Virtual Event | February 26, 2026 | 9am – 1 pm (CET) | English
Westernacher Planning, Analytics & Sustainability Forum 2026.
Building AI-Ready Data Foundations for Intelligent Planning and ESG Excellence.
The enterprise data revolution is here – are you ready?
The enterprise data landscape is evolving at lightning speed. Businesses today face the challenge of harmonizing data, enabling intelligent applications, and meeting sustainability reporting requirements – all while preparing for an AI-driven future.
Join us at the Westernacher Consulting Planning, Analytics, and Sustainability Forum 2026. Gain actionable insights to transform your data strategy, integrate sustainability into core operations, and unlock the full potential of AI-powered business intelligence.
Key takeaways.
- Data Modernization: How to design a scalable, unified data ecosystem connecting SAP S/4HANA, SAP Datasphere, SAP Analytics Cloud, and Databricks.
- Sustainability Integration: Proven approaches to embed CSRD compliance and ESG reporting into your organizational DNA.
- AI-Ready Architectures: Strategies to prepare for predictive analytics, machine learning, and generative AI applications.
Why this matters.
SAP Business Data Cloud enables organizations to:
- Build trusted data foundations for real-time decision-making.
- Drive measurable business value through connected analytics.
- Transform sustainability from a compliance task into a competitive advantage.
Register now and gain the expertise to stay ahead in the era of intelligent, sustainable business.
Agenda.
9:00
12 months in: SAP Business Data Cloud and what’s next for AI
Discover how SAP Business Data Cloud lays the foundation for scalable, trusted, and AI-ready data landscapes. This session explores where enterprise data comes from, how SAP BW evolves in the cloud era, and how harmonized data unlocks new opportunities for analytics and AI. Learn how organizations can turn their data into real business value and prepare for the next generation of intelligent use cases.
Jürgen Bauer | Head of SAP BDC Customer Advisory Germany
Andreas Scholl | SAP BDC Customer Advisory Expert
9:45
Driving business value with Intelligent Applications in SAP Business Data Cloud
Learn how Intelligent Applications in SAP Business Data Cloud empower organizations to accelerate decision-making, drive measurable business outcomes, and eliminate traditional implementation complexities.
Viraj Karni | Solution Architect, Business Planning & Analytics, Westernacher Consulting
10:15
Moving from SAP BusinessObjects to SAC: how to transform your analytics.
Thalia, one of Germany’s leading booksellers, is writing the next chapter in data analytics. The goal is to provide over 500 stores and multiple online shops with current and relevant data, enabling well-informed business decisions. By implementing SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC), Thalia has taken a crucial step toward an agile and data-driven corporate culture. Christoph Greiwe, Manager of SAP Analytics Cloud at Thalia Bücher GmbH, and Claudia Quilitz, Solutions Architect and Competence Center Lead Analytics DACH at Westernacher Consulting, discuss the objectives of this transformation and the project’s highlights.
Claudia Quilitz | Competence Center Lead for Analytics DACH, Westernacher Consulting
Christoph Greiwe | Manager SAP Analytics Cloud, Thalia Bücher GmbH
11:00
Designing your end-to-end data architecture in SAP Business Data Cloud
SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) enables organizations to modernize their data architecture by linking S/4HANA, Datasphere, Analytics Cloud, and Databricks. The session explores key provisioning and connectivity steps to create an integrated, cloud-based foundation for analytics and advanced data use cases.
Yordan Panov | Solution Architect, Business Planning & Analytics, Westernacher Consulting
11:30
Sustainability strategy in practice: Aligning reporting goals with business operations
Discover how to integrate sustainability into your company’s core strategy and align it with existing processes across departments. This session explores practical approaches to harmonize sustainability goals with data collection and operational workflows. Gain actionable insights to make sustainability a seamless part of your organizational DNA.
Caroline Kolberg | Sustainability Consultant, Westernacher Consulting
12:00
Navigating CSRD and ESRS compliance requirements in a shifting regulatory landscape
Stay ahead of regulatory changes with a deep dive into the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). We’ll break down the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and clarify what data needs to be collected for compliance. Learn how to prepare your organization for accurate and efficient reporting under the latest legal framework.
