Sumanth Gurumurthy
Managing Partner, SAP America
Northville,MI
Summary
Strategic and results-oriented professional with a proven track record of helping organizations achieve their transformation/business goals, simplify operations, and drive innovation. Twenty five plus years of experience with Fortune 50 companies, establishing strategic partnerships, orchestrating business development, sales and delivery teams across several industries. Consistently exceeded performance objectives and delivered strong results in software, cloud, and services sales each year. Significant experience in leading diverse global teams to deliver complex programs by creating a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and execution. Excellent verbal and written communication skills and an ability to build strong, trusted relationships with clients.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Managing Partner
SAP America
01.2023 - Current
- As the SAP Managing partner for ExxonMobil I am responsible for managing a SW estate of nearly $900 million TCV and services business over $100M.
- Orchestrated one of the largest SAP RISE Enterprise Cloud deals from start to finish across all aspects of the due diligence, technical / operational validation and commercialization at ExxonMobil.
- Established a strategic relationship framework and executive engagement from both SAP and customer C-suite that led to a complete transformation of the partnership between the two companies.
- Led several strategic initiatives such as ERP strategy & business transformation (Polaris), BTP enterprization and scale out, from an initial PoV and business case to target state architecture and executed across all aspects of engagement - technical, operational, commercial.
- Strategically positioned SAP product strategy (Apps, Data and AI ) as part of the overall program and have initiated successful pilot projects in BDC, Business AI and BTM.
- Established strategic partnership and collaboration with key partners like Deloitte, AWS, Snowflake, BlackLine, OpenText to execute successfully across several opportunities and SAP initiatives.
- Consistently exceeded performance targets such as new bookings, cloud revenue, services revenue, cACV and renewal targets each year.
Global Account Director
SAP America
01.2010 - 12.2022
- Helped set overall account strategy and direction for several strategic customers (3M, Caterpillar, Kraft Foods, Dow Chemical and Marathon Petroleum) and orchestrated the activities of various SAP sales, solutions, and services teams to execute the account strategy. Consistently exceeded performance targets, delivering strong results in software and services revenue, cloud renewals, innovation adoption and customer satisfaction, each year.
- Led customers through several large multi-year Business Transformation programs, and helped build & execute program governance models, deployment road-map, resource plans, budget, and value management plans
- Led SAP initiatives to help customers migrate to SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud partnering with Microsoft Azure to achieve performance, scale, risk mitigation and cost reduction objectives
- Drove SAP Solution strategy and adoption of the SAP Intelligent Enterprise vision including the S4/HANA digital core, SAP Cloud Platform, HANA and LoB cloud applications such as Ariba, IBP, Success Factors, Fieldglass, and Concur.
- Established Strategic relationships with key business and IT leadership and acted as a true trusted adviser and Go –To person for all SAP related questions and topics.
- Jointly led customer and SAP teams through solution strategy, Software Landscape Optimization (SLO) and contract consolidation activities resulting from strategic acquisition integration (M&A) as well as divestiture and spin-off.
- Managed SAP Virtual Account Team across different LOBs (Software, Consulting, Product Development, Max Attention) to develop joint vision and operating plan for the customer to drive long term success
Senior Program Manager
SAP America
04.2007 - 12.2009
- On Site Program Manager for a large partner led project at a Tier I automotive manufacturer. Business Process Re-Design/ Full life-cycle SAP Implementation at corporate office as well as numerous manufacturing plants and distribution centers in the US, Canada and Mexico
- Responsible for all SAP deliverables, team management and project P&L
- Integral part of Program Office comprising Customer, Partner & SAP
- Set strategic direction for project, scope, schedule, quality
- Responsible for Deployment plan and Asian affiliate alignment strategy
- Project Adviser at a large Consumer Goods manufacturer, conducted a Project Management Review and identified key issues and risks to project, along with specific recommendations for successful implementation.
- Provided SAP Project Management best practices, tools and templates for key project deliverables and processes
- Project manager for an upgrade assessment at Wholesale distributor with a complex SAP footprint, helped develop multi-year road-map factoring in key business initiatives, product direction and technical requirements
SAP Practice Leader
Siemens IT Solutions and Services
Troy, MI
07.2006 - 04.2007
- Reporting to the Vice president of Professional Services, together with the ERP director, responsible for delivering strategic SAP solutions to the customer, setting strategy and direction for the SAP practice and overall business development.
