SAP has announced yet another significant leadership change, as Jürgen Müller, the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and executive board member, will be stepping down effective at the end of the month. Today’s news follows last month’s surprising departures of two key C-suite members, Julia White and Scott Russell, raising further concern about SAP’s leadership stability and future direction.
Müller’s departure reportedly follows an incident at a company event, where he admitted to behavior “inconsistent with SAP’s values.” In his statement, Müller expressed regret, took responsibility, and noted that stepping down is in the best interest of the company.
Müller stated: “I want to address an incident at a past company event where my behavior was inappropriate. I regret being inconsiderate and sincerely apologize to everyone affected. I recognize my behavior at that moment did not reflect our values at SAP. I take full responsibility and believe stepping down is best for the company. I wish the team continued success.”
In the interim, SAP CEO Christian Klein will assume responsibility for most of the Technology and Innovation Board area that Müller led, mirroring the situation following the exits of Julia White, CMO, and Scott Russell, CRO, with much of White’s responsibilities initially falling on Klein.
Robert Holland, vice president and research director at SAPinsider, suggested: “The biggest impact Müller has had during his tenure as CTO was bringing together multiple offerings with SAP Cloud Platform to create SAP BTP. SAP BTP is essential to SAP’s vision of the future that puts SAP BTP, SAP Cloud ALM, SAP Signavio, and SAP LeanIX around the ERP core.”
He continued: “While SAP may be pushing SAP S/4HANA Cloud and RISE with SAP recently, the upsell that SAP has achieved with RISE with SAP customers has often been with SAP BTP services. Without Müller to help continue this vision, SAP risks losing momentum in the medium term. This makes it vital for Müller’s replacement to understand where the organization was going, and SAP will need to move quickly to ensure that happens.”
The timing of these departures is striking, given that SAP had recently wrapped up a successful event season, during which each of these leaders were front and center, showcasing SAP’s innovations and cloud-first strategy. The sudden exits, especially without immediate successors, have left many wondering what’s really going on behind the scenes at SAP.
A Return to the Old SAP?
SAP’s decision not to replace White and Müller, who both held critical roles in shaping the company’s modern cloud and AI strategies, suggests a possible return to a more traditional way of doing business. Instead of driving forward with their cloud-first approach under White’s marketing vision, SAP appears to be reverting to an older organizational model where marketing functions are embedded within product development.
This shift in leadership and strategy may signal SAP’s intention to consolidate its operations and streamline decision-making. However, it also raises questions about the company’s commitment to innovation, especially as it continues to champion a “Suite-first and AI-first” strategy. With both cloud and AI being central to SAP’s future, the absence of key leaders in these areas could stall progress at a time when competitors are rapidly advancing.
What’s Next for SAP?
The departures of White, Russell, and Müller come at a critical juncture for SAP, with the vendor striving to solidify its position as a leader in cloud computing and business AI. Users and partners alike are now left to wonder how these changes will impact the company’s long-term vision and operational focus.
Jamie Bedard, CEO of SAPinsider and Wellesley Information Services, said: “Our members are looking for clear, definitive insight about what the technology vision going forward will be. And we’re looking for the executive board at SAP to step up with this absence.”
For end users, the immediate concern is stability. The sudden leadership vacuum, coupled with SAP’s lack of transparency, could lead to hesitancy in adopting new SAP technologies or expanding existing deployments. Moreover, the realignment of key functions under different board members could result in shifts in SAP’s go-to-market strategies, potentially affecting the support and development of current solutions.
SAP needs to reassure its customers and partners that its strategic goals remain intact, despite the recent shakeup. Clear communication, coupled with a definitive plan for leadership succession, will be crucial in maintaining user confidence and ensuring that SAP’s momentum in cloud and AI continues uninterrupted.
