The Future of ERP

How do ERP and AI translate into business value? BCG’s Sharonee Dutta and Koushik Ray join SAP to discuss process redesign, AI-first ERP implementation, and the myths that can hold transformation back.

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How can organizations turn ERP and AI into measurable business value? It starts by identifying where AI can change how the business works, from everyday decisions to end-to-end processes.

In Episode 101 of The Future of ERP Podcast, SAP hosts Eric Annino and Matt Emmert welcome BCG's Sharonee Dutta and Koushik Ray to discuss what works, what falls short, and how organizations can move beyond AI pilots. They explore how companies can identify high-value opportunities, redesign business processes, and align people and technology around meaningful outcomes.

Sharonee shares how an industrial client identified an estimated £55 million in annual value potential across maintenance, procurement, and capital projects. Koushik explains how AI is reshaping ERP implementation through coordinated agents and human oversight, including why faster individual tasks do not always translate into equally dramatic gains across an entire program.

The discussion also explores AI's role in finance and challenges common assumptions about data quality, cloud ERP, AI readiness, and standardization. Throughout the conversation, the guests return to a practical question: What needs to change in the way a business operates for ERP and AI to deliver lasting value?

In this episode, you’ll learn 
·      Why process and operating model redesign matter when combining ERP and AI.
·      How to prioritize a few AI opportunities around business KPIs and economic value.
·      What changes when AI drafts implementation artifacts and people validate them.
·      Why task-level implementation gains differ from program-wide acceleration.
·      How AI adoption differs between finance operations and financial planning and analysis.
·      Where standardization makes sense and where customization may support differentiation.

Subscribe to The Future of ERP Podcast:
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Connect With US
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Useful Links:
⁠⁠SAP GROW⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠SAP Cloud ERP⁠⁠⁠⁠

Feedback or podcast ideas? Write us an email at  ⁠⁠CloudERP_ProductMarketing@sap.com⁠⁠

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Guest 1: Sharonee Dutta

Sharonee Dutta is Managing Director at BCG Platinion and BCG CTO for ERP. She specializes in enterprise solutions that enable business transformation across finance, procurement, and supply chain, and has led large-scale transformation programs for Fortune 500 organizations.

Guest 2: Koushik Ray

Koushik Ray is a Partner and Director at BCG and a member of its NextGen ERP global leadership team. He specializes in designing large-scale ERP transformation programs and brings more than two decades of experience delivering SAP-enabled business transformation initiatives.

Host 1: Eric Annino, Product Marketing, SAP
With more than a decade of SAP experience in marketing and communications, Eric specializes in translating complex topics (such as ERP) into clear, compelling insights, helping audiences understand the relevance in today’s business landscape.

Host 2: Matt Emmert, Product Marketing, SAP 
Matt leads the go-to-market content strategy for Cloud ERP in SAP Product Marketing.  He is passionate about connecting SAP’s vision to the rubber-meets-the road value that customers can realize today.  He has been central to SAP’s public cloud ERP go-to-market activities since 2016 with over 10 years of customer-facing solution advisory experience and a deep understanding of SAP’s applications.  In his time at SAP, Matt has helped drive the rapid adoption of SAP Cloud ERP and has worked with hundreds of SAP customers to discover and realize the value of the SAP solution portfolio.

How will AI change ERP? SAP's Eric Annino and Matt Emmert join Darwin Deano from Stanza and Joe Boden from McKinsey & Company to explore headless ERP, faster transformations, data readiness, the build-versus-buy decision, and why the ERP of the future may become invisible to users while remaining indispensable to the enterprise.

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What happens to ERP when AI can reason across data, automate workflows, and act on behalf of users? Not the end of ERP, but a leaner, smarter core that provides the trusted data, rules, and context AI needs to scale.

In this episode, SAP hosts Eric Annino and Matt Emmert speak with Darwin Deano from Stanza and Joe Boden from McKinsey & Company about five ways AI is reshaping ERP. They discuss why modernization still matters, how AI can accelerate transformation, and why vendors may play a bigger role in delivering embedded AI.

The discussion also explores why organizations get stuck in pilot mode, why business context matters as much as data quality, and why AI initiatives should be treated as business transformations, not IT experiments. Darwin and Joe share a framework for identifying high-value agent use cases and offer guidance for mid-sized organizations planning their next 12 months.

