SAP
co-founder and Supervisory Board Chairman Hasso Plattner has called for better
focus on strategy, in an attempt to dispel the turmoil following the departure
of CEO Leo Apotheker.
SAP
held a media webcast with Plattner yesterday, who was keen to move beyond the disorder
and talk about regaining focus.
Rumour
and conjecture have surrounded Leo’s departure, with some speculating his
demise may have been due to the limited success of Business ByDesign’s first
incarnation.
“This
is just wrong. Plainly wrong,” Plattner said.
“Leo
was the one who was instrumental in turning (ByDesign) around. The system looks
good now.”
Plattner
also flatly denied an argument took place between himself and Apotheker over
how to take the company forward.
“There
was no difference of opinion between Leo and myself on strategy. This is just
wrong information. Leo was one of the ones in SAP who I could always talk to,
and even for the craziest ideas; he gave an ear and listened.”
The
company announced Apotheker’s resignation was the result of an agreement between
himself and the supervisory board, which Plattner chairs.
Plattner
set about realigning the focus of the company with a clear message to both
internal and external stakeholders.
“It
is clear the focus is on growth, margin and innovation. Even a strong margin
doesn’t help without innovation. And without margin you can’t have a
streamlined company and you will not be valued as a company with a strong
future.
“I
trust the board and the new leadership team completely to continue to execute
on this strategy,” Plattner said.
What’s
also becoming clear is that SAP sees the challenge ahead as a team effort.
Leading
yesterday’s media webcast with company co-founder Hasso Plattner suggests Plattner
will be an instrumental figure in SAP’s return, and will take on a more
prominent leadership role.
SAP
said Sunday that Plattner will ‘play a strong role in advising the new leaders
on technology and product development’.
The
co-CEO format is nothing new to SAP either, with Plattner and Dietmar Hopp
running SAP as a team, and more recently Apotheker and Henning Kagermann in
2008/09.
If
the company is to maintain an even keel, first and foremost is the
re-establishment of trust, which Plattner said has been lost on occasions.
“In
order to be profitable (SAP) needs to be happy company. I will do everything
possible to make SAP a happy company again. To achieve this we have to focus on
our customers, and we have to make our customers and their employees happy as
well,” Plattner said.
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