Anyone who has experienced more than 40 years of implementation, process optimization, customizing and project management in the SAP environment has literally seen enough of the IT & consulting world at some point, right? Or maybe not! My colleague Christian has decided to swap his retirement for his passion for SAP and has been working as a Solution Architect at All for One since the beginning of this year. I spoke to him about his impressive career and his return to the SAP business.
Jochen: Hello Christian, please introduce yourself briefly. Who are you, where are you from and what area do you work in at All for One?
Christian: My name is Christian Podiwinsky, I am 78 years old, live in Vienna and returned from retirement this year to bring my experience as an SAP Solution Architect to All for One.
Jochen: How did you actually end up at All for One?
Christian: I've been freelancing since I retired and actually wanted to reduce my workload, but then I was approached by a recruitment consultant to see if I would be interested in a position as a Solution Architect for All for One in Austria in a half-time permanent position. It sounded interesting, firstly because the conditions and working conditions were right, and secondly because there are a lot of new things happening in the SAP environment at the moment. That's why I didn't have to think twice and accepted.
Christian Podiwinsky - Solution Architect
Christian's SAP career at a glance
Jochen: Can you briefly describe your career as an SAP consultant?
Christian: My path into IT consulting originally started in business administration. I started programming at the same time. This helped me to combine both worlds. My first point of contact with SAP was in 1980 as part of a financial accounting project at Steyr-Daimler-Puch, Austria's largest private-sector group at the time. I initially worked there as a technical project manager for financial accounting. In the following years, SAP was gradually rolled out to other areas such as controlling, purchasing and production planning - I took over the management of the SAP group.
In 1986, I moved to the electrical group ELIN, now largely part of Siemens, where I managed the SAP group and was also responsible for the entire SAP implementation as a functional integration manager - from accounting to logistics, purchasing, sales and production through to human resources.
From 1991, I then worked in various SAP consulting companies - initially with a focus on accounting, but increasingly also in the area of integration management. This meant designing and implementing SAP solutions across departments - what we now understand as end-to-end processes.
In 2003, I finally moved to SAP Austria, where I worked in presales for SMEs until 2012.I was responsible for requirements analysis, customer-specific SAP concepts, individual demos and organizational and integrative consulting - also in collaboration with SAP partners.
Jochen: And if I've done my maths correctly, that was followed by a well-earned retirement, wasn't it?
Christian: Yes, that's right. But even after I retired, I continued to work as a freelance SAP consultant, particularly for Austrian SMEs. My focus remained on accounting and integration management, supplemented by cross-module functional implementations.
Between 2013 and 2015, I also designed the architecture and software specifications for an integrated logistics ERP system on behalf of a software development company. The system has been in productive use since 2016.
I actually wanted to retire for good in 2023 - but the need is still there. And with the new ERP product level that SAP is currently developing, a particularly exciting chapter is beginning for me once again, which I would like to experience.
Jochen: What is your current range of tasks at All for One?
Christian: I am currently analyzing all new SAP functions, modules and products. I then use this to create a technical sales guide and later a concept guide for presales and solution architects. This means a lot of "research work" in the various documents and bringing together the relevant points from a sales and technical point of view. I also carry out analytical and conceptual work for the customer as an intermediary between the specialist department and the module experts.
Why return to the consulting business?
Jochen:You already have over 40 years of SAP consulting behind you. What made you decide to continue your SAP journey?
Christian: I have always been enthusiastic about technological innovations in the SAP environment. SAP is currently driving forward many innovations within the classic ERP area and beyond, whether in the area of process control, enterprise database, corporate planning or artificial intelligence. This holds enormous potential for new applications in companies. And at the same time many new challenges for SAP consulting firms. This also makes things exciting for me, because it means that SAP's software and system landscape is moving into new, interesting dimensions after many years of rather constant functionality. Being able to "get a taste" of this makes the work appealing. And I can say:so far, I haven't regretted the decision and I want to stay active until at least the end of 2026.
Jochen:How does the collaboration within the team work? Do you feel well integrated into the team? Do you just pass on your wealth of experience or do you sometimes learn something new yourself?
Christian: In Austria, our consulting colleagues are geographically dispersed. Unfortunately, this means that "informal" communication sometimes falls by the wayside. Our team of consultants is very well positioned professionally. But overall, the collaboration worksand it's fun. I can learn a lot from each individual and in return contribute my knowledge, my assessment of future developments and, above all, my experience in presales and interdisciplinary design to my team. So we complement each other perfectly.
SAP consulting then and now
Jochen: Let's take another little trip back in time. How has the consulting business changed when you compare your career start as an SAP consultant with the way things are done today?
Christian: When I started, new SAP implementations were booming. At the same time, the consulting market in the DACH region was still very manageable. Customers accepted long project durations and large consulting teams in which young colleagues could also learn. It was often enough for a consultant to specialize in one module.
Today, most companies are already using SAP and the focus is increasingly on conversion projects. Customers are much more demanding - in terms of content, deadlines and finances. They have often built up their own SAP expertise and expect holistic consulting across specialist areas, along end-to-end processes. As a result, it is often no longer enough for a consultant to simply shine with specialist technical knowledge.
And the ongoing development of new SAP modules and functions has also profoundly changed the consulting roles. Today, the Solution Architect is generally a strategic sparring partner: they are familiar with the entire SAP product landscape, support sales in presales, design implementation concepts and take on integration management. The implementation is then carried out by specialized departmental managers together with the customer's key users - increasingly also remotely. Technical customizing is carried out by experts who can be deployed from any location.
This means a clear shift away from traditional module specialists towards integrative architects, consultants and specialists.
Jochen: As an international IT, consulting and service provider , All for One has clearly formulated the change you described towards holistic and integrative consulting as its own claim. In your opinion, has the change already been completed? Andwhat is your overall impression of All for One as an employer?
Christian: Of course, it is not always easy to convert a group of companies, some of which are very decentralized, to a completely new SAP product range and changing customer requirements and market conditions as quickly and comprehensively as possible. ButAll For One is on the right track here and has long since recognized the necessary structural change in the SAP consulting business. Overall, I perceive All for One as an employer that places great value on employee satisfaction. And I hope that All for One succeeds in its own transformation in the proven manner.
Jochen: Christian, thank you very much for these exciting insights and I wish you continued success and exciting projects with us!
Christian:Thank you, Jochen.
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Jun 17, 2025 12:20:01 PM
