Fireside Chat: From Marketing to CI/MI
Understanding where expertise comes from matters — especially in Competitive & Market Intelligence. In this fireside chat, Dirk Kansky shares how more than 30 years in IT marketing led him to one of the most insight-driven roles at SAP.
Building a Competitive and Market Intelligence function from within a large organization is rarely straightforward. Dirk Kansky's career path — from U.S. software startups and European market entry projects to global marketing at SAP and finally to the Insights team — offers a rare practitioner's perspective on what it takes to make intelligence work in practice. In this short fireside chat ahead of the June 2026 conference, he outlines the journey that shaped his approach to CI/MI and previews the workshop he will co-facilitate.
Join Us at the CI Conference in Frankfurt
Be among the first to hear the premiere results of the SAP intelligence function research — presented live by Dirk Kansky and his co-authors.
Explore the Conference
Detailed Chapter Outline
Fireside Chat: From Marketing to CI/MI
Overview
Understanding where expertise comes from matters — especially in Competitive & Market Intelligence. In this fireside chat, Dirk Kansky shares how more than 30 years in IT marketing led him to one of the most insight-driven roles at SAP.
Building a Competitive and Market Intelligence function from within a large organization is rarely straightforward. Dirk Kansky's career path — from U.S. software startups and European market entry projects to global marketing at SAP and finally to the Insights team — offers a rare practitioner's perspective on what it takes to make intelligence work in practice. In this short fireside chat ahead of the June 2026 conference, he outlines the journey that shaped his approach to CI/MI and previews the workshop he will co-facilitate.
Welcome and Introduction
Rainer Michaeli opens the fireside chat by welcoming Dirk Kansky as one of the speakers at the upcoming conference in June 2026. The session is introduced under the theme of simple but effective tasks in Competitive and Market Intelligence, and the stage is handed over to Dirk Kansky for a brief personal introduction.
Career in IT and Marketing
Dirk Kansky has been active in the IT industry for more than 30 years, with a professional focus on marketing and business development. His career spans a wide range of company sizes, from early-stage startups — including ventures from the dot-com era — to established U.S.-based software companies. Prior to the dot-com phase, he worked with U.S. software companies that were developing new markets in the supply chain area, supporting their entry into the German and broader European markets.
From Marketing to CI/MI at SAP
Approximately 24 years ago, Dirk Kansky joined SAP, initially in a global marketing capacity. In this role, he contributed to building market traction and winning market share in areas such as the early supply chain management market, before taking on responsibility for SAP's industry portfolio marketing.
Roughly ten years ago, he transitioned into the Customer, Competitive and Market Intelligence (CMI) function — now known internally as the Insights team. This move marked a shift from outbound marketing toward intelligence-driven work, where the expertise and learnings accumulated over decades came to bear most directly.
At the June 2026 conference, Dirk Kansky will co-facilitate a workshop alongside Jonathan and Klaus, bringing practical insights from his work in Competitive and Market Intelligence into a hands-on session for attendees.