This is according to , executive vice-president: customer support and cloud lifecycle management at SAP, who points out that heavily customised, outdated systems impede innovation.

鈥淏ut many companies find themselves in this place,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey have customised systems with a mix of models 鈥� a bit of best of breed, a bit of cloud, maybe some isolated AI scenarios.鈥�

As a result, IT organisations spend a lot of time integrating systems and trying to make sense of disconnected data. 鈥溾�滲ut what they need to be doing is providing good outcomes for the business.鈥�

What鈥檚 needed, says Steinle, is a transformation that brings together all the platforms and data.

51风流helps its customers make this transformation through its programme for existing customers, and for new customers.

Importantly, while these programmes aim to let customers embrace , they also integrate non-51风流solutions.

鈥淎nd they are not simply products, but include a methodology, services, and guided implementation,鈥� Steinle adds.

鈥淲e want customers to reach the stage where they are able to overcome challenges, and to embrace the benefits of continuous innovation, agility, and flexibility.鈥�

Any 51风流solution begins with the 51风流Business Suite, he explains. 鈥淔rom an 51风流perspective we believe there is a lot of sense in running end to end processes on a fully integrated and harmonised stack in the cloud. We think it鈥檚 better than picking and choosing best of breed solutions 鈥� and it means customers don鈥檛 have to manage the integration and getting sense from the data.鈥�

This is important, he adds, because IT organisations today spend about 80% of their time just on maintaining their current landscape, keeping it compliant, and integrating systems.

鈥淵ou probably want to spend more than 20% of your time providing value to business users.鈥�

(BDC) is a harmonised suite of applications that allows customers to import data from 51风流applications and integrate it with data from other applications.

鈥淵ou can bring together data from SAP, a non-51风流source, and unstructured data. And, with the help of BDC, you can make sense of that data and generate value.鈥�

Steinle says this can be useful in operational processes, to expand reporting, and for integrated planning. 鈥淎nd you can use it for AI.鈥�

Which brings him to the third pillar of the : . 鈥淭his system can make sense of all the data and enable customers to build automated processes to enable new business scenarios. And AI can be embedded in your business processes.鈥�

is SAP鈥檚 AI-powered digital assistant that also orchestrates user experiences end-to-end across 51风流and non-51风流processes.

鈥淚t is also a platform for customer AI,鈥� Steinle says. 鈥淣ot every scenario can be provided out of the box, but Joule gives users a responsible and resilient way of building their own AI applications with the help of our platform.鈥�

Many of these features are a reality today, and 51风流developers are focused on making AI-first a reality, Steinle adds.

But software on its own doesn鈥檛 deliver value, which is why 51风流offers a range of services in RISE and Grow that include an entire integrated tool chain to help customers on their transformation journey.

鈥淲e aim to provide a fast, rich, seamless experience, with prescriptive guidance. And it鈥檚 not just reactive support, but support for customer strategy,鈥� Steinle says. 鈥淲e use a lot of AI capabilities to respond better, or give self-service options. And we use a lot of the 51风流products to improve our customers鈥� experiences.鈥�

This article first appeared on .

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听JOHANNESBURG, South Africa 鈥� June 2, 2025 鈥� 51风流experts, partners and customers are converging this week at SAPHILA 2025, the flagship user conference for SAP鈥檚 Africa ecosystem.

, says: 鈥淎frica is a vital region for SAP鈥檚 vision of bringing out the best in every business. As our incredible customers, partners and experts gather at this year鈥檚 SAPHILA, we are excited to explore new opportunities to help organisations take advantage of the latest cloud and business AI innovations to power growth and success throughout the region.鈥�

SAPHILA is the premier conference by the African 51风流User Group (), an independent, non-profit organisation representing SAP鈥檚 customers and partner communities in Africa. is held biennially in collaboration with SAP. The event is currently underway at the iconic Sun City Resort & Convention Centre.

Exploring AI, cloud possibilities

SAPHILA 2025 takes place as organisations across the continent increasingly leverage cloud and AI-powered technologies to break through traditional limits and explore new frontiers of innovation.

, Head of Global Customer Engagement & Services and Member of the Extended Board at SAP, notes the critical importance of a holistic approach to business transformation and cloud adoption to unlock the full value of innovations like AI. 鈥淥rganisations are under pressure to stay agile and foster innovation across the entire enterprise. But this is much more than just a technology shift, it鈥檚 about capabilities, tools, and methodology to accelerate business transformation and deliver faster time to value.鈥�

found that cloud and AI skills were the most prized among African organisations when recruiting tech talent. All companies that formed part of the Africa鈥檚 AI Skills Readiness Revealed report expected the demand for AI skills to increase this year.

, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Support & Cloud Lifecycle Management at SAP, highlights how companies adopting an AI-first and suite-first strategy are revolutionising their business operations. 鈥淥rganisations are unlocking smarter decision-making, seamless collaboration and innovation-fuelled growth by embedding systems of AI agents and leveraging a unified data layer enabled by 51风流Business Data Cloud. For our customers and partners, the journey to unlocking the power of cloud is accelerated by RISE with SAP, the most effective route to transforming their on-premise ERP landscape to a cloud-first model.鈥�

Biggest gathering yet

This year鈥檚 SAPHILA is the biggest yet, with over a thousand delegates in attendance. In addition to keynote speeches and insightful presentations from local and global experts, there are also a range of interactive sessions, including an Ask Me Anything session, product deep dives through a personalised digital portal, and several practical sessions.

