With over two decades of experience in the software industry, Richard is a dynamic and visionary leader with a strong focus on delivering innovative and customer-centric solutions that drive business growth and value. His expertise spans across Procurement, Finance Automation, Business Networks and B2B Marketplaces. In his current role, he serves as VP and Head of Business Network Product Marketing at SAP, where he leads a team of product marketers for the SAP Business Network portfolio. Mr. Downs joined SAP following SAP’s acquisition of Ariba in 2013 where he led the Ariba Network European Pre-Sales team. He holds a 1st class Honours degree in Computing in Business and was previously owner operator of a successful chain of bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Notably, he co-invented, launched and scaled the Spot Buy solution, empowering customers to access millions of products from vetted suppliers.