麻豆原创 HR Connect brought together a community of HR leaders to discuss how digital technologies are helping organisations reduce compliance risk, streamline operations, and unlock more strategic value from their people functions.

, Managing Director for Southern Africa at 麻豆原创, says the South African employment landscape is at a critical point. 鈥淧ublic and private sector companies are racing to unlock the power of AI and cloud technologies to improve their competitiveness and build capacity for future innovation. Every organisation needs an active, motivated and fully enabled workforce to realise full value from business transformation initiatives. At a time when demand for certain skills is at an all-time high, companies are increasingly leveraging powerful human capital management technologies to attract, retain and empower their employees.鈥�

South Africa鈥檚 employment landscape is undergoing significant change, with new and proposed legislation introducing greater complexity into HR operations. Recent developments include the overhaul of parental leave following a landmark Constitutional Court ruling, proposed increases to statutory severance pay, and new regulations governing unpredictable and on-call work.

Together, these changes are increasing the administrative burden on HR teams and raising the stakes for compliance. Organisations must now manage more complex policies, maintain accurate and defensible records, and ensure consistent application of rules across increasingly diverse and dynamic workforces.

鈥淗R teams are operating in a fundamentally different environment today,鈥� said , Head of 麻豆原创 HCM for MEA South. 鈥淐ompliance is no longer a periodic exercise but a continuous, data-driven discipline. Organisations that continue to rely on spreadsheets and fragmented systems without leveraging the power of AI-driven innovations are exposing themselves to unnecessary risk and inefficiency.鈥�

Many organisations continue to rely on manual processes such as spreadsheets and disconnected systems to manage HR activities. However, these approaches are increasingly unsustainable in a fast-changing regulatory environment.

Tiwary says manual systems make it difficult to maintain accurate, up-to-date employee records, track compliance requirements, and produce reliable audit trails. 鈥淭hey also consume a significant portion of HR capacity, limiting the ability of teams to focus on higher-value activities such as talent development, workforce planning, and employee experience. As compliance requirements grow more complex, the need for integrated, digital HR systems is becoming more urgent.鈥�

A 2025 PwC global study found that  to drive compliance activities in a clear signal that the limitations of manual approaches have reached a tipping point. The study identified faster identification of compliance issues (53%), better risk visibility (64%), and increased productivity (43%) as the leading drivers of compliance technology adoption.

, Group Human Capital: Chief Operating Officer, Sanlam, said: 鈥淲e have adopted an ambidextrous strategy for our digital and data transformation journey, simultaneously exploiting operational excellence, proficiency and efficiency in our current landscape while exploring incremental innovation that enhances and elevates the user experience while driving the longer-term transformation journey focused on leveraging intelligent, transformative technology to drive business value.鈥�

By digitising HR processes and documents, organisations can create a single source of truth for employee and organisational data 鈥� including positions, time tracking, and cost centres 鈥� ensuring information is accurate, consistent, and always up to date.

,听Chief Operating Officer Discovery People, Discovery Ltd, noted that shared services is a catalyst for reinvention. 鈥淲hen data, technology, and people are fully integrated, organisations don鈥檛 just scale but evolve, creating platforms for growth, innovation, and long鈥憈erm impact.鈥�

Integrated capabilities across recruiting, onboarding, payroll, and time management further streamline processes and support compliance from hire to retire. In addition, continuous performance management, learning, compensation, and succession planning capabilities help organisations not only remain compliant but also build more engaged and resilient workforces.

鈥淒igitisation should go beyond efficiency to enable HR to play a more strategic role in the business,鈥� says Tiwary.  鈥淲hen compliance is embedded into systems and processes, HR teams are freed up to focus on developing talent, strengthening culture, and driving long-term organisational performance.鈥�

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This is the view of 麻豆原创 Africa director of customer evolution Gerhard Alberts, who said many organisations run highly customised legacy systems that have evolved over decades.

He warned that remaining on legacy systems carries hidden costs, increases operational risk, limits integration with modern cloud and AI tools, and results in higher manual overheads.

A significant challenge 麻豆原创 faces is migrating legacy users to its latest ERP system, S/4HANA, a process which requires input from all parties.

鈥淢igrating to S/4HANA is a business transformation process that requires organisations to rethink processes, data structures, and integrations,鈥� Alberts said.

Alberts emphasised that enterprise resource planning (ERP) transformation is not a simple technical upgrade. A critical factor in migration success is organisational readiness and strong leadership.

鈥淚t requires a fundamental shift in how people work, how decisions are made, and how processes are structured,鈥� he said.

