A few weeks ago, we hosted a Roundtable Breakfast at The Weinberg in Windhoek, Namibia, with the theme of ‘Future in Focus’. The event brought together industry leaders, SAP professionals, and conservation advocates from Elephants, Rhinos & People (ERP). It provided a platform to explore the evolving SAP landscape, with a focus on migration and archiving, and SAP’s long-term roadmap. This Roundtable event reinforced the value of local collaboration – not only in addressing technical challenges but in shaping strategies that make a real impact for businesses in Namibia.
On Thursday, 7 August, we hosted a Roundtable Breakfast at The Weinberg in Windhoek, Namibia, with the theme of ‘Future in Focus’. The event brought together industry leaders, SAP professionals, and conservation advocates from Elephants, Rhinos & People (ERP). It provided a platform to explore the evolving SAP landscape, with a focus on migration and archiving, and SAP’s long-term roadmap.
It was so exciting to see so many organisations come together to exchange ideas and gain clarity on their SAP journeys. This Roundtable event reinforced the value of local collaboration – not only in addressing technical challenges but in shaping strategies that make a real impact for businesses in Namibia.
Marita van der Merwe, EPI-USE Labs Account Manager in Namibia.
The event began with a warm welcome and introduction by Hilton Anspach, followed by Willem Bodenstein, who gave a presentation on the Group Elephant entity in Namibia. Tinus Hansen shared insights into ERP efforts in Namibia, leading into Genevieve van Heerden’s session on SAP’s 5-year roadmap. After a morning break, the agenda continued with Anton Groenewald discussing “Look before you leap: finding the right assessment,” followed by Sanele Malwane, who addressed “Historical SAP data: take the headache away.”
Hilton Anspach, Senior Vice President for Africa & Middle East at EPI-USE Labs, set the tone for the morning by welcoming guests and outlining the importance of SAP transformation in driving business agility and sustainable growth across the region.
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Group Elephant’s impact in Namibia
Willem Bodenstein, Head of Bravura Namibia and a figure in the Group Elephant entity in Namibia, shared insights into how entrepreneurship, ethical governance, and industry expertise are shaping Namibia’s business landscape. His presentation underscored the critical role that integrated financial and fiduciary services play in driving positive outcomes across multiple sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, and conservation.
Conservation and community upliftment: ERP efforts in Namibia
Tinus Hansen, Head of Operations for Elephants, Rhinos & People (ERP) Namibia, gave a compelling overview of the organisation’s unique approach to wildlife conservation. Tinus highlighted how ERP combines rural poverty alleviation with non-lethal elephant and rhino protection efforts – a model that creates lasting benefits for both people and wildlife in Southern Africa.
SAP’s 5-Year Roadmap: Preparing for the future
Genevieve van Heerden, Application Managed Services Leader at EPI-USE Africa, detailed SAP’s five-year roadmap, focusing on digital transformation journeys including ECC, S/4HANA, and SuccessFactors environments. Her session emphasised the importance of system stability, optimised service delivery, and innovative solutions tailored to support evolving business needs.
Strategic assessment: Look before you leap
Anton Groenewald, EPI-USE Labs Account Manager, shared his expertise on conducting the right assessments before embarking on SAP migration or optimisation projects. Drawing on over 25 years of SAP experience, Anton stressed the importance of aligning technical solutions with business goals to ensure seamless transitions and maximised return on investment.
Simplifying historical SAP data management
Sanele Malwane, an Account Manager at EPI-USE Labs, wrapped up the presentations with practical advice on managing historical SAP data. His insights addressed the complexities organisations face, and demonstrated how EPI-USE Labs’ solutions can streamline SAP environments, helping businesses reduce risks and improve operational efficiency.
Networking and collaboration
Following the informative sessions, attendees engaged in vibrant discussions and networking opportunities, strengthening partnerships and exploring new ways to leverage SAP technologies in Namibia and beyond.
A huge thank you to all our speakers and guests for making our Namibia Roundtable a highly successful event.
We look forward to continuing this journey together, driving digital transformation that benefits businesses, communities, and ecosystems across Africa.