NEW YORK, Sept 30 (Reuters)– Hewlett-Packard Co (NYSE:HPQ) announced that Leo Apotheker, 57, would be its new chief executive. Here’s a look at Apotheker’s past.
- Apotheker was born Sept. 18, 1953 in Aachen, Germany to parents who were Holocaust survivors.
- He was initially named co-chief executive of German software company SAP with Henning Kagermann in April 2008 and continued when his counterpart retired in 2009.
- He was the first executive unable to write software code promoted to SAP’s top spot. His background is in sales, management and strategy.
- He led SAP’s $7.5 billion acquisition of business intelligence maker Business Objects, agreed in 2007 and completed in 2008. It was SAP’s first major acquisition.
- Some analysts have said SAP lacked a clear, cohesive strategy under Apotheker.
- Under Apotheker’s reign, SAP had its first round of major job cuts — some 3000 staff — in January 2009.
- Apotheker suddenly stepped down as SAP’s CEO in February 2010 amid investor dissatisfaction.
- Apotheker graduated in International Relations and Economics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
- Before joining SAP, he served as a managing partner at ABP Partners, a consulting firm that focused on the restructuring of ailing software companies.
- Fluent in five languages — Dutch, English, French, German, and Hebrew — Apotheker has lived in Germany, Israel, France and Belgium.
(Reporting by Liana B. Baker; Editing by Bernard Orr)