Digital SHEro Heena: Painting as inspiration for SAP consulting

Moderation

Hello everyone! In today's episode we are talking to our colleague Heena from Munich. Welcome Heena, we are really looking forward to finding out more about you and your career and, we are happy that you are here.

Heena

Hello. So, I am Heena Salvi and I kindly belong from India. But I've been living in Germany since 2019, and, I've been doing, sap ibp consulting at valantic since three years, almost. And it's going to be three years. So I'm really excited to be at valantic and with you guys this morning and happy to be here.

Moderation

Welcome from my side too. Happy you to learn more about you. Maybe you can tell us a little bit, about your education, how you came into IT and what was your way.

Heena

So, I came to Germany to pursue my master’s in supply chain management. And there I was intrigued about digital supply chain, which actually, drive me towards, SAP IBP. In fact, this happened to get a business planning tool where we always convert the actual strategy into, real time data with, data analysis and also integration. So that's what made me particularly divert towards SAP IBP. And hence, right after my graduation, I was Advantech. So, this is my first job altogether in my whole life. So, it has been a really rollercoaster life in Germany. But valantic has made it much easier and much simpler.

Moderation

And where did you study in in Germany?

Heena

I studied at Jacobs University Bremen, and then formerly known as. But right now, it's known as Constructor University. So, I did my master’s there for two years and right after Bremen I moved to Munich. Packed up my bags. I just decided I wanted to live in the city. So, Munich was a place to be for me and, that's when valantic also came into my roadmap and it all matched perfectly.

Moderation

Munich is a very nice city in Germany, I think. One of the best choices. Are you happy living in Munich?

Katharina

I love living in Munich. The diversity it has, it actually distinguishes it from the other cities in Germany, in fact. And how you get to know different people from all the regions and basically all the cultures, in fact, all in one place. That's what my university was as well. So, I was really used to this environment, and I wanted to be in a city just similar to this. So yeah, I really, really excited. And I'm thinking of this living here. So, I'm not going to change my mind of moving anywhere apart from Munich if I want to stay here.

Moderation

Cologne is also nice.

Heena

Cologne as nice as well. Yeah, I've just visited, but, never, ever stayed there for more than a week or something. So yeah, after Bremen is just Munich for me. Yeah. That's how I went from Bremen to Munich. It's actually quite a leap because Bremen is a very culturally traditional place to be. And then when you come to Munich and you're like, you're in a completely different place. I see so many things, especially the beer gardens in Bremen are not that familiar with the beer garden here. So, it is very refreshing, in fact.

Moderation

Do you also like to a hike and go to the mountains.

Heena

I do like to hike. I have not done much of hiking, apparently, but just visited the most important ones. So those hiking sessions, like. Because basically, I don't like hiking that much, but I love mountains, so that just takes me to hike. You know, there's no other options. It's not about the journey this time. It's just a good view.

Moderation

Maybe we dive a little bit deeper into what you’re doing at valantic. SAP IBP most listeners maybe don't know what it's about, so maybe, you know, you can tell us a little more about IBP and what are you doing in your day-to-day work?

Heena

So, SAP IBP is basically a SAP Integrated Business planning tool to where all the platform is meant for the clients to have everything in one place, with the real time data coming in. And what we do is and what I do is basically as a demand planner, for three years, I have been developing a number of, complex solutions for the clients so that they can have the data in a much refined and have the project and focus accuracy more accurate and finite. So that's what I've been doing over the past three years. And, I've been working for major clients, even jumping into consulting firm was my most keen point that, it is. I like the way where consulting is a cross path for technology and strategic solutions. That's why I'm in consulting, and that's why I have been loving this job for three years. And that's what makes me also work hard every day to just, understand the complex solutions for the clients and also get them to a place where they are comfortable with the data and not just, maybe uncomfortable to have the real time data sitting anywhere in the world. But SAP IBP what it will do is a number of teams working all together in different locations, getting them to the same point, same page and working all together with, agile atmosphere.

Moderation

That sounds really interesting. Do you have maybe a practical example, maybe, about a product, for the listeners, it's maybe easier to imagine what you are doing.

