Kingdom's Top Businesses Set to Showcase Benefits of Cloud Computing and Tech-Driven Innovation at SAP Forum and SUGMENA Conference

SUGMENA Launches Region’s First C-Level Council to Spur Strategic Industry Collaboration

RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia –May 20, 2014 – The Kingdom’s premier businesses are set to demonstrate the benefits of cloud computing and tech-driven innovations at the upcoming SAP Forum and SUGMENA Conference.

At the event, held on 26 May 2014 under the theme of “Innovate Your Future – With the Cloud”, industry experts from SAP, as well as its partners and customers, will demonstrate how businesses can leverage the cloud and other breakthrough technologies such as mobile and real-time big data analytics to shift their focus from managing the IT landscape to growing their business and enhancing ROI.

“As the Kingdom continues to support its knowledge-based economy and entrepreneurs, and as its population drives strong mobile device adoption, enterprises of all sizes are looking to the latest innovations to unlock real-time predictive business insights and true ROI,” said Majed Al Mutairi, President, SUGMENA.

SUGMENA to Launch Region’s First C-Level Council

The SAP User Group – Middle East and North Africa (SUGMENA), is an independent non-profit organization and networking platform comprised of all companies using SAP in the MENA region. SUGMENA is one of 16 members of the SAP User Group – Executive Network (SUGEN), a networking platform that takes SAP’s influence to the global level.

In the Kingdom, SUGMENA will launch the region’s first meeting of the C-Level Council, which facilitates networking exclusively among SUGMENA executive members. SUGMENA will also launch the third MENA region Local Special Interest Group, (Local SIG). This is a forum for customers and SAP to meet, align, collaborate, plan, and define priorities. Customers will receive advance information about local products releases' recent updates, participate in products innovation, and share thoughts and feedback.

“Our C-Level Council and Special Interest Group welcome the region’s senior executives to exchange ideas and benefit from a network addressing SAP’s latest innovations, while also enhancing our membership knowledge sharing, and supporting the next generation of leaders and their business expansion.” said William Khalil, Influence and Liaison Director, SUGMENA.

SAP Forum Leads with Innovation Vision

The SAP Forum and SUGMENA Conference features keynote addresses from a line-up of prominent SAP executives, including Luka Mucic, Head of Global Finance and Member of the Global Managing Board of SAP AG and Ahmed Al Faifi, Managing Director, SAP Saudi Arabia.  There will also be presentations from SAP customers in the Kingdom, including Saudi Airlines.

In addition, there will be keynote addresses from Forum Diamond Partner HP. The Forum also features breakout session on the cloud, featuring SAP experts and executives from Platinum Partners Fujitsu and EMC.

Visitors have a choice of attending  interactive breakout sessions, networking with peers on the show floor, engaging with industry value experts at the various pods, theater  presentations will host a wide range of topics, including data quality, information governance, landscape virtualization, big data, and mobility.

Based at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC), the SAP Forum and SUGMENA Conference will run on 26 May 2014. For more information, visit http://events.sap.com/sa/forum-sugmena-ksa/.