Thank you, Austin. ?Hola, Barcelona!
Celebrating 3 Trillion Reasons to Help the World Spend Better
Earlier this month our customers and partners came together at SAP Ariba Live, the SAP Fieldglass Summit and the inaugural Digital Supplier Summit in Austin, Texas. I have had some time to reflect on the inspiring and exciting week we all had. We talked a lot about digital networks and the insights made possible by Intelligent Spend Management and how enterprises are poised to drive growth, reinforce purpose, and align with truly honorable goals in the marketplace. When buyers and suppliers have the critical visibility to manage what, how and where they spend, the results can drive positive change socially, economically, and globally. There are truly #3TrillionReasons to spend better. Why 3 trillion? Through SAP Ariba alone, buyers and suppliers transact $3 trillion in commerce annually.
From April 1-3, SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass were privileged to host more than 3,900 attendees, including not only customers and partners but media, analysts and influencers as well. I enjoyed seeing many new faces, but I also enjoyed reconnecting with quite a few familiar ones. Collectively, they shared ideas, reviewed best practices, attended over 150 breakout sessions, and dipped more than a little barbecue sauce.
For procurement leaders seeking a comprehensive view of their organizations’ spend, the convergence of SAP Ariba’s and SAP Fieldglass’ marquee customer events provided a watershed opportunity to explore the latest digital technologies and strategies for optimizing visibility across the procurement of goods and contingency services. The events also provided a backdrop for SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass to showcase how they are #BetterTogether as a newly combined organization.
Kicking things off on April 1, SAP Ariba welcomed a standing-room-only crowd to its first-ever Sustainability Summit, hosted by Senior Vice President and General Manager Pat McCarthy. At the Summit, Pat and our customers demonstrated how the very same digital platform that enables procurement leaders to size up their spend also permits them to gauge the ethical, sustainable business practices of their trading partners — and to align their operations with the brand values affirmed by customers, shareholders and employees. In addition, attendees had the chance to hear from keynote speaker Sue Allchurch, the chief of outreach and engagement for the United Nations Global Compact, whose 17 Sustainable Development Goals SAP Ariba is working to advance. The event’s overflow attendance was a testament to the priority that procurement leaders increasingly place on sustainable growth and measure progress toward that goal.
For me, a personal highlight of SAP Ariba Live was the honor of moderating our annual Diversity and Leadership Forum. The hourlong luncheon, which drew 500 attendees, featured as guest speakers the noted authors Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith as well as SAP’s very own chief diversity and inclusion officer, Judith Michelle Williams. Their amazing presentations challenged us all to think anew about building an inclusive culture within our organizations, encouraging and amplifying diverse voices, and leading with empathy across boundaries real and perceived.
Another favorite moment was the chance to introduce Simon Sinek, our keynote speaker for SAP Ariba Live’s general session. Sinek, the author of five books exploring meaning and motivation, inspired the audience (and me!) with his message on how gratitude, optimism and passion play a vital role in shaping effective leaders and cohesive organizations. His observations rang especially true for an industry built on digital networks, where connectedness is prerequisite to success.
Did you miss the excitement in Austin? Not to worry, because you can watch replays here. In addition, we’re bringing SAP Ariba Live to Barcelona from June 4-6! Join us as SAP Ariba, SAP Fieldglass, and our customers and partners gather together to present a vision for how enterprises can unleash value through collaboration, connected commerce and Intelligent Spend Management. Register today at the early-bird rate!