5 IT Priorities for 2025: What Really Matters Now
The start of the year is the perfect time to focus on the key topics for the months ahead. At the SAP GTM Kick-Off Events in San Diego and Hamburg, we gained valuable insights from SAP and engaged in in-depth discussions. This led to a central question: Which strategic priorities should IT decision-makers with an SAP focus set or accelerate in 2025? The result: a list of five essential action areas that can no longer be postponed. Christian Heinrich, Chief Solutions Officer at sovanta, shares insights into the most critical priorities.
1. Realize Business Value with AI
Almost every company is dealing with AI, but only a few are successfully implementing it. The ratio of AI PoCs to deployed use cases remains too low – according to IDC, only 5 out of 40 AI proof-of-concepts make it into live operations. But the trial phase is over: IT decision-makers must now deliver concrete results. The good news? SAP provides the ideal foundation – this is where the data resides and where business processes run. With the right approach, companies can unlock significant efficiency gains. Identifying pain points in SAP processes opens the door to AI-driven solutions. The key is to understand and strategically leverage SAP’s AI offerings – from Joule and Business AI to Agentic AI, the GenAI Hub, and the AI Foundation. Our takeaway: Those who engage with AI in the SAP ecosystem now will create real business value.
2. Embark on or continue your Clean Core Journey
As cloud transformation progresses, the North Star is becoming increasingly clear: the Public Cloud. This brings the challenge of establishing a Clean Core – where the journey itself is key. Every step in this direction already delivers value.
Two Key Action Points:
- Clean Core Setup: Develop a Clear Strategy
What technological and organizational prerequisites are needed? How does the Clean Core initiative align with S/4HANA or RISE? - Analyze Technical Debt: What’s Being Carried Forward?
A systematic categorization helps to decide what, when, and how to transition efficiently.
3. Get your foundation right – Enterprise Architecture, Center of Excellence & Toolchain
To fully unlock the potential of the cloud, a stable foundation is essential. The key question: Which tools and technologies best support the transformation? This is where the Enterprise Architect plays a crucial role. As cloud transformation accelerates, this function becomes increasingly important – ensuring a comprehensive strategy that spans from technology planning to execution. Those who set the right course today build a future-proof architecture and lay the groundwork for sustainable success in the cloud.
Key Building Blocks:
- Signavio – for process analysis
- LeanIX – for IT architecture management
- Cloud ALM – for project governance
- SAP BTP – as the platform for integrations and extensions
Additionally, establishing a BTP Center of Excellence (CoE) is essential to define best practices and coordinate execution. A solid foundation enables faster innovation – without it, even the best ideas risk losing momentum.
4. Establish a scalable way to deliver Cloud innovations
It has been clear for some time now: Cloud projects follow different rules than traditional IT projects. To successfully navigate this transformation, new competencies are required. IT teams must not only build technological expertise but also master agile methods, governance models, and a deep understanding of cloud architectures. Only then can innovations be implemented efficiently and business value be generated. The challenge lies in combining proven IT principles with the dynamics of the cloud world – and this is where the long-term success of the transformation is determined.
From our perspective, the key success factors are:
- The BTP Squads – Specialized teams that drive innovation.
- The Innovation Factory – A systematic approach for developing and implementing new cloud solutions.
- Clear Methodologies – Standardized processes and best practices to ensure continuous innovation.
5. Demand Management – Understand your business and create value
Too often, valuable requirements are overlooked or not implemented optimally. The key to success lies in fully understanding the needs of the business – and that’s where Demand Management plays a crucial role. By systematically capturing, prioritizing, and strategically implementing requirements, Demand Management ensures close collaboration between IT and business departments. This transforms IT from being a mere operator to a true service provider for the business, always with the goal of creating shared value together.
Do you have these 5 IT priorities for 2025 firmly under control?
2025 will be a pivotal year for IT decision-makers in the SAP environment. Those who address the right topics now, follow a clear strategy, and actively drive transformation will achieve sustainable success. The time for experimentation is over – now it’s all about implementation and delivering real value. Are you already on the right track? Let’s have a conversation! We look forward to discussing these exciting topics with you.
