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The Australian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Australian
Rise of the digital workforce: rethinking work in the age of agentic AI
What is perceived as science fiction today becomes mainstream tomorrow – and transformative the day after. Such is the progression of generative AI, and now, agentic AI. We may not have all the answers yet. But the questions are becoming clearer. And the organisations that ask them early – and act boldly – will shape the future of work for the better. As Professor Ethan Mollick said recently, 'The time to begin isn't when everything becomes clear – it's now, while everything is still messy and uncertain. The advantage goes to those willing to learn fastest.' The pace at which AI is evolving is staggering. Agentic AI – autonomous systems capable of reasoning, learning, and acting independently – are no longer a theoretical concept. Agents are already executing human tasks, orchestrating workflows, and adapting through interactions with both humans and other agents. It's only getting faster as enterprise software players, hyperscalers, platform providers, frontier labs and new agentic product start-ups are innovating and releasing capabilities into market at a blistering pace. The short of it really is that we've well and truly entered a new era of transformation – and what we're witnessing is the rise of a digital workforce. To harness its full potential, we must move beyond outdated paradigms – especially the one-to-one thinking that equates digital labour to human labour in direct substitution. Human capacity is finite. Digital labour is not. It's a limitless, scalable, always-on capacity that can multiply effort, insight, and creativity at a scale and speed that previously was not possible. When we break this outdated paradigm, and rethink how we work, the opportunities look very different. Stu Scotis, National GenAI Lead at Deloitte Australia Picture a marketing team empowered by AI agents capable of simulating hundreds of thousands of campaigns, then surfacing the top-performing strategies for a human to evaluate. Or a sales force supported by thousands of virtual assistants, each tailoring offers to individual customer profiles based on real-time analysis of preferences, history, and behaviour. Or a finance team where CFOs have thousands of digital finance analysts. These examples are just a starting point, and exciting as they are, even these are constrained by today's thinking of structure and work. We're not just talking about automation for productivity – it's a reinvention of how we work. It demands a wholesale redesign of how we think about workflows, roles, and even how value is created. This is happening now and if you're following this space closely, you'll have seen headlines with high-profile CEOs setting directives on AI usage by employees with AI first strategies. We're also seeing examples of even bolder moves with some organisations merging HR and IT departments as the line between managing technology and managing people becomes increasingly blurred with agents. These organisations are going beyond surface-level integration and not just bolting AI onto existing systems – they are reimagining those systems entirely. They are looking at core functions such as customer service, product development, HR, and operations to be restructured and redesigned to take full advantage of AI's capabilities. Looking ahead, leadership roles also need to be redesigned as we consider the digital workforce. To date, leadership has been built around managing people, now we need managers who orchestrate fleets of AI agents as well as human teams. Setting clear expectations, evaluating outputs, and defining what 'good' looks like are quickly becoming core competencies for leaders as they take on accountability to transform their organisations with AI. Another essential question for every organisation is this: how far will you allow automation to proliferate? The capability is here – but are your systems, culture and people prepared? Agentic AI can perform complex tasks end-to-end, but without clear governance and ethical guidelines, it can introduce real risk. The path forward involves deliberate decisions about where to retain human oversight, where to build in safeguards, and how to ensure transparency in automated processes. What the end state looks like when functions, organisations or even sectors are redesigned around AI is not yet clear. But waiting isn't an option. Those who progress the fastest will gain significant, if not impassable, competitive advantage. We might not want to be in a race with AI – but we are. It's a global race, and the stakes are high. Productivity, competitiveness and economic growth are all on the line. And as the pace of technological change accelerates, so must our ability to act with clarity and intent. The race leaders will be those who are already laying the groundwork to rebuild, rethink and reinvent around AI. We've got a lot more to say about how organisations should be planning to shape the future of work with a sustained focus on delivering scale and value. Watch this space! Stu Scotis is National GenAI Lead at Deloitte Australia. - Disclaimer This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. Please see to learn more. Copyright © 2025 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. -
National Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Rimini Street Appoints Vijay Kumar as EVP and Chief Operating Officer
Article content Seasoned business and IT executive leader to drive operational efficiency, scaling, increased profitability and accelerated growth of the business Article content Article content LAS VEGAS — Rimini Street, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMNI), a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support, management and innovation solutions, and the leading third-party support provider for Oracle, SAP and VMware software, today announced the appointment of Vijay Kumar as executive vice president (EVP) and chief operating officer (COO). Article content 'Together we are building a path to a multi-billion-dollar revenue operation while delivering extraordinary value and innovation for our clients.' – Vijay Kumar, EVP & COO, Rimini Street Article content In this role, Mr. Kumar leads product management, service strategy and offerings for Rimini Street's 'Support, Optimize and Innovate' solutions and oversees Rimini Street's Global Capability Centers (GCC). Mr. Kumar also drives operational efficiency and innovation of the portfolio to increase profitability and accelerate top line revenue growth. Article content Kumar is a seasoned technology executive with more than 25 years of experience in building and scaling go-to-market, post-sales, services, and product organizations. His expertise spans enterprise software, SaaS, product management, professional services, and global support across B2B, B2C and AI platforms. Article content In his most recent role prior to joining Rimini Street, Kumar served as senior vice president at Genesys Cloud, leading global functions in operations, customer success, services, and delivery for the past seven years. He played a key role in accelerating customer expansion, driving revenue retention and operating margin. Previously, Kumar held executive leadership roles at HP Software leading services, sales & delivery, Kony Inc. as vice president and general manager of professional services, and at Vignette (acquired by OpenText) as vice president. Article content 'I am thrilled to join the Rimini Street C-Level executive team at such a pivotal moment in the company's growth journey. Together we are building a path to a multi-billion-dollar revenue operation, driving top and bottom-line results, while delivering extraordinary value and innovation for our clients,' said Kumar. 'Our Rimini Smart Path™ methodology is a game changer; we empower customers to unlock the latest innovation without the burden of ERP upgrades or migrations. I am excited to lead the team that will show our clients how to self-fund innovation without disruption, within their existing IT budgets.' Article content 'Vijay's leadership is already making a positive impact as we continue scaling our business for increased profitability and accelerated revenue growth,' said Seth Ravin, CEO and chairman of the board at Rimini Street. 'His broad operational expertise and experience and service roadmap vision make him an ideal fit for Rimini Street.' Article content Kumar holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an MBA from Xavier School of Management, India. He is based in Rimini Street's North American region and reports directly to the CEO. Article content About Rimini Street, Inc. Article content Rimini Street, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMNI), a Russell 2000® Company, is a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support and innovation solutions and the leading third-party support provider for Oracle, SAP and VMware software. The Company offers a comprehensive portfolio of unified solutions to run, manage, support, customize, configure, connect, protect, monitor, and optimize enterprise application, database, and technology software. The Company has signed thousands of contracts with Fortune Global 100, Fortune 500, midmarket, public sector and government organizations who selected Rimini Street as their trusted, proven mission-critical enterprise software solutions provider and achieved better operational outcomes, realized billions of US dollars in savings and funded AI and other innovation investments. Article content Certain statements included in this communication are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'continue,' 'could,' 'currently,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'forecast,' 'future,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'might,' 'outlook,' 'plan,' 'possible,' 'goal,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'seem,' 'seek,' 'should,' 'will,' 'would' or other similar words, phrases or expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expectations of future events, future opportunities, global expansion and other growth initiatives and our investments in such initiatives. These statements are based on various assumptions and on the current expectations of management and are not predictions of actual performance, nor are these statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties regarding Rimini Street's business, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, adverse developments in and costs associated with defending pending litigation or any new litigation, including the disposition of pending motions to appeal and any new claims; any additional expenses to be incurred to comply with any injunction ordered by the courts relating to the Rimini II litigation matter and the impact on future period revenue and costs incurred related to these efforts; changes in the business environment in which Rimini Street operates, including the impact of any macro-economic trends and changes in foreign exchange rates, as well as general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions affecting the industry in which we operate and the industries in which our clients operate; the evolution of the enterprise software management and support landscape and our ability to attract and retain clients and further penetrate our client base; significant competition in the software support services industry; customer adoption of our expanded portfolio of products and services and products and services we expect to introduce; our expectations regarding new product offerings, partnerships and alliance programs, including but not limited to our partnership with ServiceNow; our ability to grow our revenue and accurately forecast revenue, along with the results of any efforts to manage costs in light of current revenue expectations and expansion of our offerings; the expected impact of reductions in our workforce during the last and current fiscal year and associated reorganization costs; estimates of our total addressable market and expectations of client savings relative to use of other providers; variability of timing in our sales cycle; risks relating to retention rates, including our ability to accurately predict retention rates; the loss of one or more members of our management team; our ability to attract and retain additional qualified personnel, including sales personnel, and retain key personnel; our business plan, our ability to grow in the future and our ability to achieve and maintain profitability; our plans to wind-down the offering of services for Oracle PeopleSoft products, which may be impacted by pending decisions in the Rimini II litigation; the volatility of our stock price and related compliance with stock exchange requirements; our need and ability to raise equity or debt financing on favorable terms and our ability to generate cash flows from operations to