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Dietmar Hopp, one of the five co-founders of SAP in 1972, served as the company's CEO from 1988 to 1998.
Under his leadership, SAP experienced remarkable growth, with revenues increasing from approximately €700 million in 1991 to over €4 billion by 1998, largely driven by the success of its flagship ERP software, SAP R/3, released in 1992.
During Hopp's tenure, SAP went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998, a milestone described by co-founder Hasso Plattner as "essential and momentous" for the company.
Hopp's decade as CEO also saw SAP's workforce expand rapidly from 2,700 employees in 1991 to over 19,000 by 1998.
Hasso Plattner, one of the five co-founders of SAP in 1972, played a crucial role in developing the company's first real-time financial accounting software system, laying the foundation for its future enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.
As co-CEO alongside Dietmar Hopp, Plattner led SAP's focus on integrated business software solutions, which became their unique selling proposition.
In 1998, Plattner became the sole CEO alongside Henning Kagermann, overseeing SAP's listing on the New York Stock Exchange and announcing the mySAP.com strategy, recognizing the importance of the internet for the company's future.
Plattner's legacy at SAP is significant, as he helped transform the company from a single-product firm to the world's leading provider of enterprise applications.
Henning Kagermann, appointed co-CEO of SAP alongside Hasso Plattner in 1998.
He made significant contributions to the company's growth and technological advancement during his tenure.
In 2003, Kagermann became the sole CEO and continued to drive SAP's strong revenue growth and market share expansion, staying ahead of competitors.
Under his leadership, SAP announced its enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA) vision in 2004, providing maximum flexibility for customers, and released the highly successful SAP NetWeaver platform.
Kagermann also strengthened SAP's global strategic IT consulting and integration services portfolio through the acquisition and merger of SAP SI with its consulting unit in 2004.
Throughout his tenure, Kagermann was praised for his customer-oriented philosophy, steady leadership during the tech downturn.
He’ll be remembered for his vision to transform SAP into an innovative technology company, investing heavily in new technologies like in-memory computing, mobile, and cloud—ushering in real-time processing capabilities and leading to record revenues by 2010.
Léo Apotheker, appointed co-CEO of SAP alongside Henning Kagermann in April 2008 as part of a planned succession strategy.
Apotheker played a key role in SAP's acquisition of Business Objects in 2008, making the company the market leader in business software, enterprise performance management, and business intelligence.
Under his leadership, SAP also published its first Sustainability Report in 2008, demonstrating its commitment to more socially responsible business practices.
Apotheker oversaw the expansion of SAP's Executive Board, bringing in international experience with new members like Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe.
However, in February 2010, the SAP supervisory board reached an agreement with Apotheker not to extend his contract, leading to his resignation from the company after less than two years as co-CEO.
Bill McDermott, who joined SAP in 2002, had a remarkable journey as the CEO of the world's largest business software company.
He quickly turned around struggling business units and rose through the ranks, becoming co-CEO in 2010 and sole CEO in 2014.
Under his leadership, SAP transformed into a cloud computing powerhouse, with McDermott overseeing major acquisitions like Ariba, SuccessFactors, and Concur to bolster the company's cloud offerings.
Despite being an American leading a German multinational, McDermott adapted to SAP's culture and brought a unique leadership style that motivated employees and drove innovation.
A defining moment for McDermott was a 2015 accident that left him without his left eye, an experience he credited with sharpening his business vision and helping him focus on essentials.
During his tenure, SAP celebrated 10 years of sustainability efforts, became the first German company to join a campaign to limit global warming, and formed major technology partnerships with Intel and Microsoft.
Jim Hagemann Snabe, who served as the co-CEO of SAP alongside Bill McDermott from 2010 to 2014, played a crucial role in successfully reinventing and transforming the company into a cloud computing and mobile technology leader.
Recognizing the need for SAP to adapt to the shifting technology landscape, Snabe and McDermott spearheaded a strategic shift towards cloud-based solutions and mobile applications, while also streamlining the company's operations and reducing costs.
A key initiative during their tenure was the development of SAP HANA, an in-memory database management system that enabled real-time data processing and analytics, forming the foundation for SAP's cloud and mobile offerings.
Beyond the technological transformation, Snabe and McDermott also focused on changing the company's culture and leadership approach, emphasizing innovation, agility, and customer-centricity. .
Jennifer Morgan made history as the first female CEO of a DAX company when she was appointed co-CEO of SAP alongside Christian Klein in October 2019.
With an impressive 16-year career at SAP, Morgan held various leadership roles, including serving as president of the Cloud Business Group, overseeing divisions like Qualtrics, SuccessFactors, Ariba, Fieldglass, Customer Experience, and Concur.
Named an Executive Board member in 2017, Morgan played a key role in SAP's strategic growth initiatives and cloud transformation.
However, her tenure as co-CEO was short-lived, as SAP announced in April 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, that Morgan would depart the company to create a clear leadership structure during the unprecedented crisis.
Christian Klein's journey as the CEO of SAP has been marked by significant challenges and transformative leadership.
Appointed as co-CEO alongside Jennifer Morgan in October 2019, Klein became the sole CEO in April 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely disrupted SAP's business operations.
Navigating through the economic turmoil, Klein convinced SAP's co-founder and chairman Hasso Plattner of the need to fully commit to a cloud-first strategy, a decision that initially led to a significant drop in SAP's market capitalization and criticism of Klein's leadership.
However, with Plattner's unwavering support, Klein remained resolute in his vision to transition SAP to the cloud.
Under his guidance, SAP underwent a remarkable turnaround, achieving stellar performance and cementing its position as a cloud leader.
Klein's contract as CEO has been extended until 2028.
Plattner praised Klein's "vision, courage, and decisiveness," crediting him for SAP's success in embracing the transformative potential of AI and capitalizing on the company's strong foundation.
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