UKISUG Connect: Keynote Takeaways - Part 1

Are you interested in finding out what was discussed at UKISUG Connect 2025? In the first of our series of post-Connect blogs we look at the keynotes given by Conor Riordan, UKISUG Chair, Leila Romane, SAP UK&I Managing Director and Paul Clements, Chief Business Officer, SAP UK&I.

 

In his keynote, Conor discussed the crossroads many organisations have now arrived at when it comes to their current SAP environments. Today, half of UKISUG members are now on S/4HANA, with more embarking on their S/4HANA journey. However, there are still large numbers of organisations that need to navigate critical end-of-life milestones over the next two years. The message to delegates was act now and ensure you develop a clear migration roadmap or a viable long-term support strategy for ECC 6.0.

 

To read more about specific maintenance deadlines, check out our latest blog.

 

Unsurprisingly, AI adoption was also a big topic of conversation. In his keynote, Conor noted that although the excitement around AI is justified, organisations must manage expectations.

 

He stressed that technology is not the main barrier to progress. Instead, the real challenge is the lack of unified business processes underpinned by well-governed data models. Three-quarters of UKISUG members believe technology partners and systems integrators are overselling the benefits and potential use cases of AI, while downplaying the complexities involved in implementation.

 

Here Conor also underlined the importance of use cases that are environmentally sustainable, credible and deliver value. He highlighted the need for “free to use” tools that help organisations govern and standardise their processes and data more effectively. Ultimately, AI journeys will be a marathon rather than a sprint, so the success of AI will rely on the entire SAP ecosystem working together to drive meaningful progress.

 

 

Leila shared the success of the SAP Business AI programme, which has now identified over 400 use cases - this is twice as many as last year. These expanded use cases are an opportunity for UKISUG members to see demonstrable value from AI, and Leila encouraged organisations to continue collaborating with SAP to translate AI projects into business outcomes.

 

We also heard from Paul Clements, who addressed some of the data-related challenges facing organisations today. Bad data has a harmful effect on business productivity, with SAP’s research finding that organisations spent 80% of their time managing apps and data, with only 20% set aside for creating value.

 

Paul highlighted the need for context-rich, trustworthy data to power AI tools, with SAP research showing that 73% of its customers still see incomplete data as a major issue. Without well-managed data, organisations will be unable to successfully use AI. He called on member organisations to lean on SAP where needed to resolve these challenges, using the available resources and skills to drive improvements.

 

Ultimately, enterprise AI is still at the starting line. Expectations are high and implementations are difficult, especially when operating at speed. The easiest way to make a success of AI is to use our community, share stories and stay connected.

 

For more reflection on the keynotes, look out for our next episode of SUGTalks where we speak with Cliff Saran, Technology Editor at Computer Weekly and Gerren Mayne, host of SAPCHAT.

 

Keep an eye on our blog for further recaps from Connect – and be sure to pick up your tickets for next year’s conference.

 

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 Summary of Our Monday Keynotes: