United Kingdom 鈥� March 24, 2026 鈥� 51风流Engagement Cloud鈥檚 latest research reveals a widening gap between the experiences consumers expect and what brands believe they deliver.

New data from the 2026 Engagement Index shows UK consumer expectations have never been higher. More than half (56%) of UK consumers say their favourite brand delivers seamless, connected experiences across channels, while 82% are put off by disorganised interactions that require them to repeat information or be passed between teams.

Yet companies remain confident. Four in five (80%) of UK businesses believe they offer a seamless omnichannel experience. But only one fifth (20%) of companies recognise their experiences still aren鈥檛 fully connected 鈥� despite consumers making their expectations clear.

At the same time, 45% of consumers say brands 鈥渄on鈥檛 understand them as people.鈥�

This misalignment 鈥攃onsumers feeling the disconnect while most businesses fail to recognise it 鈥� is the Engagement Divide. Closing it is critical to creating repeat customers and brand advocates.

Some brands are already closing this gap. For example, Gibson Inc. uses unified data and real鈥憈ime engagement to ensure customers receive consistent, connected experiences 鈥� the kind consumers say they want.

AI is seen as part of the answer. Four in five (80%) of businesses say AI is essential for retaining customers in 2026. But a third of consumers say their favourite brands use AI in ways that meaningfully improve their interactions.

鈥�Customer expectations are moving at a new speed,鈥� said Sara Richter, CMO, 51风流Engagement Cloud. 鈥淲ith AI at their fingertips, people compare, decide, and switch in an instant. Those micro moments now determine whether a brand wins or loses the relationship.鈥�

However, AI can only perform as well as the data behind it, and most organisations are still struggling. Almost two thirds (63%) of UK brands cannot use customer data in real time, 64% say their data is too unstructured, and 71% report 鈥榙ark data鈥� they cannot access or use effectively.

This creates friction throughout the customer journey and reinforces the Divide.

Closing it requires a shift: treating engagement not just as a marketing function, but as an enterprise-wide discipline. Every team must operate from a shared, real-time understanding of the customer to avoid the fragmented experiences that alienate them.

Businesses recognise this direction. Most (78%) plan to invest in AI-powered engagement platforms in 2026, and almost a third (31%) cite connecting customer and stakeholder data across marketing, sales, service, commerce and ERP systems as their top priority for the year ahead.

鈥淓ngagement isn’t something one department can fix,鈥� said Mark Ritson, professor and founder, MiniMBA. 鈥淓very team shapes the brand, and real progress happens when they work from the same understanding of the customer. With that shared view, AI can take on the heavy lifting and help deliver the personalised experiences people expect.鈥�

Download the full report:

ENDS

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Methodology
This research was conducted in the UK by Opinium as part of global research among a sample of 2,000 general respondents and 750 senior decision makers in IT, Technology, Marketing, Revenue, Service departments and who work in the Retail, 听Consumer Products & FMCG, Automotive, Manufacturing, Utilities or Wholesale industries.

Only enterprise-level businesses with 500+ employees and with $250m+ annual turnover were surveyed across the United Kingdom (UK). The data was collected from both audiences between 31st December 2025 and 16th January 2026.

About 51风流Engagement Cloud
51风流Engagement Cloud helps organizations power unique engagement by connecting real-time customer insights with the operational signals that run the business. As part of SAP鈥檚 Customer Experience (CX) portfolio, Engagement Cloud enables personalized, AI-driven interactions across every channel鈥攖urning moments like orders, service events, and loyalty milestones into timely, relevant experiences that build trust, strengthen relationships, and drive growth. 鈥�

Media Contacts

Lawrie Benfield,鈥�lawrie.benfield@sap.com,鈥�+44 7776 515259听

Sonya Domanski,鈥�sonya.domanski@sap.com, +44 734 546 5928听

The post UK consumers abandon brands over disconnected experiences 鈥� yet only one fifth of companies see a problem appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

