SAP Brochure 2019

ENABLING THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF MODERN INDUSTRY

SAP & INTEL: 02

A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO ENABLE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WRIT TEN BY

DA LE BENTON PRODUCED BY

LE WIS VAUGHAN

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Jesper Schleimann, Digital Transformation Officer, EMEA North at SAP and Joachim Aertebjerg, CTO/Direct Technical Solution Sales at Intel discuss digital transformation through strategic partnership

T

echnology continues to transform business across all industries and in response, businesses the world

over have changed their entire perspective and approach to the value of tech. From some of the leading industry players right down to 04

SMEs, digital transformation continues to define the conversation. Embarking on and navigating these digital transformation journeys is no small feat and so companies look to strike key strategic partnerships in order to collaborate, innovate and unlock the potential of digitisation.

Jesper Schleimann, Digital Transformation Officer, EMEA North at SAP, believes that digital transformation is not a new phenomenon and that it serves to highlight that shift in perspective as to what technology actually means to a business. “As an IT professional, of course I can say it’s nothing new because it’s been a part of my whole career,” he says.

“However, IT has moved from something that supports the strategy to becoming the strategy in itself. It has created a dilemma for business-

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“ Most companies are now recognising that whatever got them to where they are today isn’t going to get them to where they need to be tomorrow” — Jesper Schleimann, Digital Transformation Officer, EMEA North at SAP 08 es because some are not realising the tectonic shift that’s happening. IT is inevitably tied to the future of both business and the human race and we are not fully treating it as such in our organisations yet.”

This is a feeling shared by Joachim Aertebjerg, CTO and Firector of Technical Solution Sales at technology giant Intel, who notes that IT is now an integrated component in a line of business and no longer perceived as just a support function. “An airline cannot survive without IT for the booking of flights,” he says, “just as the giants of

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘THINKX WRAP UP’ 09 fast-moving consumer goods cannot

examples of businesses only looking

function without their databases. With

at incremental innovation. “Organisa-

digital transformation, businesses are

tions are now looking at disruptive inno-

taking advantage of new technology

vation, but there are many that are still

to enhance their operations, and right

looking at doing the same things but

now a key driver of all transformation

‘smarter’,” he says. “However, I think most

is data. Information exposed through

companies are now recognising that

data analytics can be a matter of life

whatever got them to where they are

or death for any organisation.”

today isn’t going to get them to where

Transformation breeds challenge, and Schleimann is the first to stress

they need to be tomorrow.”

Schleimann feels this is what is driving

that a common challenge that is faced

organisational change, opening compa-

across the industry is one of agility. As

nies’ eyes to what he describes as ‘organ-

businesses look to invest in technology,

isational debts.’ Illustrating the term,

Schleimann points to a number of

he explains: “There are HR offices and w w w.s a p . com

1972

Year founded

10,000+

Approximate number of employees

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finance offices but where is the office

and realises better revenue streams,

for the future innovation ensuring the

efficiencies and a new way of working.

company stays relevant?” he says. “It’s

Aertebjerg notes that while this may

common for most companies to have

be true, at a high level there have only

big cost structures that don’t have the

really been small changes in the business

agility to change quickly enough. That’s

model. For him, it is the rapid transfor-

one of the biggest organisational debts

mation and increase of customer require-

but it is changing.”

ments that has driven the most change.

Key to removing this organisational

“With that comes a need to redefine

debt is the introduction of new business

the business model or at the very least

models and investing in people. Chang-

a part of it,” he adds.

ing or introducing a new business model

Investing in people is something both

can sound daunting and challenging in

Schleimann and Aertebjerg are firm

its own right but is a proven practice

believers in. Having spent their entire

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E

Jesper Schleimann As Digital Transformation Officer for SAP EMEA North, Jesper Schleimann is responsible for driving and scaling purposeful Innovation across the region through strategic programs which span across business and market units. In his role as Digital Transformation Officer, Jesper’s mission is to help customers unlock their business potential by simplifying their digital transformation enabled by the SAP Intelligent Enterprise Platform. By helping clients navigate the journey to the digital economy and bridging the gap from their existing landscapes to their desired strategy he seeks to add a business value focus to the digital discussion and strengthen the alignment with the overall strategy of the enterprise.

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“ We have a responsibility as an organisation to help educate people around the opportunities that technology brings” — Jesper Schleimann, Digital Transformation Officer, EMEA North at SAP

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careers in the technology space, both

to ‘build skills for digital futures’, while

can agree that technology improves

the EDX Leadership programme is an

the lives of everyone and it starts from

open leadership forum with an ambition

within their respective companies. To

to increase the exponential thinking

this end, SAP has made two initiatives

and innovative mindset for business

to accelerate this change: a purpose-

leaders so they can explore and use

driven innovation university and commu-

exponential thinking to bring their comp-

nity for the Digital ecosystem, called

any to the future. “We have a responsi-

SAP NextGen and a Leadership forum

bility as an organisation to help educate

jointly with Intel and partners called

people around the opportunities that

Executive Digital Exchange. The Next-

technology brings,” says Schleimann.

Gen program is designed to enable

“We’re working across that ecosystem

companies, partners and the university

to turn thinking into doing; to challenge

to connect and innovate collaboratively

people and their critical-problem

solving skills and insight into what can be achieved through technology.”

“Ultimately the aim of these programmes are to provide people with tangible skills to take into the world.

We then have more people who want to do – and can do – more things. That’s going to inevitably move us towards a better world.”

Data and digital transformation form a key part of the strategic relationship between SAP and Intel. Having collaborated for over two decades, the two companies are working closely together on the introduction of a new server

“ With digital transformation, businesses are taking advantage of new technology to enhance their operations” — Joachim Aertebjerg, CTO/Director of Technical Solution Sales, Intel

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platform with an innovative memory

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solution. This technology, called the

holds the data even when the server is

‘Intel Optane DC Persistent memory’

switched off. As Aertebjerg notes, the

will define the memory hierarchy within

benefits to databases and business

a server and allow customers to improve

analytics are enormous.

the time it takes for a device to be ready

The Intel Optane DC Persistent

to operate after the power has been

memory technology represents what

turned on, as well as enabling faster

Schleimann describes as the ‘centre’

processing and a memory type that

of the digital transformation story: data

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and the agility of companies to process

the persistent memory we are creating

and that data. “Being able to process

a quantum leap in our ability to push

the data is the most crucial part, as we

decisions, to capture business insights

are seeing business become increas-

and to push agility to the very edge.”

ingly ubiquitous,” he explains. “You

The digital transformation story is

need processing that’s on the edge.

one that, much like technology, will

Together with Intel, we are pushing

continue to grow at an increasing rate.

processing power further and with

The digitisation of industry shows no w w w.s a p . com

“ Information exposed through data analytics can be a matter of life or death for any organisation” 18

— Joachim Aertebjerg, CTO/Director of Technical Solution Sales, Intel

signs of slowing down and both SAP and Intel are finely positioned to be able to navigate this constantly shifting landscape. As part of the relationship between the two companies, SAP and Intel will continue to collaborate and build digital futures together. The future remains one of tremendous opportunity where both Schleimann and Aertbjerg can look forward to driving a ‘digital renaissance’.

“I’m excited to see where data technology can go from here,” says Aertbjerg.

“The collaboration with SAP will stand out as something that thousands of customers can take advantage of to help them make smart decisions based on all the data they have.”

Schleimann concludes: “More technology change is coming and we hope that we can open organisational eyes to a bigger vision and become more purpose driven. SAP could hopefully have a small role to play in launching that wave and help drive this digital renaissance.”

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