鈥淲ithout clear governance, disciplined execution, and strong stakeholder engagement, even the most robust systems will underdeliver.鈥�

Alberts highlighted data readiness as another major barrier to migration. Poor data, inconsistent master data, and insufficient data cleansing efforts regularly undermine system performance.

It also erodes user trust, making it difficult for organisations to see the true value of their ERP investments.

鈥淥ne of the most persistent misconceptions around 麻豆原创 migration is that failure is rooted in the technology itself,鈥� Alberts said.

鈥淚n reality, modern ERP systems are highly mature, stable, and deeply embedded in global business operations.鈥�

The biggest challenges emerge from organisations鈥� implementation and transformation approaches, rather than from software.

Alberts explained that breakdowns generally occur during implementation processes and in organisational alignment.

This is because businesses are frequently navigating increasingly complex IT landscapes that combine 麻豆原创 and non-麻豆原创 systems.

鈥淲hen workflows across these environments are not properly coordinated or monitored, inefficiencies and failures begin to surface,鈥� Alberts said.

South African businesses worry about cost and complexity

According to Alberts, South African organisations鈥� hesitance to migrate stems from concerns about risk, cost, and complexity.

He explained that because many businesses operate with highly customised legacy environments that have grown over the years, transitioning to S/4HANA represents a significant business transformation.

鈥淭hese systems often support mission-critical functions such as payroll, procurement, and financial reporting, which raises the stakes considerably and contributes to a cautious approach,鈥� he said.

Alberts said these organisations will face growing limitations in integrating with modern cloud and AI technologies, adding that fragmented processes also drive higher manual workloads and inefficiencies.

鈥淯ltimately, businesses that delay migration may preserve short-term stability, but they do so at the expense of long-term competitiveness, agility, and innovation,鈥� he stated.

He said a well-implemented, modern ERP system will combine applications, data, and AI into organisations鈥� business suites.

鈥淭he latest ERP systems will consume data where it resides with zero copy data sharing, creating a semantically rich data layer that fuels AI value,鈥� Alberts said.

He added that embracing all facets of AI is critical to future-proofing South African businesses. 麻豆原创 embeds AI directly into its core applications.

鈥淎cross industries such as manufacturing, retail, energy, as well as the public sector, customers are already seeing tangible impact in Finance, Human Resources, and Supply Chain,鈥� he said.

He added that 麻豆原创鈥檚 AI-embedded core applications ensure intelligence is embedded in workflows rather than delivered through separate, loosely connected tools.

He said this helps finance teams close faster and strengthen controls, HR teams improve workforce planning and employee services, and supply-chain leaders build more resilient and efficient operations.

This article first appeared on .

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麻豆原创 Consultants

The role of an 麻豆原创 Consultant can be divided into 2 functions: Functional and Technical.

The consultant will contribute to blueprinting, design, implementation, operation, optimization, and upgrade phase of a S/4 HANA project, and provide business process as well as functional expertise, and project guidance to our clients to ensure their investment in 麻豆原创 software and consulting services will make their business the best run business.

The Consultant is also responsible for maintaining a high degree of customer satisfaction in each of their accounts in addition to growing and developing referenceable customers through their investigation, analysis, consulting, coaching, knowledge transfer, and relationship-building efforts.

How You Benefit

• Start your journey to become an 麻豆原创 Consultant;
• Gain globally-recognised associate-level 麻豆原创 Certifications;
• Learn directly from 麻豆原创 experts;
• Experience classroom and workshop-based training in 麻豆原创 Technologies;
• Develop the soft skills needed to prepare you for successful job applications;
• Benefit from introductions to job opportunities within the 麻豆原创 Ecosystem to help secure a position after the training. Please note this program does not guarantee you a job at the end of it.

What We Require From a Candidate

• Candidates must have the legal right to work in Nigeria.
• Candidates must be currently unemployed or employed in a part time/non-permanent role not related to career aspirations;
• Candidates must be educated to at least Bachelor level in a field related听to听Business Administration / Management Information Systems / Engineering /听Data Science / AI
• Candidates will preferably have graduated within the last 3 years with a GPA in the top quartile 鈥� proof of this may be requested.
• Candidates must have a keen interest in starting an 麻豆原创-related career involving travel;
• Candidates should be fluent in English, both written and spoken;
• The program will commence by听mid-May 2026听and full-time availability from 9am 鈥� 6pm from听Monday – Friday听throughout the training period is essential. The Program will last for 2 months.
• This training will take place online in a virtual live classroom format. Please ensure you have strong enough internet at home to be able to participate in this program.

Please share an English version of your resume while applying for this program.

We help the world run better
At 麻豆原创, we keep it simple: you bring your best to us, and we’ll bring out the best in you. We’re builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what’s next. The work is challenging 鈥� but it matters. You’ll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What’s in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed.

