ERP as a sector is in trouble. The solutions cost more than the incremental benefits they promise. New entrants, like Business Process Outsourcing, offer faster and continuously improving solutions. New solutions need more than SOA to become relevant to today’s businesses. They need to be broader than internal accounting transaction processors. They need to be externally aware and far more innovative. It’s time to say goodbye to the Golden Age of enterprise applications and usher in a whole new era of more cosmopolitan (and less narcissistic) solutions.

Title	Beyond Traditional Solutions: Where ERP Must Go
Presenter	Brian Sommer Founder/CEO TechVentive
Description	ERP as a sector is in trouble. The solutions cost more than the incremental benefits they promise. New entrants, like Business Process Outsourcing, offer faster and continuously improving solutions. New solutions need more than SOA to become relevant to today’s businesses. They need to be broader than internal accounting transaction processors. They need to be externally aware and far more innovative. It’s time to say goodbye to the Golden Age of enterprise applications and usher in a whole new era of more cosmopolitan (and less narcissistic) solutions.
Bio	Brian has been involved in almost every aspect of technology but is especially close to understanding how technology solutions integrate with the plans and designs of CXOs. Brian has been a consultant, technology research analyst, startup founder, writer, etc. Having served as a senior partner at Accenture (and its longest running Software Intelligence Director), he has sold, designed and implemented massive IT solutions around the world and has been active on the speaking circuit on every major continent. Brian is culturally attuned to technology buyers around the world and has written extensively on business value and ROI. He is recognized as an expert on technology ROI and has been quoted in relevant books on the subject (e.g., ROI Selling by Michael Nick). Briefly, he: Provides strategic consulting services to companies such as SAP, Workday, Intel, Progress Software, Primavera, Accenture and others. Develops strategic marketing content and direction to application software and infrastructure technology firms of all sizes. Creates in-depth thought leadership pieces on BPO, application software and professional services spaces. These have ranged from a 75-page technology buyers guide for BPO to a 1,700 page post-merger integration tool. Initiated, developed and expanded targeted Accenture technology relationships to an almost one billion dollar services stream; sourced, implemented, and managed several alliances between Andersen Consulting / Accenture and technology firms like: Adaytum, PeopleSoft, etc. Written several magazine articles for prestigious publications like Optimize, Wall Street Journal Europe, etc. Brian has a bachelor’s in Marketing and an MBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin.