HONG KONG, Aug. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The pandemic-induced shift to cloud infrastructure has not only helped Hong Kong businesses overcome the current crisis, but also accelerated digital transformation to dramatically improve resilience and agility and set up future success, SAP Hong Kong Managing Director Fabian Padilla Crisol said earlier at a forum held by SAP Hong Kong.
"Every business today is operating in a world that is very different than it was just 18 months ago, and digital transformation is now crucial for survival. For companies that are already on a transformation journey, this is the perfect time to go further to capture opportunities and run at their best," Mr. Padilla Crisol said at SAP SAPPHIRE NOW 2021 in Hong Kong. "That's why we are increasingly seeing customers moving operations to the cloud as a priority to safeguard their wellbeing for the long term."
Hosting the forum, Mr. Padilla Crisol asked leaders from some of the world's largest technology providers for their insights into the drivers and consequences of digital acceleration for local companies. They commended Hong Kong business executives for ramping up digital transformation when anti-pandemic measures slowed other business activity. Many local leaders adopted a growth mindset and embraced transformation as an opportunity to gain competitive advantage and market share.
Grasping new opportunities
Transitioning to the cloud enabled companies that previously only served Hong Kong or the Greater Bay Area to begin offering products and services globally. It also allowed them to further support this scalability with analytics that draw on the processing power of the cloud and artificial intelligence.
Remote working is a key area of innovation. Microsoft's recently released 2021 Work Trend Index found that two-thirds of companies worldwide are preparing for a hybrid model of working, with a similar proportion of employees embracing the remote work concept.
"Hybrid work is here to stay. We need to ensure everyone can perform real work anywhere, anytime. This means going beyond the basic functionality of email and video conferencing to migrate business operations to the cloud, such as contract signing, finance procedures and HR operations. Most importantly, companies need to protect their own data, employees and customers against cyberattack while ensuring their remote operations are compliant to various legal jurisdictions. Cloud provides more agility, scalability and security to companies than traditional on-premise alternatives," Cally Chan, General Manager, Microsoft Hong Kong and Macau said. "Businesses that move their processes to the cloud and apply analytical and business intelligence tools are set for better future success."
Recalibrating mindset
Now companies know they must digitize to survive, a growth mindset is the most important thing they need, observed Olivier Klein, Chief Technologist, Asia Pacific, Amazon Web Services.
"There is no stasis; things are constantly changing and you have to set up your company and the technology around it so you can remain agile," Mr Klein said. "Once you start, there is always a way to quickly learn and experiment and better your business."
Making a choice
Likewise, the pandemic created an added sense of urgency for companies slowed down in digital transformation due to confusion about what technology to choose. Forced to adapt, companies are choosing the cloud to deliver robust, resilient and secure infrastructure and scalable intelligent tools.
"Time has long been the enemy of enterprises; the pandemic simply made change even more urgent," said Ronnie Sung, Managing Director, DynaSys Solutions. "When company decision makers are facing 'too many choices', we advise them to select an experienced technology partner that has certified support teams on a range of solutions and features, and that shares clear product roadmaps. To navigate the transformation, we recommend integrated solutions, a strong IT strategy and partners that help you stay with the journey long term."
He added that a major benefit of the cloud is that it gives every company access to all of the latest and most innovative tools and technologies, leveling the playing field. Rather than building a data center or analytics application inhouse, companies can focus on their core business.
Evolving at speed
Good news for companies already undergoing digital transformation is that they are seeing benefits already. According to Wing Lee, Executive Director, IVC Solutions, this encourages business leaders to finetune their solutions, clarify their digital roadmap and seek out new digital tools to support their business.
"Before the pandemic, many companies planned to transform gradually. Now, however, most understand that they have to accelerate their efforts and use more digital tools to successfully compete in the new normal environment," he said.
Mr. Lee cites supply chain solutions as an example of this in action. Many businesses have operated complex but stable supply chains for many years without full supply chain visibility. Thanks to pandemic disruption and rising legal and safety requirements, that lack of visibility is now a problem, but one which can be solved through digital data solutions that provide the necessary information in real time.
To watch SAPPHIRE NOW Hong Kong on demand, please go here.
About SAP
SAP's strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world's transaction revenue touches an SAP® system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers' businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want – without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people's lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com/hk.
Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.
© 2021 SAP SE. All rights reserved.
SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices.
Please see our privacy policy here.
