In the November 2026 special supplement on transformation, delivered with Manager Magazin in cooperation with E3 Magazine, I report on how agentic AI changes the economics of SAP systems. The twelve-page cover story is based on measured results at Festo, the KION Group and Haas Automation and on the experience at ZEISS and Fresenius. The original publication, an English translation and links to the online versions in four languages are available on the publication page.
Ceremony with Minister President Dr. Reiner Haseloff
Opening Event of Enterprise Cloud Initiative founded by Google Cloud, Accenture and Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg.
Welcome address by the Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt, Dr. Reiner Haseloff, the scientific head of the cooperation Prof. Dr. Klaus Turowski presented the key points of the initiative.
Welcoming ceremony in a pleasant atmosphere, high-ranked representatives of the cooperation partners joined. This includes Global Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer Prof. Dr. Alexander Zeier and Managing Director Intelligent Platform Services and SAP Business Group ASGR Dirk Appelhoff of Accenture, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy for Germany Eveline Metzen and Partner Manager Achim Ramesohl of Google Cloud as well as Prof. Dr. Klaus Turowski. After a warm welcome speech from the university’s rector, Prof. Dr. Jens Strackeljan.
With cloud platforms in mind as “the next big step”, the initiative targets a variety of endeavors in technological, economic, and scientific terms.
While the Cloud Academy aims to prepare the next generation of workforce for the increasingly urgent need for cloud computing expertise, the network of renowned companies serves to explore promising new research directions and opportunities, such as the use of cloud technologies for event-based retailing, real-time campaign management, near-real-time quality assurance, and fraud detection.
Press release: https://www.ovgu.de/Presse+_+Medien/Pressemitteilungen/PM+2021/November/PM+64_2021-p-118958.html
Photos: CreativeChaos (Dirk Dreschel, Lara Kretzschmar)
Gartner: „The Future of Business Is Composable”
“Composable Enterprise means creating an organization made from interchangeable building blocks” (Gartner)
The idea of composable business operates on four basic principles:
- More speed through discovery
- Greater agility through modularity
- Better leadership through orchestration
- Resilience through autonomy
Accenture has worked on such composable architectures for SAP clients for years and has the leading offering in the market, which has already been applied at many large SAP clients.
Composable technologies are the tools for today and key to use for tomorrow:
- S/4HANA is the new digital core, providing a stable and proven foundation for the enterprise.
- The core is extended by cloud platforms like SAP BTP and, e.g., Google Cloud — These platforms provide all the pieces and connect the capabilities in a very flexible way.
- Google Cloud, for example, is providing truly differentiating capabilities in Security, Automation, Cloud Coupling (Google Cortex) and AI/ML for industry-specific innovation.
- The OVGU, together with Google Cloud and Accenture, offers applied research for a Composable Enterprise architecture incl. SAP cloud coupling and also trainings.
Research collaboration and education initiative between Google Cloud, Accenture, and the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU)
The application of cloud technologies became tremendously important in recent years. More companies since ever are utilizing the great potentials that can be achieved by the cloud. Accenture, Google Cloud and the OVGU are aware of the increasing demands of novel cloud coupling concepts, especially with enterprise software, and also experts that are capable to interact and work with specialized cloud technologies.
Due to this, we are more than happy that we have started a first for Europe approach, the OVGU together with Google Cloud and Accenture, for an applied research of SAP cloud coupling and also trainings.
The newly formed Cloud Academy will take care of the latter and build on existing Cloud competencies with the Business Informatics Chair of Prof. Dr. Klaus Turowski.
Future experts will receive a cloud-focused curriculum and have the option to gain an industry-grade certification. Connected teaching institutions can also leverage this interdisciplinary approach and framework. Apart from that, together with leading applied researchers from the Magdeburg Research Competence Cluster (MRCC) of the Magdeburg University, various research avenues in this initiative will be investigated. This includes, inter alia, the utilization of Google Cloud technologies to facilitate a near-real time precision marketing, combining web-based data streams with SAP data for campaign management and audience selection.
The three partners offer an open, unique exchange platform for industry and science and invite further companies to join this Enterprise Cloud Initiative.
Official press release in English language on EurekAlert and also IDW
Digital Transformation – Extended Collaboration
Whitepaper – 3 Steps for Digital Disruption based on HANA/S4HANA + New Intel Persistent Memory 3DXP
Business Insight at the Speed of Thought – A paradigm shift in data processing that will change your business – Intel Persistent Memory on SAP HANA
UNIVERSITY OF MAGDEBURG APPOINTED DR. ALEXANDER ZEIER AS FIRST HONORARY PROFESSOR AT THE FACULTY OF COMPUTER SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF MAGDEBURG APPOINTED DR. ALEXANDER ZEIER AS HONORARY PROFESSOR
Students will learn about promising In-Memory Technology
Dr. Alexander Zeier held his inaugural lecture on June 26th, 2013 as first honorary professor at the Faculty of Computer Sciences at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. He will teach in-memory technology and applications.
