Under the insightful leadership of Sindhu Gangadharan, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of SAP Labs India, the organization has charted a clear direction. Gangadharan, who also wears the hat of Head of SAP User Enablement, believes in the transformative power of generative AI. In her perspective, the imminent shift will change the business dynamics, offering organizations new mechanisms to drive efficiency and value.

While several tech giants globally are diving into the AI realm, Gangadharan feels that SAP holds a distinct edge. With its expansive ecosystem, SAP has the breadth and depth to facilitate businesses in harnessing AI effectively. Moreover, SAP Labs India, as one of the largest locations powering the SAP AI unit, remains poised to be the frontrunner. The commitment to doubling the AI talent in India by the following year is a testament to this belief. For businesses, this translates into AI solutions that aren’t just cutting-edge but are also tailored to the unique challenges of diverse industries.

SAP AI: The Bedrock of Modern Business Operations

Artificial Intelligence at SAP goes beyond being a trendy tech term. It signifies a strategic imperative. By embedding AI into its system, SAP provides its users with a tool that works in tandem with them, unveiling deep insights and streamlining operations. These aren’t mere incremental changes but transformative shifts that can redefine the trajectory of businesses.

The secret sauce of SAP AI’s efficiency is its foundational principles. Drawing from rich industry data, SAP AI is fine-tuned with exhaustive business process acumen. This means businesses, whether they operate in finance, procurement, or supply chain, have the power of AI-driven insights at their fingertips.

Crafting Tomorrow: SAP R&D Center’s Holistic AI Ecosystem

Innovation at SAP isn’t limited to its confines. The broader vision encompasses a cohesive ecosystem where in-house developments synergize with external innovations. Central to this is the SAP Business Technology Platform, which acts as a conduit for these collaborations.

A case in point is SAP’s recent alliance with tech behemoth Microsoft. The partnership aims to leverage generative AI to devise tools, a step forward in addressing the talent gaps that businesses often grapple with. On the investment front, Sapphire Ventures, enjoying SAP’s backing, made headlines in July 2023 by allocating a staggering $1 billion USD to AI-centric enterprise technology startups. This initiative is bolstered by SAP’s strategic financial forays into emerging AI giants such as Aleph Alpha, Anthropic, and Cohere.

The roadmap ahead for SAP is rife with promise. The industry awaits, with bated breath, further announcements, spotlighting breakthrough solutions and capabilities. These would be calibrated to tap into AI’s immense potential, reshaping the contours of business operations globally.

The SAP R&D hub in India is not merely prepping for an AI-driven future but is instrumental in molding it. Through internal advancements, strategic partnerships, and visionary leadership, SAP Labs India is ensuring that in the unfolding AI narrative, its clientele remains at the vanguard.

The post SAP R&D Centre in India Spearheads the AI Era in Business appeared first on InsideSAP Asia.

Since the pandemic disrupted the world almost two years ago, SAP has been one of the global companies in the foreground of workplace transformation supporting the survival and success of organisations while ensuring the wellness, health, and safety of the workforce through intelligent technologies and services. Internally, the enterprise software giant has also seamlessly adapted to the new world of work since it has been supportive of a location-agnostic work model for decades now. 

Under the COVID-19 environment, SAP solidified its advocacy on remote working by implementing Pledge to Flex in June, a 100{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} flexible and trust-based global framework where people can work from home, at the office, or remotely to support employees’ productivity and creativity as well as meet business requirements during these dynamic times. Most recently and in addition to the company’s initiatives on hybrid working, the SAP Southeast Asia office in Singapore has been completely redesigned to adapt to today’s new workspace and workforce requirements.

SAP Labs in India Redesigning Workspace

Echoing SAP SEA’s new hybrid workplace design, SAP Labs India, the largest Research and Development center outside SAP’s Germany head office, has also transformed its iconic building BLR01 on the Bangalore campus. In an article written by Sindhu Gangadharan MD, SAP Labs India & SVP, SAP User Enablement, she shared how SAP’s new and the first hybrid office in India covered several key design considerations for a sustainable hybrid workplace that would further enhance the employee experience. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic represents an inflection point that will significantly re-shape the future of work over the next five years – and likely beyond. At SAP Labs India, we are proud to lead this change and eager to learn more to create an employee-centered experience for an inclusive global workforce,” she said.

Open Office Layout

Taking into account the results of SAP’s internal findings that a resounding majority (88{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22}) of its employees spend less than 50{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} of the day at their desks, SAP Labs India’s BLR01 hybrid office now has conferences that are not entirely walled. The office has also covered the remote work collaboration needs with high-tech communication tools.

Collaborative Spaces

The office design is comprised of three primary courtyards that incorporate social spaces and pocket meeting areas that offer flexibility according to employees’ engagement needs.

Health and Wellness Areas

The pandemic has amplified the need for work-life balance as well as health and overall wellness. SAP’s new office design incorporated open fitness areas located around the office to encourage employees to do a quick workout or stretch after long hours of working.

Sustainability Driven

In relation to SAP’s ambitious global goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2023, SAP Labs India currently runs 95{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} of its campus operations, including BLR01, on renewable energy, specifically from green energy sources. The hybrid workspace utilises an onsite solar power grid along with Power over Ethernet (PoE) lighting systems and 70{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} of the company’s fleet is powered by EV. The newly redesigned campus has placed EV charging stations to encourage employees to embed sustainability in their daily activities.

Expressing appreciation for the new hybrid office, Sudhansu Mohanty, DevOps Tech Lead at SAP Labs India, wrote on LinkedIn: 

“An office building like none other. SAP Labs India renovates their oldest building in Bangalore to welcome colleagues to work in a new hybrid model. The office space is almost like a 5-Star resort!!! Amazing SAP!”

The post SAP Labs in India Pioneers Hybrid Workspace in the Country appeared first on InsideSAP Asia.

In a recent interview with YourStory, Sindhu Gangadharan, Senior Vice President and Managing Director at SAP Labs India, talked about the company’s initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic and its outlook in 2021. Initially joining SAP Labs India as a software developer in the late 90s, Gangadharan is now responsible for product development and innovation at the tech giant’s R&D facilities in the country.

Expounding on the company’s operations during the pandemic, Gangadharan stressed that their primary focus is the safety of their employees and at the same time, ensuring business continuity is not impacted in any way. She stated:

“About 77 percent of the world’s transactions touch SAP system, which means the business continuity aspect is something important, and therefore we are completely committed to making sure that the business systems of our customers are always operational.”

As one of the first companies to introduce work-from-home options and rotating schedules for onsite business-critical operations in India, Gangadharan explained that the set-up was not new to the team. Furthermore, with the majority of its staff mandated to work remotely, she said that SAP has equipped them with the necessary tools and has ramped up efforts to keep a positive atmosphere.

“We understand it’s difficult to keep everyone’s spirits high and feel unity when people are working remotely. Hence, we introduced the SAP Come Alive initiative, which offers online fun, wellness, and motivational programs — ranging from Zumba, yoga to virtual music contests,” Gangadharan said.

Leveraging Technology to Combat COVID-19

In the discussion, it has also been said that the Crisis Management Team (CMT) is working around the clock to offer emergency services and arrange essential supplies such as oxygen, ventilators, ICU beds for employees and their families in the wake of the second wave of coronavirus infections in the country. This is on top of pledging to cover the full COVID-19 vaccination cost for their eligible staff and their insured dependents.

Last October 2020, SAP’s COVID-19 relief work in India, particularly in the State of Karnataka, was recognised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). Gangadharan added:

“Our SAP Labs India colleagues are volunteering for the Karnataka State Government’s COVID War Room while also contributing to create applications to help run the war rooms better.”

Leveraging its technological expertise and innovation to provide solutions to help combat the pandemic, Gangadharan also mentioned other initiatives that have been put in place by SAP Labs in India.

“Our teams are also supporting the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) and its 4,500 members by leveraging SAP Jam to build a marketplace for the exchange of COVID resources among member companies. SAP is augmenting the health care system by supporting the construction of make-shift hospitals and by creating additional bed capacity at existing hospitals across locations,” she explained.

2021 Outlook for SAP Labs in India

In a similar interview with Financial Express, Gangadharan also talked about her outlook for SAP Labs India in 2021. She said that despite last year’s turmoil, SAP has successfully navigated the challenging environment and has demonstrated agility with its “solid finish” to 2020.

“Specific to 2021, when I took over as MD of SAP Labs India in the second half of 2019, I had set a four-point goal. To make Labs India location the most innovative place in the SAP Universe, focused on customer centricity, where thought leadership flourishes and employees work in a highly diverse and inclusive environment. Since then, we have made significant progress towards our goal,” she stated.

Moreover, SAP Labs India is well-represented in the local start-up landscape through the SAP Startup Studio, as well as through the SAP Co-Innovation Lab. The SAP Innovation Center Network, which is located in Bangalore, specialises in Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, Edge Computing, and artificial intelligence (AI).

