30 Years at SAP: What a Great Journey

I’ve joined SAP 30 years ago on January 1st, 1991. I’m not a very sentimental person, but 30 years is a good enough reason to pause and take a look back and think about what has changed in the last 30 years, what is still true, and what I expect the future to bring.

30 years are a good chunk of a person’s lifetime, but 30 years are also many generations in digital technology. In 1991, the age of client/server computing was looming. SAP R/3 was on the horizon, and this transition was clearly a seminal turning point in SAP’s history that we still give credit for to Dietmar Hopp, Hasso Plattner, and the other executives who inspired us with a vision that went well beyond quarters and fiscal years. 30 years later, we are in the transition to cloud-based enterprise applications using intelligent technologies that fundamentally change the customer experience by enabling rapid adoption of innovative solutions instead of embarking on long-term projects with incremental outcomes.

In 30 years, I have gone through a number of roles. I’ve started in consulting for the chemical and oil & gas industries. I’ve been in development roles, industry solution management, field enablement, and solution marketing. What has always stayed with me is the passion for the core business of the customer I’ve been engaging with. I’ve always been most relevant for our customers when I could offer solutions and projects that mattered for their core business: how they make money, how they succeed in a fiercely competitive environment. And today, industry boundaries are shifting rapidly as leading companies cross the boundaries of traditional playing fields and trespass on the territory of their suppliers or customers in search of growth opportunities.

With all the change in business and technology it’s easy to overlook what has not changed in the past 30 years – and the last year has clearly set the priorities straight: it’s employees first, customers second, and everything else third. As a technology company, SAP depends on the creativity and expertise of our employees, and the trust of our customers. Fostering both is critical for success. I’m very passionate about working very closely with our customers to make sure I understand and can support their business priorities. And the opportunities to work with and inspire young talents in SAP and in universities are highlights in my schedule.

I’ve had the privilege to work for and with great chief executives over the past decades and I’m very grateful for what I’ve learned from them: Dietmar Hopp, a great leader who uniquely combined business acumen with humility. Henning Kagermann with his laser-sharp mind and focus. Jim Hagemann Snabe with his skill to unify all of us behind a big vision. Bill McDermott with his unbeatable communication and motivation skills to the employees, customers and markets. I’m proud that I’ve been able to play a small part in contributing to their legacy.

Under Christian Klein’s leadership we’re continuing the journey that I have joined 30 years ago to put the core business of our customers in their industries in the focus of our creativity and innovation – and I’m looking forward to discovering new and uncharted territory with the SAP family, our partners, and our friends in the world of business and technology.

After all: Those who believe they have already arrived will not go anywhere.