Looking beyond the horizon

E-3: From a business and IT perspective: What needs to be done?

Jörg DietmannFrom my point of view, this is absolutely not a dilemma, because change is essential and always an opportunity. After the past major change from R/2 to R/3 and ECC 6.0, decades have already passed - so systems and processes that were implemented in the course of this certainly had their raison d'être. But now we have reached a point where companies can benefit from new technologies, functions and end-to-end processes. From a business perspective, there are many ways to leverage digital transformation for savings - for example, with subscription-based Everything-as-a-Service models and the associated shift from Capex to Opex.

E-3: The latter is a task for the CFO?

DietmannThe IT view is much more exciting. Because the added value from digital transformation is immense. There will be a part of IT offerings that will fade into the background. The great potential lies in new products, services and processes. In this respect, I am clearly in favor of the role of IT as a pioneer and not as an estate manager.

E-3: The necessary transformation is whose responsibility?

DietmannThis applies to all C-level decision-makers. Because the digital transformation must not be a pure IT project. On the one hand, many departments are now integrated into systems and processes in a completely different way, and with the shift toward employee self-service, employees are also much closer to IT processes than they were before.
20 years. On the other hand, everything is becoming more and more data-driven. Digital transformation must therefore be understood as a holistic topic that breaks down any silo thinking. Not only on the system side, but also between specialist areas. In this respect, IT is moving into a different context, namely as a link between the specialist areas.

E-3: Who is the best partner in the digital transformation?

DietmannMore importantly, companies need to find a partner for their transformation who can support them on an equal footing. This partner should not only have a broad view of the SAP portfolio, but also know the market beyond it. After all, digital transformation is not just about SAP landscapes. I recommend a partner who offers everything from a single source: Hosting, managed services and application support as well as ERP transformation.

E-3: The current sticThe buzzword in the SAP community is Rise with SAP.

DietmannRise with SAP is a bundle for digital transformation in the sense of Business Transformation as a Service. In Rise, several building blocks are combined into a single subscription model, which can be especially charming for new customers. The message is simple: SAP and its partners manage the technical complexity, while customers focus on their day-to-day business requirements.

E-3: One goal of the transformation should be the intelligent enterprise. How do you explain this challenge to a CEO?

Dietmann: The Intelligent Enterprise stands for the individual vision of companies. The focus is on integrating IT landscapes - SAP and non-SAP - to create end-to-end processes. The efficiency gained then creates opportunities for companies to be successful. Flexibility and individuality are important here. After all, success is no longer defined exclusively by profit and sales - as demonstrated not least by the pandemic.

E-3: And specifically, how does Nagarro lead through digital transformation toward the intelligent enterprise?

Dietmann: We see our role on the one hand as a translator and on the other hand as a navigator for SAP topics and beyond. Through our partnership, we not only have an excellent network to Walldorf, but also a deep understanding of SAP's way of working and language, and the ability to think outside the box. Towards the intelligent enterprise: the integration of SAP and non-SAP landscapes. This is where we either start with roadmaps or take a step back together and evaluate where the company currently is using a tool-based approach. After all, this is essential for digital transformation: putting all processes and systems to the test and seeing where we have a delta between actual and target.

E-3: Thank you for the interview.