In this episode, you’ll learn 
·      The five ways AI may disrupt ERP architecture, modernization, delivery, vendor ecosystems, and value creation 
·      Why faster and cheaper transformation is likely to arrive before truly headless ERP 
·      Why legacy data, outdated processes, and missing business context limit AI value 
·      Five criteria for deciding whether a business problem is agent-worthy 
·      How mid-sized companies can modernize the core without recreating unnecessary ERP complexity 
·      Why ERP may become less visible to users while becoming more important to enterprise decision-making

Subscribe to The Future of ERP Podcast:
·      Apple Podcasts
·      Spotify
·      Amazin Music
·      Goodpods
·      Pocketcasts

Connect With US
·      LinkedIn

Useful Links:
⁠SAP GROW⁠
⁠⁠⁠SAP Cloud ERP⁠⁠⁠

Feedback or podcast ideas? Write us an email at  ⁠CloudERP_ProductMarketing@sap.com⁠

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Guest 1: Darwin Deano 

Darwin Deano is President and Co-Founder of Stanza and a formed Distinguished Partner at McKinsey & Company with more than 30 years of experience across the ERP ecosystem. He leads technology-driven transformations and led McKinsey & Company’s North America SAP practice as part of the firm's Global SAP Alliance leadership. Earlier in his career, he served as Deloitte Consulting's Global SAP Leader and Enterprise Performance chief technology officer. 

Guest 2: Joe Boden 

Joe Boden is a partner at McKinsey & Company who focuses on using technology and AI to reshape business economics and deliver measurable impact. He co-leads McKinsey & Company's work applying technology and AI across the consumer industry and advises organizations on core technology modernization, enterprise AI, product-centric operating models, and large-scale ERP transformation.

Host 1: Eric Annino, Product Marketing, SAP
With more than a decade of SAP experience in marketing and communications, Eric specializes in translating complex topics (such as ERP) into clear, compelling insights, helping audiences understand the relevance in today’s business landscape.

Host 2: Matt Emmert, Product Marketing, SAP 
Matt leads the go-to-market content strategy for Cloud ERP in SAP Product Marketing.  He is passionate about connecting SAP’s vision to the rubber-meets-the road value that customers can realize today.  He has been central to SAP’s public cloud ERP go-to-market activities since 2016 with over 10 years of customer-facing solution advisory experience and a deep understanding of SAP’s applications.  In his time at SAP, Matt has helped drive the rapid adoption of SAP Cloud ERP and has worked with hundreds of SAP customers to discover and realize the value of the SAP solution portfolio.

AI is not replacing ERP. It’s making it more intelligent. SAP’s Effie Calandra and Eric Annino join Ramesh J. Chougule of Infosys to explore how AI will change cloud ERP, what businesses should prioritize now, near term, and into the future, and why data, governance, and trusted business processes are critical to realizing AI’s value.

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Will artificial intelligence replace traditional ERP systems, or make them more important than ever?

In this episode of The Future of ERP, SAP hosts Effie Calandra and Eric Annino speak with Ramesh J. Chougule, Vice President and Head of SAP Practice for the Americas at Infosys, about how AI is changing cloud ERP and what businesses should prioritize now, in the near term, and into the future.

Ramesh explains why ERP will remain the operational backbone of the enterprise, providing the trusted business processes, data, and context that AI needs to deliver meaningful results. He also introduces the concept of a strategic core, where AI can help organizations improve innovation, customer insights, long-term planning, and decision-making.

The conversation explores practical applications of AI in finance, procurement, human resources, supply chain, and warehouse operations. Ramesh also shares how companies can prepare their data, establish AI governance, identify high-value use cases, and move beyond isolated pilots toward more intelligent and autonomous business processes.

The episode concludes with guidance on one of the biggest AI decisions facing business leaders today: when to use embedded AI capabilities within an ERP platform and when a custom AI solution may be worth the investment.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How ERP provides the data, context, and process integrity AI needs
• The difference between an operational core and a strategic core
• What organizations should prioritize during the now, near, and next stages of AI adoption
• Why data readiness and AI governance are essential for scaling AI
• Where companies are already using AI across finance, HR, procurement, and supply chain
• How to avoid AI pilot purgatory and connect use cases to measurable business value
• How to approach the decision between embedded and custom AI solutions
• Why the future of ERP is an increasingly intelligent and responsive operational backbone

Useful Links:
SAP GROW
⁠⁠SAP Cloud ERP⁠⁠

Subscribe to The Future of ERP Podcast:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazin Music
Goodpods
Pocketcasts

Connect With the US: 
⁠LinkedIn⁠

Feedback or podcast ideas? Write us an email at  CloudERP_ProductMarketing@sap.com

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Guest 1: Ramesh J. Chougule, Vice President and Head of SAP Practice for the Americas, Infosys.

Ramesh is a strategic sales, go-to-market, and marketing executive with more than 25 years of experience supporting large-scale SAP implementations and enterprise business transformation. He has led digital transformation portfolios, shaped ERP strategies, and advised C-suite leaders on complex technology and business decisions.

Host 1: Effie Calandra, Director of Product Marketing, SAP
Effie Calandra is Director of Product Marketing at SAP, focused on cloud ERP. In this role, she helps drive go-to-market strategy and shape the experiences that bring that strategy to life. With 13 years of experience, a background in journalism, and an MBA from the University of Virginia, Effie brings a distinctive perspective on customer experience, business drivers, and transformation. Outside of work, she is a novice sailor.

