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But SAP used to rock more!

The departure of Professor Hasso Plattner as Chairman of the Supervisory Board marks the end of an era. SAP loses the thorn in its side. Who will now shake SAP awake?
Peter M. Färbinger, E3 Magazine
June 13, 2024
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This text has been automatically translated from German to English.

Hasso Plattner was also SAP's guilty conscience. What many people knew, but nobody said, was that Plattner always found words of admonition, criticism and motivation. Naturally, Plattner was not always right, but his words were always an appeal, a reminder to SAP employees: there is more to be done!

It is true that SAP rocked more under Hasso Plattner. Not every idea was a hit and not every new product was a bestseller: Hasso Plattner had hoped for more from the Hana database. The ideas of the young former SAP Chief Technology Officer Shai Agassi were supposed to be more sustainable. Professor Henning Kagermann presented ESA when SOA had long been the market leader. And finally, together with former Chief Technology Officer Vishal Sikka, it was also about the authorship of the in-memory computing database. Hasso Plattner initiated and completed most of SAP's technical developments. He has a visionary view of developments in IT. He always expressed his point of view pointedly and loudly. He rocked SAP.

No SAP Executive Board or Supervisory Board member has the ability to inspire or disturb, criticize and motivate on an emotional level. The counter-question is permitted: In times of governance and compliance, is rocking emotion perhaps no longer desired or permitted? Has Hasso Plattner fallen out of time?

For the IT industry, the answer is: SAP, like many other IT companies, will continue to need an emotional, inspiring and visionary mastermind who rocks it loud and bold. The IT scene thrives on charismatic personalities. The realization that SAP rocked more under Hasso Plattner does not bode well for the future of the global ERP market leader.
Plattner's stage presence with an electric guitar (2001 in Lisbon) or as a campaigner for the disruptive innovations of an in-memory computing database at numerous Sapphires between 2011 and 2019 is an important identification for the SAP community. There is currently no executive or supervisory board member at SAP who can let it rock, even against the vague notion of good corporate governance (compliance!). Not every idea has to become a number one hit, but SAP should continue to try to get into the charts with its own innovations in the future.

The caricature by Robert Platzgummer (1975 to 2016) was first published in E3 October 2016. Even then, the SAP community commemorated the good old days: Henning Kagermann, Leo Apotheker, Shai Agassi, Vishal Sikka, Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe.
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Peter M. Färbinger, E3 Magazine

Peter M. Färbinger, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief E3 Magazine DE, US and ES (e3mag.com), B4Bmedia.net AG, Freilassing (DE), E-Mail: pmf@b4bmedia.net and Tel. +49(0)8654/77130-21


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Working on the SAP basis is crucial for successful S/4 conversion. 

This gives the Competence Center strategic importance for existing SAP customers. Regardless of the S/4 Hana operating model, topics such as Automation, Monitoring, Security, Application Lifecycle Management and Data Management the basis for S/4 operations.

For the second time, E3 magazine is organizing a summit for the SAP community in Salzburg to provide comprehensive information on all aspects of S/4 Hana groundwork.

Venue

More information will follow shortly.

Event date

Wednesday, May 21, and
Thursday, May 22, 2025

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Available until Friday, January 24, 2025
EUR 390 excl. VAT

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EUR 590 excl. VAT

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Hotel Hilton Heidelberg
Kurfürstenanlage 1
D-69115 Heidelberg

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Wednesday, March 5, and
Thursday, March 6, 2025

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Available until December 20, 2024

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The event is organized by the E3 magazine of the publishing house B4Bmedia.net AG. The presentations will be accompanied by an exhibition of selected SAP partners. The ticket price includes attendance at all presentations of the Steampunk and BTP Summit 2025, a visit to the exhibition area, participation in the evening event and catering during the official program. The lecture program and the list of exhibitors and sponsors (SAP partners) will be published on this website in due course.