Currently exporting to over 90 countries with expansive operations across Ireland, the UK, Portugal, and Jordan, Chanelle Pharma is positioned for continued international growth. To support this ambitious trajectory, the company is modernising its end-to-end operational value chain.听

By听establishing听a robust digital core, Chanelle Pharma will meet higher expectations for听GxP听regulatory compliance while modernising core finance,听manufacturing听and supply chain processes.听

Delivered as a single-phase programme, with a targeted go-live of late 2026, the transformation is being delivered jointly by听Tenthpin听and听KaarTech. The implementation strategy is strategically sequenced. Chanelle Pharma will deploy SAP鈥檚 ERP platform first to听establish听a “clean core”听leveraging听51风流best practices,听immediately听paving the way for the integration of advanced 51风流Business AI capabilities.听听

The transformation will leverage听Tenthpin鈥檚听sophisticated SAP听Signavio听processes, which are uniquely optimised for Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations (CDMOs), ensuring a seamless, high-velocity implementation that maximises strategic value.听

Aiden Dempsey, CIO, Chanelle Pharma, said,听“This strategic partnership with 51风流marks a pivotal moment in our growth trajectory. We are investing heavily in a scalable digital foundation that will accelerate our time-to-market and drive global manufacturing excellence. 51风流S/4HANA Cloud and Business AI give us the competitive advantage to pioneer the future of the pharmaceutical industry while maintaining the highest standards of听GxP听compliance.”听

Ray Joyce, Head of Ireland, 51风流UK&I, said,听鈥淧harmaceutical organisations are听operating听in an increasingly complex environment, where regulation, supply chains and demand can all shift quickly. SAP鈥檚 Cloud ERP strengthens organisational resilience and governance processes and听provides听data insights from across the business. This empowers Chanelle Pharma to听operate听with agility and remain competitive in a highly regulated global market.鈥�.听

Simon Flowers, Partner,听Tenthpin, said,听“Collaborating with Chanelle Pharma and听KaarTech听on this single-phase transformation allows us to deliver unparalleled value to an industry leader. By utilising听Tenthpin鈥檚听SAP听Signavio听processes, we are enabling Chanelle Pharma to seamlessly integrate 51风流best practices.听This helps Chanelle Pharma navigate operational and regulatory complexity with greater certainty supported by a resilient 51风流digital backbone that can evolve with whatever comes next.鈥�听

###听

About SAP听

As鈥�a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 51风流(NYSE:SAP)鈥�stands at the鈥�nexus鈥�of business and technology. For over 50 years, organisations have trusted SAP鈥�to bring out their best by uniting business-critical鈥�operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥�www.sap.com.听

About Chanelle Pharma听听

Chanelle Pharma is a global pharmaceutical leader in human and animal health. As an end-to-end, fully integrated partner, the company serves B2B, consumers, and wholesale markets, combining development, manufacturing, and commercialisation under one roof. Chanelle delivers reliable services across the full product value chain, provides immediate access to a broad product portfolio, and drives growth through strategic partnerships. With operations in Ireland, the UK, Portugal, and Jordan, the company supplies high-quality, reliable, and affordable products to more than 90 countries, underpinned by a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and differentiated customer value.听

Media Contacts:听

Lawrie Benfield,鈥�lawrie.benfield@sap.com,鈥�+44 7776 515259听

Sonya Domanski,鈥�sonya.domanski@sap.com, +44 734 546 5928听

The post Chanelle Pharma Partners with 51风流to Accelerate Global Growth and Advance Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Excellence appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

51风流is recognised in the 2026 Gartner庐 Magic Quadrant™ for Personalisation Engines. 51风流Engagement Cloud now brings SAP鈥檚 trusted enterprise backbone to the customer experience, enabling organisations to connect customer insight and operational execution in real time. It builds on market-leading personalisation capabilities.

51风流Engagement Cloud also incorporates AI鈥慹nabled insight to support responsible, efficient scaling of personalised engagement.