Host 2: Eric Annino, Product Marketing, SAP
With more than a decade of SAP experience in marketing and communications, Eric specializes in translating complex topics (such as ERP) into clear, compelling insights, helping audiences understand the relevance in today’s business landscape.

Your ERP system never sleeps. Neither does the AI that is trying to break into it. Jan Stoelting and Florian Kohler from KPMG get real about what that means, and why the old security playbook is no longer enough.

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The episode tackles one of the most urgent questions in enterprise technology: what happens to ERP security when AI empowers both attackers and defenders at the same time? Jan Stoelting and Florian Kohler from KPMG Germany bring over 15 years of cybersecurity experience each to a conversation that goes well beyond standard advice. The core tension is stark: AI has not just raised the bar in cybersecurity, it has lowered the barrier to entry for anyone looking to cause damage. Attackers now operate at machine speed, scanning for vulnerabilities, generating exploits, and breaching defenses faster than any human team can keep up with. ERP systems are named as the crown jewels of any organization, and when they go down, the impact stretches from factory floors to national supply chains. A striking real world case drives the point home: a deepfake video call that convinced an employee to approve 25 million dollars in fraudulent transfers. Jan and Florian introduce the concept of agentic zero trust, extending traditional identity principles to cover AI agents that now act, decide, and orchestrate autonomously inside enterprise systems. Most companies fall short not because they lack technology but because they underestimate governance, visibility, and the need to build security by design from the very start. The shift to the autonomous enterprise makes identity the new control plane, where the critical question is no longer who accessed the system but which agent did what, when, and why. 

Useful Links:
SAP Cloud ERP
https://kpmg.com/

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Guest 1: Florian Kohlar, Partner, Cyber Security and Resilience at KPMG Germany
Florian is a Partner in KPMG Germany, specializing in cyber security and identity and access management. He advises large international organizations on securing digital identities, modernizing access management, and navigating complex transformation programs. His current focus is on the intersection of AI, digital trust, and enterprise security, helping organizations prepare for the next generation of human and machine identities.

Guest 2: Jan Stoelting, Partner at KPMG Germany
Jan Stoelting is a partner at KPMG Germany and is recognized as a leading specialist in the strategic and operational design of information security. His work focuses on security governance, security operations and SAP security, areas in which he has been successfully responsible for projects in various industries for many years.

In his role as Global Lead for SAP Security, he drives the global development of the KPMG service portfolio and supports international companies in securing business-critical SAP landscapes. He is also an author of specialist articles and publications and regularly appears as a speaker at renowned industry events.

Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Follow Richard Howell on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Follow Oyku Ilgar on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SAP Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Everyone is talking about AI adoption. But there is one question that boardrooms are quietly avoiding: where is the profit? This episode goes straight at it, and the answer will make you rethink every AI pilot you have ever run.

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The episode opens with a question that should make any CFO uncomfortable: if AI is this powerful, where exactly is the profit? Roman Krohman, SAP Go-To-Market practice leader at HCLTech, brings over 25 years of enterprise transformation experience and a refreshingly honest take on where the industry is getting it wrong. The numbers are sobering: 88% of companies use AI regularly, yet fewer than 40% can point to any real impact on the P&L. Roman introduces a critical distinction between being human in the loop versus human on the loop, a small preposition shift that signals an entirely different operating model. The pilot to production gap is named for what it really is: a leadership problem, not a technology problem, with most pilots designed as procurement exercises dressed up as innovation. Roman and Oyku unpack the BCG 10/20/70 rule, where 70% of AI value comes from people and process, yet most organizations pour all their energy into the 10% that is the algorithm. A new definition of finance value is proposed, moving beyond cost efficiency toward speed, accuracy, working capital, and resilience as the metrics that actually matter. The Finance Mission Control concept emerges as a practical way to link AI-enabled workflows directly to P&L impact and make value visible before any narrative solidifies. Roman argues that AI agents should be treated exactly like employees: onboarded with defined scope, given guardrails, supervised closely, and retired without hesitation if they underperform. The episode closes with a striking vision of ERP becoming invisible but more critical than ever, no longer a system of record but a system of action.

Useful Links:
⁠SAP Cloud ERP⁠

Follow Us on Social Media!
SAP S/4HANA Cloud ERP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Guest 1: Roman Khromin

Host 1: Richard Howells, SAP
Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Follow Richard Howell on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host 2: Oyku Ilgar, SAP
Oyku Ilgar is a marketer and thought leader specializing in SAP’s digital supply chain and ERP solutions since 2017. As a marketer, blogger, and podcaster, she creates engaging content that highlights innovative SAP technologies and explores key topics including business trends, AI, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Follow Oyku Ilgar on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SAP Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