SAP APAC Japan Launches Regional Strategic Services Partner to Aid Rapid Growth

SAP Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) has launched a Regional Strategic Services Partner (RSSP) initiative to expand the capabilities and reach of established APJ partners on a rapid growth path.

SAP will provide strategic support to eligible partners through this initiative, which may include coordinated industry-aligned solutions, joint go-to-market strategy, and access to SAP regional and market unit industry expertise.

The RSSP initiative will allow partners to scale their SAP practise across the APJ region more quickly and collaborate more closely with SAP to deliver joint customer success.

The RSSP initiative, which differs from the company's existing Global Strategic Services Partner (GSSP) programme, which includes a select group of SAP's strategic global partners in the consulting, infrastructure, and technology space, aims to facilitate collaboration among partner entities based in the region that demonstrate capability and capacity requirements specific to APJ.

Partners must meet or exceed a set of SAP criteria, including geographical presence, vertical industry competencies, and alignment on a joint sustainability strategy, to qualify for the RSSP initiative.

"APJ is one of the fastest-growing regions for SAP and our partner ecosystem plays an integral role in customers' transformation,” SAP APJ president Paul Marriott said.

“With over 24,000 registered partners globally and close to 20 per cent in APJ, there is a large SAP-certified community that can benefit customers and the broader ecosystem.”

The RSSP initiative has welcomed its first partner, Japan-based integrated management consulting firm ABeam Consulting. ABeam has offices in Asia Pacific countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.

"This is a recognition of the fast growth of SAP business in Asia Pacific and the quality of our flexible and adaptive services that take into account diverse local business practices and needs,” ABeam president and CEO Tatsuya Kamoi said.

“It also highlights our advantages in delivering cutting-edge solutions and realising customer value, as well as the scalability of our integrated deployment across our Asian offices.”

SAP revealed in January that revenue would rise 11% in 2022, with the cloud component rising 33%, but net income would fall 68%, prompting restructuring and layoffs in its CRM activities.

To refocus on its core business, the company was also considering selling its majority stake in Qualtrics, the experience management platform it purchased for $8 billion in 2018.

SAP already sold a minority stake in Qualtrics in an IPO in early 2021, and CEO Christian Klein stated that while the company would continue to collaborate with Qualtrics, the sale would allow SAP to reinvest in other areas of its business.