Christian Klein is the CEO of SAP, Europe’s largest software company, and he is on a mission to catapult his company into the major leagues of “Big Tech”. He wants to change the image of German enterprises and alter the way European policymakers and investors deal with tech and innovation. Klein’s strategic project at the moment is Business AI, which aims to deeply embed AI into the core processes of companies. He believes that combining Business AI with the cloud offers the greatest opportunity for the technology industry in two decades.
Klein is bullish about the long-term trends of the Cloud and Business AI, as he sees them as opportunities for growth and competitiveness, especially for smaller and medium-sized companies. He believes that economic policymakers should focus on removing unnecessary barriers to the free flow of data, unifying regulations, and addressing climate change.
Klein’s morning routine includes having a healthy breakfast and an early workout to start his day. He likes to work in the evening when he is most creative, but he tries to reserve weekends for his family. He is a fan of “design thinking” and believes in being radically customer-centric.
Klein draws inspiration from Clayton Christensen’s book “The Innovator’s Dilemma” and believes that every CEO should read it. He finds inspiration from companies he works with as a consumer and enjoys a good cup of coffee from a local cafe in his hometown. As for his last costume, he recalls a memorable experience a couple of years ago.