Sapphire US to focus on improving systems for harder times

With the official them being 'See Your Way Clear: Strategies for Success in the New Reality,' SAP says Sapphire will explore how companies "can achieve transparency and efficiency in every area of their operations to be best-run businesses in today's challenging economic environment". Apart from the usual opportunities to learn the latest updates both to SAP systems and SAP Business Objects on the business intelligence side, the SAP and Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) is staging its conference alongside the event – giving an interesting edge of independence. Keynotes this year will be from: Léo Apotheker, co-CEO of SAP; SAP board member Jim Hagemann Snabe; Bill McDermott, director of global field operations; and Hasso Plattner, SAP co-founder and chairman. It's all the usual stuff: focusing on how technology enables companies to derive increased insights, visibility and value – both in terms of their own operations and those of partner networks. Beyond the keynotes, there are also a staggering 660 presentations and training sessions, as well as over 135 interactive demo stations arranged by solution and industry area and 200 exhibiting partners on the conference floors. "This year's Sapphire event brings together SAP customers and partners seeking to maximise IT investments with best practices that can directly impact their businesses," comments Marty Homlish, chief marketing officer at SAP. "The need for organisations to gain clarity in all aspects of their operations is heightened in today's business environment. The focus this year provides attendees the opportunity to address the ways SAP software can facilitate becoming and remaining a best-run business in a challenging economic climate."