Is the most important German software giant American?

The future alone reigning CEO of SAP has been working out of the United States, its head of communications, the former speaker of Defense Rumsfeld. And chairman of the board Plattner lives and teaches in California.

The founder, major shareholder and chairman of the German software company SAP, Hasso Plattner, sees the company's future in America and Asia. "In the old days of SAP did not care where we have programmed our software," Plattner said the Sunday newspaper - which is listed on the DAX Group, has its headquarters in Baden-Wurttemberg Walldorf: "Today we have globally occurred to success have.”Creativity and innovation are at home, especially in the world's great cities and in Silicon Valley. Plattner, who still holds just under ten percent of SAP shares, lives and teaches in California itself.

The words of the supervisory board in Germany chefs nourish the fear of an "Americanization" of SAP. Only last week, the group had announced that the Dane Snabe gives the role of the co-speaker of the SAP Executive Board in 2014 and is standing for election to the Supervisory Board. In order for the operations of SAP future is led out of America.

The future alone reigning CEO Bill McDermott is not likely to switch to Walldorf, but retain his seat in the United States. The responsibility for the product development of SAP is already in the Innovation Board Vishal Sikka, based in Palo Alto, California. Also the marketing and PR department is located in Silicon Valley in the future. Head of Communications of the group is the American Victoria Clarke, former Speaker of the U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during the time of the Bush administration.

Lack of openness to migrants

In 2012, SAP introduced in America and Asia almost four times as many employees as one in Europe. The development of earnings shows the shift of the SAP business overseas in a similar magnitude.

SAP founder Hasso Plattner is convinced that it will have in the future, the Group difficult to attract internationally renowned programming talents to Walldorf. The lack of openness to migrants and the lack of exchange opportunities with employees of competing large IT Company called Plattner in a speech at the Walldorf-based workforce as a "disadvantage" of the location Germany.

In Walldorf 12,500 of the total 65,500 SAP employees. The German works council had expressed concern last week from a weakening of the German site. This is fueled by SAP plans to convert the legal form of the company next year in a European SE, which would facilitate the relocation of the company headquarters abroad. SAP, however, denies that there is such migration thoughts.

SAP will soon have only one boss

According to Hagemann's privy

The American Bill McDermott from next year alone call the shots in Germany's most important software company. Employees are concerned that more departments will be relocated to America.

A few days ago everything was as usual. "I give to my partner and friend Snabe" said Bill McDermott in quarterly figures last week. The formulation is the 51 year old manager will no longer be able to use: The double peak is no longer exist as of next year. McDermott will from next year alone have the say.

He and Snabe who has just announced cede apply, as the perfect complement - the sales skills and analytical thinking mathematician. The euphoric Americans and the empathic Dane.

From which McDermott, who only speaks a few words of German, in contrast to Co-CEO Structure, will lead the group, is still open, says an SAP spokesman. So far, he had his job at one of the three American sites of the company in Pennsylvania.

In ten months after the AGM in May 2014 Snabe will leave as CEO. He will then join the Supervisory Board. A "cooling off period" it will not be according to the plan. The Corporate Governance Code had been served, when 25 percent of the capital agreed, a spokesman said. Supervisory board chairman Hasso Plattner, who alone holds nearly 10 percent stake in Germany's most important software company, Co-CEO Structure himself had made the suggestion of the company to remain at least as a supervisory board.

Fear of moving to America

Row between Snabe and McDermott did not give it. Snabe justified the request to terminate his contract with his family. "It's been very short in recent years," said the 47-year old Dane. His wife and two children live near Copenhagen, he sees them only on weekends.

With the departure of Snabe the percentage of Europeans on the Board continues to decrease. "This is a weakening of Germany as a location," said council chairman Stefan Kohl. "There is no longer on the board, the SAP may represent in Germany or Europe, as CEO." In the workforce, the concern is spreading that SAP could shift increasingly to the United States. The question also drove to the shareholders at this year's AGM.

In May, SAP had moved to Palo Alto, California, the management of its communications department. There are significant areas of development already settled. And Plattner, chairman of the board is not tired of praising the virtues of Silicon Valley. "Their will to win is enormous - higher than in Germany," he said just one a newspaper interview.

"The conversion into an SE makes it easier to relocate the headquarters," said council chairman carbon. Next year, SAP into a European Company (SE) to be converted, if the shareholders agree. An SAP spokesman appeased: "There is no consideration to relocate the company's headquarters."

Who looks after the customers?

In the industry, we also wonder how the customers will react. Snabe had a good reputation among European companies, says a SAP expert who also works with customers. McDermott, however "American" type is not so good.

The German-speaking SAP User Group (DSAG) does not want to speak to the Personnel. Snabe was yet in the German SAP customers well. After his predecessor Leo Apotheker had scared the companies with higher prices, he earned during a meeting of SAP customers in 2011 applause.

Who should take its role is open. CTO Vishal Sikka is among analysts as a new second man of the software company, after he got slammed all areas of innovation in May after the departure of cloud-chief Lars Dalgaard. But Sikka speaks even less German than McDermott. Maintains contact with clients rather the 60-year-old Gerhard Oswald, whose skills had also been expanded again in May. But Oswald, according to SAP, speaks German rather than English in general. An unfavorable constellation in a global corporation.

Although Twin Peaks - from a technical and a marketing expert - are a tradition at SAP, McDermott will now reign alone for now. The Americans praised the cooperation with his "friend and partner" Snabe always in the highest tones. The magazine "Capital" had the SAP co-CEO but once said: If he had been asked earlier to be boss with someone, he replied: "What's the point?"