Hasso Plattner (l), Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SAP SE, and Punit Renjen, designated Supervisory Board member, talk at the general meeting of the software company SAP. picture alliance/dpa | Uwe Anspach
Former Deloitte boss Punit Renjen was actually supposed to succeed Hasso Plattner on the SAP supervisory board.
After disagreements, the software manufacturer has now nominated the technology expert Pekka Ala-Pietilä.
He is no stranger: He sat on the Walldorfer supervisory board from 2002 to 2021.
Actually, the successor to Hasso Plattner, long-time chairman of the supervisory board of the software company SAP, had long been determined: Punit Renjen should follow on the supervisory board. However, the former Deloitte boss unexpectedly leaves the company. After disagreements, the software manufacturer nominates former Nokia board member Pekka Ala-Pietilä. The DAX company announced this on Sunday.
Why Punit Renjen is leaving SAP
Europe’s largest software manufacturer SAP and its designated supervisory board chairman Punit Renjen are surprisingly going their separate ways. The American, who is intended to be the successor to co-founder Hasso Plattner, will resign his mandate on the control committee at the general meeting in May. The DAX heavyweight announced this on Sunday evening in Walldorf.
The reason is the different ideas about the role of the future chairman of the supervisory board. SAP presented former Nokia manager Pekka Ala-Pietilä as a replacement for Renjen. The Finn is to be proposed for election to the supervisory board and is also slated to serve as chairman of the board.
Almost a year ago, SAP introduced Renjen as Plattner’s successor after a long search. In May of last year, Renjen had already moved into the control board. As the former head of the management consultancy Deloitte, he should above all bring the customer perspective on SAP in order to provide impetus. But SAP has now scrapped the plans.
Disputes about Renjen’s understanding of his role
According to reports, the American could not get used to the role of supervisor of the company’s board of directors, which is legally required in Germany. With Ala-Pietilä (67), an old acquaintance is now returning, who sat on the Walldorfer supervisory board from 2002 to 2021. Ala-Pietilä was President of Nokia from 1999 to 2005 and has served on various expert committees for artificial intelligence.
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dpa/people