SAP

By CIO New Zealand staff | Monday, January 11 2010

German software giant SAP is up against a major challenge to keep pace with closest rivals Microsoft and Oracle in the enterprise software and services space, but clearly has an edge in the business intelligence (BI) field.

Global HQ: Walldorf, Germany
Website: www.sap.com
Global leader: Léo Apotheker, CEO
Local leader: Graeme Riley, MD, New Zealand
Core activity: Business applications
Revenue: €8.5 billion (US$12.5 billion) (FY08 ended December 31)
Key customers: Telecom New Zealand, Fonterra, Carter Holt Harvey, CBA, Frucor, Ballance Agrinutrients, Postie Plus, Briscoe Group, Optus, Super Cheap Auto Group
Employees: 48,500

German software giant SAP is up against a major challenge to keep pace with closest rivals Microsoft and Oracle in the enterprise software and services space, but clearly has an edge in the business intelligence (BI) field.

Like its main competitors, SAP is eagerly acquiring BI real estate to take its applications and services to the next level.

According to research analyst IDC, the acquisition of Business Objects, signed off in January 2008, has given it a 20 per cent share in the BI market – double that of its nearest competitor.

SAP continues to meet strong demand for supply chain and enterprise resource planning software, which it delivers across 25 industries. In June it announced details of its on-demand subscription-based software strategy for large enterprises.

The company has continued to perform ahead of overall market growth, but is hedging its bets through restructuring, laying off 3000 staff, or 6 percent of its global workforce, to help weather the storms. Keith Newman