Meet SAP’s New CTO, Dr. Philipp Herzig

The growth of the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) highlights the importance of AI in driving innovation and redefining business strategy. 

Organisations that embrace this new role can align AI initiatives with their goals to enhance efficiency and competitiveness whilst securing the ethical use of this powerful piece of technology. 

The CAIO will support a culture of strategic and responsible AI implementation to connect technology and leadership.  

Highlighting this role's relevance and importance in modern organisations, Philipp Herzig, who a year ago was named CAIO of SAP, is set to widen his responsibilities and become SAP’s global CTO.

In this new role, he will catalyse innovation for SAP customers and partners, propel the success of the organisation’s Business AI and Sustainability units and manage SAP’s innovation, technology strategy, research, innovation and corporate development. 

Philipp explains: “Over the last 12 months, I had the privilege to drive SAP Business AI from strategy to execution. AI is the most transformational technology shift of our time. It is the defining technology for disruptive change across industries and therefore the guiding theme for any CTO. And it’s also changing the way we will build enterprise software in the future. 

"I’m really excited to be expanding this responsibility and taking on the role of SAP’s Chief Technology Officer. Together with many wonderful colleagues in our new CTO area, we will drive SAP’s technology strategy, corporate development, and growth areas including AI and sustainability – collaborating with our unique ecosystem of co-innovation customers and our entire tech ecosystem from academia to startups and our technology partners.”

The importance of the CAIO role

Many organisations are embracing AI to maintain competitiveness and drive innovation: making the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) vital. 

The CAIO harnesses the power of AI by transforming complex AI strategies into impactful business plans.

Organisations can secure AI as a key driver of growth through the role of the CAIO and remain competitive in our dynamic technological landscape.

SAP has become a leader in AI innovation through the adoption of the CAIO role in 2024. 

By doing so, the organisation has driven the integration of artificial intelligence into its enterprise solutions to craft more efficient and smarter operations for its customers. 

SAP embraced the transformative potential of AI by creating an ‘end-to-end growth area’ focused on technology.

The division leverages business AI to drive growth and supports customers who wish to experience the benefits of business AI solutions and services. 

Philipp highlighted the importance of business AI to SAP when taking on the new role in 2024: “SAP’s increased focus on business AI marks the start of a completely new generation of enterprise innovation, and I’m honoured to have the chance to help customers make the most of this unprecedented opportunity,”

“I look forward to working with our team, as well as our ecosystem of customers and partners, to drive the development and delivery of relevant, reliable, responsible business AI that fundamentally changes the way business runs.”

As CAIO, Philipp works alongside innovators across SAP to integrate AI into the core of the organisation. 

He continues to remain at the forefront of SAP Business AI to drive value for customers and provide business AI and foundational capabilities. 

Philipp oversees the value chain of SAP’s Business AI, including customer implementation and product development and research. 

As Philipp takes on both the roles of CAIO and CTO, he will collaborate across the tech ecosystem and propel SAP’s technology strategy to further drive the potential AI holds. 

Wider SAP board changes

SAP continues to accelerate its transformation and enhance efficiency by implementing wider changes to its board.

This extended board will feature its new co-CROs, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and CTO. 

Not only will it utilise global leadership to align with important initiatives but it will also propel the execution of the company’s Suite-first, AI-first strategy by acting as a strategic advisory body.

Executive Board Member, Thomas Saueressig, head of Customer Services & Delivery, has also had his contract extended by the SAP Supervisory Board for three years until 2028.

The SAP Executive will continue to be the managing body of SAP SE. 

Sebastian Steinhaeuser - Chief Strategy & Operating Officer at SAP - will join the SAP Executive Board and has also been appointed to lead a new board that will drive simplification in operations and help the execution of SAP’s strategy - ‘Strategy & Operations’. 

Pekka Ala-Pietilä, chairman of the Supervisory Board of SAP SE, explains: “Since joining in 2020, Sebastian Steinhaeuser has been crucial in shaping and implementing SAP’s corporate strategy. We believe that Sebastian is not just a leader, but the architect of a future where innovation meets impact. On behalf of the SAP Supervisory Board, I wish Sebastian a very successful start in his new role,” 

“Moreover, we are excited to extend our best wishes to Thomas Saueressig for his forthcoming term on the SAP Executive Board. His contributions have been instrumental in accelerating our customers’ journey to the cloud, and we look forward to his continued success.”

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