In the aftermath of the well-publicized departure of SAP executive board member Shai Agassi, the Israeli in charge of products and development, shocks at the company are continuing. Sources inform ''Globes'' that Udi Ziv, who founded and consolidated SAP’s Israeli development center and is responsible for its small and medium business (SMB) unit, is also leaving the company.
Ziv departure is apparently indirectly related to the departure of Agassi, since he has been considered one of Agassi’s associates since they co-founded TopTier Software, which SAP AG (NYSE; XETRA:SAP) acquired in 2001.
Ziv’s departure closes a circle. “Globes” has obtained a copy of his letter to the employees of SAP’s Israeli development center, in which he says, “It is especially hard to leave what I consider to be a very large and close-knit family. After an amazing journey that began at a base in Ra’anana more than 15 years ago, and ended as part of one of the world’s largest and most successful software companies, the time has come for a change, and I will shortly leave SAP.”
When SAP acquired TopTier Software for $400 million, it appointed Ziv to manage the development of SAP Portals, as TopTier was renamed before it was fully absorbed into SAP.
18 months ago, Michael Steiner was appointed general manager of SAP’s Israeli development center, and Ziv moved up to become global manager of the SAP SMB unit, which is built around the SAP Business One solution. In his letter of resignation, Ziv said would devote time to his family, and then search for something exciting for the next 15 years.
A few days ago, in an investigative report, “The Wall Street Journal” said that Agassi’s departure was a battle against globalization at SAP. Agassi, who always talked about his daily struggle against SAP’s rival, Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq:ORCL), apparently also fought against SAP’s corporate culture. This was part of a struggle between Silicon Valley, where Agassi resides, and Walldorf, Germany, SAP’s headquarters
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on May 14, 2007
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