How AI-Powered ERP and Human-Centric Leadership Are Reshaping Enterprise Software: Insights from DisrupTV

Today’s DisrupTV episode brought together two powerhouse voices shaping the future of enterprise innovation: Simon Paris, CEO of Unit4, and Geoff Tuff, transformation strategist and co-author of Hone. Their conversation dug into one of the most urgent questions companies face today: How do leaders adapt to exponential change while staying human-centric in an AI-driven world?

From AI-powered ERP systems to continuous improvement as an alternative to large-scale transformation, the discussion offered actionable insights for CEOs, CIOs, and forward-thinking leaders navigating the next era of work.

The Guests: Leaders Shaping the Future of Work

Simon Paris joined the show from London, bringing his expertise as CEO of Unit4, a global enterprise software company known for its AI-enhanced ERP, HCM, and financial planning solutions built for people-centric industries.

Geoff Tuff—author, strategist, and co-creator of the book trilogy culminating in Hone—offered a fresh lens on how leaders can adapt to accelerating change. His work focuses on helping executives drive meaningful progress without relying on outdated models of transformation.

Unit4’s Vision: AI That Gives People Time Back

Paris reflected on his transition from Finastra to Unit4, highlighting a shared purpose across both organizations: making work more meaningful by giving people time back.

Unit4’s mission is centered on enabling educators, civil servants, and service professionals to focus on what matters—not administrative tasks. With rapid expansion across North America and Asia, the company is doubling down on AI-powered capabilities that make enterprise systems proactive rather than reactive.

A standout concept from the episode was self-driving ERP—software that predicts needs, automates decisions, and engages employees through natural, conversational interfaces.

Ava: The Conversational AI Assistant From Unit4

Paris introduced Ava, Unit4’s advanced virtual assistant designed to streamline everyday workflows. Ava doesn't just respond to commands—it orchestrates decisions, automates routine tasks, and learns from context to support employees at every level.

This conversational AI approach aims to:

  • Reduce administrative burden
  • Improve decision-making
  • Increase employee engagement
  • Make enterprise systems intuitive across generations

Paris emphasized that successful AI adoption requires continuous experimentation and learning, not one-time deployments.

Leadership, Meaningful Work & Customer Obsession

Paris highlighted Unit4’s leadership culture, grounded in servant leadership, customer obsession, and meaningful work. The company actively recruits talent motivated by purpose-driven service.

A crucial insight:

  • Leaders must create safe spaces for experimentation and learning from failure.
    This environment is essential for organizations adopting AI in a human-centric way.

Geoff Tuff: Why “Hone,” Not Transformation, Is the Future

Tuff introduced the concept of hone—a continuous improvement model designed for a world where change is exponential.

Unlike traditional transformation, hone emphasizes:

  • Small, continuous adjustments
  • Built-in adaptability
  • Frequent hypothesis testing
  • Systems that evolve as quickly as market conditions

His message was clear: Continuous improvement outperforms one-time transformations in a world defined by constant acceleration.

Management Systems Drive Human Behavior

Both guests emphasized that management systems—not strategy decks—shape real behavior inside an organization.

Tuff urged CEOs to think of themselves as chief system designers, responsible for:

  • How decisions flow
  • Which behaviors are incentivized
  • How teams adapt
  • What data guides execution

Paris added that understanding human behavior within these systems is just as important as the technology that powers them.

Practical Steps CEOs Can Implement Today

Tuff outlined a set of tactical steps leaders can use now:

  • Identify the behaviors required to win
  • Examine whether existing systems reinforce or hinder those behaviors
  • Make minimally viable adjustments and test their impact
  • Stay close to teams and customer-facing decisions
  • Treat continuous experimentation as a core leadership habit

These moves help organizations build adaptability without disruption.

Key Takeaways

  • AI-powered ERP is shifting from reactive systems to self-driving, predictive platforms.
  • Human-centric design remains essential, especially for industries where people—not processes—are the core.
  • Conversational AI (like Unit4’s Ava) is reshaping how employees interact with enterprise software.
  • Continuous improvement (“hone”) is more effective than traditional transformation in an era of exponential change.
  • Management systems drive behavior, and CEOs must actively design, refine, and realign them.
  • Leaders who create safe spaces for experimentation will accelerate AI adoption and organizational learning.

Final Thoughts

The future of enterprise software isn’t just about automation or AI—it’s about empowering people, improving decision-making, and redesigning systems to adapt continuously. As Simon Paris and Geoff Tuff made clear, organizations that pair human-centric leadership with AI-driven innovation will be the ones best positioned to thrive.

With AI accelerating every aspect of work, leaders must learn to hone—realign, adjust, and evolve—rather than rely on large-scale transformation efforts that can’t keep pace. The evolution of ERP, HCM, and management systems is already underway, and those who lean in will define the next decade of enterprise innovation.

Stay tuned: next week’s R "Ray Wang and Vala Afshar will unveil the Top 25 Books of 2025—a can’t-miss list for leaders looking to stay ahead.

Related Episodes

If you found Episode 421 valuable, here are a few others that align in theme or extend similar conversations:

 

Business Research Themes

Future of Work, New C-Suite, Tech Optimization

Roles

Chief Data Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief People Officer, Chief Technology Officer