25.11.2009

SAP UKI User Group: How Innovative Is SAP?

By: Christoph Zeidler

Software as a service (SaaS) and cloudsourcing are on everybody’s lips. Representatives from SAP, partner companies, and customers gathered in Manchester at the United Kingdom’s largest SAP user conference. SAP.info reveals what the keynote speakers had to say.

Athlete Kriss Akabusi in his opening keynote. (photo: Christoph Zeidler)

With the tagline “working together is success,” the SAP UKI User Group Conference on November 23 and 24 had a sporting theme and was opened by former athlete Kriss Akabusi, who was a member of the British 4 x 400 meter relay squad that won the World Championships in Tokyo in 1991. According to Akabusi, “Motivation, teamwork, and striving for improvement together” are fundamental to success in the world of IT, as well as in sport. He encouraged the more than 500 participants to continuously focus on their personal development, drive their business forward, and get the industry as a whole in good shape for the future.

First visit to Manchester

Alan Bowling, chairman and director of the SAP UK & Ireland (UKI) User Group, was evidently proud that his organization has staged the country’s biggest SAP conference and was looking forward to more sponsors, more exhibitors, and more participants than ever before. “We represent the interests of SAP users in the region very successfully and address issues directly to SAP, such as SAP Enterprise Support services,” he said. In this respect, Bowling and his colleagues in the SAP User Group Executive Network (SUGEN) are continuing to work on the agreed key performance indicators and benchmarks.

“We are providing the most benchmark participants in Europe,” Bowling said.
Tim Noble, managing director of SAP United Kingdom and Ireland since June this year, took the opportunity to introduce himself to the users gathered and promised to continue investments in customer care. “Since SAP acquired Business Objects, we at SAP UKI have been working hard on becoming an organization that you all profit from. Through stringent account management, effective support, and open communication, we want to help you become even better. And we will be completely transparent and accountable,” he said.

Next Page: IT must add value

Partners and users came together in Manchester. (photo: Christoph Zeidler)

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