In-memory technology manages and organizes huge data bases, and enables companies to analyze large amounts of data and thus react in real time. Production, distribution, shipping and product sales create large amounts of data, which can be stored in data bases. Going forward all relevant questions such as “what was shipped when and where to whom“ can be answered and displayed on mobile devices in real time by analyzing operational mass data.
With the appointment of Alexander Zeier as a honorary professor, students of computer sciences at the University Magdeburg have the possibility to learn about the latest software developments and to receive a sound education in this field. „We foresee a huge demand for experts with capabilities in this technology and are pleased that the University Magdeburg has recognized this important field of education for their students and will focus on in-memory technology“, said Zeier.
Alexander Zeier
Dr. Alexander Zeier is managing director of in-memory solutions at the global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company Accenture. In this function, he works globally with clients to develop solutions based on in-memory technology. Dr. Zeier has been working with SAP technologies and solutions for over 20 years. He is co-inventor of ten patents filed regarding in-memory technology and applications for enterprise systems, and is co-author of the recently published book, “In-Memory Data Management – Technology and Applications”. During his academic career, Dr. Zeier has published more than 150 technical articles and seven books.
Dr. Zeier received an Dipl-Kfm/MBA from the University of Wuerzburg. He completed his studies in information technology at the Chemnitz University of Technology and gained his Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management Systems at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Dr. Zeier has been a Visiting Professor in Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) focusing on in-memory technology and applications.
German Text Website University Magdeburg
Facebook News University Magdeburg for Appointment Honorary Professor Alexander Zeier
Chinese Edition of In-Memory Data Management/HANA book available now through #1 Elite Univ. Tsinghua
Chinese Edition of the In-Memory Data Management/HANA book by Hasso Plattner and Alexander Zeier, is available now: translated, lincensed and published by Tsinghua University Press, the Press of Tsinghua University, #1 Elite Univ. in China for Business Applications.
Press Release by Accenture – New Exciting Times…
Dr. Alexander Zeier Joins Accenture as Global Lead for In-Memory Solutions
Will Also Serve as Director of Programs for SAP HANA® Within the Accenture Innovation Center for SAP® Solutions
MADRID; November 13, 2012 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) today announced the appointment of Dr. Alexander Zeier as managing director of In-Memory Solutions. In this capacity, Zeier will work with Accenture clients to develop in-memory solutions, provide sales support to global industry teams in leveraging in-memory technology, and provide ongoing thought leadership. He will also serve as director of programs for the SAP HANA® platform within the Accenture Innovation Center for SAP® solutions.
Dr. Zeier has been working with SAP technologies and solutions for over 20 years. Prior to joining Accenture, he was responsible for SAP’s first large in-memory application, and was a pivotal part of the development of SAP HANA, SAP’s platform for real-time analytics and applications. He holds ten patents related to in-memory technology and applications for enterprise systems, and is co-author with Hasso Plattner of the recently published book, “In-Memory Data Management – Technology and Applications.”
“Alexander brings an incredible and unrivaled depth of expertise in the areas of analytics and in-memory technology,” said Christophe Mouille, global managing director of SAP business for Accenture. “Alexander possesses a truly unique understanding of the business value that can be unlocked through the power of in-memory computing. Our clients will benefit from his extensive experience in researching and developing in-memory technology that turns massive amounts of customer data into actionable insights.”
“Accenture has been committed to developing solutions based on in-memory technology for several years, and I am excited to be joining this team to drive further innovations in this important strategic area,” said Zeier. “Companies are relying on transactional and analytical data more than ever. The capabilities enabled by in-memory computing combined with Accenture’s vast industry knowledge will result in better, faster insights and new innovative business processes for our clients.”
Since March 2012, Dr. Zeier has been a Visiting Professor in Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), lecturing and conducting research around innovative enterprise applications and business process optimizations that leverage in-memory technology or SAP HANA. He was also deputy chair, Enterprise Platform and Integration Concepts, at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Germany, focusing on real-time, in-memory enterprise systems and RFID technology.
Dr. Zeier received an MBA from the University of Würzburg. He completed his studies in information technology at the Chemnitz University of Technology and gained his Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management Systems at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 257,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
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