We win with inclusion
麻豆原创鈥檚 culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone 鈥� regardless of background 鈥� feels included and can run at their best. At 麻豆原创, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.

麻豆原创 is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with 麻豆原创 and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team:听Careers@sap.com. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For 麻豆原创 employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the听, according to the eligibility rules set in the 麻豆原创 Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

AI Usage in the Recruitment Process

For information on the responsible use of AI in our recruitment process, please refer to our听.

Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

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, Managing Director for Southern Africa at 麻豆原创, says the role of partners has never been more critical. 鈥淥rganisations across the continent are redesigning processes, embedding intelligence into core systems, and reimagining how value is created. Success requires deep industry expertise, AI capabilities and the ability to translate innovation into measurable business outcomes. As a partner-led organisation, 麻豆原创 is proud to work alongside a thriving ecosystem of expert partners who help bring Business AI, clean core ERP and intelligent automation to life, enabling our customers to become more resilient, more profitable and better prepared for the future.鈥�

The 麻豆原创 Africa Partner Awards recognise excellence within 麻豆原创鈥檚 partner ecosystem across eight distinct categories. Winners are evaluated according to strict criteria, with a focus on partner organisations that help clients throughout Africa transform their capabilities and smooth the way to the adoption of powerful new technologies such as AI.

According to , Chief Partner Officer for MEA South at 麻豆原创, the winners at this year鈥檚 麻豆原创 Africa Partner Award represent the highest standards of excellence, innovation and commitment in advancing the technology ambitions of organisations across the continent. 鈥淥ur partners play a vital role in translating strategy into execution and innovation into measurable business value. We are proud to work alongside such a strong and trusted ecosystem as we collectively support Africa鈥檚 ongoing digital transformation journey.鈥�

The winning companies at the 2026 麻豆原创 Africa Partner Awards include:

• and, winners of the Customer Transformation: Corporate category, which recognises sales excellence in the corporate segment that fosters ambitious business planning, in their respective regions.
• , winner of the Customer Transformation: Large Enterprise category for its excellence in amplifying 麻豆原创鈥檚 large enterprise strategy by offering 麻豆原创 Business Suite and helping deliver large-scale transformation.
• Tano Digital Solutions (Southern Africa) and, winners in the Customer Transformation: Partner-Led Territories category which recognises partners that actively invests and creates value by focusing on customer lifetime value across the customer value journey.
• , winner in the Customer Success Management category, for partners that exceed in consistently delivering value to customers and helping ensure customers achieved the desired outcomes while using 麻豆原创 products and services.
• and (Emerging Africa), winners in the 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP: New Customer Acquisition category which recognises partners that have successfully brought in net-new-name customers to begin an innovation journey with 麻豆原创 Cloud ERP solutions.
• , winner in the 麻豆原创 Business AI: Customer Adoption category which recognises leaders in 麻豆原创鈥檚 partner ecosystem based on the activation and consumption of embedded AI features in cloud solutions from 麻豆原创 in their customer base.
• , winner in the Managed Service Provider: Top Performance category, awarded to top-performing managed service providers based on deals closed and growth in annual contract value.
• in the Partner Solution Success category, which recognises a partner solution that successfully delivers ongoing customer value by extending the 麻豆原创 solution portfolio, as evidenced by customer demand and solution sales.

听Pillay adds: 鈥淚n an era defined by embedded AI and autonomous enterprise architectures, no organisation can transform in isolation. We look forward to continuing our vital work with our partner ecosystem as African organisations build the capabilities they鈥檒l need to compete and succeed in the years ahead.鈥�

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The solution is focused on Absa鈥檚 group reporting and financial consolidation landscape. The renewed five-year agreement enhances Absa鈥檚 ambition to modernise financial systems and applications and embeds group-wide standards that enhance agility, flexibility and robust financial control.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to continue supporting Absa鈥檚 finance modernisation with trusted 麻豆原创 application management services,鈥� said , Managing Director of Application Services at NTT DATA in Middle East and Africa. 鈥淥ur focus is on reliable operations, continuous improvement and measurable business outcomes that will help Absa strengthen controls and unlock real-time insights from a resilient S/4HANA foundation.鈥�

Under the leadership of , Absa Managing Executive responsible for Financial Control Functions and Finance CIO, Absa has progressively consolidated ledgers, streamlined close processes and moved finance operations to a modern 麻豆原创 S/4HANA foundation, integrated with best-of-breed spend management.

