Christian Klein’s keynote at SAP’s Sapphire event in Madrid marked a significant milestone for Europe’s most valuable company. With a market value of $350 billion, SAP has outpaced struggling industries and confirmed its position as a German tech powerhouse.
Klein’s journey to the top is one of transformation. He joined SAP as a 15-year-old intern and later became CEO at just 41. His predecessors struggled to adapt to changing markets, but Klein’s experience gives him an edge. “I understand who my stakeholders are,” he says, highlighting the importance of communicating his vision to employees, investors, and customers.
Klein’s approach has been compared to Satya Nadella’s transformation of Microsoft. Like Nadella, Klein has pivoted SAP towards cloud computing and AI, making bold decisions that have sparked controversy within the company. However, these decisions have paid off, with SAP stock surging and Klein securing a record $19.8 million payday.
As SAP continues to evolve, Klein remains emboldened to push for more aggressive growth. He believes his experience as a lifelong employee of SAP has given him a unique advantage in understanding the needs of its stakeholders. With the company’s future looking bright, it’s clear that Christian Klein is a CEO who will stop at nothing to transform SAP into a global tech leader.
Source: https://fortune.com/europe/article/europes-most-valuable-boss-how-christian-klein-went-from-a-15-year-old-intern-to-saps-savior