Caroline Kolberg | Sustainability Consultant, Westernacher Consulting
12:30
Getting ready for CSRD – establishing a sustainability data foundation
Learn how CSRD impacts your organization and why data quality is critical for compliance and steering. Discover best practices to close data gaps, embed sustainability data in processes, and design a central foundation leveraging ERP sources. See how SAP Business Data Cloud and SAP Sustainability Control Tower enable scalable, assurance‑ready reporting.
Mark Mrosek | Global Lead Data & Analytics, Westernacher Consulting
The sessions.
The experts.
Jürgen Bauer
Jürgen Bauer has been responsible for Analytics at SAP Germany for more than 13 years, where his responsibilities include Presales and Business Development. He is currently responsible for SAP Analytics Cloud in the Platform & Technology area. The main focus of his consulting is on the migration from the analytics on-prem world to the cloud for medium-sized companies and large groups. He also coaches various start-ups in the field of data and analytics.
Head of SAP BDC Customer Advisory Germany
Andreas Scholl
Andreas is an accomplished SAP Center of Excellence (CoE) Lead for the Middle and Eastern Europe (MEE) region. He oversees the strategic direction, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of SAP solutions throughout the organization. With his profound knowledge of SAP technologies, exceptional leadership skills, and collaborative approach, Andreas effectively works with cross-functional teams to meet business goals.
Customer Advisor for Analytics & Planning, SAP
Viraj Karni
Viraj is a solution architect for Business Planning & Analytics at Westernacher with more than 16 years of experience in various data & analytics platforms in the SAP eco-system. He is lately focused on SAP Analytics Cloud and working on planning & analytics implementations across the globe.
SAP Data & Analytics Architect,
Westernacher SEA and India
Yordan Panov
With more than 15 years of experience in SAP Business Planning and Analytics, Yordan specializes in designing, implementing, and optimizing end-to-end planning, reporting, and data-driven decision-making solutions. He has deep expertise across SAP BPC, SAP Analytics Cloud, BW/4HANA, and integrated financial planning processes. Known for bridging business needs with technical capabilities, he helps organizations improve forecast accuracy, streamline financial consolidation, and modernize their analytics landscape.
Solution Architect, Business Planning & Analytics, Westernacher Consulting
Caroline
Kolberg
Caroline has several years of experience in SAP S/4HANA projects across various implementation scenarios, business areas and master data management. As a university lecturer for an SAP course, she has also been focusing on sustainability, particularly the implementation of regulatory requirements. Her primary interest lies in not only ensuring compliance but also creating business value by aligning sustainability efforts with strategic goals.
Consultant, Westernacher Consulting
Mark Mrosek
Mark is Global Lead Business Planning & Analytics at Westernacher with more than 10 years of experience in finance and analytics across a wide range of different industries. He is currently focusing on SAP Analytics Cloud and managing first-time customer implementations across three continents.
Global Lead Business Planning & Analytics, Westernacher Consulting
Dr. Russell
Sadd
Sadd
Russell is a partner at Westernacher Consulting and a highly experienced solution architect for SAP-based planning, forecasting and analytics solutions with almost two and a half decades of major project implementations behind him. He considers himself a planning generalist covering supply chain, financial, retail and personnel planning solutions.
Practice Director, Supply Chain Planning (UK & Ireland), Westernacher Consulting
Andreas
Scholl
Scholl
Andreas is an accomplished SAP Center of Excellence (CoE) Lead for the Middle and Eastern Europe (MEE) region. He oversees the strategic direction, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of SAP solutions throughout the organization. With his profound knowledge of SAP technologies, exceptional leadership skills, and collaborative approach, Andreas effectively works with cross-functional teams to meet business goals.
SAP BDC Customer Advisory Expert
Pete
Vainikka
Vainikka
Pete has extensive experience in IT projects, particularly in business intelligence and supply chain management. He has successfully completed numerous full-cycle IT projects both domestically and internationally. His roles in these projects have been diverse, including architect, project manager, and technical implementation manager. While his primary focus has been on solution-oriented, hands-on project work, he also has significant experience in service management, sales, IT strategy, line management, and competence management.
Solutions Architect, Westernacher Consulting
