DBP-Institute

DBP (Data for Business Performance) Institute (www.dbp-institute.com) is an Digital, Data, Analytics & Cybersecurity firm that leverages digital technologies and data analytics to deliver measurable and monetizable business results. Our 3 main services are - Consulting, Research, and Education.  

Companies such as Husky Energy, Cenovus Energy, Shell, Evalueserve, CP Rail, Payload, AtScale, MPG, NTPC, RealWear, Fujitsu, CFO-University, IE Business School, TDWI,  IDMA, Xenon Arc, and many more have hired us to understand problems and craft solutions that make a business impact. 

NOTE: The word Institute in the firm’s name emphasizes delivering business results based on proven best practices.

For more details, visit www.dbp-institute.com.

Founder and Managing Principal

Catyeus Inc

Solid Understanding of the SAP Ecosystems as I have worked/consulted in SAP Labs/GDC (India and Germany), SAP Partners (Accenture, Fujitsu, and Deloitte), and SAP Customers (Shell, Husky Energy, GE, FedEx, Apple, P&G, and more). 

Played many roles including SAP Program/Project Manager, Enterprise Architect, Solution Architect, MM/PM/SD Functional Lead & Configurator, SAP ABAP Developer, SAP MM/PM Trainer, and SAP Tester

Here are some of my SAP work published in SAP Insider.

1. 12 Key FP&A Reports for Improved Business Visibility and Impact
https://sapinsider.org/expert-insights/12-key-fpa-reports-for-improved-business-visibility-and-impact/

2. Tracking SAP Implementation Metrics with EVM Methodology
https://sapinsider.org/tracking-sap-implementation-metrics-with-the-earned-value-management-evm-methodology/

3. Realizing the Value Proposition of S/4HANA – Three Key Value Levers for Improved S/4HANA Adoption
https://sapinsider.org/expert-insights/realizing-the-value-proposition-of-s4hana-three-key-value-levers-for-improved-s4hana-adoption/

SAP Project Manager, Architect, Configurator and Developer

IE Business School

IE Business School is consistently ranked among the top 10 business schools in the world. It is ranked 8th MBA in the world (FT 2019) and 3rd MBA worldwide, outside the US (Forbes 2017)

I teach the 15 session APPLIED ENTERPRISE DATA ANALYTICS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS course to the MBA students in IE’s Madrid campus in Spain. The course covers Data Acquisition Strategies, Data Science, Enterprise IT Systems, Descriptive Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Machine Learning, Prescriptive Analytics, Decision Science and Data Monetization Strategies.

Adjunct Professor of Data and Analytics

Wiley

My book - DATA QUALITY: EMPOWERING BUSINESSES WITH ANALYTICS AND AI, published by Wiley discusses the 16 most common issues of data quality degradation and offers 10 practical solutions for remediating and sustaining data quality based on my DARS (Define - Analyze- Realize - Sustain) Framework. 

The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Wiley websites.

Book Author at John Wiley

Technics Publications

Published 2 books and over 4,000 copies are sold so far.
1. DATA FOR BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
2. ANALYTICS BEST PRACTICES

ANALYTICS BEST PRACTICES is ranked #1 in the list of 100 BEST ANALYTICS BOOKS OF ALL TIME by BookAuthority.Org.

Both books are available for sale at Amazon and https://technicspub.com/

Book Author at Technics Publications

Forbes Technology Council

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only organization for senior-level technology executives and thought leaders. Members are selected for the Council based on their depth and diversity of experience and knowledge, then invited to share their insights on Forbes.com. 

Here are my articles published in Forbes. com.
https://profiles.forbes.com/members/tech/profile/Prashanth-Southekal-Managing-Principal-DBP-Institute/25f85780-d6de-44d0-9edf-4b53470cff36

Expert Council Member

Griha Software Technologies Pvt Ltd

As an Executive Data Analytics Advisor, I advise Griha on:
• Go-to-market (GTM) strategies
• Thought leadership and Identifying and building use-cases
• Forging industry partnerships

Data & Analytics Advisor

CFO.University

Build the Data and Analytics competency in the CFO community through Research, Training and Blogs,

Fellow

I'm the Founder of DBP Institute (www.dbp-institute.com), a Digital, Data, Analytics, & Cybersecurity Consulting, Research, & Education firm. I've advised/worked for 80+ organizations including P&G, GE, SAP, Shell, Apple, FedEx, & Whirlpool. My core skills are SAP Platforms, Data Quality/Governance, Data Analytics, Enterprise Performance Mngt (EPM), Cybersecurity, & Financial Supply Chain/FP&A.

