Presented by SAP
Are you curious about the dynamic world of high-tech corporate environments and the diverse roles that contribute to the creation of impactful features and products in the software industry? Join us where we will take you through the entire lifecycle of a software feature, from its initial spark of an idea to its post-release. Discover the integral roles, including product management, user experience design, development, quality assurance, DevOps, technical writing, and many more.
You'll gain invaluable insights into each role's unique responsibilities, how they interact with one another, and the critical skills required to thrive in these positions. But that's not all - prepare to super-charge your career with insider tips on navigating various career paths and accelerating your professional growth.
Location: DC 1351 and Online
Speakers:
Joanna Ritchie is a Vice President and Chief Project Expert of Development for HANA Cloud Data Landscape (HCDL) at SAP, and the Site Lead for the SAP Labs Waterloo location. She oversees and supports the planning, execution and delivery of business transformations and projects within HCDL products and services. Joanna has over 30 years of experience in the software industry, leading many facets of the business from ideation to production solutions. Prior to joining the HCDL team, Joanna held roles as VP of Engineering for Digital Manufacturing, and Senior Director of Technical Services for Emerging Technologies where she oversaw technical support, consulting, and application development initiatives in the areas of distributed architectures and mobility. She has a Bachelor of Math specializing in Computer Science and Business from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Bojana Bislimovska is a Senior Software Developer at SAP, working as a Database Developer for SAP HANA Data Lake Relational Engine (HDLRE). She obtained her PhD in Computer Science from Politecnico di Milano, Italy, and then worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Waterloo for three years. Her job focuses on addressing customer issues and developing HANA Data Lake features that take HDLRE to the next level in the cloud.
Simran Malhotra is an Engineering Manager at SAP, where she leads high-performing teams in Waterloo, Ontario. She brings a dynamic career spanning product ownership, quality engineering, and technical leadership, with hands-on experience in the banking, insurance, and digital manufacturing sectors. In these industries, Simran has focused on building robust, reliable systems that drive improvements in system performance, customer satisfaction, and user experience. Simran is a strong advocate for inclusive leadership and mentorship, championing the importance of diverse voices in shaping the future of technology. Outside of work, Simran enjoys gardening, going on long walks with her three-year-old, and experimenting with new dessert recipes in the kitchen.
Sandra Loop is a UX Design & User Research Lead in charge of a research operations team at SAP. Throughout her career, she has held multiple roles, primarily UX Designer & User Researcher, as well as Product Manager, Tech Writer, Project Manager, and Developer, often juggling multiple positions at once. Her experiences span from small 100 person companies to large global corporations. Sandra holds a BMath in Computer Science and Psychology, as well as a MMath in Computer Science with a focus on User Interface, both from the University of Waterloo. She is a mother to two university-aged daughters. She enjoys vegetable gardening, weight training, and traveling to Europe to visit her SAP colleagues.
Sonia Kulwant Singh is a Senior Software Developer at SAP, currently working in the “Make and Deliver” (Digital Manufacturing) team within the Supply Chain Management division. With over 15 years of experience, her career has spanned across diverse roles including Leadership, Software Development, DevOps, Scrum Management, Product Ownership, and Quality Management. Throughout her journey at SAP, Sonia has worked in multiple global locations, including Bengaluru (India), Walldorf (Germany), as well as Montreal and Waterloo in Canada. She is a passionate advocate for Women in Technology and actively represents SAP in this space. Sonia holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Information Science and Engineering from VTU (India) and an MBA in Information Technology from SMU (India). Outside of work, Sonia enjoys nurturing her indoor greenhouse plants. She is also a trained dancer and teaches Bhangra at SAP. Her other interests include practicing yoga and traveling to explore new cultures and countries.