Women making SAP happen is a series of articles brought to you by SAPTURE, a specialist SAP recruitment firm who support and encourage equality in the workplace.

Ana has been working in the professional services industry for over 12 years. Over the years she has worked with Senior Leaders on roles related to Resource Management, Talent, Change Management and Business Transformation across various industries. Ana’s strengths and passion lie in business transformation and change management. She is very excited to work for a global technology services company as she sees it as an opportunity to build relationships across different regions and make a positive impact. Ana has been working with SoftwareOne for almost 1 year now, and she has recently been appointed as the Global SAP Operations Director for the SAP Services business.

Tell us about your current role?

I have been recently appointed as the Global SAP Operations Director.

What inspired you to have a career in SAP?

I enjoy working in fast paced companies. Technology fascinates me as it is always changing and evolving.

Which applications did you work with prior to SAP and how do they compare?

I am not an IT technical professional. I initially started working in the recruitment of IT graduates and then more experienced IT professionals. After that I spent 6 years working as a Resource Manager managing staff supply and demand of technology professionals in the professional services industry. Later, I had the opportunity to design and implement the Resource Management practice to over 1,600 staff in the Tax & Legal professional services industry. I really missed working in the technology space, so I was over the moon when I was invited to join SoftwareOne as their Global Resource Management Lead for their SAP Services business. It has been an incredible opportunity to learn all about SAP and be able to make an impact globally. After working for 11 months at SoftwareOne, I was appointed as their Global SAP Operations Director responsible for driving all the Sales Operations, Resource Management and Organisational Design activities across the globe.

What is the best thing about working in SAP technology?

Everyone is quite smart and experienced. People are quite passionate for what they do.

How would you like to see the diversity landscape change in the industry over the year ahead?

I love working with professionals across different countries and cultures. I would like to see a better balance on the number of males and females in the technology industry.

What does equality mean to you?

It means giving equal opportunity to people to learn, develop and contribute independently of their culture, background and gender. It is about creating an inclusive workplace and sense of belonging.

What advice would you give you to a women working in the SAP ecosystem and looking to advance her career?

There is a dedication required to develop the technology skills. Be persistent and determined. The opportunity will come. 

What can we all do to inspire more women into working with SAP?

Be open to learn new skills and speak openly to working colleagues and leaders about your interest in becoming part of the SAP team. There are lots of people that are keen to teach and coach you to achieve your goals, however you need to be courageous and initiate the coversations.

What female inspiration have you had in your career?

It is interesting. I have never been inspired in people by their genders, but on the opportunity they give me to challenge myself and take risks (not be afraid to make mistakes). I get inspired / motived by having autonomy to drive outcomes and make an impact.