Conversation Starters.

• Adoption Catalyst - Unlocking the shift to Cloud

  Sphume Dlamini, our new AFSUG Podcast host interviews Anre Schmidthals, Business Delveopmetn Chief Expert at SAP.

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  25:33
• A Journey of Ambition, Humility, and Innovation with SAP Africa's Trailblazer

  In this sixth episode of Conversation Starters, we’re joined by Kholiwe Makhohliso, Managing Director of SAP Southern Africa. Kholiwe takes us through her incredible career journey, from growing up in Mount Ayliff village to holding leadership positions at Accenture, Oracle, Software AG, and SAP. She shares her passion for mentorship, skills development, and the transformation of the African workforce through innovative SAP programs like the Young Professional Program and Educate to Employ. Throughout the conversation, Kholiwe emphasizes the importance of building a digital skills hub in Africa and SAP's commitment to empowering the next generation of professionals. The episode touches on Kholiwe’s personal interests, including her love for cycling and adventure, offering a holistic view of a leader who balances professional ambition with personal passion. Timestamps: 0:07 – Introduction and Sponsorship 0:24 – Guest Introduction and Career Overview 2:10 – Career Progression from Auditor to SAP 4:47 – Understanding Customer Needs and Value Selling 6:53 – Impact of Audit Background on Technology and Risk 8:01 – SAP's Role in Transformation and Skills Development 12:12 – Opportunities for Young Professionals and Entrepreneurship 14:22 – Mentorship and Coaching for Young Professionals 15:21 – Engagement with Gen Z and Millennials 16:47 – Upskilling Workforce for AI and Future Skills 17:47 – SAP Southern Africa’s Role in the EMEA Region 20:51 – Cloud Acceleration and Customer Engagement 23:38 – Skills Development and Digital Skills Hub 24:19 – Future Opportunities and Partnerships 27:52 – Personal Interests and Hobbies 31:16 – Conclusion and Future Engagement Follow Kholiwe Makhohliso - https://rb.gy/dw2vhe Follow Louise Steenekamp - https://rb.gy/53byr6 Sponsored by: AFSUG – Unifying Africa's SAP Community for a Digital Future

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• Marco-Polo-ing the New World of Work: Charting the Course for Digital Transformation & Youth Empowerment

  Join host Louise Steenekamp as she interviews Aveena Mothilall, CIO at Engen, in this insightful episode of Conversation Starters. They discuss digital transformation, the evolving role of CIOs, skills development in IT, and Engen's successful SAP implementation. The conversation also highlights women in tech leadership, the future of work with a focus on diversity, and the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. Key takeaways include the need for mentorship, support for women in tech, and the potential of hybrid working models. 00:07 - Introduction and Sponsorship 00:22 - Guest Introduction (Aveena Mothilall, CIO of Engen) 01:42 - Digital Transformation 06:57 - SAP Functional Consultant of the Future 10:22 - Data Conversation 14:54 - Community and Collaboration within the African SAPUser Group 17:19 - Innovation and Influence on Technology Roadmaps 18:05 - Skills Development and Education 27:18 - SAP Implementation Success Stories 33:24 - Challenges in Digital and Data Focus 35:01 - Role of Women in IT Leadership 41:06 - Diversity in the Workforce 45:26 - Conclusion and Closing Remarks --- Discover how programmes like the Data Analytics for Student Success (DASS) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) bring together academia and corporates to collaborate on real-life student learning projects. https://rb.gy/3hukde | https://rb.gy/6ro0s3   Follow Aveena Mothilall  LinkedIn - https://rb.gy/fifzha   Follow Louise Steenekamp: LinkedIn - https://rb.gy/kp7ewq      Sponsored By: AFSUG – https://afsug.com/ ONE VOICE Unifying Africa's SAP Community for a Digital Future

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  46:34
• AI Magic and Myth. Beyond the Hype and Focussing on the Business Case

  In the fourth episode of Conversation Starters, we welcome Nadine Hoffmann, Global AI Product Manager at SAP. She shares insights on her transition from banking to AI, the evolution of product management, and practical AI applications. The episode covers generative AI, large language models, and announces a collaboration between SAP’s Joule and Microsoft's Copilot. It concludes with updates on the German SAP user group and plans for further AI integration. 0:23 – Introduction to Guest (Nadine Hoffman)1:10 - Career Background and Evolution of Technology in Payments 2:09 - Role at SAP and Business AI 3:14 – Evolution of the role over time 4:07- Delivering Business Value and Real Business Value 5:01 - Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology 5:20 - Hype Cycles and Technology Trends 6:58 – Idea to Improve the Process 8:05 - Multidimensional Aspects of Technology and Business Value 9:11 - Data Security and Ethical Aspects 10:37 – Future Tools and Inclusiveness in Tech 14:27 – Networks and Innovation 15:34 – Mindset Shift and Open-mindedness in Technology 17:26 – Agility and Customer/Partner Exchanges 19:37 – Experience Garage teams & Hackathons 20:50 – AI Technology and Large Language Models 23:42 – Chatbots and Digital Assistants 27:10 – Latest Announcements and Key Topics from Sapphire 32:30 – Partner Collaborations and Compliance Topics 34:33 - User Group Exchange and Learning Together 42:27 - Building Code with AI 44:53 - Skills and Learning in Technology 48:22 - Opportunities for Experienced Professionals 49:54 - Conclusion and Future Conversations Follow Nadine Hoffmann: LinkedIn - https://rb.gy/qt0zz0   Follow Louise Steenekamp: LinkedIn - https://rb.gy/kp7ewq      Sponsored By: AFSUG – https://afsug.com/ ONE VOICE Unifying Africa's SAP Community for a Digital Future

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  50:31
• Untangling Cloud ERP (GROW & RISE)

  In the third episode of AFSUG Conversation Starters, we are joined by David Yawalkar, product marketing leader at SAP in Waldorf. He discusses SAP Environments, maintenance timelines, and transitioning to the Cloud. Show Notes: 0:25 - Introduction to David Yawalkar and his role at SAP 1:12 – Timelines for ECC Customers 4:20 – GROW with SAP and RISE with SAP 9:22 – RISE with SAP and Business One Customers 11:38 – Ads 13:19 – ECC Customer Scenario 16:54 – Clean Core Strategy 20:31 – Enterprise Architecture 23:15 – SAP's Innovation Roadmap 27:03 – Ads 27:13 – Upcoming SAP Solutions 29:28 – Signavio’s Role 31:17 – Upgrade Cycles and New Releases 32:29 - BTP: What skills do I need? 34:29 – Customer Concerns, Privacy, and Cloud Offerings 37:36 – Closing Remarks RISE with SAP Resource Links: Announcement: Transform with confidence using RISE with SAP Methodology Blog #1: Jumpstart your cloud ERP journey with guided enablement in RISE with SAP Methodology Blog #2: ‘Clean core’ focused success plan, runbook, and quality checks Web content: Migration from SAP ERP AND Transition from SAP S/4HANA Partner Blog: Expert Insights for Partners: RISE with SAP Methodology Follow David: LinkedIn - https://rb.gy/fbhfpe   Follow Louise: LinkedIn - https://rb.gy/kp7ewq      Sponsored By: AFSUG – https://afsug.com/ ONE VOICE Unifying Africa's SAP Community for a Digital Future

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