“We contribute to SAP’s success through emerging transformative technologies from our Innovation Centre Network and SAP Startup Studio. Set up in 2016, this first in-house startup accelerator programme of SAP offers support to the onboarded startups through guidance, deep dive, and technology mentoring on SAP technologies,” according to Gangadharan.

The post Sindhu Gangadharan Shares 2021 Outlook for SAP Labs in India appeared first on InsideSAP Asia.

In 2020, SAP has been selected– for the second year in a row– for inclusion in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), which recognizes companies committed to transparency in gender reporting and advancing women’s equality. Through the past decade, the German company has set out gender equality as a core company value and has made it a priority to bring SAP to the forefront of inclusivity in the software space.

Since 2011, SAP has planned to increase women leadership by 25{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} in 2017 and 30 percent by 2022. Six months ahead of the 2017 goal, SAP has achieved the 25{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} increase in women in management and has been on track based on its 2019 numbers (26.4{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22}). Currently, 43{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} of the Intelligent Data & Analytics team and 26{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} of its leadership team are comprised of women – with an increasing trend over the last twelve months.

Diversity and Inclusion in Workplace in India

Sindhu Gangadharan, Senior Vice President and Managing Director at SAP Labs India, is a testament to SAP’s advocacy on equality and inclusivity. An SAP long-timer and as the first woman to lead SAP Labs India, she is breaking the glass ceiling not only in the tech space but most importantly in India where women empowerment has just started to gain momentum. 

Gangadharan started her career in the CRM Middleware space as a young developer in SAP Labs in Bangalore back in 1999 before moving to Walldorf in 2001. Uprooting her family in India and mastering the foreign language, she built her career in Germany for 18 years witnessing the growth and development of SuccessFactors, Fieldglass, Concur, Ariba, the cloud platform, S/4, and Digital Business Services. In her last role in Walldorf, she was involved in driving the Intelligent Enterprise strategy– SAP’s cross-Board initiative and number one strategy.

In 2019, Gangadharan was called for a leadership role back in SAP Labs India as Managing Director to replace another SAP veteran Dilipkumar Khandelwal. Sharing about her appointment, she said:

“When I first came back to Bangalore, I spent a lot of time just talking to as many people as I could. Clusters, individuals, experts, different age groups, men, women, young joinees who’ve been here only a few months, senior leadership teams. What’s absolutely unique is the fact that here we have an equal distribution of development that goes across SAP’s product portfolio. If you go to Vancouver, it’s analytics. If you go to Palo Alto, you have significant chunks of technology and parts of S/4. Or if you go to Israel, it’s technology. In Bulgaria, it’s Java development. But here, I was like, wow! Every single element of the Intelligent Enterprise is all here in Bangalore.”

“I’m grateful to the mentors who guided and shaped my career. Now, one of the huge opportunities in my present role is to give back. I think this is the beauty of SAP. If you can really help influence people’s lives in a positive way, both inside and outside this company, we really can live up to our sense of purpose and our promise to make the world run better. There is so much that we do as a company, and that is a big part of what drives me,” she stressed.

Supporting Women in Data Science

As part of SAP’s diversity and inclusion in workplace initiative, the software enterprise acknowledges the need to increase the number of women in the data science field, especially that the company has the capacity to bring in and hone talents across its massive global presence. Since 2016, SAP has been a trusted collaborator and sponsor of Stanford University’s Women in Data Science (WiDS) initiative supporting WiDs mission “to inspire and educate data scientists worldwide, regardless of gender, and to support women in the field.”

On March 8, the WiDS Worldwide Conference kicks off in line with the celebration of International Women’s Day to shine a spotlight on incredible female data scientists working on innovative technology across business, academia, government, and nonprofits. SAP will virtually host the NYC regional session to bring together data-driven business professionals, students, and aspiring data scientists to explore “The Path to Data Science Leadership”. Furthermore, the “WiDS @ SAP” regional series on SAP Purpose Network Live will run throughout the year in North Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

Dr. Katharina Schäfer, Global Head of SAP University Alliances, said:

“It is great to see how many amazing and inspiring women this event brings together from all over the world. Female role models are crucial in fostering female leadership in the field of data science. They show the next generation what is possible to achieve, and that is very powerful. 

I’m excited to see Karina Edmonds, a globally recognized visionary leader in the field of innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization, represent SAP at the WiDS Worldwide Conference, where she will share how data science education can effectively empower future leaders to tackle big global and environmental challenges.”

The post SAP Champions Diversity and Inclusion in Workplace appeared first on InsideSAP Asia.