help fund increased investment in our growth initiatives; risks associated with global operations; our ability to prevent unauthorized access to our information technology systems and other cybersecurity threats; any deficiencies associated with generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies potentially used by us or used by our third-party vendors and service providers; our ability to protect the confidential information of our employees and clients and to comply with privacy regulations; our ability to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting; our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our brand and intellectual property; changes in laws and regulations, including changes in tax laws or unfavorable outcomes of tax positions we take, tariff costs (including tariff relief or the ability to mitigate tariffs, particularly in light of proposed policies of the new Presidential administration), a failure by us to establish adequate tax reserves, or our ability to realize benefits from our net operating losses; any negative impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters on our reputation or business and the exposure of our business to additional costs or risks from our reporting on such matters; our ability to maintain our good standing with the United States government and international governments and capture new contracts with governmental entities/agencies; our credit facility's ongoing debt service obligations and financial and operational covenants on our business and related interest rate risk, including uncertainty from the transition to SOFR or other interest rate benchmarks; the sufficiency of our cash and cash equivalents to meet our liquidity requirements; the amount and timing of repurchases, if any, under our stock repurchase program and our ability to enhance stockholder value through such program; uncertainty as to the long-term value of Rimini Street's equity securities; catastrophic events that disrupt our business or that of our clients; and those discussed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in Rimini Street's Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 1, 2025, and as updated from time to time by Rimini Street's future Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other filings by Rimini Street with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, forward-looking statements provide Rimini Street's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. Rimini Street anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause Rimini Street's assessments to change. However, while Rimini Street may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Rimini Street specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Rimini Street's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication. Article content © 2025 Rimini Street, Inc. All rights reserved. 'Rimini Street' is a registered trademark of Rimini Street, Inc. in the United States and other countries, and Rimini Street, the Rimini Street logo, and combinations thereof, and other marks marked by TM are trademarks of Rimini Street, Inc. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners, and unless otherwise specified, Rimini Street claims no affiliation, endorsement, or association with any such trademark holder or other companies referenced herein. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CRM Q1 Earnings: Will AI and Cloud Growth Outweigh Macro Challenges?
Salesforce, Inc. CRM is set to release its first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings on May 28, and expectations are high. The company continues to benefit from the growing trend of digital transformation, as more businesses move to the cloud and look for ways to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations. Even though the broader economy is facing headwinds, Salesforce is expected to deliver decent revenue and profit growth. Demand remains strong for its cloud-based software and AI-powered tools. The company is also gaining traction in international markets. However, challenges such as slower deal-making and reduced tech spending by smaller firms could limit Salesforce's upside this quarter. Salesforce Inc. price-eps-surprise | Salesforce Inc. Quote Click here to know how Salesforce's overall fiscal first-quarter results are likely to be. Salesforce remains one of the top names in enterprise software, and its business model — offering software through the cloud — keeps gaining momentum. The shift to remote and hybrid work has only made cloud adoption more important. Now, as AI tools become more common, Salesforce is pushing ahead with more automated and intelligent features in its software. The company offers a wide range of products, from sales and marketing tools to commerce and customer service platforms. This variety helps it stay steady, even when some industries cut back on software spending. A key growth driver for the first quarter is expected to be Salesforce's AI tools, especially its Einstein Analytics platform. More companies are turning to AI to improve customer service, sales forecasting and operational efficiency. Salesforce has moved quickly to add generative AI features across its product lines, setting itself apart from competitors. As the global market for AI-powered cloud services grows fast, Salesforce is in a good position to benefit. The company's focus on AI, automation and data analytics is likely to have helped boost its first-quarter performance. Salesforce's success isn't limited to the United States. The company has been expanding into international markets, tapping into rising demand for digital tools from companies across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Many of these businesses are just beginning their digital and AI journeys, and Salesforce's cloud-based products are seen as flexible and scalable solutions. This global expansion is likely to have played an important role in supporting CRM's revenue growth in the first quarter. While Salesforce is growing, it's not completely shielded from the broader economic slowdown. Smaller businesses, a big part of its customer base, are watching their budgets more closely and slowing down spending on IT and software amid the ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties and geopolitical issues. Salesforce has already noted that deals are taking longer to close. Customers are taking more time to review contracts and pricing, which can reduce the size of deals and delay when