When we conceived the idea for an inaugural event which will bring together industry thought leaders and technology experts to discuss how to future-proof your business, we wanted to create that same feeling. While lots of conferences deliver great speakers alone, the marketing team at 51·çÁ÷ANZ wanted to create a complete experience that not only gives attendees relevant information but leaves you inspired to act on your newfound knowledge.

will be brought to life on Tuesday 8^th August in Sydney. We scoured the city for venues and settled on the Hyatt Regency, for the very fact that it is not only a great space, but we can run the entire event on the same floor so everything is easily accessible and buzzy. We want to bring that vibe that we deliver in our global event SAPPHIRE in Orlando.

If the recent past has taught us one thing, it is that there are always unforeseeable changes in our industry and marketplace. Flexibility and agility have always been constants, but they now need to be coupled with resiliency.

At 51·çÁ÷NOW 2023, we will delve into the strategies and actions required to successfully meet the demands of the present and the emerging future and future-proof your business. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from industry leaders, technology experts, and innovative thinkers who will share their insights and strategies for navigating the digital landscape and driving success in the years to come. You’ll discover how to leverage cutting-edge technologies to unlock new opportunities, streamline processes, and enhance customer experiences.

Current relatable themes to spur new ideas

We will have three breakout tracks running and will feature 51·çÁ÷experts and customers speaking across all these tracks, mostly in fireside chats or panel discussions.

The three breakout tracks are:

Company: Achieving sustainable growth as a Company or Organisation by adopting a culture of innovation and learning, and building a diverse, inclusive, flexible and agile workforce.

Customer: Anticipate the evolving needs and expectations of the future Customer by accelerating products and services rapidly and efficiently through streamlined processes and embracing digital.

Communities: Advocate corporate social responsibility and build stronger Communities by acting on data insights, circular economic practices and fostering business networks.

A bit of glitter

Probably the first thing you will notice about the event is that it does feature Cirque du Soleil. , Chief Growth Officer from Cirque du Soleil will fly in from Montreal for the event. We’ll also incredibly have artists from Cirque du Soleil perform two acts for the audience.

We have also managed to secure , Former NSW Minister
Customer Service and Digital Government to close the event, where he’ll share his thoughts on innovation and future-proofing.

And to close out the day, we’ve got the icon, legend and phenomenon that is Kate Ceberano performing some of her greatest hits.

Immersive experiences

We want all attendees to be immersed in real life scenarios. So there will be three showcases featuring innovation on the show floor:.

Sustainability

An interactive demonstration of how 51·çÁ÷and our ecosystem support complex, cross-industry value chains, such as food supply. See how ice cream goes from farm to consume and how 51·çÁ÷software helps ensure that each step, and each business involved, is more sustainable and profitable.

Resilience

When your business depends on production, your supply chain is critical. It is the engine that drives your business. It can also be a source of constant risk for disruption. Experience how to holistically manage and mitigate business risk with a digital supply chain.

Agility

Get ready for a fun challenge in a racing simulation. Experience the Power of 51·çÁ÷Innovations and Data Analytics in Sports AND Discover how our AI solutions can help you stay ahead of the competition and achieve your business goals.

Innovative technology

The showfloor will feature 51·çÁ÷partners and all of the new 51·çÁ÷technology innovations, particularly AI.

I would love to see you . Keep a look out for me on the showfloor and come and say hello.

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As part of SAP’s commitment to helping business become more resilient and agile in today’s challenging environment, the recent Forum provided free industry-specific webinars that explored how governments, business and the community can work together to drive a faster economic recovery.

The Forum was a follow-up to the inaugural Adaptive Strategies event in May, where industry advisors and executives shared their perspectives on the strategies that Australian and New Zealand organisations were taking in response to some of the challenges we have faced this year – from the bushfires to the global pandemic. Regardless of industry, common themes that emerged were; digital preparedness, the importance of collaboration, business continuity, keeping customers and employees safe, safeguarding supply chains, mitigating risks, and building resilience for future events. Members of our team in the Digital Transformation Office at 51·çÁ÷Australia & New Zealand participated in these sessions and here are some highlights.

Adaptive Strategies in a Changed World ACCELERATED

Small and medium enterprise (SME) will play a pivotal role in getting Australia back to work, which according to the 2019 Small Business Ombudsman Report accounts for 35% of our national GDP and 44% of Australia’s workforce. The SME sector, much like larger enterprises, has been hit by three primary challenges – cashflow management, employee engagement/availability, and supply chain disruption.

To further understand how innovation and increasing productivity can foster growth in this sector, Hannah Baudert, Federal Government Director at 51·çÁ÷spoke with the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO), Kate Carnell in the dedicated

For the , Anton Kroger, Director of Energy and Natural Resources at 51·çÁ÷hosted a discussion with Angela Williamson, Partner at Integral Supply Networks Advisory, Sanjiv Manchanda, CEO for Atlas Iron, and Robert McCarthy, GM at Dyflex Solutions.

