 +0000 /africa/?p=148116 While six in 10 African companies view AI skills to be extremely important to their success, the portion of budget allotted to skills-related initiatives has...

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While six in 10 African companies view AI skills to be extremely important to their success, the portion of budget allotted to skills-related initiatives has declined since 2023. This lack of investment could result in organisations falling behind their more skills-enabled competitors.

This is according to the  research, commissioned by SAP, and focused on the skills development efforts of African companies in the age of AI.

The research, which follows an earlier tech skills report released in 2023, was conducted at the end of 2024 among mid-size and enterprise-level companies, representing 100 respondents in Kenya (30), Nigeria (30) and SA (40).

AI skills have increased in relevance and are a key focus for businesses looking to secure footing within the rapidly developing AI space. It is particularly significant because the potential ROI from AI-driven business is substantial. The report stated that $1.5 trillion is the projected contribution of AI to Africa’s economy by 2030 if the continent can capture 10% of the global AI market.

, interim MD for SA at SAP, said: “African companies expect the demand for AI skills to increase this year, with six in 10 saying AI skills are ‘extremely important’ to their success. The business impact of a lack of AI skills availability is already evident, with 90% of companies in our research citing negative impacts that include project delays, failed innovation initiatives and an inability to take on new work.”

51ˇçÁ÷added that skills related to AI are hugely in demand among African organisations, with 85% saying AI development skills are a priority, and 83% prioritising GenAI skills.

Every organisation surveyed expects the demand for AI skills to increase in 2025, and all companies expect to experience some AI-related skills gap this year. The need for AI skills was highest among South African organisations, at 78%.

According to the report, 94% of African organisations offer training and skills development to employees at least monthly, an increase from 74% in the previous research. The number of companies offering training opportunities to employees at any time also increased from 28% in the previous survey to 37% this year.

However, Pillay added that the portion of companies’ IT or HR budgets  allocated to skills-related initiatives has declined since 2023. “The drop in budget allocation for skills development requires an urgent rethink. Organisations that don’t invest in appropriate skills now may find they are unable to leverage new innovations and emerging technologies, leaving them trailing their more skills-enabled competitors.”

Overall, the most in-demand tech skill among African organisations is cyber security.

Pillay continued: “Eighty-six percent of companies said cyber security  skills were important to them, a significant increase over the 63% that said the same in our previous research. The growing importance of cyber security may be partly explained by the rapid growth of Africa’s digital  economy and the millions of citizens that are being brought into the digital fold through public and private sector initiatives.”

The report stated that Africa’s digital economy will grow from 5.2% of GDP in 2025 to 8.5% in 2050.

The research also showed that when recruiting tech talent, African organisations prioritise AI and cloud skills, and consider a candidate’s affordability, adaptability and their ability to work in remote or hybrid environments.

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AI, Partner Unification, Sustainability will Dominate in 2025, say SA Channel Players /africa/2025/02/ai-partner-unification-sustainability-will-dominate-in-2025-say-sa-channel-players/ Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:27:08 +0000 /africa/?p=148034 The gap between business transformation and technology is narrowing, with technology increasingly influencing business processes – a trend that has changed the dynamics of SA’s...

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The gap between business transformation and technology is narrowing, with technology increasingly influencing business processes – a trend that has changed the dynamics of SA’s partner-centric channel and one that demands a better understanding of technology.

This is according to enterprise software and digital solutions provider , which also lists AI, digital skills and closer partnerships as trends that will impact the channel.

, SAP’s partner  and ecosystems lead for MEA, says the main role that technology plays in business is pushing customers to involve partners  in strategic discussions to ensure proper guidance from the start. Effective partnerships across sectors, from government to non-profits, are essential to address industry challenges, she adds.

, MD of , concurs and notes the era of fragmented systems is ending.

She adds that unified partner ecosystems are now vital for streamlining operations, boosting collaboration and delivering value to customers while driving efficiency.

