It's a privilege having Rob Enslin, President of SAP North America as my guest on the BizTech Review -- even more special since this is our first video webcast. The interview with Rob will appear in a series of video clips.
SAP is one of the most influential and respected companies in the IT field. Many companies -- ranging from small to huge -- depend daily on SAP products to literally run their business. So, it is with great interest that we listen to Rob Enslin's thoughts and vision about IT, CIOs and where the industry is heading.
As you will quickly realize from the video, it was quite enjoyable chatting with Rob as he shared his views about the past and future of enterprise computing -- from the history of ERP systems to a portrait of the CIO of the future. He tells the story of how IT came to be so critical to the modern enterprise and offers his vision of the future and what it will demand -- not just of technology, but from Information Technology leaders. So, besides some solid history, Rob paints a thought-provoking picture of what's coming next for those of us in IT.
More than just a producer of software, the management and employees of SAP see their company as a citizen of the communities in which they operate. They've made serious commitments about operating as a green and sustainable enterprise. But beyond talk and commitments, SAP has invested significant capital creating a home for their company here is in the U.S. that is consistent with their values. They are justifiably proud of their Platinum LEED Certified corporate campus, located in the bucolic rolling hills just south of Philadelphia. Both beautiful and wonderfully energy efficient, this is simply a terrific place to work. After Rob and I recorded our conversation I was treated to a guided tour of the campus. We were able to get some video of this innovative corporate showcase and some of it's unique design features. We'll try to put together a few minutes of video of the campus at the conclusion of the interview segments, so you can see for yourself.
So, thanks for joining us in the conversation with Rob Enslin and our first video outing -- I hope you enjoy it!
Regards,
Roger Green, Contributing Editor
BIO: Robert Enslin
Rob Enslin is president of SAP North America, responsible for all of SAP's business operations in this region. He reports to Bill McDermott, member of the SAP Executive Board and president of Global Field Operations (GFO).
Previously, Rob was chief operating officer (COO) and executive vice president of Fast Growth Markets for GFO. In this position, Rob was responsible for developing operations in India, Turkey, Brazil, China, and other emerging-market countries.
Prior to this appointment, Rob held the position of COO of SAP North America while also serving as interim president and CEO for SAP Latin America. Before joining the North America executive management team, Rob managed SAP's largest subsidiary in Asia, serving as the president and CEO of SAP Japan Co., Ltd. for two-and-a-half years.
Rob has been with SAP for 16 years. He began his career with the company by helping to build a significant SAP presence in South Africa. He held numerous roles in consulting, sales, and solutions management before transferring to SAP America in 1997. There, he served as senior vice president and general manager of the northeast region, responsible for leading SAP America's largest region in sales. He was also the senior vice president of the manufacturing sector for the region. In addition, Rob built the SAP account management program for SAP America through the Global Alliance Account program, which consisted of SAP's 50 largest customers.
Before joining SAP, Rob spent 11 years in various roles in the IT industry. Rob graduated from the University of South Africa with a degree in accounting.
BIO: Roger Green—Seasoned Practitioner, Tech Visionary and Trusted Advisor in Business Strategy, Information Technology and New Media.
Roger a former CIO, CTO and COO, started podcasting in 2005 with “The Cullinane & Green Report”—the first podcast focusing on the intersection of business development and technology. Roger splits his time between San Diego and Philadelphia, enjoys photography and hiking, and holds a couple of patents in data warehousing. Although continuously connected to technology Roger claims he could log-off anytime he wants.