- Worked on several key business development opportunities and SAP service delivery proposals for fortune 100 companies in the Automotive, Industrial materials, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Equipment Manufacturing industries.
- On Site Program Manager for the Business Blueprint phase of the SAP ERP 2005 implementation project at the wholesale distribution division of Owens Corning with 165 branches and 900M in annual revenue.
SAP Project Manager
ThyssenKrupp Budd Company
Troy, MI
04.2000 - 07.2006
- Reporting to the company CIO and to Steering Committee chaired by the CFO of TK Automotive (group revenue >7 Billion Euros). Identified and prioritized several key projects and set strategic direction for the implementation and enhancement of SAP functionality at 34 US, Canadian & Mexican locations with 1800 end users in the areas of FI/CO, MM, SD, PP, PM, HR, PY and WM.
- Successfully led teams of 25 to 50 technical and business analysts through several (10+) full life cycles of implementations and managed all aspects of these projects from Initiation to Closure. Also managed two major system upgrades, as well as complex HR and Payroll implementation
- Directly responsible for managing all critical activities within a portfolio of projects for the TKA North American SAP Center of Excellence (CoE). Liaised with C-Level executives within the company and CoE leaders from other continents through global council meetings as well as CoE strategy meetings.
- Developed and controlled a multi-Million Dollar operating budget, each year. Directly responsible for recruiting, managing and conducting performance evaluations for the SAP core team (22 direct reports), as well as setting the work scope and performance targets for the basis, security, development, support & EDI teams.
- Experienced in managing complex and highly technical projects such as M&A, landscape consolidation and spinoffs. Working with internal audit representatives, senior managers and executives, played a key role in several business process reviews, internal control audits and improvements projects including key metrics presentation on company portal.
Production and Quality Manager
The Budd Company
06.1996 - 05.1997
- Managed a group of engineers and quality technicians responsible for four different lines of automotive engine components exceeding 25 million Dollars in annual sales
- Led the department through numerous throughput / line upgrades, modifications, product, machine and fixture certifications.
- Reviewed product inspection techniques & measurement systems; established Quality Standards and monitored performance through key measurables such as scrap, DPUs, QRs and PPMs.
- Coordinated Advanced Quality planning activities such as the development of process flows, FMEA's, control plans and PPAP submissions
- Championed plant Six Sigma program to reduce defects / process wastes and significantly improve quality, scrap and downtime.
- Evaluated capital needs, product launch strategies and project timing. Established individual employee goals and department objectives; Completed performance appraisals, approved department expenses and appropriation requests.
Industrial Engineer
The Budd Company
07.1993 - 01.1996
- Established and maintained a CAD layout of the plant detailing individual process flows as well as the flow of materials though the plant. Planned several capital projects for the plant services department such as installation of a new 2000-Ton press, dust collection systems etc.
- Involved in numerous process improvement / cost reduction projects such as the ‘Mustang 1200’, ‘Econoline 1120’ and Windstar 97 teams. Managed programs to transfer products such as the Mazda bumper and the Aerostar hood from sister plants in the division
Education
Master of Science - Industrial Engineering
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH06.1994
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
University of Madras
Madras, India05.1991
Skills
Account Strategy, Business Development, Deal Execution
Strategic Partnerships, Governance, Client / Partner Engagement
Business Transformation, Innovation, Enterprization
Certification
PMP - Project Management Professional
Accomplishments
- 10-time winner of SAP Winners Circle award given to Top Performers annually
- Awarded the top Managing Partner / GAD award multiple times
- 2018 and 2019 SAP Catalyst Award for being an activist, change-agent, thought Leader, key contributor &
role-model - Most Outstanding Student award in College - Class of 1991
Timeline
Managing Partner
SAP America
01.2023 - Current
Global Account Director
SAP America
01.2010 - 12.2022
Senior Program Manager
SAP America
04.2007 - 12.2009
SAP Practice Leader
Siemens IT Solutions and Services
07.2006 - 04.2007
SAP Project Manager
ThyssenKrupp Budd Company
04.2000 - 07.2006
Production and Quality Manager
The Budd Company
06.1996 - 05.1997
Industrial Engineer
The Budd Company
07.1993 - 01.1996
Master of Science - Industrial Engineering
University of Toledo
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
University of Madras