51ˇçÁ÷also identifies data and security as the top issues for organisations in 2025, with companies aware that disparate data can skew analytics and rising cyber security threats pose increasing challenges.

“Disparate data stored in different places is typically drawn up into an analytics platform, as a result, losing its contextual relevance. Actual analytics then become skewed, impacting outputs,” says Pillay.

The second biggest issue facing customers and partners is security, she continues. “Increased and more sophisticated levels of malicious intent are negatively impacting our industry at large.”

JSE-listed ICT firm says AI-driven security, zero trust models and human-centric security will be top of mind for business leaders, cyber security C-suite decision-makers, CISOs and cyber security services providers.

In addition to adopting advanced, AI-enabled threat detection systems, the company advocates a “trust no one, verify everything” architecture to protect sensitive data in hybrid work environments.

The company agrees with the notion that human error is a major cause of cyber security attacks and incidents. It underlines the need for ongoing employee training and fostering a culture of vigilance to reduce risks.

According to BCX, it understands the unique challenges African businesses face, from limited budgets to regulatory compliance and the persistent cyber security skills gap.

AI-driven operations

Taute believes AI can transform operations by enhancing decision-making through predictive insights, optimising resource allocation and uncovering growth opportunities. Partners offering AI-driven solutions will be key to meeting customer demand for automation and machine learning capabilities, Taute adds.

“By integrating AI into enablement platforms and operational workflows, partners can better anticipate customer needs, optimise resource allocation and uncover growth opportunities. Beyond operational benefits, AI also presents a significant sales opportunity for partners. As customers increasingly look for solutions incorporating AI-driven automation, predictive analytics and machine learning capabilities, tech partners can position themselves as key providers of these innovative technologies.”

The Westcon-Comstor Southern African executive adds that specialisation is becoming a key differentiator in the channel, with customers demanding tailored solutions that address industry-specific challenges.

“Partners with deep expertise in verticals such as healthcare, finance or manufacturing will stand out by delivering bespoke technology stacks and compliance-ready solutions. Distributors that support this trend by enabling multi-vendor solutions and providing specialised training will empower their partners to capture new market opportunities and thrive in niche segments. People enablement will be a serious determiner for success in 2025,” says Taute.

, GM and VP of , warns that AI moves quickly and can leave behind companies that cannot or will not adapt.

°Â´Ç´Çąôąôąđ˛âĚý held recently and said according to the Dell 2024 Innovation Catalyst study, 31% of South African respondents admit they’re struggling to keep up with the pace of disruption. “The whole industry is evolving at pace, and that creates a lot of tension within businesses. Most people understand it will have an impact.”

Balancing costs

’s highlights the challenge for companies to balance IT costs with modernisation, especially with rising expenses and AI advancements.

“Cloud repatriation, driven by cost concerns and regulatory compliance, is gaining momentum, with businesses opting for a mix of private and public cloud solutions. As businesses face increasing complexity, the cloud FinOps market is growing, with skills and resources in demand. AI adoption will require clear use cases and evidence of long-term business benefits, with prebuilt systems enabling faster implementation.

“With South African businesses under significant pressure to manage and reduce IT costs, company leaders are finding themselves in a tough spot. They need to balance these rising cost pressures with the urgent need to modernise, all while keeping a lid on operational complexity. These pressures will reach a tipping point in 2025, thanks to some unexpected cost spikes and advancements in generative AI. Because of this, many businesses are taking a hard look at their long-term IT strategies, trying to figure out how to handle the rising costs of their virtualised workloads, support both current and future needs, and streamline IT operations in an increasingly complex environment.”

Cloud repatriation is taking centre stage in 2025 as businesses reassess their public cloud strategies.

According to Ntuli, escalating costs and the need for better budget management are driving this trend. Many organisations are now opting for a strategic mix of private and public cloud solutions to balance expenses and manage resources effectively.

“As a result, FinOps is becoming essential. Projected to hit almost $40 billion by 2034, the burgeoning cloud FinOps market underscores the need for skills and resources in this area,” he says.