Heena

So, if you're taking it as an excellent example for a product, think about the shoes you wear today. So, imagine if the shoes, for instance, are limited edition. So how it's going to be planned? It starts right before when it's in the market, basically it goes to everything. First, the demand planner will take the shoe, and it will it is basically for the demand planner. It's a promotional product. It's just for promotion. It will add revenue. That's it. But what it will do for you, it's going to be limited edition. So, the plan has to be not as normal as a normal footwear that you are going to wear. But for the limited edition, the plan needs to have and to fall into those time buckets where it's going to be available for the end user. So that's you. So now the demand plan is going to plan the limited edition as a promotional product and send it to supply. So, you need to have the shoes at this particular time buckets at basically maybe spring collection. So, it shouldn't need to there need to be there with spring collection with this man this much stock. And at the end you get it in spring. But the basically the planning is being done 1.5 year ago means it's going to be fall. It's planmed fall. A year ago, in fact. And that's how you get a limited-edition piece. And so yeah. Yeah.

Moderation

Thank you. That helps. Yeah. Thank you. You seem to be very, motivated. And it's very cool. When did you know that you want to work in the SAP IBP area? When did you know this?

Heena

So, while pursuing my master's, I did an internship in a consulting firm, and that's where it actually diverted me to a SAP IBP. And also, when I was pursuing my master's, I had a module where I had to learn about the SAP modules altogether. So it was like starting from s/4HANA, SAP IBP altogether in one. So that intrigued me about having n number of system models together, which makes the role for a world of industry so easy. And that's where I tilted towards SAP IBP because, it makes life easy for the planner. In fact, if I think from the planner’s perspective, it makes life easy at the end of the day. And that's when, I thought that, okay, SAP IBP is going to be the future because at the time when I joined, it was, it was not that far used. But now, right now, you see, every other company is switching to SAP IBP right after Corona. In fact, because supply chain wanted to be digital right now, it cannot be done via Excel files or meetings. So that's when I decided that meeting rooms off it's IBP.

Moderation

And we grew so much in this area, right. How many people, are in your department?

Heena

So, when I joined, it was, below 100, that's for sure. And right now, we have crossed 150, 120 for sure and just IBP segment. And as I've seen the growth of valantic, it has been expanding every year. The graph is not going down. It's actually a significant growth graph. And that's actually makes me also realize that the decision I've taken was the best one.

Moderation

And why did you get into consulting?

Heena

So, I got into consulting while pursuing a master's because I understood why during the internship, it's going to be the crossroad for technology and the strategic decisions. And, understanding that consulting is not just, in-house consulting, but it's going to be a diverse of industries you are going to work with, and that's what you experience you need in life. Diversity. That's what I've been focusing all the way. So, giving an exposure to yourself to any number of industries, just being in one firm is really, really exciting and gets you through the day as well. So, consulting for me, I believe, that it's going to be the to be job. And that's where I saw my future when I was doing my master’s. And like I said, valantic just fell into my whole plan. So, it's been a smooth ride.

Moderation

So how technical is your job right now? How much IT is part of it. How technical do you work? Do you have to program in your job, did you learn it in your studies? Can you talk a little more about that?

Heena

Yes. So, so focusing on IT, I basically stepped into it. Right. I was in master’s where we had to study different forecasting modules, algorithms, and Python and R for data visualization as well. So that's where I stepped into that, though the course was very basic. And just for the knowledge of the sake of learning, they had kept the course in place. But that what's what attracted me where you can code, do the coding myself to make it more, more precise, more data accurate. The forecasting value should be more precise. And that's where I learned modular on, I learned module of Python on my own the coding the R. So, I did my own courses and that's where I stepped into IT. And the best part about when I joined the valantic, my team, I work under, so the manager I work under is from the same field, like I'm passionate about. And that's where we also, have a patch point and we do internal projects with coding, in fact. So, I've worked on a number of projects. So currently I've been working since one and a half year for probabilistic forecasting, which is not a part of IBP, but what we as a team have been doing is to get it as a part of IBP so that a planner can do the coding, or the code runs at the back end, and he gets more precise results. So, in my job, technically, it's not entirely IT, but we have been, driven towards pursuing IT to get into SAP IBP itself. It's, so basically it has been a journey where we have done innovations. So, this is the innovative factor where we have been developing. And valantic takes up IBP segment where we get all the innovative ideas irrespective of what the SAP offers, but to make it much better for our client and customize it with their needs.

Moderation

What motivates you the most in your day-to-day work.

Heena

So, the motivation I get for and my day-to-day work is basically the complex solutions, what the client needs basically. So, working in a consulting company, each client has different and complex needs. And that what motivates me is, I follow thinking out of the box always and which is always been driving me to succeed and also have the client relationship where we come to a point where he is satisfied, but what is asked for? So that's what motivates me. The complex needs, the complex request basically all together and each and every day. It's what has just been pushing me towards that, to achieving and having a sense of accomplishment. At the end of the day.

