Feature Interview: Navigating the Future of ERP Industry in South Korea

The ERP industry is undergoing profound changes, reshaping how businesses operate and innovate. South Korea, a market known for its fast-paced business culture and advanced technological adoption, has become a focal point for ERP transformation, particularly in the shift towards SAP S/4HANA. According to Statista, the ERP Software market in South Korea is expected to reach US$818.41m in 2025. Amidst this trend, FPT has emerged as a key player, helping Korean enterprises navigate complex ERP journeys while driving efficiency, agility, and innovation.

In this exclusive interview, Ngo Minh Tri, FPT Software Vice President and Director of Enterprise Business Services Unit, FPT Corporation, shares his insights on the evolving ERP landscape, the unique demands of Korean enterprises, and FPT’s strategic vision in the SAP ecosystem. 

The ERP landscape is undergoing rapid transformation as businesses shift from legacy systems to more advanced, intelligent platforms. A key driver of this change is the widespread migration to SAP S/4HANA, as companies move away from outdated infrastructures in favor of agile, cloud-based solutions. For those already on S/4HANA, the focus has evolved from migration to optimization—leveraging tools like SAP’s Business Technology Platform (BTP), AI integrations, and continuous product updates to turn ERP from a simple system of record into a dynamic system of intelligence. These advancements empower organizations to make real-time decisions and boost operational efficiency.

FPT has been at the forefront of this transformation. In 2024, our SAP business recorded 50% global revenue growth, fueled by strong demand in key markets such as Korea, Japan, and Europe. The Korean market, in particular, has been a major growth driver, with a remarkable 300% revenue increase and an SAP team now exceeding 300 members. However, this surge has also highlighted a critical industry challenge: the shortage of skilled SAP professionals. As ERP systems become more complex and intelligent, businesses increasingly require consultants with deep expertise in AI, cloud, and automation—capabilities FPT is committed to expanding to meet growing market needs.

Korean enterprises approach ERP transformation with a unique mindset that distinguishes them from global clients in three key aspects. First, their S/4HANA migrations are typically large-scale, requiring extensive system customization and deep knowledge of complex business processes. Second, Korea’s fast-paced business culture—embodied by the concept of 빨리빨리 (“pali pali”)—demands rapid project delivery without compromising quality. This dual expectation of speed and precision poses a challenge for technology partners like FPT, but through continuous adaptation, we’ve aligned our execution strategies to meet these stringent requirements. Third, Korean companies are quick to embrace globally validated technologies, creating opportunities for FPT to introduce SAP’s latest innovations, from AI-driven automation to advanced analytics and cloud integration. Backed by extensive experience with global clients, FPT brings proven expertise and best practices to help Korean enterprises seamlessly adopt and maximize these advanced SAP solutions.

While these dynamics create significant challenges, they also fuel FPT’s ability to scale. By expanding and upskilling our SAP talent pool and leveraging our Global Delivery Center (GDC) model, we’ve strengthened our position as a trusted strategic partner for Korean enterprises navigating complex digital transformations.

AI is no longer an emerging trend—it is now a core component of modern ERP systems. SAP itself has heavily invested in AI-driven solutions, introducing SAP AI Business and acquiring multiple technology firms to enhance AI capabilities across its product suite. The integration of AI into ERP is enabling predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and data-driven decision-making at an unprecedented scale.

At FPT, we are proactively positioning ourselves at the forefront of this shift. Our teams continuously update their knowledge of SAP’s latest AI innovations, ensuring we can effectively implement these solutions for our clients. Beyond SAP’s ecosystem, we are also developing proprietary AI-driven tools to optimize human resource training and enhance the overall efficiency of ERP operations.

Our journey in Korea’s SAP market gained momentum post-COVID. As digital transformation accelerated, we observed a significant shift among Korean enterprises towards new ERP systems, particularly S/4HANA. This trend opened the door for us to introduce our SAP expertise to the Korean market.

Initially, we engaged with Korean companies on smaller proof-of-concept (PoC) projects, demonstrating our capabilities in delivering cost-effective, high-quality SAP implementations. These successful pilot projects led to larger engagements, eventually securing multimillion-dollar contracts. This rapid growth was fueled by our ability to provide customized SAP solutions while ensuring cost efficiency and scalability.

2024 marks a particularly transformative year for us—a 300% revenue increase, the establishment of partnership with SAP Korea, and a significant expansion of our customer portfolio including many of Korea's top 20 corporations. These milestones validate our commitment to the Korean market and reinforce our role as a trusted SAP service provider for enterprises looking to modernize their ERP systems.

Three core factors have driven our success in Korea’s SAP market. 

First, strong support and investment from the headquarters have been instrumental. SAP is a strategic pillar of FPT’s global vision, and significant resources have been allocated to expand our SAP services, from talent development to technological innovation.

Second, our extensive global experience has given us a competitive edge. With over 20 years of SAP expertise, more than 1,000 consultants, and over 500 certifications from AWS, Azure and SAP, FPT brings a wealth of knowledge that enables us to execute complex projects efficiently. Korean enterprises benefit from this depth of experience, ensuring their SAP transformations are seamless and impactful.

Finally, our ability to continuously develop and adapt our workforce has been critical. Our SAP team in Korea is highly skilled, culturally attuned, and constantly refining its project management expertise to meet the rigorous expectations of Korean clients. In 2025, we plan to double our SAP workforce, further strengthening our ability to support large-scale ERP transformations.

Our short-term vision for the Korean market focuses on strengthening its role as a key digital transformation partner, following our recognition as a Strategic Regional Partner in Asia Pacific Japan and the recipient of the Excellent Regional Partner Award in January 2025. Korea remains a priority market, with our commitment to supporting enterprises in maximizing S/4HANA’s potential, driving innovation projects, and assisting in global roll-outs. To meet growing demand, we plan to double our SAP workforce in 2025, with a focus on enhancing both technical and Korean language skills. We will also expand our service portfolio, offering advanced solutions such as SAP BTP, SAP AI, S/4HANA Gear Up Program, and SAP Signavio.

In the long term, FPT aims to become the leading SAP service provider in Korea. We are committed to helping Korean businesses harness the full power of S/4HANA, drive innovation with SAP AI and BTP, and expand their global ERP capabilities. Our goal is to be the top technology partner for Korean giants, providing advanced SAP solutions that empower them to compete in an era of rapid digital evolution.