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SAP Ariba set new records at the international purchasing event in Barcelona in June 2019. 3125 participants attended the event with more than 50 presentations and round tables. The B2B network Unite is an exclusive partner of SAP Ariba’s Spot Buy solution in Europe. Representing Unite was Vicent Marqués, Country Manager in Spain, on site in Barcelona.
Vicent, from your point of view, what was the main theme of the event?
Stability! That sounds unusual because it’s usually more about innovation, but this time SAP Ariba has made a big commitment to consolidating their product on the markets.
What was the feedback in Barcelona concerning Unite?
SAP is absolutely thrilled because it has exceeded all expectations for the Spot Buy solution and has been very well received by customers. It has been confirmed to us several times that we are on exactly the right track with the network. They would ideally like to have Unite as a Spot Buy solution globally and roll it out beyond the European market.
What was the agenda like for you and your colleagues on site? Our Head of Partner Management, Benjamin Storm, together with Richard Downs, Vice President at Spot Buy Europe, gave a presentation on the cooperation between SAP Ariba and Unite. The main focus lay on the single creditor model and its benefits for SAP Ariba customers. We also took the opportunity to meet up in person with our business partners who are otherwise based in the USA and discuss strategic cooperation in joint workshops. All in all, the event was pleasantly casual and we were able to hold high-quality technical discussions in a really relaxed manner.
Unite recently went live for SAP Ariba customers in Spain. How did it start? The first major customers from the pharmaceutical sector are already connected via SAP Ariba and are very enthusiastic. The market is buzzing right now and the next major customers are already on the starting blocks.
More pictures and information about the event here.