SAP SE announced two changes to its Executive Board to build on the company’s success ensuring customers benefit from the cloud in the era of AI.

SAP’s dynamic cloud growth over the past three years, coupled with the development of an industry-leading modular cloud suite, has set the stage for the next phase of innovation and impact.

Starting April 1, 2024, a new Board area will be created to accelerate cloud growth and adoption. This Board area, led by Thomas Saueressig, will be focused on ensuring customers’ ability to embrace continuous innovation in the cloud. At the same time, Muhammad Alam will join the company’s Executive Board, succeeding Thomas Saueressig and assuming responsibility for SAP’s product engineering.

“I am excited that Thomas Saueressig has agreed to take on a critically important new role focused on maximizing potential for our customers in the cloud,” said Professor Hasso Plattner, chairman of the Supervisory Board of SAP SE. “Thomas’ demonstrated leadership, expertise and customer focus will be key as he works to build a team responsible for comprehensive value delivery. Muhammad Alam is a visionary leader and a passionate engineer who shares SAP’s commitment to excellence and innovation, and he is well suited to continue driving the success of our product engineering teams. On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I wish him a successful start.”

New Board Area Will Focus on Innovation Adoption in the Cloud

Effective April 1, 2024, SAP will put the power of a new dedicated Board area called Customer Services & Delivery behind the company’s drive to support customers in their cloud transformation journey, accelerate innovation adoption and further increase customer satisfaction. The new Board area will help ensure that customers are able to swiftly adopt and consume innovation, maximize the benefits of the cloud and realize the value of SAP’s integrated portfolio. Saueressig, who joined the Executive Board in 2019, will head the new Board area, building on his success in transforming the SAP Product Engineering organization, re-focusing the portfolio and delivering continuous innovation over the past five years.

“Everything we do at SAP, we do for our customers,” said Saueressig. “With Customer Services & Delivery, we establish a new level of attention to our customers’ success. I could not be more humbled to lead this new Board area and this incredible team. Customer Services & Delivery is the place where deep product expertise and strong customer relationships are united as one. Together we will drive innovation adoption and customer satisfaction to new heights.”

Engineering and Innovation Are the Priorities for New Board Member 

Succeeding Saueressig and assuming responsibility for SAP’s product engineering, Alam will join the company’s Executive Board, effective April 1, 2024.

Alam joined SAP on January 31, 2022, as president and chief product officer for the Intelligent Spend and Business Network. In this role, he leads the engineering and design teams focused on procurement, travel and expense, external workforce management and SAP Business Network. Prior to SAP, Alam worked for 17 years at Microsoft, most recently as corporate vice president of product and engineering for Microsoft Dynamics 365 business applications.

“Since I joined SAP, I have been amazed by the breadth and depth of our product portfolio, our engineering excellence and the tremendous value our engineers create for SAP’s customers,” said Alam. “I am truly honored to have been appointed to the Executive Board and thank the Supervisory Board for their trust. Together with the best product and engineering team in the world, we will continue our transformation journey and bring incredible innovation to life across and beyond our solutions for customers.”