Podd: The Future of ERP

Episode 56: Quantum Apocalypse and Cybersecurity with SAP's Christian Cohrs

26 februari 2025 | 26 min

As quantum computing advances, experts warn of an impending “quantum apocalypse” that could jeopardize current encryption methods. With roots tracing back to the 1990s, this threat highlights the urgent need for organizations to adopt quantum-safe cryptography. While significant technological hurdles remain, the potential for quantum attacks on sensitive data looms large. Experts emphasize the urgency of transitioning to quantum-safe cryptography to protect sensitive data from future threats, particularly as attackers may collect encrypted information now for later decryption. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is advocating for organizations to phase out non-quantum-safe cryptography by 2035, underscoring the need for immediate action in the face of evolving quantum capabilities.

Guest Speaker: Christian Cohrs, Product Security Chief Expert and Product Manager at SAP

Christian Cohrs is a Product Security Chief Expert and Product Manager at SAP. He has a background in computer science and worked in various positions at SAP during the last 25 years, starting as a C++ and ABAP developer and later moving into Product Management for SAP’s security and governance products. He is currently responsible for several cloud services in SAP’s security portfolio, including secure authentication for SAP GUI, cryptographic capabilities, and self-sovereign identities.

Christian’s LinkedIn.

Host: Richard Howells, SAP

Richard Howells has been working in the Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing space for over 30 years. He is responsible for driving the thought leadership and awareness of SAP’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain solutions and is an active writer, podcaster, and thought leader on the topics of supply chain, Industry 4.0, digitization, and sustainability.

Richard Howells: LinkedIn, X (Twitter)

Host: Oyku Ilgar, SAP

Oyku Ilgar has been working in the digital supply chain area at SAP since 2017. As a marketer and blogger, she creates written and visual marketing content about ERP and Supply Chain solutions and focuses on the topics of business trends, IoT, Industry 4.0, and sustainability.

Oyku Ilgar: SAP Community, LinkedIn

Useful Links:

SAP Cloud ERP: www.sap.com/ERP

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The post Episode 56: Quantum Apocalypse and Cybersecurity with SAP’s Christian Cohrs first appeared on The Future of ERP.

Episode 55: Carbon Currency: The Evolving Role of CFOs in Sustainability with McKinsey’s Peter Spiller

12 februari 2025 | 23 min

In this week’s episode of the Future of ERP podcast, we explore the evolving role of CFOs in driving corporate sustainability with McKinsey’s Peter Spiller. Spiller highlights the increasing pressure on CFOs to manage carbon emissions effectively, driven by stricter regulations like CSRD, CBAM, and ETS2. He emphasizes the need for accurate carbon data to inform business decisions across sourcing, R&D, and sales, and advocates for treating carbon as a “currency” within organizations. The conversation covers the advantages of integrating carbon accounting into ERP systems, using a low-carbon aluminum product example. Spiller also touches on capturing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, the importance of supplier data, and the evolving relationship between CFOs and Chief Sustainability Officers in driving holistic sustainability changes within companies. The episode provides insights for finance professionals and sustainability leaders on navigating the intersection of ERP and environmental responsibility.

Guest Speaker:

Peter Spiller, Global Sustainability in Operations Practice at McKinsey & Company, Inc.

Peter is a Partner in the Frankfurt office of McKinsey & Company, Inc. He leads McKinsey’s global Sustainability in Operations Practice and works across industries on sustainability strategy, supply chain decarbonization, and carbon accounting and tracking in value chains. He specifically serves clients in the High-Tech, Telecom, Consumer goods, and Automotive and Assembly industries.