SAP NOW AI Tour: Applications: AI-Powered Transformation: Unifying CXO Priorities for Smarter Finance & Spend Management

At the SAP NOW AI Tour ANZ, finance and technology leaders from La Trobe University, Invetech, and SAP came together in a panel on AI-Powered Transformation: Unifying CXO Priorities for Smarter Finance & Spend Management. Moderated by Vishal Gupta, the conversation featured Shainal Kavar, Janet O’Meara, and Santina Franchi, who shared their experiences implementing SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud. They highlighted that successful cloud ERP adoption must be business-led, anchored in standard SaaS processes rather than heavy customisation, and supported by a strong partner ecosystem. Speakers pointed to the speed and agility of public cloud deployments—Invetech went live in 26 weeks and La Trobe in just 10 months—as proof of the model’s effectiveness.A central theme was SAP’s embedded AI, which provides confidence, semantic data understanding, and process knowledge to drive transformation. The panel also explored how AI is reshaping finance operations by improving forecasting, planning, and decision-making while automating routine tasks. Finally, the need for robust AI governance and ethics was underscored, with clear policies essential for ensuring compliance and trust when handling sensitive data.