revenues are recognized. These slower deal cycles may have some impact on first-quarter numbers. Still, Salesforce's core Subscription and Support segment is expected to hold up well. Our estimate suggests it brought in about $9.2 billion in the quarter, up 7.3% year over year. This suggests customers are sticking with the platform despite the tough economic environment. One of the most important changes at Salesforce recently has been its push for better profitability. Through cost-cutting, staff reductions and improving how it operates, the company has been able to increase earnings, even with slower revenue growth. Even if deal sizes shrink a bit, Salesforce's ability to control costs puts it in a good position to grow profits. Its leadership in the customer relationship management space, combined with opportunities to upsell AI tools to existing customers, should help the company continue improving its margins over time. CRM anticipates non-GAAP earnings per share to be in the band of $2.53-$2.55 for the first quarter. The consensus mark for non-GAAP earnings has remained unchanged at $2.54 per share over the past 60 days, which calls for a 4.1% increase from the year-ago quarter's level. (Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.) Currently, CRM carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Impinj PI, StoneCo STNE and Rambus RMBS are some better-ranked stocks that investors can consider in the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector. Impinj, StoneCo and Rambus each sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Impinj's 2025 earnings has been revised upward by 11 cents to $1.68 per share over the past 30 days, and suggests a year-over-year decrease of 20.4%. Impinj shares have plunged 32.7% over the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for StoneCo's 2025 earnings has moved upward by 17 cents to $1.43 per share in the past 30 days, implying 5.9% year-over-year growth. StoneCo shares have fallen 7.1% in the trailing 12 months. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rambus' 2025 earnings has been revised upward by 14 cents to $2.47 per share in the past 30 days, suggesting a year-over-year increase of 23.5%. Rambus shares have declined 4% over the past year. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Salesforce Inc. (CRM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Rambus, Inc. (RMBS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Impinj, Inc. (PI) : Free Stock Analysis Report StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JMP Securities Maintains Market Perform Rating on SAP SE (SAP) Stock
On Friday, May 23, JMP Securities analyst Patrick Walravens reiterated a 'Market Outperform' rating on SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) with a steady $330 price target. The analyst pointed out that the stock is currently trading at a 2026 estimated enterprise value (EV) to revenue multiple of 7.5 times, and a 2026 estimated EV to free cash flow (FCF) multiple of 32 times. Walravens' price target of $330 indicates that SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) could be valued at an EV/revenue multiple of 8.3 times and a 2026 EV/FCF multiple of 35 times, which represents a premium of about 10% over the median multiple of SAP SE's (NYSE:SAP) peers. A data centre room with cloud technology, illustrating the enterprise application software services. According to the analyst, the premium is justified as the company has a large core market, strong backlog growth, and a solid leadership team. Walravens also described a hypothetical scenario where SAP SE's (NYSE:SAP) stock could rise even higher. If the market valued SAP at 40 times its estimated 2026 cash flow, as forecasted by JMP Securities, the stock price could reach about $375. This hypothetical example shows the potential for SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) to grow if its financial performance can meet or exceed expectations. SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) is a German multinational software company with a leading position in enterprise applications and business AI. The company is one of the world's largest providers of enterprise resource planning software. While we acknowledge the potential of SAP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than SAP and that has a 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 11 Stocks That Will Bounce Back According To Analysts and 11 Best Stocks Under $15 to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JMP Securities Maintains Market Perform Rating on SAP SE (SAP) Stock
On Friday, May 23, JMP Securities analyst Patrick Walravens reiterated a 'Market Outperform' rating on SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) with a steady $330 price target. The analyst pointed out that the stock is currently trading at a 2026 estimated enterprise value (EV) to revenue multiple of 7.5 times, and a 2026 estimated EV to free cash flow (FCF) multiple of 32 times. Walravens' price target of $330 indicates that SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) could be valued at an EV/revenue multiple of 8.3 times and a 2026 EV/FCF multiple of 35 times, which represents a premium of about 10% over the median multiple of SAP SE's (NYSE:SAP) peers. A data centre room with cloud technology, illustrating the enterprise application software services. According to the analyst, the premium is justified as the company has a large core market, strong backlog growth, and a solid leadership team. Walravens also described a hypothetical scenario where SAP SE's (NYSE:SAP) stock could rise even higher. If the market valued SAP at 40 times its estimated 2026 cash flow, as forecasted by JMP Securities, the stock price could reach about $375. This hypothetical example shows the potential for SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) to grow if its financial performance can meet or exceed expectations. SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) is a German multinational software company with a leading position in enterprise applications and business AI. The company is one of the world's largest providers of enterprise resource planning software. While we acknowledge the potential of SAP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than SAP and that has a 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 11 Stocks That Will Bounce Back According To Analysts and 11 Best Stocks Under $15 to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