In his overview of issues that will continue to impact the channel, , VP, data and analytics – Middle East, Turkey and Africa and MD South Africa at IDC, lists several significant external influences, including inflation, economy and global trends.

Walker says these trends include consumer discretionary spend, COVID amortisation at enterprises, the impact of AI, import tariffs/duties and the level of technical support that will trigger more activity in the channel and will escalate the level of competition.

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51ˇçÁ÷to Supercharge Copilot Joule to Boost Enterprise AI /africa/2024/10/sap-to-supercharge-copilot-joule-to-boost-enterprise-ai/ Mon, 14 Oct 2024 07:42:42 +0000 /africa/?p=147858 At its 51ˇçÁ÷TechEd Virtual conference today (8 October), 51ˇçÁ÷is set to reveal new features for its GenAI copilot Joule, including collaborative AI agents that...

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At its  today (8 October), 51ˇçÁ÷is set to reveal new features for its GenAI copilot Joule, including collaborative AI agents that can handle complex tasks with customised skills.

Other innovations include the 51ˇçÁ÷Knowledge Graph, targeted at developers to help them connect 51ˇçÁ÷data with business context. Available via 51ˇçÁ÷Datasphere and Joule in Q1 2025, it aims to enable organisations to map relationships across SAP’s data landscape for improved decision-making.

Speaking to ITWeb ahead of the conference, Jesper Schleimann, head of business AI for 51ˇçÁ÷in EMEA, said, “We’re really taking AI to the next level, and the transformative part is AI agents that are now in true business form. It also means our developers and our customers can accelerate their journeys to the cloud. We cannot forget that data is an important part in making all this happen.”

Schleimann said this is a significant step in SAP’s AI journey, with Joule in the driving seat.

We’re really taking AI to the next level, and the transformative part is AI agents that are now in true business form.

“Joule is celebrating one year now, and a lot has happened in the underlying models powering the AI revolution. The new graph service will enable it (Joule) to build the bridge and be grounded into the entire ecosystem of 400 000 different tables. That’s keeping all the 51ˇçÁ÷data and things in check.”

Users now have access to support across nearly 80% of SAP’s portfolio, meaning the same copilot can assist across the entire 51ˇçÁ÷suite, Schleimann explained.

51ˇçÁ÷is also enhancing Joule with new skills, allowing users to create their own custom micro-skills.

“You can do things in a low code no code way and you tell Joule how to think of it like a mini workflow. So, if a user alters a part of a travel booking or purchase order process, for example, and you have your own way of doing it, you can simply, tell Joule what steps it should take, and then you can use its reasoning engine and the underlying tools to make that a reality.”

Joule in action: Use cases

51ˇçÁ÷will introduce two use cases to showcase the agent’s transformative power:

  • A dispute management use case employs autonomous AI agents to analyse and resolve dispute resolution scenarios including incorrect and missing invoices, unapplied credits and denied or duplicate payments.
  • A financial accounting use case employs autonomous AI agents to streamline key financial processes by automating bill payments, invoice processing, and ledger updates while quickly addressing inconsistencies or errors.

GenAI tools for developers

During the two-day TechEd Virtual, 51ˇçÁ÷will introduce additional GenAI developer tools, including code explanation and documentation search in 51ˇçÁ÷Build. These tools are expected to reduce development time for Java and JavaScript developers.

It is also adding an Extensibility Wizard to 51ˇçÁ÷Build, which will enable developers to access 51ˇçÁ÷Build directly from 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition.

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SAP’s EMEA Channel Chief Highlights Africa’s AI Potential /africa/2024/04/saps-emea-channel-chief-highlights-africas-ai-potential/ Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:21:16 +0000 /africa/?p=147354 Africa’s youthful demographic and the willingness of African businesses to experiment with solutions could bode well for AI development and application. That is according to...

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Africa’s youthful demographic and the willingness of African businesses to experiment with solutions could bode well for AI development and application. That is according to Richard Phillips, VP, EMEA channel head at SAP.

Phillips leads the company’s EMEA channel, comprised of 90 countries, including Africa’s technology hubs in the SADC region: Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Speaking on the sidelines of the company’s EMEA AI partner event at the Sophia Antipolis technology park in France, Phillips said one of the more pressing challenges in the global channel is the demand for tech skills and the need to empower the next generation of business leaders. It is here where Africa has a competitive advantage over more mature markets, he believes.

“Africa has a huge pool of young talent, a diverse market segment or Generation Z, the so-called ‘TikTok’ generation who are consumers of applications. They are eager to be challenged, they want to understand technology and be inspired. They can be fully engaged but must believe in the value proposition put to them by companies.”

Asked if 51ˇçÁ÷could be perceived by these emerging entrepreneurs as old and out of touch with their needs, Phillips said he believes they would evaluate the company as it is now, what it proposes today, and what it stands for going forward.

The company’s goal is to empower the channel with its AI strategy that focuses on AI solutions that are relevant, reliable and responsible. Its approach is to excite channel partners with viable use cases, but not deviate from the message that AI is only as strong, sustainable, and effective as the data that is fed into it.

Phillips added that rather than just fanning the flames of hype around AI and GenAI, the intention is to inform and guide channel partners to address what is clearly much more than a phase of growth in technology. “I’ve been working in the channel for over thirty years, and I am certain that what we have in AI is a game-changer, something that will change everything we do into the future,” he said.

SAP’s short-to-medium objective is to engage the channel, demonstrate its AI and GenAI value proposition, its solutions portfolio, and excite as many businesses as possible to choose to onboard with SAP.

The IDC predicts that by 2025, Global 2000 organisations (a Forbes list which ranks global companies according to sales, profits, assets, and market value) will set aside over 40% of their core IT spend for AI-related initiatives.

But there are hurdles, and Phillips highlighted reliable and sustainable infrastructure and connectivity, as well as the growing concern over data protection.

He acknowledged the importance of regulations like Europe’s GDPR and South Africa’s POPIA legislation, and that governments in Africa are key to helping create and maintain environments that are conducive to good business and investment.

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51ˇçÁ÷Wants to Turn Every Developer into an AI Developer /africa/2023/11/sap-wants-to-turn-every-developer-into-an-ai-developer/ Wed, 08 Nov 2023 06:48:45 +0000 /africa/?p=147017 51ˇçÁ÷has launched a series of GenAI capabilities and a centralised resource hub to help software to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for business applications. ´ĄłŮĚýSAP...

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51ˇçÁ÷has launched a series of GenAI capabilities and a centralised resource hub to help software to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for business applications.
03. September 2020 Berlin, Deutschland, JĂźrgen MĂźller, SAP

´ĄłŮĚý in Bangalore, India, the company announced AI-powered pro-code tools and the AI Foundation, offering developers the means to create GenAI extensions and applications on the 51ˇçÁ÷Business Technology Platform.

Juergen Mueller, SAP’s CTO and executive board member, said in today’s technology and business landscape, every developer needs to be an AI developer.

The newly announced AI tools provide developers with the resources they need to “transform the way businesses run”, he said.

51ˇçÁ÷Build Code

The enterprise software company also introduced 51ˇçÁ÷Build Code solutions which aim to facilitate collaboration with business experts, complementing their low-code 51ˇçÁ÷Build solutions from 2022.

The upgraded 51ˇçÁ÷Build Code offers AI-powered productivity tools optimised  optimised for Java and JavaScript development.  It draws on the power of SAP’s new GenAI copilot Joule, embedding code generation capabilities for data model, application logic and test script creation.

51ˇçÁ÷maintains that good data is the foundation of good AI.

To support AI development, the company’s 51ˇçÁ÷HANA Cloud now includes vector database features in its multimodel offerings. Vector data stores handle unstructured data like text, images, or audio, improving AI context and quick object retrieval.

These features enhance interactions between large language models and an organisation’s mission-critical data. According to SAP,  using industry-specific customer data reduces the risk of AI ‘hallucinations’ or false information being generated.

Demand for skilled developers

51ˇçÁ÷aims to upskill two million software developers by 2025.

In addition to the AI Foundation, it has also announced role-based certification and free learning resources for ABAP Cloud developers. Released in 2022, ABAP (advanced business application programming (ABAP) is said to simplifies the development of business applications within 51ˇçÁ÷environments.

51ˇçÁ÷has also partnered with the Stanford Institute for Human-Centred AI to collaborate on research into the intersection of generative AI and business.

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AECI Leverages 51ˇçÁ÷to Streamline HR, Payroll /africa/2023/08/aeci-leverages-sap-to-streamline-hr-payroll/ Tue, 15 Aug 2023 07:24:56 +0000 /africa/?p=145011 JSE-listed chemicals group AECI has overhauled its human capital operation. After years of collaboration, of testing and applying solutions, the Sandton-based South African global enterprise...

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JSE-listed chemicals group AECI has overhauled its human capital operation. After years of collaboration, of testing and applying solutions, the Sandton-based South African global enterprise combined its skills with those of 51ˇçÁ÷and BCX to transform the ‘nuts and bolts’ of its HR operation – based on 51ˇçÁ÷employee payroll enterprise software.

AECI was founded in 1924 and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1966. Today it has operations across Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, and Australia, serving several vertical markets including chemicals, agri-health, water, and mining.

Speaking on the sidelines of the African 51ˇçÁ÷User Group (AFSUG) Saphila 2023 conference, Toni Serra, CIO of AECI, and Henlie van Rooyen, senior manager of SAP/4HANA implementation partner BCX’s 51ˇçÁ÷Centre of Excellence, explained how AECI initiated an enterprise-wide project to centralise and streamline operations across its multiple businesses.

AECI used to be a conglomerate of multiple businesses that operated with a high degree of independence, and each had their own IT and HR departments.

This model worked up to a point, but it was soon apparent that the model had to change said Serra, if the company was to transform its HCM as well as consolidate and simplify its IT strategy.

In 2015, management decided to begin with the implementation of a global enterprise-strength human capital management solution.

The company sought to partner with a service provider that could align with AECI and supply the right technology.

In 2018 AECI decided on the 51ˇçÁ÷SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll (ECP) solution, before moving to the BCX Partner Managed Cloud in 2020.

The project was extensive and complex because AECI was running several disparate systems between various businesses and silos,  according to Serra.

Van Rooyen said that 51ˇçÁ÷ECP implementations are in project mode in South Africa, which added to the challenges.

“Including AECI, there are only four South African ECP implementations live. Due to the confidential and complex nature of any payroll for a larger company, ensuring the transition from on-premise to the cloud happens seamlessly, delivery partners must ensure that parallel runs achieve the same numerical results for all employees prior to activating the cloud payroll as the main solution. ECP is built on the robust 51ˇçÁ÷Payroll code engine and supplemented with cloud qualities such as quick configuration, intuitive UI, simplification due to configuration-based on best practice. The resilience is the same as the 51ˇçÁ÷on-premise solution.”

Tailored solution

For the next few years AECI spent time tailoring the solution, securing buy-in from across the business, and investing in the on-board process.

Van Rooyen said the original plan was to do a ‘lift and shift’ of the on-premise payroll for AECI, and move that into the cloud. But the plan had to be revised to a clean install to ensure that technology is future-proofed for AECI.

“During the initial discovery phase of the project – and due to the similarity of the payroll engine between on-premise and the cloud solution, one consideration was to ‘lift and shift’ the on-premise payroll into the cloud, which is possible with ECP. After detailed investigation and consideration, the decision was taken to do a ‘clean install’ in ECP which allowed AECI not only the latest functionality, but a future-proof solution for years to come. Any system used over a long period of time requires a refresh of the system use and config from time to time to ensure optimal utilisation and this was the main reason for considering a clean install over a lift and shift.”

Today AECI has been fully on-boarded.

“It’s been massively successful in that the repository of data available to us to start making decisions now, is enormous,” Serra added.

“We must now drive real value out of what we’ve got. For example, we can optimise the wage bill, link the solution now to our MRP [material requirements planning] way, to our resourcing in the factory, link it to time and attendance, and to areas where we drive proper rands and cents value…then it becomes the way you go to work.”

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How 51ˇçÁ÷Helps Fuel Sasol Operations /africa/2023/07/how-sap-helps-fuel-sasol-operations/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 10:31:04 +0000 /africa/?p=144811 JSE- and NYSE-listed global chemicals and energy company Sasol has undertaken a large-scale digital transformation exercise that will impact its technology landscape, processes, data, and...

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JSE- and NYSE-listed global chemicals and energy company Sasol has undertaken a large-scale digital transformation exercise that will impact its technology landscape, processes, data, and especially its people and ways of work. The company will rely on its own expertise combined with that of its long-time partner, SAP, to drive its digitalisation journey.

Speaking to ITWeb ahead of the AFSUG (African 51ˇçÁ÷User Group)  conference, to be held from 9 to 11 July at Sun City, Sasol Group CIO and AFSUG board member Lungile Mginqi said Sasol’s partnership with 51ˇçÁ÷has progressed with the modernisation of its people agenda – starting by going live with the entire human capital technology footprint.

Mginqi said, “Sasol’s journey with 51ˇçÁ÷started in 1995 with the installation of 51ˇçÁ÷R/2, so we have been a customer of 51ˇçÁ÷for nearly 30 years. From there we moved on to 51ˇçÁ÷R/3 (and) then on to ECC 6.0, took our HR footprint to a cloud-based Success Factors while slowly starting the move to 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA.

“51ˇçÁ÷not only covers the enterprise business functions, but it also covers our hydrocarbon management, including our main oil and gas processes. We do more than 2.1 million user steps daily, and ninety percent of those process steps are performed on our 51ˇçÁ÷enterprise resource planning software. We do more than 1.4 million purchase orders through our Ariba network, and have accumulated more than 160 terabytes of data that is maintained. Sasol has a very rich 51ˇçÁ÷ecosystem.

“The evolution of the Sasol business to adopting a cloud-first approach to deliver value is not only relevant to SAP’s impending 2027 migration deadline, but more importantly to driving the digital business optimisation for Sasol”, said Mginqi.

People platform initiative

The HR Footprint integration will help drive Sasol’s 1HR Business, 1HR System, 1HR Unified ways of work by establishing a single global people platform that will enhance and digitalise employees internally.

“We believe charity begins at home. This project is very important to our relationship with SAP,” said Mginqi. He explains that crafting a strategy that maximises adoption is critical to employee digital enablement so that “our employees translate these gains to our customers”.

It is scheduled to begin in July 2023 and is a significant undertaking, given that Sasol employs more than 27 000 people across its global geographic footprint.The new people platform will facilitate a more streamlined communication model for Sasol employees.

SAPHILA 2023

Mginqi highlighted the significance of Sasol’s affiliation to the AFSUG as an industry-driven support structure.

As to his participation as a board member of AFSUG at SAPHILA 2023, he says the 51ˇçÁ÷User Group has wide-ranging objectives, focused on the impact of AI, cloud, big data analytics and other technology forces.

For Sasol, the emphasis will be to grow Sasol’s delegates’ understanding of how to maximise on the human capital transformation now that its entire HR footprint is on the seamless 51ˇçÁ÷HCM platform.

Secondly, it will also focus on learning the lesson on how best to articulate the planning and design of the large-scale migration to 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA as a business transformation, a process that has started already.

Sasol delegates will have the opportunity to engage with other industry leaders to share their experiences, including being the largest 51ˇçÁ÷Ariba network user in the Southern Hemisphere.