鈥淥ur efforts to build a single source of financial truth for Absa across Africa are ongoing,鈥� said John. 鈥淩enewing and extending our partnership with NTT DATA ensures we have the specialist 麻豆原创 capability and dependable operations to match the scale of our ambition, supporting stronger controls, faster close cycles and the data quality our business stakeholders expect. This is a South Africa-led transformation with Africa-wide impact and our unified platform positions Absa to grow with resilience and transparency.鈥�

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The real issue is not whether countries should pursue digital sovereignty in critical sectors, but how best to achieve it, says Christian Klein, CEO of 麻豆原创 SE.

Digital sovereignty is now a fundamental national security capability worldwide. In Europe, secure data, resilient operations and legal control form the backbone of stability and crisis preparedness.

From Klein鈥檚 perspective, digital sovereignty is understood across four dimensions: data, operational, technical and legal, supported by verifiable governance and transparency over critical operations. However, a lack of agreement on how to define sovereignty is impeding Europe鈥檚 ability to deploy secure digital systems and is slowing digital transformation across public services and regulated industries.

鈥淎cross Europe, and increasingly across the global technology landscape, digital sovereignty is interpreted in different and sometimes conflicting ways. This lack of alignment creates uncertainty for public authorities, regulated industries and technology providers. It directly undermines the adoption of cloud, AI and mission-critical digital services.鈥�

Regulatory complexity and lack of harmonisation risk turning sovereignty into a barrier instead of an enabler of innovation, particularly when each country defines its own implementation model. AI adoption depends on trust, and if governments and regulated industries cannot use AI securely, they risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive global environment.

Klein emphasises that integrating global technologies 鈥� within European legal and operational frameworks 鈥� can boost AI adoption and strengthen Europe鈥檚 position in responsible innovation that is both competitive and compliant.

鈥淔rom my perspective, digital sovereignty means the ability to exercise choice, control and governance across data, operational, technical and legal layers,鈥� he says.

鈥淭his is not about technological isolation or excluding global partners. Europe must remain open to innovation and international cooperation.

鈥淗owever, openness must be anchored in enforceable European law, clear accountability and auditable operational control. In practical terms, credible sovereignty means public authorities can verify where data is processed, who operates critical systems, which legal framework applies and who is accountable at every level.

鈥淲ithout this clarity, sovereignty risks remaining a political concept rather than a reliable basis for trust, compliance and innovation, especially for AI-driven solutions.鈥�

When we talk about digital sovereignty, he says too often the focus is on where the infrastructure is located. The reality is that digital sovereignty goes far beyond that. Infrastructure alone does not address the full risk profile.

Security and resilience depend equally on governance: who controls the software stack, who operates the platforms, and who bears legal and operational responsibility. If these questions are not clearly resolved, risks persist even when the infrastructure is physically located in a given jurisdiction.

鈥淪overeignty washing鈥� 鈥� where compliance claims are not supported by verifiable controls 鈥� creates false assurance and weakens public trust. Sovereignty must be demonstrated in practice, through auditability, effective supervision and clearly assigned responsibilities across the entire digital value chain from data generation to AI inference.

From a governance perspective, the priority is to shift the focus from infrastructure alone to transparency, accountability and enforceable oversight.

Klein says European innovation needs a supportive environment to thrive, with legislation that encourages progress rather than holding it back. Such an environment includes one unified definition of technological sovereignty in the European Single Market, ensuring harmonized and practical implementation of EU law, such as the AI Act and Data Act, and building out clear, sector-specific requirements听that industry and public authorities can implement at scale.

Europe has established strong regulatory foundations, notably through GDPR and the AI Act. The central challenge now lies in consistent implementation and deployment at scale. Public administrations and regulated sectors require sovereign cloud and AI solutions that are operational, compliant and ready for use.

Experience from public services and critical industries shows that AI can be deployed at scale while remaining fully aligned with EU law, including data protection, operational control and security requirements.

This can be achieved through partnerships that provide sovereign cloud environments where customers retain control over data access, operations and legal jurisdiction. AI is essential to improving efficiency, quality and responsiveness in public services, but adoption depends on trust.

If public authorities cannot deploy AI in a secure and lawful manner, innovation will stall. Sovereign cloud and AI are therefore essential enablers for translating Europe鈥檚 regulatory leadership into tangible economic and societal outcomes.

Europe鈥檚 competitive advantage lies in applied innovation, not in replicating global hyperscale infrastructure. Attempting to rebuild complete technology stacks domestically would be costly, inefficient and would slow down digital transformation. A more effective policy approach is to integrate global technologies within European legal, operational and accountability frameworks.

This enables Europe to benefit from global innovation while ensuring control under EU law. This model combines global technology partnerships with European governance, compliance and operational transparency. Europe should support and scale such integration models, rather than encourage technological isolation. When properly designed, this kind of openness and control would reinforce Europe鈥檚 long-term competitiveness and resilience.