I'm the author of 3 books — "Data Quality" ,"Analytics Best Practices” & “Data for Business Performance” & 7000+ copies are sold worldwide. I write regularly on data, analytics, technology & AI in Forbes, SAP Insider & CFO.University. My 2nd book, ANALYTICS BEST PRACTICES was ranked the #1 analytics book in May 2022 by BookAuthority. 

I've trained over 4000 professionals worldwide in D&A. I'm a keynote speaker in top conferences & an award-winning Professor of D&A at IE Business School (ES). 

My current research projects are (A) Datafoot print reduction & ESG Reporting (B) Data Valuation, Data Products & M&A Synergies (C) AI Model & Data Drifts

I've a PhD from ESC Lille (FR), MBA from Kellogg School of Management (US) & an ICD.D from Rotman School of Management (CA). I live in Calgary with my wife, two children & a high-energy Goldendoodle dog. Outside work, I love juggling & cricket.

At a personal level, I beleive in getting better every day & helping others do the same. I care about children's education & well-being. All the royalties from my 3 books goes to charity & till date over $15,000 have been given to charities world-wide.

****
"Dr. Southekal is in the top 75 leading data leaders of 2022" CDO MAGAZINE

"Dr.Southekal is one of the leading D&A thinkers today". DOUG LANEY,  Author of Infonomics.

"Dr.Southekal is the weapon businesses need to leverage their data profitably!" Chris Lambert, CEO, Payload

"Mr. Southekal is one of the few consultants with amazing zeal targeting the highest levels of perfection & value.” SRINIVAS BETADA, Director, SAP 

"Dr. Southekal is the Salman Khan (of Khan Academy) of Data Analytics -  authentic, knowledgeable, & cares about student's learning" FAYSAL KHAN, Oil/Gas Engineer, Worley

"Dr. Southekal is a visionary. He helped us acquire international exposure, provided valuable inputs in our M&A activities, & formulated the right growth strategies. " Madhuresh Dimba, CEO, GrihaSoft

"Prashanth has an amazing knack for integrating business needs with data and SAP tools. He is extremely articulate, willing to learn & adapt, & very personable to work with." - Lance Calleberg, SAP Solutions Architect, Husky Energy

What does it take to get your data ready for #Analytics and #AI?

Join me and the Saturam team in #Dallas as we dive into the most often-overlooked foundations that make or break AI and analytics success - DATA QUALITY

Whether you're just starting your data journey or scaling enterprise AI, my talk "Getting Data Ready for Analytics and AI" will give you practical strategies to unlock real business value.

🗓 October 10, 2025, at 5.30 PM CT
📍 Cascades at the Colony, Dallas, Texas

DM me or Muralidharan K to get your event access details.

CC: Saturam Valentina Tomov, Ph.D. D2A2 Jay K Madhivadhanan Hasan TM Kavitha Srinivasan Afua Kwarteng Gary Cokins Steve Rosvold V. "Bala" Balasubramanian, PhD, MBA

Prashanth H Southekal, PhD, MBA, ICD.D

Recently, Ali Ghodsi (CEO of Databricks) announced that SAP Business Data Cloud can now connect directly to Databricks Lakehouse via open-source Delta Sharing.

This means, secure, zero-copy access to SAP data (ERP, SuccessFactors, Ariba, etc.) available instantly in the Databricks environment.

Some of my SAP clients asked me a great question:  "DO WE STILL NEED SAP PRODUCTS FOR AI AND BI WORKLOADS?"
 
Short answer: No. Not anymore !!!

With integrations like this, companies can use SAP for core transactions and have Databricks for Analytics and AI. They can seamlessly access SAP data in the Databricks Lakehouse data platform without complex #ETL and get improved business performance!

For example, a retail enterprise can now combine #SAP Sales Order data with market signals and run demand forecasting models in #Databricks without waiting hours for the ETIL data pipelines to refresh.

IMO, this is a game-changer for enterprises looking to augment core business operations with real-time, AI-driven insights.

While this is a big win for forward-thinking enterprises looking to build open, modern, and intelligent data platforms, the reality is, many organizations are not ready to take advantage of it yet.

If you are looking to implement the Databricks #MedallionArchitecture and unlock the full potential of your SAP data, reach out. I'd be happy to share my thoughts how you can capitalize on this opportunity. 

Remember, data is only an asset if you know how to use it. Otherwise, it becomes a liability. Read my blog published by CFO.University on this. Link in comments.

PS: Many organizations use only S/4HANA (or ECC) for core financials i.e. GL data). They don't have Ariba, Concur, SuccessFactors and other SAP products. In such cases, there is no need for BDC. A direct ETL from S/4HANA to Databricks is will work. Ultimately, SAP excels at running and recording business transactions, while Databricks is great for Analytics and AI. Applying the Separation of Concerns (SoC) principle to your data architecture helps maintain clarity, scalability, and focus; letting each platform do what it does best.

#SAP #Databricks #AI #Analytics #DataLakehouse

You may have seen the headline - Deloitte to partially refund Australian government (headed by Anthony Albanese) for report with apparent AI-generated errors. 

Technically, that should be a major reputational hit. After all, aren’t these firms paid millions to deliver top-tier insights to imprve the performance of their clients?

But IMO, this incident won’t materially hurt Deloitte or even any of the Big 4. Why?

Because the real reason these consulting giants are hired isn’t always what’s written in the contract.

Yes, the official narrative says they are brought in to improve business performance, drive transformation, offer expert insights, and more. But the unofficial, yet widely understood reason, is - THEY ARE HIRED FOR THEIR BRAND AND FOR RISK MITIGATION.

A report with the Deloitte or Mckinsey logo isn’t just a document; it is a SHIELD. It signals credibility, satisfies internal stakeholders, and can be used to justify decisions up the chain including the board. Even if the content is flawed, the brand carries weight.

While there are many talented consultants doing great work in these firms, branding, perception, and risk management often drive big-ticket consulting deals.

What do you think? Is the Big-4 model more about expertise or just brand-driven insurance?

In several recent client discussions around consulting opportunities in data, analytics, and AI, a consistent theme has emerged in the recent months: a shift away from traditional Time & Materials (T&M) models toward value-based or outcome-based pricing.

In today's volatile and results-driven business environment, many organizations are no longer just looking for advisors. They are looking for partners who are willing to put SKIN IN THE GAME.

This shift is more than just a change in commercial terms. It reflects a deeper expectation:
 ✅ That we truly understand the business problem.
 ✅ That we are confident in the solution we are proposing.
 ✅ And that we are willing to align our success with the client's success.

This means rethinking how we structure engagements based on OUTCOMES and IMPACT. It is not just about billing hours and deliverables like software or  documents anymore. It is about measurable outcomes, tangible business value, and shared risk.

YES. It is challenging. But I see it as an opportunity to build deeper trust, longer-term partnerships, and most importantly BELEIF IN THE SOLUTIONS I PROPOSE AND DELIVER.

In simple words - PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE THE MOUTH IS. JUST CLEAR BUSINESS OUTCOMES AND FULL ACCOUNTABILITY.

Thoughts? Feedback?

#Data #Analytics #AI #Consulting #OutcomeBasedPricing #SkinInTheGame #ValueDriven

CC: Steve Rosvold Gary Cokins V. "Bala" Balasubramanian, PhD, MBA  Tobias Zwingmann Arun Marar, Ph.D.

One of the most rewarding moments for any mentor is seeing their mentee thrive.

I’ve had the privilege of mentoring Ram Kumar Nimmakayala for nearly a year, guiding him through my 3F Mentoring Model. And today, I am incredibly proud to see him recognized among the "Top 100 brightest minds driving Data and AI Excellence".

Witnessing his growth, curiosity, and commitment has been nothing short of inspiring. Congrats Ram and all the best!

#mentor #data #analytics #AI

Join Tobias Zwingmann. Partner at D2A2 and Steve Rosvold Founder of CFO.University for a LinkedIn live event on "The New Gold Rush: Monetizing Proprietary Data in the AI Era"

In this session on 6th November at 11.30 AM ET, Tobias and Steve will discuss strategies and challenges on how to turn your data into competitive advantage. Don’t miss it this event!
 
Here is the registration link.
https://lnkd.in/gFC6QMvq

CC: Arun Marar, Ph.D. Valentina Tomov, Ph.D. Gary Cokins Afua Kwarteng V. "Bala" Balasubramanian, PhD, MBA

#Data #Analytics #AI

Unlock hidden revenue streams by turning your company’s data into AI’s most valuable fuel.

The New Gold Rush Monetizing Proprietary Data in the AI Era

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