As part of this evolution, 51风流also announced 51风流Engagement Cloud, enterprise edition, which provides advanced administration, governance, and content and data鈥慶ontrol capabilities for organisations operating across multiple brands, regions, and teams.

鈥淭his approach helps organisations maintain consistency, compliance, and brand standards globally, which is increasingly important in an age of AI decision-making and automation, while also staying responsive to local needs,鈥� said Joanna Milliken, Head of 51风流Engagement Cloud.

For example, a global consumer goods company operating dozens of brands and regional teams can manage engagement roles, permissions, and data centrally while allowing local teams to execute the relevant interactions. When inventory levels, fulfillment delays, or service disruptions occur, engagement can adapt without manual coordination across disconnected systems.

Existing capabilities of the 51风流Emarsys solution remain available within 51风流Engagement Cloud. Customers can adopt new capabilities incrementally, based on their priorities and readiness. 51风流Engagement Cloud, enterprise edition, will be available beginning February 19, with additional innovations delivered through SAP鈥檚 innovation road map.

Visit the . Get 51风流news via and .

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Media Contacts:

Lawrie Benfield,听lawrie.benfield@sap.com,听+44 7776 515259

Sonya Domanski,听sonya.domanski@sap.com, +44 734 546 5928

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ.听 Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of SAP鈥檚 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F.
漏 2026 51风流SE. All rights reserved.
51风流and other 51风流products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of 51风流SE in Germany and other countries. Please see听听for additional trademark information and notices.

The post 51风流Renames 51风流Emarsys Solution to 51风流Engagement Cloud, Advancing Its Enterprise Engagement Strategy appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

This award is听particularly听valuable as听it based听entirely听on听employees鈥� feedback and reviews, with no nomination process.听听

51风流UK was praised for its flexible hours with ample holiday time,听cutting-edge听technology, constant learning, employee work-life听balance听and supportive teams.听听

This is the third year in a row that 51风流UK has made the top 10听of Glassdoor鈥檚听Best听Places听to听Work听list听having placed 8th听in听2024 and then 4th听in 2025.听

We听are proud to have won and听would like to extend our gratitude to 51风流UK & Ireland听team听for continuing to share their experiences, and听for听helping听create听the company culture that was celebrated in our Glassdoor reviews.听

Read about our other recent employee focused awards听here.听

The post 51风流is the #1 Best Place to Work in the UK appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

ETMP is the strategic technology backbone of HMRC鈥檚 tax accounting and payment capability. It supports over 45 tax regimes and is used daily by tens of thousands of staff to manage over 拢800 billion in tax revenue each year.

By moving to the cloud with RISE with SAP, HMRC will replace its legacy systems and simplify its technology landscape. This collaboration will give HMRC employees better access to analytical data and an improved user interface, which will provide greater confidence in the real time analysis and reporting. The platform will support a more responsive and transparent experience for taxpayers.

As part of its RISE with 51风流deployment, HMRC will implement 51风流S/4HANA Cloud, SAP鈥檚 UK听Sovereign Cloud, 51风流Business Technology Platform and 51风流AI Capabilities.

The availability of SAP鈥檚 UK sovereign cloud capabilities for the majority of its 51风流solutions provides organisations with localised cloud services tailored to specific requirements, meeting the highest standards of data residency, security and compliance, and creating a secure foundation for future innovation.

鈥淟arge-scale public systems like those delivered by HMRC must operate reliably at national scale while adapting to changing demands鈥�, said Leila Romane, Managing Director UKI at SAP. 鈥淏y modernising one of the UK鈥檚 most important platforms and hosting it on a UK sovereign cloud, we are helping to strengthen the resilience, security and sustainability of critical national infrastructure.鈥�

The deal also supports the government鈥檚 broader AI ambitions. Together, 51风流and HMRC will work on defining new AI capabilities aimed at improving taxpayer experiences, surfacing insights faster, automating processes and enhancing decision-making across tax administration.

