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"Your business case isn't big enough." | SAP SuccessFactors' CRO on the revenue-first skills strategy
Episode Summary
If you think AI in HR is just about doing more with less, you’re playing the wrong game. Jan Duthoo (CRO, SAP SuccessFactors EMEA) argues that the most successful organizations aren't just chasing efficiency—they are redesigning roles to capture more revenue. Jan reveals how SAP shifted its own customer success teams into a project-management model that deepened client intimacy and immediately hit the bottom line. He also dives into the "messy reality" of business cases, explaining why many CHROs struggle to get executive buy-in because they can't speak the language of numbers. Whether it’s L'Oreal using skills to slow down Gen Z mobility or Safran using it to speed up internal hiring, Jan’s message is clear: the technology is just the vehicle; your business intent is the fuel.
Watch the Episode
Key Takeaways
- The Revenue Link: Skills data isn't just for HR; SAP used it to shift their sales model, which directly increased their "share of wallet" with customers.
- Opposite Use Cases: There is no single "skills blueprint." L’Oreal used skills to reduce internal mobility because people were moving too fast; Safran used it to increase it because people were staying too long.
- The Efficiency Trap: Most leaders use AI to cut costs. The real winners use it to rethink how work is done from end-to-end.
- Trial and Error: Don't launch a global program on day one. Experiment in one department, find out what works in your specific company DNA, and then scale.
Best Practices & Actionable Insights
- Stop "Boiling the Ocean": Start your skills journey in one or two departments where you have a clear pain point (like high turnover or slow hiring).
- Build a Multi-Layered Business Case: Your pitch to the board must include "missed opportunity" revenue and "future role design," not just efficiency metrics.
- Use AI to Infer, Not Just Track: Don't ask employees to fill out endless forms. Use a "Talent Intelligence Hub" powered by real-time data to see what people can actually do.
- Reclaim the AI Conversation from IT: HR needs to step up and explain how AI changes work processes, rather than just letting IT install tools for automation.
About the Speaker: Jan Duthoo
Jan Duthoo is the Chief Revenue Officer for SAP SuccessFactors in EMEA. With years of experience leading large-scale digital transformations, Jan helps the world’s biggest organizations navigate the shift to the cloud and the new era of AI-driven workforce intelligence. He is a vocal advocate for merging business strategy with people data to drive tangible financial results.
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