We all are very much aware of how emerging technology is transforming our lives in every aspect. Digitization & hyper-connectivity is entering a new phase and the transformation of books, music and retail has now morphed into healthcare, manufacturing, automotive and other industries. Whether it is the products we purchase, or how we purchase them, retailing and manufacturing are all getting digitized, connected and smart. Retailing is moving from transactions to 1:1 relationship engagement, while manufacturing is moving from mass production to 3-Dimensional printing of custom products on-demand.
And it is just not products and services but also we ourselves are getting digitized. The digital transformation of healthcare is happening now, from generic treatment based on individual disease management to personalized medicine. Whether it is social networks or internet of things giving rise to big data, everything we touch is becoming faster and smarter – but also becoming increasingly more complex.
Technology breakthroughs are already here to serve companies willing to re-think their business and re-invent themselves. In the new digital economy, leaders are looking to redefine their industries and capture bigger market share. But how can leaders ensure proper selection and adoption of the new technologies, and how can they learn from one another?
The SAP HANA Executive Advisory Council (HEAC) addresses those concerns. Created by customers, for customers, the Council is a global body of SAP HANA customer thought leaders, willing to share their experiences, needing to communicate not only with just vendors, but also with one another. In 2015 we combined our chartered group focused on SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud (HEC), formerly called the SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud Executive Advisory Council (HEC EAC) and aligned it with the main Council. Our combined HEAC, covering on premise HANA as well as cloud based HANA, is made up of customers who are eager stay ahead of the technology curve and share experiences and best practices. For 2016 we are exploring other areas associated with the SAP HANA platform, namely HANA Enterprise Cloud (HEC) as well as Internet of Things (IoT).
We can all learn together, from each other, about the adoption of new technologies, and how can we ensure that these investments will make a significant difference to the organization. With the inclusion of the cloud to our group, we now offer you a more in-depth view of not only traditional HANA implementations, but also everything you need to know about our HANA Enterprise Cloud strategy. This allows you to influence the direction of our on premise and cloud offerings so that they remain the best fit for you and your business needs.
Reasons to Join the SAP HANA Executive Advisory Council
• What? The HEAC was created for you – the SAP HANA customer executive. It is managed by SAP executives, but the content is 100% customer-driven. The Council is globally sponsored by SAP Development and led regionally by senior SAP executives who work directly in that team. Those executives have vast experience running technology organizations in end-user companies – even prior to their roles at SAP.
• Who? If you have made SAP HANA investments or are considering working with HANA in the cloud, and your organization has brought SAP HANA live in your enterprise, or you are significantly investing in a HANA POC, then you should join us. We wish to have your company represented in this Council. Titles include CIO, CTO, COO, and senior executive Line of Business titles. Organizations should have made SAP HANA investments and have at least one live project or a deep POC in place.
• When? The SAP HANA Executive Advisory Council along with the HANA Enterprise Cloud Executive Advisory Council meets 3 to 4 times per year, in different global regions, with live in-person sessions. These are smaller meetings, so that delegates can afford the opportunity to get to know other delegates, exchange stories, share knowledge and best practices, and focus on changing the state of the art around technology investment impact to the enterprise.
• Where? The Council meets at customer locations throughout the world. In 2013, our first two meetings were held at Maple Leaf Foods in Toronto, Canada and at eBay in San Jose, California respectively. In 2014 meetings were held at Adobe in San Jose, California, Shell HQ in The Hague, Netherlands, and at the University of Kentucky. For 2015, our spring meeting was at SAP – the HANA customer, and the fall meeting was at Hewlett Packard. In addition the ANZ Region held its first HEAC meeting in Sydney in November. For 2016 we are holding meetings at Intel as well as on the East Coast, plus expanding to other regions.
• Global? The Council is global. Although the initial meetings were held in North America, meetings have been held in Europe and expansion to other continents is planned in the near future. If you wish to host at your facility, please contact the names below.
• How? It is very easy to get involved. Submit your name and contact information to Scott.Feldman@sap.com or David.Fahey@sap.com, the two SAP Council managers. In addition, submit your name to Steve.Mann01@sap.com to join the HEAC if you are a HEC customer.
• When are the next planned meetings? Join us at the upcoming 9th SAP HANA Council Meeting at INTEL Santa Clara, CA – March 14th and 15th. Contact Scott or David (above) if interested. We are also planning additional meetings in other regions, stay tuned for further information on those meetings.
• Industry? The Council comprises all industries for the moment. SAP realizes that HANA topical discussions will have a very specific industry flavor to them at times, but at this early stage of HANA’s lifecycle, it is important to gather all opinions and input from all industries. If you wish to have a significant number of SAP HANA customers form a Council around a specific industry, then contact the names above for discussion.
Hope to see you at our next meeting!
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