NEWSROOM

With over 500 executives in attendance, SAP brought together business leaders to explore AI-powered transformation, cloud strategy, and industry-specific innovation across Turkey’s digital economy.

Istanbul – Global enterprise software leader SAP convened more than 500 executives from various sectors in Istanbul for its Business Unleashed Innovation Day, a one-day event focused on cloud transformation and AI-powered business solutions. Companies using SAP’s cloud-based technologies shared how innovation is reshaping their operational workflows, setting new standards in Turkey’s digital business ecosystem.

Attendees explored how SAP’s cloud-native platforms are helping organizations secure, optimize, and scale their processes. In the event’s opening session, SAP Türkiye’s Corporate Architect and Solution Manager, Burcu Ün, highlighted the integration of AI into cloud transformation and its growing impact on enterprise efficiency.

“We expect major transformation between 2027 and 2030.”

In his keynote titled “The Journey from Data to Value,” SAP Türkiye Managing Director Uğur Candan emphasized the accelerating adoption of next-gen AI technologies, made possible by cloud platforms. He noted that more than 200 organizations in Turkey already possess the capabilities to transform operations using cloud-based ERP and advanced solutions.

Candan argued that Turkey’s pace of adoption places it ahead of many developed markets, showcasing its early mover status in the adoption of digital transformation. He also underlined that AI-powered systems are now widely used in HR, with thousands of professionals benefiting from enhanced decision-making every day.

He projected a period of rapid digital change between 2027 and 2030, as AI and data systems become more interconnected. Candan stressed that enterprises must increasingly access and utilize data and functions that lie outside their core ERP systems. This, he said, makes ecosystem integration—combining both SAP and non-SAP AI tools—critical. He pointed to SAP’s collaboration with Databricks as a key step in enabling holistic management of data, functions, and modules.

“Business Data Cloud cuts complexity and boosts speed”

Andreas Krause, Head of the SAP BTP EMEA Customer Advisory Group, introduced a new solution in his talk, “A New Era in Data Management with SAP Business Data Cloud.” He described how fragmented data systems pose a challenge for AI implementation, with departments often duplicating data and creating inconsistency. This not only slows down performance but also undermines trust in AI-generated insights.

Krause said the Business Data Cloud addresses these challenges by managing both SAP and non-SAP data semantically, without replication. The platform, built on four key layers—harmonized data, data products, analytical models, and intelligent applications—enables the structured use of data without unnecessary duplication. With the ability to generate analytical insights and dashboards from structured data, the platform significantly reduces data wrangling time by up to 80 percent, while providing a trusted foundation for AI applications.

Havaş: “Our cloud transition was a strategic choice.”

In the “Smart Transformation on the Growth Journey” panel, Havaş CEO Mete Erna shared how the ground services leader transitioned to cloud ERP in partnership with SAP Platinum Partner Detaysoft. Havaş, active at 36 airports across Turkey and abroad, has used SAP since 2004. According to Erna, the company's most recent SAP transformation was driven by the need for performance, flexibility, and future-readiness.

He noted that long-standing SAP users within Havaş played a key role in the migration, leveraging deep institutional knowledge. The shift to SAP S/4HANA enabled greater agility, especially in web-based integration, and aligned with the company’s digitalization and automation goals. Erna emphasized that moving methodically and maintaining internal expertise were key factors in the project’s success.

Eren Retail: “We manage operations in 25 countries.”

At another session, Ahmet Hilmi Ersoy, CIO of Eren Perakende, discussed how the retailer and manufacturer, operating 14 brands in 25 countries, upgraded its ERP system to RISE with SAP. With over 600 stores and a vertically integrated production model, Eren needed a modern, scalable system that aligned with its global expansion goals.

After 17 years on their legacy ERP system, the switch to SAP’s cloud platform was part of a broader strategy to future-proof the company’s digital infrastructure.

SAP Türkiye: “AI is at the heart of enterprise transformation”

Bülent Karal, Deputy General Manager of SAP Türkiye’s Cloud and Business Solutions, underlined that SAP Business AI goes beyond basic automation, enabling real-time collaboration across finance, HR, and supply chains. He stressed that effective AI requires not just algorithms but also reliable data and well-integrated applications.

SAP’s suite of tools—such as SAP Business Suite and SAP Business Data Cloud—brings together all three elements. The company’s AI-powered assistant, SAP Joule, is helping teams adapt faster and make decisions more effectively. Karal noted that this AI-driven synergy is key not only to boosting efficiency but also to maintaining competitive agility and innovation.

Nobel Pharma: “It’s not just a system upgrade—it’s cultural transformation”

During the “Pioneers of the Transformation Wind” panel, Kaan Marangoz, Director of IT and PMO at Nobel İlaç, described how the pharmaceutical firm transitioned to RISE with SAP after 17 years on the previous system. For Nobel, the shift marked not just a digital upgrade but a company-wide cultural shift.

Marangoz explained that Nobel has integrated AI and IoT into manufacturing and data pipelines, and that future phases will focus on predictive analytics and advanced integration. He credited a collaborative, trust-based relationship with NTT DATA Business Solutions for the project's success.

Standard Profil: “We see clear gains in the automotive sector”

Arif Zubaroğlu, IT Director of Standard Profil Group, offered a sector-specific perspective in the “Catching the Future in Automotive” panel, sponsored by Solvia. As a long-time SAP user, the company has recently integrated HANA databases to enhance agility and transitioned to new-generation tools, such as SAP Datasphere.

He noted the platform’s advantages in logistics and production, especially in terms of real-time access and information security. Zubaroğlu concluded that in a highly regulated sector like the automotive industry, RISE with SAP offers compliance advantages that make it a strategic choice.