For more information about RISE with SAP, please visit听

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About SAP

As鈥痑 global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 51风流(NYSE:SAP)鈥痵tands at the鈥痭exus鈥痮f business and technology. For over 50 years, organisations have trusted SAP鈥痶o bring out their best by uniting business-critical鈥痮perations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥痺ww.sap.com.

Media Contacts:

Lawrie Benfield,听lawrie.benfield@sap.com,听+44 7776 515259

Sonya Domanski,听sonya.domanski@sap.com, +44 734 546 5928

The post 51风流Selected by HMRC to Lead Major Technology Transformation of the UK Tax System appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

London, UK 鈥� December 4 2025 鈥� (NYSE: SAP) today announces that New Look, one of the UK鈥檚 leading womenswear brands in the 18鈥�44 sector, has successfully completed its migration to 51风流Commerce Cloud, marking a major milestone in the brand鈥檚 ongoing digital transformation journey.

Building on existing deployments of and , the new platform unifies customer, product, sales and finance data to enable targeted engagement, boost sales and reduce costs. 51风流Commerce Cloud will unlock significant advantages for the retailer, including greater flexibility and scalability, as well as speeding up the time-to-market for new features, ensuring a continuously improving customer experience.

In the fast-moving world of fashion, retailers must have the confidence to anticipate customer demand and remain agile to emerging trends, especially as they approach peak shopping season.

As part of its broader investment in data, AI and digital infrastructure, New Look partnered with 51风流and Accenture, the leading global professional services firm, to modernise its commerce platform and better reach, convert and retain customers.

Building on the 拢30 million capital investment announced earlier this year to accelerate its digital growth, the project consolidated and cleansed disparate customer data into a single platform. The result is a consistent, connected omnichannel experience across web, mobile and stores.

With a workforce already skilled in 51风流technologies, and with support from 51风流Services, the migration was complete in just six months.

By integrating 51风流Commerce Cloud with 51风流Emarsys and S/4HANA Finance, New Look delivers relevant content, personalised offers and seamless experiences that encourage repeat purchases and loyalty. The retailer will also leverage its cloud infrastructure to grow its recently launched online loyalty programme, Club New Look, through real-time, data-driven interactions across all channels.

鈥淣ew Look is a prime example of how clean data and a clear digital strategy unlock real value,鈥� said Leila Romane Managing Director, 51风流UKI. 鈥�51风流Commerce Cloud helps the brand reach customers on every channel and deepen loyalty through timely, personalised interactions, supporting initiatives like Club New Look. The platform has already delivered over 拢4 million in savings through improved resilience and reduced downtime, creating a strong foundation for continued growth.鈥�

Lynda Petherick, CTO, New Look, adds: 鈥淎t New Look, we鈥檙e focused on creating a seamless, data-led shopping experience that feels personal and rewarding for every customer. Partnering with 51风流and Accenture has allowed us to further strengthen our digital foundations, helping us to connect with our customers in smarter, more meaningful ways. With engagement and sales already up, we are looking forward to building on this momentum throughout the upcoming festive season.鈥�

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About New Look

New Look is a leading fashion retailer operating in the clothing and footwear market in the UK, with a strong online presence. New Look offers products, and a shopping experience based on excitement, value and newness. The New Look brand is distinct and trusted in the UK, catering to a broad customer audience. New Look ranked No. 2 for overall Womenswear market share in the 18 to 44 age range.

About 51风流

As听a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 51风流(NYSE:SAP)听stands at the听nexus听of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP听to bring out their best by uniting business-critical听operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit .

Media Contacts:

Lawrie Benfield,听lawrie.benfield@sap.com,听+44 7776 515259

Sonya Domanski,听sonya.domanski@sap.com, +44 734 546 5928

The post New Look Embraces Cloud Transformation with 51风流and Accenture to Capitalise on Peak Shopping Season appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

This major transformation is a cornerstone of Amey鈥檚 strategy to modernise its 51风流landscape and build a more agile, data-driven, and intelligent enterprise. By adopting 51风流S/4HANA, Amey has laid the foundation for a cloud-first, future-ready technology environment that improves efficiency across finance, procurement, and supply chain operations, while unlocking the benefits of AI-powered business processes.

