Career highlights from Deloitte’s SAP practice: Anu Heikkilä
A senior manager’s leap from public sector IT to cross-border SAP transformations
Anu’s career story is one of transitions and continuous growth within Deloitte. Starting as a project manager focused on IT initiatives in the public sector, Anu embraced the opportunity to pivot into the world of SAP – an area where she was relatively new but undeterred[DBJ1] . Her journey reflects a commitment to learning and adapting, proving that stepping into unfamiliar territory can lead toremarkable professional development.
"Working with a cross-cultural team not only enriches the project but also broadens my understanding and approach.”
From IT management to SAP
Anu began her Deloitte journey as a project manager in 2021, working on diverse IT initiatives that spanned advisory, development and implementation phases. Before joining Deloitte, her broad experience included IT project and service management, recruiting, sales and team leadership. This diverse background has equipped her with a holistic understanding of technology’s role in business transformation.
After three years, Anu transitioned into Deloitte’s SAP practice, embracing the opportunity to deepen her expertise in one of the most transformative areas of enterprise technology. She views the move not as a challenge but as an exciting opportunity to expand her expertise and contribute to transformative projects.
"Deloitte’s culture of support and collaboration made it possible to learn quickly and take on meaningful responsibilities from Day 1."
Leveraging a global network for collaborative success
Currently, Anu is part of a critical multi-country SAP implementation spanning Norway, Sweden and Finland. This cross-Nordic project requires managing culturally diverse teams and complex stakeholder landscapes. She thrives in this setting, valuing the rich perspectives and varied expertise her colleagues bring from different backgrounds. For Anu, the human element is as vital as the technical element: “Working with a cross-cultural team not only enriches the project but also broadens my understanding and approach.”
Beyond her immediate team, Anu also benefits from Deloitte’s extensive global SAP network of 25,000 professionals, including 200 in the Nordics. This vast community ensures that no one is expected to be an expert in every area, and one can always connect with best-in-class specialists worldwide. This collaborative spirit underpins the success of the projects she is part of and reinforces her belief in the power of collective knowledge.
A passion for collaboration and continuous improvement
Anu’s approach to project management is influenced by her passion for agile methodologies and continuous improvement. With solid knowledge of ITIL, Scrum and Lean frameworks, she brings structure and efficiency to complex projects, often operating in multi-vendor environments.
Working with industry-leading clients across SAP and other domains inspires Anu to deliver excellence and innovate continuously. Looking ahead, Anu is driven by the prospect of deepening her impact in SAP project leadership, leveraging Deloitte’s global resources and her growing expertise to help clients navigate their most critical transformations.
Her story is one of growth through opportunity, resilience in complexity and a steadfast commitment to making a difference through technology and teamwork, both of which are essential elements for successful SAP transformations.
Fun facts about Anu
A hidden talent that is not on my CV: I’m a terrible cook, but my brunch game is surprisingly on point!
A quirky trait: A quirky trait that I have is that I always name my car based on its personality, giving each one a unique identity that reflects its character.
Every career is unique, shaped by personal experience, culture and professional growth. At Deloitte, our SAP professionals across the Nordics share a common purpose: driving transformation and impact for clients. In this series, we highlight four individual journeys. Together, they paint a broader picture of what it means to build a career in SAP by describing how they have built their expertise, overcome challenges and found new opportunities to grow as a business professional and connect both locally and across borders.
My Career Story: Estefania Montano
A Senior Manager who believes that the worst thing is not doing it — and applies that mindset to global SAP transformations
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