Pekka Ala-Pietilä Proposed as Hasso Plattner's Designated Successor
SAP and Punit Renjen have decided to part ways amicably. This was due to a difference of opinion regarding Punit Renjen's role as future chairman of the Supervisory Board. Punit Renjen has therefore decided to resign from the Supervisory Board with effect from the close of the SAP Annual General Shareholders' Meeting on May 15, 2024.
Pekka Ala-Pietilä (67) was President of the Nokia Corporation from 1999 to 2005 and a member of the SAP Supervisory Board from 2002 to 2021. He was also Chairman of the EU Commission's high level expert group on artificial intelligence from 2018 to 2020 and Chairman of the Finnish Artificial Intelligence Program from 2017 to 2019. He currently holds several mandates on European boards and is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HERE Technologies, a Dutch multinational location intelligence solutions company. Ala-Pietilä holds honorary doctorates in technology from Tampere University of Technology and in science from Aalto University School of Business. He lives in Helsinki.
“After two decades at the helm of SAP SE, the company I’ve nurtured from its inception, ensuring a successful handover of the leadership baton is paramount to me and crucial for SAP’s continued success,” said Professor Hasso Plattner, who has served as Chairman since 2003. “In Pekka Ala-Pietilä, I recognize a leader who not only possesses a profound understanding of our industry and the intricacies of European SE governance, but also one who has been a steadfast ally through many of SAP’s pivotal moments. Before looking ahead, let me also express my deep gratitude to Punit Renjen for his efforts and contributions. His energy level and dedication have been exceptional from the beginning. As we welcome Pekka Ala-Pietilä, I am filled with confidence that SAP’s Supervisory Board is in the most capable hands. His vision and well-measured approach are exactly what SAP needs to safeguard its future and ensure its ongoing success.”
"I look forward to working together with colleagues old and new to build on SAP’s track record of delivering revolutionary technology that drives real results.”
Pekka Ala-Pietilä,
Successor to the Chairman Hasso Plattner
Pekka Ala-Pietilä said, “I am grateful to the Supervisory Board of SAP and to Hasso Plattner for the opportunity to rejoin this dynamic European technology leader at such a pivotal time. Thanks to the great people at SAP, the company has set the global standard for enterprise technology for more than 50 years and is now a trailblazer in developing and deploying relevant, reliable, responsible Business AI that will fundamentally change the way business runs. I look forward to working together with colleagues old and new to build on SAP’s track record of delivering revolutionary technology that drives real results.”
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