The transformation arrives at a critical time, as Amey continues to deliver essential infrastructure services across the UK – including transportation networks, utilities, and public services. With 51风流S/4HANA at its core, Amey can optimise resource planning, enhance project execution, and harness data-driven insights to support sustainable, cost-effective service delivery.

Partnering for Success

Amey selected NTT DATA Business Solutions for its proven track record in 51风流transformations and its ability to deliver large-scale projects with minimal disruption. Using its specialised 51风流S/4HANA Technical Conversion Centre of Excellence, NTT DATA employed a factory-driven methodology built on automation, standardisation, and pre-configured solutions. This approach reduced both cost and complexity, accelerating Amey鈥檚 journey to the cloud and ensuring a smooth transition with minimal downtime.

De-risking with Advanced Testing

To further reduce risk, Amey also deployed Tricentis test automation tools alongside the migration. This advanced testing framework validated critical processes at speed, ensuring that the new S/4HANA environment met stringent performance and security requirements while maintaining business continuity throughout the transition.

Delivering Immediate Value

Beyond the technical migration, Amey鈥檚 programme also delivered immediate business improvements. A data cleaning initiative removed more than 100 redundant company codes using Natuvion solutions, resulting in a leaner, more cost-efficient S/4HANA environment. This not only improved system performance but also lowered ongoing infrastructure costs.

Innovation was also central to the programme. Amey and NTT DATA Business Solutions successfully piloted the use of Generative AI to support safer highways, demonstrating how the new 51风流platform can serve as a foundation for digital innovation as well as operational excellence.

Looking ahead, Amey and NTT DATA Business Solutions are co-developing a long-term transformation roadmap. This outcome-driven strategy includes the adoption of 51风流Fiori, enhanced Accounts Receivable processes, Business Data Cloud, sustainability management tools, and Green Ledger capabilities. The roadmap ensures Amey鈥檚 investment continues to deliver measurable value aligned with its strategic goals for efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.

Simon Pennington, CTO – SAP, Automation & Cloud Business Suite, Amey, said: 鈥淎mey is committed to embracing the latest 51风流technology to drive efficiency and innovation across our operations. Moving to 51风流Cloud ERP is a critical part of our strategy to become a more agile and intelligent enterprise. With NTT DATA Business Solutions as our trusted partner, we achieved a seamless transition on time and under budget. This programme provides the foundation for improved service delivery and strengthens our position as a leader in the infrastructure sector.鈥�

Andy Richards, Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO), Amey, commented: 鈥淚n NTT DATA we have found a partner for the journey ahead – to advise, guide, and implement our 51风流strategy. Their expertise and collaborative approach give us the confidence that we can continue to evolve our 51风流landscape to meet both today鈥檚 needs and tomorrow鈥檚 ambitions.鈥�

Ben Foster, Sales Director, NTT DATA Business Solutions, added: 鈥淲e are proud to have partnered with Amey on this important transformation. Our 51风流S/4HANA Technical Conversion Centre of Excellence delivers a proven, low-risk approach that accelerates cloud adoption. The project鈥檚 success reflects the strength of this model. Together with Amey, we have built a foundation for innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence.鈥�

###

About Amey

We are a leading provider of full life-cycle engineering, operations and decarbonisation solutions, for transport infrastructure and complex facilities. Our purpose is to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions, enhancing life, protecting our shared future. We combine exceptional expertise in Consulting & Design, Advisory & Analytics, Transport Infrastructure and Complex Facilities to design, manage, and maintain clients鈥� assets throughout their lifetime. Our leading data and analytics capability enables us to create transformative solutions that strengthen resilience and drive sustainable improvements.