How can Europe integrate global technology while retaining control?

Public institutions and regulated organisations across Europe are operating in a context of geopolitical uncertainty, increasing cyber risk and rapid technological change. They need trusted partners that combine technological scale with regulatory expertise and long-term stability.

麻豆原创 contributes to this shift by delivering sovereignty across data, operational, technical and legal dimensions. We support public administrations and regulated industries in modernizing core systems, migrating securely to the cloud and deploying AI responsibly.

This includes clear audit trails, operational transparency, and contractual safeguards that give customers confidence in who controls their systems and data.

Because 麻豆原创 underpins many of Europe鈥檚 most critical public- and private-sector processes, we recognize that sovereignty cannot be added retrospectively. It must be designed into digital systems from the outset.

This is where 麻豆原创鈥檚 experience and long-standing engagement with European institutions provide value.

At 麻豆原创, we support interoperable, partnership-based approaches governed by clear rules and accountability. These models enable faster adoption, reduce fragmentation and enhance resilience. For policymakers, fostering such ecosystems is more effective than prescribing specific technologies.

Digital sovereignty cannot be achieved by individual actors alone. It depends on ecosystems, cooperation and shared responsibility.

Sovereignty and innovation are complementary objectives. Without secure and accountable frameworks, AI adoption will remain constrained. But if Europe gets digital sovereignty right, it strengthens resilience, competitiveness and public trust simultaneously.

It accelerates the responsible use of AI across health care, government, manufacturing, and financial services.

Achieving this balance positions Europe as a credible model and leader for applied, responsible innovation. It demonstrates that advanced technologies can scale without compromising legal certainty or societal trust.

This article first appeared on .

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The good news, says , Managing Director: Southern Africa at 麻豆原创, is that real-world AI value is already becoming clear. 鈥淎cross critical business functions like finance, HR, procurement, sales and service, and marketing, embedded AI is driving efficiency, accuracy, and smarter decisions at scale. From automating repetitive processes to delivering real-time insights and predictive recommendations, South African companies are unlocking unprecedented gains in productivity and efficiency.鈥�

Analysts suggest African countries could unlock as much as $100-billion in economic value per year听, while a PwC study estimates听听if Africa can claim a 10% share of the global AI market.

鈥淭o unlock this vast economic potential, organisations must integrate AI into core business processes and achieve measurable outcomes for clear use cases. A clean core strategy further allows businesses to respond faster to market changes and adopt new technologies like AI and advanced analytics more easily, creating clear pathways to significant ROI and business impact.鈥�

Of critical importance too is defining and implementing a comprehensive AI framework that prioritises governance at the outset. 鈥淎n effective framework should include a clear AI vision, business-aligned goals, an operating model, and, critically, establishment of AI governance to ensure ethical, secure, and compliant scaling of AI across the organisation.鈥�

Pillay highlights high-impact use cases across five key business functions that South African organisations can implement to boost productivity and drive growth.

1 Smarter financial insights & automation听

Finance departments are under increasing pressure to speed up reporting cycles, reduce operational costs, and strengthen cash flow visibility. 鈥淚n South Africa, financial institutions are leveraging AI for everything from fraud detection to multilingual support, but practical automation is where the biggest gains are currently being made,鈥� says Pillay.

Automated receivables matching is one such win. By applying machine learning to past payment behaviours, companies can automatically match and clear bank statement items,听听and accelerating payment cycles.

Another high-impact tool is AI-assisted cost centre analysis. 鈥淚nstead of manually wading through complex reports, finance teams can use generative AI to instantly summarise data, highlight KPIs, and recommend next steps,听听and freeing up analysts to focus on strategic insights,鈥� says Pillay.

2 Smarter hiring and better talent fit

AI is transforming HR from a reactive cost centre into a strategic function. Nearly 70% of South African HR teams听听to streamline recruitment, performance reviews, and workforce planning, delivering up to 35% process efficiency gains.

鈥淥ne practical use case gaining widespread adoption is AI-powered applicant screening, where machine learning scans CVs to match applicant skills with job requirements. This听听and speeds up hiring for hard-to-fill roles.鈥�

Pillay points to AI-generated job descriptions as another time-saving tool. 鈥淗R professionals input a few keywords and receive polished, bias-reducing job listings in seconds, helping improve candidate fit and听.鈥�

3 Scaling service and sales excellence

South African telecoms, ecommerce platforms and financial institutions are seeing measurable gains from AI-powered customer service.

