The emergence and evolution of cloud computing have created tremendous opportunities for enterprises across every industry — from cost optimization to product innovation — but naturally, migration to the cloud comes with challenges. These challenges are often amplified when the migration touches on critical operations and processes like those found with old-line services such as SAP. These functions are usually critically important to the smooth and successful functioning of the enterprise: any changes to these fundamental processes carry risks for every area of the business.

Each member of the C-suite has their own areas of interest and concern that need to be addressed in order to ensure the highest outcomes from cloud adoption.

Understandably, each member of the C-suite has his/her own areas of interest and concern that need to be addressed in order to ensure the highest outcomes from cloud adoption.

Taken together, these delineations of responsibility and risk offer a complete view of an enterprise’s needs and serve as a convenient lens to understand how cloud migration can work.

Here’s how the areas of concern breakdown by job function as well as how these executives can gain from switching to cloud:

• Chief Information Officer: The complex task of the CIO encompasses enhanced integration, maximum scalability, operational efficiency, and the ability to populate actionable insight across the enterprise. Public cloud checks all of these boxes.
• IT Director: A whisper-smooth operation is the goal here, and a simplified, three-phase migration approach (i.e., upgrade, run, and innovate) is tailored to maximize operational efficiency. Ultimately, IT infrastructure is rationalized and maximized, leading to improved efficiency in addition to an improved security profile.
•  Chief Financial Officer: The lower cost associated with public cloud is a primary reason its usage has soared. After all, most businesses are interested in improving their bottom line. In addition to reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) and lower cost of compliance arising from holistic, modern technology, a shift to the cloud allows for a move to a customer-centric model that is more nimble and responsive than a legacy product-centric approach.
• Chief Sales Officer and Chief People Officer: Increased cadence and enhanced insights from a responsive cloud-based infrastructure helps to both drive sales and attract the top talent required to compete and grow. Faster response times and new product innovation drive sales while enhanced technology reduces mundane tasks for the team.
•  Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Data Officer: Because the CMO and CDO both live and breathe data, public cloud is able to satisfy their needs by breaking down data silos that exist within the organization. Furthermore, it connects SAP and non-SAP data sources, a feat that is nearly impossible to accomplish with on-premises or SAP-sponsored cloud solutions.
• Chief Operating Officer: Put it all together, and the COO will be happy: zero downtime, better reaction time to market changes through real-time analytics, and visibility for all of the C-suite cross-system data result in a well-tuned operation that maximizes opportunities in a virtuous cycle of improvement.

Putting the pieces together for the C-suite

The diverse needs and wants of the members of the C-suite are both broad and complex, requiring exceptional experience and insight to ensure success. An experienced partner can help with bringing all of the elements together for a successful SAP on Azure migration. You’ll want to select a partner with an intimate understanding of both existing constraints and future possibilities and can effectively deliver a roadmap to a successful cloud solution. This depth of experience is essential to satisfy the full range of needs and concerns in the C-suite.

HBA can help your organization navigate the SAP-to-cloud migration challenge. Connect with me to understand how HBA can enable your seamless journey.