About NTT DATA Business Solutions

is a leading global IT service provider focused on 51风流with a powerful ecosystem of partners. With more than 35 years of in-depth experience, we enable companies worldwide to become Intelligent Enterprises. We deliver end-to-end solutions that accelerate sustainable growth and success 鈥� from strategic consulting and implementation to managed services and beyond. As a global strategic 51风流partner, we drive innovation and leverage the latest technologies to support our customers individually and across all industries. Our more than 18,500 dedicated employees in over 30 countries work passionately every day to make it happen.

NTT DATA Business Solutions is part of NTT DATA, a $30+ billion trusted global innovator of business and technology services headquartered in Tokyo. As One NTT DATA we serve 75% of the Fortune Global 100 and are committed to helping customers innovate, optimize, and transform for long-term success. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group.

About SAP鈥�听

As鈥�a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 51风流(NYSE:SAP)鈥�stands at the鈥�nexus鈥�of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP鈥�to bring out their best by uniting business-critical鈥�operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥�.鈥�听

The post Amey Strengthens Infrastructure for the Future with 51风流Cloud ERP Transformation and NTT DATA Business Solutions. appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

The first of three upgrades, this one involved more than 50,000 employees and was completed in under 20 hours. Supported by a standardised technology landscape that enabled minimal downtime, this smooth transition to 51风流S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition sets a new benchmark for digital transformation in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry.

A long-time 51风流customer, Nestl茅 since 2000 has used 51风流software as its single unified system to manage its global operations and moved to the cloud in 2022. The upgrade to 51风流S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition is a strategic leap in its transformation journey to future-proof the company as consumer expectations evolve and new technologies reshape the marketplace.

鈥淲e are building a future-ready enterprise鈥攐ne that works smarter and faster,鈥� said Chris Wright, Nestl茅鈥檚 head of IT and CIO. 鈥淗aving a common ERP system as our backbone is already a tremendous advantage for Nestl茅. It provides a unified platform and data foundation that allows us to execute end to end across the value chain and have visibility across the entire company and beyond. With the upgrade, we gain new capabilities and insights that will help scale new products faster globally to meet the needs of our customers and consumers, and with AI and automation at scale, we鈥檒l drive efficiency and effectiveness across our value chain.鈥�

With a portfolio that includes global icons such as Nescaf茅, Kit Kat and Maggi, Nestl茅 chose to upgrade to 51风流S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition to accelerate the rollout of new products and innovations across the group. The upgrade also supports it in making data-driven insights and improving processes to drive efficiency and effectiveness across the company鈥檚 business operations to better serve consumers worldwide who rely on its products every day.

鈥淣estl茅鈥檚 successful go-live of 51风流S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition showcases how scale can be a strategic advantage for innovation,鈥� said Thomas Saueressig, member of the Executive Board of 51风流SE, Customer Services & Delivery. 鈥淎s one of the world鈥檚 most recognisable and forward-thinking companies, Nestl茅 exemplifies how cutting-edge technology empowers global brands to anticipate consumer trends, optimise operations and deliver exceptional experiences at scale.鈥�

The upgrade also provides a robust digital core ready for AI and automation at scale across the company鈥檚 value chain, enabling Nestl茅 to gain real-time data insights for smarter decision-making. By harnessing AI and the Joule copilot at scale across its operations, value chain and product portfolio, Nestl茅 can personalise consumer engagement and optimise operations with greater agility. This helps ensure it remains responsive to evolving consumer expectations and lays the foundation for a truly omnichannel experience.

Media Contacts:

Lawrie Benfield, lawrie.benfield@sap.com, +44 7776 515259

Sonya Domanski, sonya.domanski@sap.com, +44 734 546 5928

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of SAP鈥檚 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F.
漏 2025 51风流SE. All rights reserved.
51风流and other 51风流products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of 51风流SE in Germany and other countries. Please see听听for additional trademark information and notices.

