SAP wunderkind Agassi abandons code for clean energy

Hits pageant circuit

By Ashlee Vance in Mountain View • Get more from this author

Posted in Applications, 28th March 2007 23:59 GMT

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Shai Agassi - the man once expected to take over SAP - has left the software maker. Agassi's resignation will take effect at the end of this week and open the door for the SAP executive member to chase after his dreams in the alternative energy market.

It has long looked like SAP was grooming Agassi for the CEO post. Such plans, however, were derailed when SAP last month extended the contract of current CEO Henning Kagermann through May 2009.

"I had shared with Shai my plan that he should become successor to Henning Kagermann as a co-CEO for SAP," said Hasso Plattner, Chairman of SAP's Supervisory Board. "With the extension of Henning's contract to 2009, it became apparent that Shai was not comfortable committing to a 10- to 15-year period, which was not in keeping with his personal career timeline. Given this, I made the recommendation to the Supervisory Board that we change our plans and now adjust SAP's executive management team responsibilities."

The charismatic Agassi fired off a compelling statement as well, making a nuanced bid for the Miss Universe pageant.

"I look forward to new opportunities, and working on issues that are important to me, including alternative energy and environmental policy issues, as well as the future of Israel," he said.

Agassi's peers at SAP expect him to form an alternative energy start-up. They did not comment on his plans for the future of Israel.

SAP also announced that Leo Apotheker, president of customer solutions and operations, has been tapped a Deputy CEO of SAP. ®

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