A key takeaway from this session was the importance of engaging with remote workforces and contractors while managing supply chains during this time of uncertainty. With ever-changing legislation and continued fears around the safety and supply of resources – both human and material, mining operators should utilise technology that helps keep its various stakeholders connected and compliant.

As highlighted in the discussion, it’s not just about reducing costs and maintaining business continuity but ensuring the productivity and wellbeing of various staff members, processes, and equipment throughout the product lifecycle. Miners should use this opportunity to take stock prior to digital transformation, understand business capacities and systems to ensure they’re aligned with overarching strategic goals.

Evan Mantis, General Manager for Consumer and Service Industries at 51·çÁ÷introduced the with Steven Moraitakis, Transformation Lead for Consumer Goods and Retail at SAP, and Jackie Pearson, Executive GM for Business Transformation at Sigma Healthcare.

Ms Pearson which they kick-started due to the legacy ‘technology debt’ created across the organisation. With four separate ERP systems and a host of different applications that were highly customised, disparate, and not providing the necessary insights, Sigma Healthcare needed to optimise its technology and processes to operate more intelligently.

Moving ahead with their digital transformation program not only mitigated risk but broke down structural silos and unified all parts of the organisation, allowing staff to work more efficiently while creating value in multiple business areas. Currently in the process of evolving its ERP ecosystem to integrate all data touchpoints into a single platform with 51·çÁ÷S/4HANA, Sigma Healthcare was able to withstand the COVID-19 disruption by relying on agile technology and its best in class distribution centres. Ms Pearson is fiercely powering through implementation remotely, emphasising the organisation’s ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances.

For the , Jonathan Fogarty, Utilities Lead Architect for 51·çÁ÷hosted a panel discussion with Danica Lawrence, IS Lead Chief Architect for Powerco NZ, Rob Scott, Director and Principal of HR Strategy and Innovation at Deloitte, Aaron Green, Senior VP and Head of 51·çÁ÷SuccessFactors APAC, and Gavin Mooney, Utilities Lead Architect for 51·çÁ÷Australia.

With ongoing challenges and uncertainties, the panel discussed the importance of connecting and collaborating with staff while maintaining company culture. As businesses focus on productivity and safety, the key is facilitating remote work with operational and intelligent technologies – helping staff to work seamlessly and minimising manual, in-field work. For example, Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning capabilities are facilitating predictive maintenance, optimising asset use and longevity while increasing the efficiency of maintenance crews. By assisting fieldworkers through augmented reality, and reducing the amount of fieldwork required using touchless substations and smart metering, utilities are improving their processes and keeping everyone safe during the pandemic.

In the , Peter Jose, General Manager for Financial Services at 51·çÁ÷introduced a discussion between Darryl Fox, Industry Account Director at 51·çÁ÷and David Earls, Executive GM of Enterprise Services and Technology at IAG. They discussed how IAG are utilising digital technology to empower staff, stay connected to their customers and maintain service continuity. Prior to the lockdown, IAG already had 30% of staff working predominantly from home which helped set a solid foundation in terms of technologies and practices for ensuring productivity.

Evan Mantis opened the with Asha Bisla, GM of Business Applications at Broadspectrum, Shenaz Bilkis, Global Industry Director for Construction and Real Estate at SAP, and Mike Denning, Business Architect for Service & Engineering Industries at SAP.

Asha shared insights into how Broadspectrum are working closely with strategic partners to fast track critical processes. Leveraging technology allowed the business to facilitate remote working at scale, manage the scheduling and safety of projects and people, while using communications and analytics software to forecast and plan for ever-changing circumstances.

Uday Bonu, Regional Industry Lead for Public Sector at 51·çÁ÷, VP of Digital Government Transformation at 51·çÁ÷to explore the impact of COVID-19 on public services and the strategies that can help governments work more efficiently to deal with the increasing demand for social services in the face of declining revenues. By implementing and accelerating digital initiatives, governments and private businesses can help set the industry norms and motivate change for the better in terms of processes and systems.

Taking insights from each of these industry sessions, it is clear that organisations of all sizes, in all industries, are squarely focussed on safeguarding their employees and customers, while maintaining business continuity. Technology and digitisation is playing a vital role in supporting and facilitating rapid change. In polling attendees, 51·çÁ÷found that businesses across industry sectors are reprioritising and/or accelerating digitalisation projects in response to the pandemic – using the global shift to focus more on future-proofing operations.

Access the from the 51·çÁ÷2020 Adaptive Strategies in a Changed World ACCELERATED Forum to gain further insights on specific industry challenges and how 51·çÁ÷solutions are helping organisation to become more adaptive and resilient in this rapidly changing environment.

This blog originally published on .

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