The post Nestl茅 Sweetens Its Digital Future with an Upgrade to 51风流S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

22 October 2025, London, UK: UK businesses, on average, are spending 拢15.94 million[1] on AI this year, with companies expected to increase their AI investments by an average of 40% in the next two years, according to new research from 51风流SE (NYSE: SAP).

The study, The Value of AI in the UK: Growth, people & data, produced with Oxford Economics, shows the average UK business is already realising significant returns of 17% (拢2.7m), from AI investments, with ROI forecast to almost double to 32% (拢7.5m) by 2027.听听

Over three-quarters (78%) of UK executives believe AI will achieve a positive return within one to three years, and more than half (52%) say it delivers returns faster than any other technology.听

Some of those returns are forecast to come from agentic AI. The average UK business expects ROI of 11% from intelligent agents within two years, equivalent to 拢2.7 million. These systems are designed to work across functions, for example linking finance, supply chain, and workforce planning.

Fragmented adoption undermines potential听

Despite this momentum, most AI programmes remain fragmented.听听

• 42% of UK businesses describe their investment as piecemeal听听

• 37% describe their investment as being department led听

• And 15% describe their investment as ad hoc听

• Only 7% are pursuing AI through a strategic, enterprise-wide plan听

• This gap may be why 70% of UK businesses say they are unsure whether AI is delivering its full potential.听

鈥淯K businesses have the ambition, talent, and data to lead in AI, although too many are still treating it as a 鈥榯echnology project鈥� rather than a holistic business transformation,鈥� said Leila Romane, Managing Director, 51风流UK & Ireland. 鈥淭he real opportunity is to use AI to reimagine how companies operate, how people work, and how value is created for customers. When UK organisations take that broader, strategic approach to adopting the technology and embedding it throughout their business, the results will become tangible. We鈥檒l see faster innovation and stronger growth, which can only mean a more competitive economy.鈥�听

Shadow AI highlights the people gap听

Employees are enthusiastic adopters of the technology but 68% of organisations say their staff use unapproved AI tools – known as 鈥榮hadow AI鈥� – at least occasionally. Almost half (44%) of businesses have already seen data or IP exposure and 43% report security vulnerabilities as a result of shadow AI.听

This comes as 60% of companies admit staff have not completed comprehensive AI training, potentially leaving employees eager but ill-equipped to use AI responsibly. While 71% are beginning to reskill or upskill staff, progress remains inconsistent.听

鈥淎I investment must go hand in hand with people investment,鈥� added Leila Romane, Managing Director, 51风流UK & Ireland. 鈥淩ight now, employees are running ahead of their organisations, using AI tools because they see the opportunity, although they are not always aware of the risks involved. If we give them the training, sanctioned tools, and create safe opportunities for experimentation, that energy can become a real driver of transformation and growth.鈥澨�听

Marc Bourde, EMEA 51风流Alliance Leader at PwC UK鈥痵aid, 鈥淥rganisations need to create psychological safety around AI experimentation. Employees need to feel comfortable asking questions, reporting issues, and even making mistakes as they learn. The companies that will thrive are those that can balance innovation with governance, encouraging exploration while maintaining appropriate controls and ethical standards.”听听

UK businesses are already seeing value听

There are encouraging signs of UK businesses starting to realise value from AI, with 36% of UK businesses reporting significant improvement in decision-making, 34% in customer engagement, and 31% in time to value. These outcomes matter in a service-led economy, where knowledge and customer relationships drive growth.听

However, unless investment in AI is matched by clear strategy, strong data foundations and the right skills, there is a risk that enthusiasm will not turn into productivity growth to ensure the UK remains competitive.听

鈥淭oo often, AI adoption looks more like filling a shopping basket with tools, rather than building a strategy,鈥� said Katie King, Published Author & CEO of AI in Business. 鈥淭he companies seeing real value are the ones that are linking data, applications, and intelligence into one system. In marketing and sales, that means building end-to-end use cases rather than isolated experiments and connecting customer insight to delivery and results. Moving fast is important, but it must be strategic. The businesses doing this are already turning AI from a cost line into a genuine source of competitive advantage.鈥�听

