New Business Objects User Group

[Doug Heywood]

New Business Objects user group forming

Americas' SAP Users' Group is creating a new global community for customers of Business Objects.

Chris Kanaracus (IDG News Service) 05/09/2008

The Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) is forming a new global community for customers of Business Objects, the business intelligence vendor that SAP bought earlier this year, the organization announced this week.

Membership in the Global BusinessObjects Network will be free until 2010. The organization is hoping to get existing user groups to join and serve as local chapters, while the GBN provides marketing and operational support.

The GBN will officially launch at the Business Objects User Conference in Dallas in October. Starting on Oct. 20, users can sign up at the conference or through the Web site www.gogbn.org.

ASUG officials were not immediately available for comment Thursday.

Dave Rathbun, a member of the group's initial steering committee, said in a recent blog post that the new group is a rebranding of the Business Objects Community Alliance.

"There are various reasons for the change, some of which have to do with naming conflicts but mostly having to do with the desire to emphasize the independence from anything run by SAP," said Rathbun, who works for Integra Solutions, a Dallas consulting firm.

Rathbun expects the group to sponsor user conferences in Europe and Asia-Pacific next year, as well as one in the US.

He added that because GBN wishes to emphasize its independence from SAP, he expects shows won't be held in conjunction with the vendor's SAPPHIRE events.

In an interview Thursday, steering committee member Jamie Oswald also emphasized the need for user groups to have independence from vendors.

Years ago, Oswald said, he couldn't get endorsement from his employer to attend local user group events because they contained too much input from Business Objects' marketing department and not enough educational content.

"The groups were run typically by people who cared a lot, but a lot of their support ... came from Business Objects," said Oswald, who now works as a senior business intelligence developer with Sisters of Mercy Health System in Chesterfield, Missouri. "That's how [Business Objects] got a lot of their content pushed in."

"I think it's gotten better over time, but now that this new independent group is in charge, it's going to shift even further into the educational side" at both local events and user conferences, he added.

[admin]

Aussie SAP, Business Objects groups merge

Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet.com.au
18 November 2008 11:19 AM

The Australian user groups for SAP and Business Objects will merge following the pair's marriage earlier this year, it was announced today.


(Credit: SAP Australian user group)

The SAP Australia user group (SAUG), which is administered internally by SAP itself, will swallow the Business Objects Australasia user group (BOAUG) effective this month. SAP took over Business Objects within the last year, saying at the time that the business intelligence specialist would retain its brand and be operated as a separate business unit.

A subgroup will be formed within SAUG for current Business Objects users, with a Business Objects Advisory Board (BOAB) set up to represent BOAUG within the structure of the larger user group.

SAUG will use a financial carrot to encourage BOAUG members into the fold, with current members invited to join SAUG under a subsidised membership scheme. The normal fees will apply from July 2009.

The BOAB will be headed by Jenni Lewis who has been the National President for the BOAUG.

"By joining forces with SAUG we are able to offer a greater pool of information to our current members, increase the size of the group and create a larger influence base within the SAP ecosystem," Lewis said in a statement.

"Programs will be developed over the next six to 12 months that will have a specific Business Objects focus. We will be adding new resources including webcasts, forums and events to incorporate a wider range of topics," she continued.

Last month also saw the Australian MD of Business Objects announce his departure following the SAP takeover.

[admin]

21 Jan 2009

The SAP Australian User Group (SAUG) have announced the appointment of Grahame Reynolds as its new chairperson. Reynolds is also Senior Business Analyst at Qenos, Australia’s leading polyethylene manufacturer.

As Chairperson of SAUG, Reynolds will be responsible for leading SAUG through a period of growth and transition following the recent merge between the Business Objects Australasian User Group (BOAUG) and the SAUG.

“This is a very exciting time to take the chair of SAUG. The next 12 months will be a period of strong growth as we join BOAUG with the SAUG and seek to expand the reach of SAUG within both the SAP and Business Objects community,” said Reynolds. “The BOAUG merger will add a new dimension to the SAP user community in Australia and will be of mutual benefit to members of both groups.

“SAUG is recognised as one of the leading SAP user groups worldwide. We have a very strong and respected voice representing SAP Australia customers locally and at a global level.”

“I look forward to working with the whole spectrum of the SAP ecosystem to continue to provide high value to our members and to significantly grow our membership base,” added Reynolds. “It is an honour to be entrusted by the Committee with the leadership of the SAUG.”

In his role at Qenos Grahame is responsible for extracting maximum value from the company’s SAP investment. He has overseen SAP upgrades and the introduction of SAP Product Costing, SAP Business Intelligence (BI) 7.0 and SAP NetWeaver Portal 7.0.

Grahame has vast experience in electrical engineering, having held a Senior Engineer position at ICI Australia’s Vinyls Plant as well as previous positions at Meadow Lea and Kellogg Australia.