Moderation

And what are the challenges in the consulting for you?

Heena

My challenge in the consulting is majorly, when you're working on a number of projects all together. And so, you're working with one client, which is a legal industry, but you're working at the same time with another client, which is in food industry. And if you see from, altogether, from a perspective that it's completely two different platforms, because the shelf life of a food is much less so than the shelf life of a shoe. So basically, that what has been, a struggle. But, over the years I've popped up with time management. So, managing the time has helped me a lot. Understanding the needs and distributing the time according to the priority tasks every day. That what also motivates me to drive through this and accomplish all your, challenges day by day.

Moderation

Did you learn this through working, through your experience, or did you do any trainings in in terms of soft skills, time management.

Heena

So, all my learnings I would say is, 50/50, it is trainings, it’s the support and guidance from your colleagues. It's also from your own experience. So, the stem of it comes from your own experience, always. Because if you're not in the mud, you cannot understand how deep it is. So that's what is my thinking. And, yeah, I will come from my own experience and at the end.

Moderation

And can you say, how many projects do you have at the same time?

Heena

Oh, max, how it goes is a consulting, there are client projects, but also we have internal projects as well. So, at the same time, I've been working on a number can be max 3 to 4. Four max. So more than that, I have not worked on yet. Yeah, but, I, I'm confident now that right now at this stage, I can be able to handle four projects.

Moderation

Yeah, that's a huge number. So, in the last episode, we talked to Katherina and she told us that, she was the only woman in her department for a long time. How was your experience with that?

Heena

So, I have been fortunate enough to be working in valantic and not facing those disparities or what is going on in the IT industry, but I am committed to advocating the greater representation of women in these technical roles, because the diverse point of view needs to be present in this, in this far crucial innovation and even problem solving. So, in my in my team, we are around 8 to 10 women in SAP IBP team, and we also have our own, catch ups and have an own, get togethers basically, and have this, conversations about how to motivate each other, in fact. So, a woman can only motivate a woman. And that's how another woman can become powerful. So that's what I think. So, pushing and setting an example or setting an example, who want to step into this industry and fear about the disparities. I believe, we can set an example basically, like with right support, right guidance, and with your, valuable thoughts, you can conquer it.

Moderation

Do you have any career tips for women who maybe are interested in, joining IT but are not sure yet.

Heena

So, I would just, let the woman out, know that, be confident, be passionate about what you think, what you do, and do not let the discrimination, opt you out from pursuing your passion. So just get out there. Just be yourself and, conquer the world.

Moderation

Very nice. Yes. Well said. So that's why we are very happy that you're talking to us today in the podcast. Because that's what we want to tell out, to the world. Every woman should, conquer their own interests and passions. When we add, passions, maybe you can tell us a little bit more about your, private passions. Your hobbies? What are those?

Heena

So, I have been all over the place. I have been doing a number of things, basically all my past life, since my childhood. So, I've been into sports. I've achieved at a point I've been into music, but with work life, I have been continuing doing my most passionate thing I'm about is painting. Painting and dancing basically. So, while I'm doing painting, it takes me to a different place. It is a place where, it calms me down and, it helps me realize, the small things in life that outside the world is going to be chaotic. But, this is your place. So, while painting, I find my place.

Moderation

So, you seem to be very creative. Do you think that this is helpful for your job as well?

Heena

Yes. I think this has been my key, factor actually working, and it has always, basically, it's like painting, your job is going to be like painting because you are given with something which is going to be blank. It's completely blank. But eventually you get to a point, and you try to just imagine all the thoughts in your head, and then you put it on the system. So, it has been, it has been a key factor.

Moderation

That's a nice picture. So, I think we are at the end. From our episode, our last question always is: what is your slogan as the digital shero.

Heena

As a digital shero my slogan will be: Adapt, atrest, achieve. The trio to success.

Moderation

Very nice. Good slogan. Thank you very much, Heena, for the nice talk today and for letting our heroes know your thoughts and your experiences in IT. Thank you very much and have a great day. To everyone out there and to you, you know, thank you so much.

Heena

It's lovely being here. And I'm really honoured that I actually can help other women to pursue in IT. Hope it helped.

Moderation

Yeah, definitely. Thank you, Heena