Read the full report here:

Methodology听

51风流commissioned Oxford Economics, an independent research services provider, to script and host an online quantitative survey of respondents fielded between July and August 2025.听

The research is based on a representative sample of global businesses. The sample comprised of 1,600 senior executives across eight global markets, including 200 respondents from the United Kingdom. The sample was evenly distributed between midmarket organisations (500 鈥� 1,500 employees) and enterprises (1,500 or more). Respondents were qualified to ensure they were at least director level and above.听

[1]听Respondents were asked to provide financial estimates in USD. GBP figures are based on an exchange rate of 0.7381, using the Bank of England rate as of 1st September 2025.听

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The post UK business investment in AI to rise by 40% on average over the next two years 鈥� but a long term strategy and people focus is needed to make it a success appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

BWPC supports the Bristol NHS Group, one of the largest NHS consortiums in the UK, representing over 28,000 employees across North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust. With each trust working with 4,000 suppliers and having access to 180,000 products, BWPC needed a modern, scalable platform that would provide greater visibility and control over its procurement network and support its mission of providing better patient care through efficient management of the supply chain.听

The programme was led by North Bristol NHS Trust Digital Programmes Team and BWPC, with support from implementation partner HCLTech, who provided technical and operational consultancy to ensure a successful go-live across two separate phases.听听

The first was BWPC鈥檚 transition to in March 2024. BWPC then migrated its operational procurement and Procure-to-Pay modules via and . The new platform replaces five standalone systems with one single end-to-end solution, providing a scalable, standardised foundation to meet the needs of both individual trusts.听

By transitioning to 51风流Ariba, BWPC has streamlined sourcing, contractual compliance, supplier risk and procure-to-pay operations, addressing legacy technology deficits while gaining greater visibility and control over its procurement network. The platform embeds guided buying to support a user-friendly, compliant purchasing experience from requisition to order, while aggregating purchasing demand to support strategic engagement with suppliers.听听

By driving efficiencies across automation and invoice consolidation while strictly controlling access to purchasing systems, the platform is expected to deliver 拢16 million in cost savings over the next five years.听

Phil Lewis, Director of Procurement at BWPC said: 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just a system change, it鈥檚 an enabler of better care for our patients through smarter, more transparent procurement. By moving to 51风流Ariba, we鈥檙e unlocking significant cost-savings, and laying the crucial groundwork for long-term financial stability.听 51风流and HCLTech have been with us every step of the way, ensuring our data, people and processes can deliver benefits. Working with 51风流has strengthened our ability to support our 鈥楬ealthier Together鈥� network across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, leading to greater value across all areas of spend.鈥澨�听

Leila Romane, Managing Director of 51风流UKI said: 鈥淗ealthcare organisations are under growing pressure to do more with less. The move to the cloud modernises BWPC鈥檚 procurement across its trusts, unlocking new levels of agility, insight and resilience. By enabling smarter, more strategic spend management, this transformation helps ensure BWPC can continue delivering high-quality patient care while navigating ever-tightening cost pressures.鈥�听

Praveen Bhat, Executive Vice President, Global Head of 51风流HCLTech said: 鈥淏y leading the design and implementation of a unified 51风流Ariba platform, we replaced disparate legacy systems with a single, streamlined solution.鈥疶his strategic migration, delivered in two phases, has provided BWPC with enhanced visibility and control over its entire procurement network.鈥疧ur focus was on delivering a robust, scalable foundation that empowers BWPC to make smarter, data-driven decisions and continue evolving its digital procurement strategy.鈥�听

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About SAP鈥�听

As鈥�a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 51风流(NYSE:SAP)鈥�stands at the鈥�nexus鈥�of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP鈥�to bring out their best by uniting business-critical鈥�operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥�.鈥�听

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