鈥淭ools like chatbots and virtual assistants now handle routine queries with 24/7 availability, cutting service costs and improving customer satisfaction,鈥� explains Pillay. 鈥淲here a human touch is still needed, AI is helping agents generate case summaries, allowing them to respond faster by compiling email threads and communications into a single, easy-to-read brief. This can听听and improve first-contact resolution by 10%.鈥�

In field service, AI-driven equipment insights give technicians a clear picture of past service activity, parts used, and common failure patterns, resulting in 65% higher productivity and a 5% bump in first-time fix rates,听.

4 Streamlined sourcing and planning

Procurement teams face mounting complexity as they juggle supply risk, regulatory compliance, and shifting market dynamics. According to Pillay, AI is easing this burden by automating strategic sourcing tasks and offering real-time decision support.

鈥淎I tools have become indispensable to category planning efforts,听. This is helping managers move 90% faster and make more informed and proactive decisions.鈥�

Another valuable application is automated statement-of-work (SOW) generation. With minimal inputs,听, slashing processing time by 71% and improving project alignment by providing clearer briefs to suppliers.

5 Improved customer engagement and inventory management

AI鈥檚 value in marketing is growing fast, especially in segmenting audiences and triggering personalised campaigns. South African firms are tapping into predictive tools to boost engagement and pre-empt churn.

鈥淲ith AI-powered audience segmentation, marketers can automatically group customers based on predicted behaviours such as likelihood to convert or churn, driving higher rates of engagement and more relevant, timely outreach,鈥� says Pillay.

In back-office support, AI-generated sales orders now听, cutting manual effort, speeding up processing, and reducing errors by 25%.

鈥淎s embedded AI matures and business systems become more intelligent, these use cases will continue to expand, driving a new era of productivity, insight, and competitive advantage across every function,鈥� says Pillay.

This article first appeared here:

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Companies across sectors are racing to embed AI into operations, but proving return on investment (ROI) remains a key hurdle.

While 84% of businesses investing in AI听, only a fraction have achieved sustained value at scale. For South African executives navigating budget constraints and talent shortages, the question is not 鈥渟hould we invest in AI?鈥� but 鈥渉ow can we prove it works?鈥�

According to Dumi Moyo, marketing director for Africa at 麻豆原创, there鈥檚 good news: AI doesn鈥檛 have to be a leap of faith.

鈥淲ith the right strategy and the right tools, AI deployments deliver measurable ROI quickly across a range of business functions. One of the most effective ways to get there is by embedding AI directly into business applications, avoiding costly integrations and accelerating time-to-value.鈥�

Embedded AI upends traditional implementations. Instead of requiring custom data pipelines, standalone platforms, and complex integrations, embedded AI delivers intelligence directly into the flow of work.

鈥淎 native approach means faster deployment, less disruption, and clearer outcomes,鈥� says Moyo. 鈥淔or example, 麻豆原创 has built more than 295 AI-powered scenarios into business applications that span supply chain, procurement, finance, customer experience and HR, empowering business users to complete navigational and transactional tasks up to 90% faster.鈥�

听Strategy for AI ROI

A recent study of 1600 businesses in eight countries听听found that businesses investing in AI expect on average a 16% ROI in 2025, nearly doubling to 31% in 2027.

Moyo says businesses typically have high expectations of the ROI they will receive from AI projects, with nearly half of global companies expecting AI initiatives to deliver positive ROI faster than other investments.

鈥淚t is critical that organisations align their AI projects with the key pillars of cost savings, decision time, risk and revenue. By prioritising embedded AI, companies can secure significant ROI while unlocking听 broader innovation benefits across the organisation.鈥�

He shares insights into how AI initiatives built on four key pillars can show provable, measurable return-on-investment for organisations:

听Pillar 1: Reduce manual effort and waste to drive cost savings

Cost reduction is often the first benefit that organisations receive from AI investments. 鈥淎I allows teams to redirect hours toward higher-value work by automating repetitive and rule-based tasks,鈥� says Moyo. 鈥溌槎乖� data shows that companies achieve up to 20% operational cost reduction in key functions like accounts payable and HR through effective AI deployments.鈥�

In procurement functions, organisations are cutting administrative workload and improving sourcing outcomes by automating statements of work (SOWs) and supplier research, while in finance, AI accelerates reconciliations, optimises cash collections, and automates journal entries, thereby reducing close cycles and improving liquidity.

鈥淎 good approach here is to quantify the time saved across manual processes and to calculate the cost of labour hours that have been freed up and reinvested into more strategic work thanks to AI,鈥� says Moyo.

听Pillar 2: Improve decision time for faster insight and action

AI tends to thrive when speed and accuracy matter most. By analysing large datasets, surfacing trends, and recommending next steps, AI shortens the gap between information and action.

