Digital SHEro Heena: Painting as inspiration for SAP consulting

“Adapt, adjust, achieve!”

Heena left her home country of India in 2019 for her master’s degree and moved to Bremen. Today, five years later, she has left the small town in northern Germany and works as an SAP IBP Consultant in her adopted home of Munich. In her job, Heena combines SAP with innovative IT solutions and also likes to code a bit for that. Her experience has shown her that you can go far with the right support, the right guidance and your own thoughts.

Hello Heena, you are originally from India. What brought you to Germany? 

I moved to Bremen in 2019 for my master’s in supply chain management. I was so fascinated by the subject that it led me straight to SAP IBP. So I did my Master’s for two years and then moved directly from Bremen to Munich. I simply decided that I wanted to live in a big city. Munich was the right place for me and with valantic everything fit together perfectly. Life in Germany was a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but valantic made it much easier and simpler.

How do you like your adopted home of Munich?

I love living in Munich. The diversity of the city really sets it apart from other German cities. You get to meet all kinds of people from all regions and cultures. Coming from Bremen to Munich is quite a leap, because Bremen is a very traditional place culturally. But I was already used to the diversity at university and just couldn’t imagine doing without it!. I also really love the mountains here. Although I don’t like hiking that much, the beautiful views drive me to the top!

You work in SAP IBP – How technical is your work?

I’ve always enjoyed programming to make data visualization more precise. At university, we learned the basics in various forecasting modules, algorithms and programming languages such as Python and R. I then deepened my knowledge on my own and moved more and more towards IT.. My manager here at valantic comes from exactly the area that inspires me. This gave me the opportunity to work on probabilistic forecasts and integrate them into SAP IBP. So my job is not exclusively about IT, but we are very committed to establishing IT in SAP IBP – as an innovation factor.

When did you know that your future lay in SAP IBP?

During my Master’s degree, I completed an internship at a consulting company, which led me to SAP IBP. I also took a module on SAP modules in general during my studies. I was fascinated by how a series of system models can make the world of industry so simple. I chose SAP IBP because of this simplicity. I was sure it would be the future, even though it wasn’t as widely used when I was a student. But today, every company is switching to SAP IBP. The supply chain simply has to be digitized and that no longer works with Excel files and meetings.

Why did you decide to go into consulting? 

During an internship, I realized that consulting is the interface between technology and strategic decisions. You also get to know a large number of industries in consulting and I like this diversity. It’s very exciting to work for a single company and still experience this economic variety. This is how I envisioned my future and valantic fit perfectly into my plan.

What motivates you in your job?

I am motivated by the complex and always different needs of our customers. I always think outside the box and that drives me to find successful and satisfying solutions for the clients. At the end of the day, I want to feel fulfilled.

What challenges do you face in your job?

The biggest challenge is the many projects that run simultaneously. For example, you work with one client from the legal sector and another from the food industry at the same time. These are completely different platforms. But over the years, I’ve acquired good time management skills. I know what needs to be done and manage my time accordingly. I’ve learned a lot from my colleagues, but for the most part I’ve learned from my own experience.

Many of our Digital SHEroes are one of the few women in their teams. What is the gender split in your team?

I am lucky to work at valantic in an area where there is a quite good representation of women.Nevertheless, it is important to me to promote a stronger presence of women in these technical roles. Diversity in teams is an important factor in creating a variety of perspectives and thus driving innovation and problem solving. There are around 8 to 10 women in our SAP IBP team. There is a lot of support and we also have our own meetings where we exchange ideas. I personally believe that only a woman can motivate another woman. I like to set an example for all women who want to enter this industry and have doubts. From my own experience, I can say that with the right support, the right guidance and your own thoughts, you can overcome anything.

We’ve talked a lot about your professional passions. What do you draw the energy from in your private life to arm yourself for everyday working life?

I’ve tried a lot of things in my life, but my greatest passion is probably painting. When I paint, it takes me to a different place. It helps me to see the little things in life and tune out the chaotic world. I also like to draw a parallel between this hobby and my job: basically, a new project is like a blank sheet of paper that is transformed through work.

What career tips would you like to give young women at the start of their career?

I would advise these women to be confident and passionate about what they do and not to let discrimination stop them. Go out, be yourself and conquer the world!

What is your slogan as a Digital SHEro?

As a Digital SHEro my slogan will be: “Adapt, adjust, achieve. The trio to success.”

Dear Heena, thank you very much for your time and the exciting insights into your career!