Digital transformation is no longer optional, says the president of SAP in Brazil

Executive Adriana Arroulho spoke on the second day of Aberje Trends – Communication Trends

There are several things that companies need to do to remain competitive. But to learn and absorb new technologies, it is essential to look at the business itself. Technology only makes sense if it is aligned with the company’s purpose. “It is not technology for technology. But what it enables,” said Adriana Arroulho, president of SAP in Brazil, in an interview held on the second day of Aberje Trends – one of the most significant events on the main trends in corporate communication in Brazil, promoted by the Brazilian Association for Business Communication – Aberje .

In an interview with journalist Roberto D’Avila, the executive said she took charge of the operation in Brazil of SAP – the world leader in business management software – amid the coronavirus pandemic in August 2020. There are more than 1,200 employees in the São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro offices. “From a business results point of view, 2020 was a solid year for SAP as companies really relied on technology to cope. And our strategy is to help other companies become more intelligent. A smart company is resilient, growing with sustainability, scalability, security, governance; it is a digital company, but people transform it.”

Arroulho stresses that when a company optimizes processes, it opens space for intellectual capital to emerging. “Artificial Intelligence brings a lot of automation and a series of operational gains, of efficiency for organizations, but the big ideas are from people. Digital transformation is no longer optional; it is a journey to remain competitive, current and better serve your customer, take better care of your employees, and manage this ecosystem accelerated by the pandemic. Technology is an enabler, but it does not replace the human ”.

For Adriana Arroulho, technology and innovation are always hand in hand with innovation and diversity. “Innovation calls for a different ‘thinking,’ so innovation and diversity are super aligned,” she said, also mentioning issues of gender equity and generations. “We appreciate the theme of diversity. We have commitments at all levels, globally and here in Brazil. We are expanding our activity in diversity, with a program for our partners that resell and implement our solutions. This is a time when we need to exercise empathy and take care of our people,” she said.

Among the communication actions, the cultural transformation was essential to open up the digital universe. “Even we who are a technology company did not have this culture of cameras, meetings, and virtual conferences. In the crisis committee, the area of communication was fundamental, as we often did not have answers, it was necessary to find a format that was light, didactic and that maintained the engagement of people ”, he said.