鈥淒ata shows that embedded AI improves forecasting and demand planning in the supply chain, resulting in less downtime and a 25% productivity bump for planners,鈥� says Moyo.

Organisations are also using generative AI to accelerate their hiring processes and producing job descriptions and candidate rankings in real-time. Finance also benefits from AI-generated insights that help CFOs and analysts make faster, more confident decisions using cleaner data.

鈥淥rganisations should measure reductions in cycle times, from planning to resolution, and link them to improved responsiveness or reduced delays,鈥� says Moyo. 鈥淭his provides a clear path to ROI and its impact on core business performance.鈥�

听Pillar 3: Reduce risk through better controls and compliance

In a volatile business climate, organisations typically seek greater risk mitigation across their operations. According to Moyo, AI plays a growing role here.

鈥淎I embedded into core business processes can flag anomalies, detect fraud patterns, and monitor compliance thresholds in real time. AI agents are increasingly being used in risk reduction, for example by scanning procurement data for irregularities and highlighting non-compliant purchases.鈥�

AI agents such as 麻豆原创鈥檚 Joule can also bolster procurement processes by suggesting suppliers with stronger reputations, and support finance teams by reducing bad debt write-offs through improved collection strategies. In HR, AI-driven insights reduce legal risk by providing bias-aware hiring recommendations and fairer performance reviews.

鈥淭o quantify the benefits that AI brings to risk reduction, companies should track aspects such as risk events avoided, compliance costs reduced, or error rates minimised,鈥� says Moyo.

听Pillar 4: Grow revenue through personalisation and conversion

According to Moyo, organisations should look beyond back-office efficiency to maximise AI value. 鈥淎 smart AI strategy will consider front-end growth by prioritising customer experiences. For example, AI fuels personalisation by recommending products, predicting churn, and guiding service agents with next-best actions to enhance customer satisfaction and drive retention.鈥�

Organisations that embed AI into their core business processes can connect sales, service and marketing data to build richer customer profiles, increase upsell success and reduce attrition. Organisations also accelerate their campaign rollouts through AI-powered content generation, while smart selling tools shorten deal cycles and increase the average basket size.

鈥淭his results in higher revenue per customer interaction, as well as more predictable sales pipelines,鈥� says Moyo. 鈥淗ere, ROI is readily quantified through tracking lead conversion rates, customer churn, and average order value.鈥�

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The 麻豆原创 Young Professionals Program is a free initiative delivered by the Digital Skills Center of 麻豆原创. The program, which lasts for 2 months, is designed to give recent graduates the certifications and soft skills required to begin a career as an 麻豆原创 Associate Consultant. At the end of the training, 麻豆原创 will work very closely with the program graduates to introduce them to a host of opportunities with 麻豆原创 customers and partners to work as an 麻豆原创 Consultant.

麻豆原创 Consultants

The role of an 麻豆原创 Consultant can be divided into two functions: Functional and Technical.

The consultant will contribute to blueprinting, design, implementation, operation, optimization, and upgrade phase of a S/4 HANA project, and provide business process as well as functional expertise, and project guidance to our clients to ensure their investment in 麻豆原创 software and consulting services will make their business the best run business.

The Consultant is also responsible for maintaining a high degree of customer satisfaction in each of their accounts in addition to growing and developing referenceable customers through their investigation, analysis, consulting, coaching, knowledge transfer, and relationship-building efforts.

Certificate Information

麻豆原创鈥檚 End-to-End (E2E) Business Processes听represent the complete journey of a business function, ensuring seamless interaction between different departments without fragmentation. These processes integrate sales, supply chain, finance, procurement, and HR into one continuous and intelligent workflow鈥攅liminating data silos, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks.

How You Benefit

• Start your journey to become an 麻豆原创 Consultant;
• Gain globally-recognised associate-level 麻豆原创 Certifications;
• Learn directly from 麻豆原创 experts;
• Experience classroom and workshop-based training in 麻豆原创 Technologies;
• Develop the soft skills needed to prepare you for successful job applications;
• Benefit from introductions to job opportunities within the 麻豆原创 Ecosystem to help secure a position after the training. Please note this program does not guarantee you a job at the end of it.

What We Require From a Candidate

• Candidates must have the legal right to work in Botswana.
• Candidates must be currently unemployed or employed in a part time/non-permanent role not related to career aspirations;
• Candidates must be educated to at least Bachelor level in a field related听to听Business Administration / Management Information Systems / Engineering /听Data Science / AI
• Candidates will preferably have graduated within the last 3 years with a GPA in the top quartile 鈥� proof of this may be requested.
• Candidates must have a keen interest in starting an 麻豆原创-related career involving travel;
• Candidates should be fluent in English, both written and spoken;
• The program will commence by 12 February 2026听and full-time availability from 9am 鈥� 6pm from听Monday – Friday听throughout the training period is essential. The Program will last for 2 months.
• This training will take place online in a virtual live classroom format. Please ensure you have strong enough internet at home to be able to participate in this program.