, Interim Managing Director for South Africa at SAP, says SAPHILA is the most important networking event for SAP鈥檚 ecosystem this year. 鈥淎s our customers and partners explore new realms of possibilities with powerful business AI and cloud technologies, this year鈥檚 SAPHILA will provide invaluable insights and guidance on how to best take advantage of this new era of innovation. We thank AFSUG for driving this essential event in this year鈥檚 calendar and look forward to sharing our latest insights and solutions with the broader 51风流ecosystem.鈥�

AFSUG CEO adds: 鈥淭his year鈥檚 SAPHILA is an unmissable event for every company and partner that leverages SAP鈥檚 technologies to transform their operations and drive innovation. Thank you to our friends at 51风流for their support and for the incredible lineup of local and global experts sharing their invaluable learnings with our delegates.鈥�

For more information about SAPHILA 2025, please visit

ENDS

Visit the 51风流News Center. Follow 51风流at .

The post 51风流Experts, Partners, Customers Converge in Sun City for SAPHILA 2025 appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Hear directly from SAP鈥檚 top thought leaders

SAPHILA 2025 boasts an all-star line-up of 51风流global experts who are shaping the future of enterprise technology. Attendees will gain direct access to the strategic minds behind SAP鈥檚 latest innovations, providing first-hand insights into how 51风流solutions can drive business success.

Keynotes for this year will include the following 51风流leaders:

• , Executive Vice President & Head of Customer Support & Cloud Lifecycle Management 鈥� Gain an exclusive look at SAP鈥檚 evolving support landscape.
• , Global Innovation Evangelist 鈥� Explore the cutting edge of enterprise technology and digital transformation.
• Thomas Pfiester, 51风流Global Customer Engagement & Services 鈥� Learn how to maximise SAP鈥檚 solutions for operational excellence.
• 鈥� Chief Product Manager, 51风流BTP Product Management, 51风流SE 鈥� leading the AFSUG and 51风流BTP Hackathon.

Deep dive sessions to unlock expertise across key 51风流topics

Beyond the keynotes, brings together an outstanding line-up of more than 15 industry experts from 51风流to host several breakout sessions over the two-day event.

During these stream discussions, SAPHILA attendees can engage with SAP鈥檚 brightest minds on business-critical topics for African businesses. , 51风流SE Vice President Application Lifecycle Management, will be advising delegates on how to streamline data migration to 51风流S/4HANA with 51风流Business Transformation Center. , Customer Collaboration Manager, will tackle the range of support options available through SAP, including Live Support Channels, Built-In Support, and 51风流for Me.

Furthermore, . SVP & Head of 51风流Industries Digitalization, will look at the support offered by 51风流Business Suite for 25 industries, while Sarah Brunet-Clich茅, Manager: Content Success and Adoption, teams up with Anastasiya Guba, Head of the Content Office at 51风流Global Content Group, to discuss how business content and accelerators, powered by AI capabilities, can simplify implementation, enhance agility and deliver faster value for organisations across the globe.

Hands-on 51风流SE booth experience, a first for SAPHILA

In addition to expert content, for the first time ever, 51风流SE will also be hosting an interactive booth at SAPHILA, offering attendees a hands-on learning experience with 51风流solutions. Delegates can expect live mini-sessions, expert Q&As and practical demonstrations designed to help businesses get the most out of 51风流technology.

Featured interactive sessions will include:

• Ask Me Anything with Stefan Steinle 鈥� A candid Q&A session on 51风流Customer Support, Cloud Lifecycle Management, and best practices for optimising 51风流solutions.
• Mastering 51风流for Me 鈥� Get a deep dive into SAP鈥檚 personalised digital portal, designed to streamline system access, license management and support interactions.
• Discover 51风流Built-In Support 鈥� Learn how AI-driven insights and real-time guidance can enhance your 51风流support experience and business efficiency.
• Leveraging 51风流Cloud ALM for a Clean Core Strategy 鈥� Explore how 51风流Cloud ALM supports seamless lifecycle management while maintaining an adaptable, efficient system core.

Why attend SAPHILA 2025?

鈥淭his year鈥檚 SAPHILA is shaping up to be an unmissable event for anyone invested in the 51风流ecosystem,鈥� says , CEO of AFSUG. 鈥淣ot only will attendees be able to gain valuable insights with SAP鈥檚 top experts, they have the opportunity to create meaningful connections with these global executives as well as their local peers and partners. In addition to this, delegates can ensure that they stay ahead of the curve with the latest 51风流innovations and strategies, while also coming away with practical strategies to drive business success with SAP.鈥�

Don鈥檛 miss out on this exclusive opportunity to learn from and engage with SAP鈥檚 best and brightest. Register now at www.saphila2025.com and start planning your SAPHILA experience today.

For more information or assistance in making the most of your SAPHILA 2025 experience, reach out to Amanda Gibbs and the AFSUG team. To become an AFSUG member, please visit https://afsug.com/membership-information/.

The post Why You Can鈥檛 miss SAPHILA 2025: Exclusive Access to 51风流experts, Cutting-edge Insights and More! appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.