With a view to setting a new benchmark in the way that technology conferences are executed in Africa, the African SAP User Group (AFSUG) is thrilled to introduce its showcase biennial African event, Saphila.
Saphila 2014 has been overhauled, redesigned and revamped to offer not only world-class speakers and collaboration opportunities for both exhibitors and delegates, but also the ideal opportunity for those organisations wanting to increase their footprint within Africa.
Providing a unique experience, this year's conference will take place from 9-11 June 2014 at the glittering Sun City resort in South Africa's North West province, and has been designed to allow SAP users and other interested parties from across the continent to connect and collaborate through knowledge sharing of software innovations, technology, implementation and service delivery.
The focal point of the 2014 event is the unique conference and exhibition area itself, dubbed: "Saphilatown", which has been designed, quite literally, by thinking completely out of the box.
Saphilatown will be constructed from repurposed shipping containers wrapped in eye-catching graphic decals and stacked one on top of the other, featuring interconnecting bridges, ramps and spiral staircases to create an open-air urban metropolis that will be the home of the conference and exhibition stands. This remarkable concept promises to be one of the most exciting and dramatic event features an African event has ever seen.
Over two days, the conference plans to rack up some impressive stats by hosting more than 1 500 delegates, 58 conference sessions, 50 exhibition stands and a number of high-level keynote speakers. This year's keynote speakers include Sal Laher, Visionary CIO of 2013, and Eskom CIO, Frans Johansson, the renowned author of "The Click Moment" and "The Medici Effect", and five SAP vice-presidents, who will host a series of unmissable roundtable discussions, present case studies and debate the future of both SAP and IT.
In line with the revitalised concept, this year's Saphila conference sessions will run along five different tracks and address the five strategic SAP pillars, namely applications, analytics, cloud, mobile and database and technology. This year's Saphila tracks cater for every imaginable requirement and will cover analytics, software architecture and strategy; IT innovations in Africa and elsewhere; special interest sectors, including finance, industry, public sector and energy; as well as hands-on workshops, customer and technical sessions; and industry analysts.
Another exciting feature of the all new Saphila is an Executive Forum, running from 8-11 June, where CxO-level executives are invited to attend an exclusive dinner with Johansson. They will also have access to an executive lounge, where one-on-one sessions with specialists and SAP VPs can be booked and priority entrance (and seating) to specially targeted sessions.
Says AFSUG vice-chairman, Sal Laher: "Aimed at industry leaders and experts, CxOs, SAP Center of Excellence (COE) managers, users, supporters and partners, technical specialists and business representatives from South Africa, Africa and beyond, Saphila 2014 promises to provide a truly unique, unforgettable and technological African experience and it is going to be fun and a huge learning experience."
Early-bird specials are available until 28 February 2014 for the first 600 delegates, and space is limited. For more information, visit www.saphila2014.com.
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