Please share an English version of your resume while applying for this program.

Bring out your best

麻豆原创 innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, 麻豆原创 has evolved to become a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At 麻豆原创, you can bring out your best.

We win with inclusion

麻豆原创鈥檚 culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone 鈥� regardless of background 鈥� feels included and can run at their best. At 麻豆原创, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.

麻豆原创 is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with 麻豆原创 and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.

For 麻豆原创 employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the听, according to the eligibility rules set in the 麻豆原创 Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity,听 gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.

Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

AI Usage in the Recruitment Process

For information on the responsible use of AI in our recruitment process, please refer to our听.

Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

Requisition ID: 444820 听| Work Area: Education and Training 听| Expected Travel: 0 – 10% 听| Career Status: Graduate 听| Employment Type: Limited Full Time 听听| Additional Locations: 听#LI-Hybrid

Job Segment:听ERP, 麻豆原创, Compliance, Cloud, Supply Chain, Technology, Legal, Operations

For more information on how to apply, .

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The era of digitisation is giving way to something more profound: the Autonomous Enterprise听鈥撎�a business that can sense change, make decisions and act with minimal human intervention, all while empowering people to pursue revenue-driving strategic activities.

Autonomous operations are already being deployed across finance, supply chain, human resources, an in Industries like Energy, Retail and Manufacturing. In 2026, they will separate the most resilient and profitable businesses from the rest.

An Autonomous Enterprise goes beyond automating individual tasks by integrating autonomous ERP, business AI and clean data into the core of business operations. More than 50% of business processes run independently, and up to 80% of operational work is automated or AI-augmented.

This is made possible through AI embedded within enterprise resource planning processes, from finance and procurement, to supply chain and HR systems, that understand context and act autonomously. Self-optimising systems that learn, improve and adapt in real time, are matched to clean-core ERP architecture to give organisations simplified, cloud-based systems that drive profitability, reduce risk and enhance decision-making.

Crucially, autonomy does not remove humans: it redefines and empower their work. Employees move from managing repetitive processes to supervising intelligent systems, making strategic decisions and creating new value throughout the business.

2026 鈥榓 tipping point鈥�

The year ahead will be critical for organisations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In Europe, business leaders face an ageing workforce, complex supply chains, regulatory pressure, and the push for sustainability and data sovereignty. Middle Eastern nations are already deploying national AI strategies and sovereign cloud infrastructure as part of a rapid diversification from the energy sector. And despite inflation and debt pressures, a world鈥檚 fastest-growing digital economy and most youthful workforce are emerging in Africa.

While the challenges in each region are unique, at their core every organisation is seeking the same capabilities: faster decision-making, greater profitability, improved resilience, and sustainability at scale.

Businesses that fail to build these capabilities, and instead rely on manual processes, disconnected systems and spreadsheets, face growing risks: slower reaction time, shrinking margins, and higher operational costs.

This is why the business opportunity for Autonomous Enterprises is significant. The global Autonomous Enterprise market is expected to grow from听, and adoption is accelerating across EMEA.

听Global partner for business transformation

While I can see the scale of the challenge businesses face to transform into autonomous enterprises, I am equally excited at bringing 麻豆原创鈥檚 strengths in this arena to bear. Through our flagship 鈥� now more accessible than ever thanks to the RISE with 麻豆原创 initiative 鈥� we equip businesses with modern, clean core ERP systems that are upgrade-safe and AI ready.

, 麻豆原创鈥檚 generative AI copilot now supports 11 languages and features more than 400 embedded AI use cases across 26 industries, while the enables extensibility, data orchestration and clean core innovation for the world鈥檚 most critical industries.

My advice, to leaders seeking throughout the region to build Autonomous Enterprises, is to start modernising the core and fix the data foundation for AI-driven innovation. Remember that technology is only part of the story, and that the strategy, people and partners that businesses choose are as important to building a truly connected Autonomous Enterprise.

Focus then on automating processes that protect revenue, improve cashflow or unlock capacity first, and take care to prepare people by prioritising reskilling and upskilling. Finally, collaborate with technology partners that act more as advisors than vendors, and who can guide the process of redesigning core business processes for the AI era. True transformation happens when businesses combine intelligent systems with visionary leadership, skilled people and trusted partnerships.

In 2026, the most successful companies will go beyond digital transformation to achieve faster decision-making, greater operational certainty, and the ability to unlock new forms of growth and innovation.

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