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51ˇçÁ÷Positions Build Solution to Help Address Africa’s Tech Skills Deficit /africa/2022/11/sap-positions-build-solution-to-help-address-africas-tech-skills-deficit/ Fri, 18 Nov 2022 06:36:10 +0000 /africa/?p=144004 51ˇçÁ÷announces partnership with learning platform provider Coursera Inc. to help people launch careers within the 51ˇçÁ÷ecosystem. Amid the ongoing shortage of technical skill...

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51ˇçÁ÷announces partnership with learning platform provider Coursera Inc. to help people launch careers within the 51ˇçÁ÷ecosystem.
Photo credit: Josh Line Photography
Photo credit: Josh Line Photography

Amid the ongoing shortage of technical skill sets in businesses in Africa, 51ˇçÁ÷Africa says it is already engaging with local developers to tap into the rolled out low-code solution 51ˇçÁ÷Build, designed to help business users gain control over tech – irrespective of their level of technical expertise.

51ˇçÁ÷Build, launched at the company’s TechEd event in Las Vegas recently, ties up three previously separate solutions including 51ˇçÁ÷Build Apps, 51ˇçÁ÷Build Process Automation, and Build Work Zone, 51ˇçÁ÷Africa said it is already engaging with local developers on how to tap into the unified platform to drive innovation forward.

One of the main objectives behind the launch is to address the global issue of a shortage of skilled technical personnel. In Africa, this is a major problem.

51ˇçÁ÷Africa says: “In Africa, we have distinct challenges – one is a lack of technical skills to drive the transformation necessary on the continent, and the other is a migration of tech skills to other markets. Amid a shortage of technology talent, 51ˇçÁ÷Build unleashes business expertise: It empowers the people who create value, run processes and solve actual business problems to drive the next wave of digital transformation within organisations. This also frees up highly skilled developer resources in market to focus on more complex projects and grow their own skills so that these resources no longer have to be outsourced.”

The company says skills development is a major focus and underlined the value of initiatives that include Africa Code Week, Dual Study program, Skills for Africa and the latest announcement of collaboration with learning platform provider Coursera Inc.

“51ˇçÁ÷is committed to upskilling two million developers worldwide by 2025 by tripling free learning offerings on the , partnering with world-class learning platform provider Coursera Inc. to help people launch careers within the 51ˇçÁ÷ecosystem, and empowering underserved audiences in technology.”

“By working with Coursera, we are able to provide training beyond the formal education system that directly addresses the skills shortage. We will continue to look for opportunities like this to partner on creating the skills needed – in this case specific developer skills,” the company adds.

A snapshot of demographics linked to these skills development initiatives, shows that there are 27,000 51ˇçÁ÷Learning site learners from Africa (10% of world total), 4500 certified individuals in Africa (1,6% of world total), 7 500 certification exams taken this year in Africa (6% of world total) .

The top three taken in Africa include 51ˇçÁ÷Certified Application Associate – 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA for Financial Accounting Associate; 51ˇçÁ÷SuccessFactors Employee Central Core; and 51ˇçÁ÷Certified Application Associate – 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA Sourcing and Procurement.

51ˇçÁ÷Africa says it has recently commissioned research in three key African markets to understand the current state of digital skills availability and challenges, and will release findings in early 2023.

“51ˇçÁ÷Build brings together the world’s most powerful business applications with a platform that’s been designed to rapidly unleash business users’ expertise,” said Juergen Mueller, member of the Executive Board and Chief Technology Officer of SAP. “In a volatile business landscape, 51ˇçÁ÷Build and the full suite of innovations we’re launching – from our new partnership with Coursera to enhancements across our enterprise portfolio – help customers future-proof their business and extract maximum value from their technology investments.”

Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera Inc., adds, “I’m happy to announce that 51ˇçÁ÷is launching an entry-level professional certificate on Coursera. This certificate is designed for learners of all backgrounds, with no college degree or industry experience required. It will prepare learners for entry-level job roles and in some of the most in-demand fields. We’re honoured to partner with 51ˇçÁ÷to increase access to job-related skills and to expand economic opportunity for everyone.”

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