Shai's Gone
"I need a drink and a quick decision
Now it's up to me, ooooh what will be..."
Hall and Oates, She's Gone
Shai is leaving SAP to pursue personal interests in alternative fuels and other green technology. Not surprised after his comments at Davos. In the past he has also talked about his brutal travel schedule (and time away from kids) and that probably played in his decision. He can join local CA VCs in his new direction.
SAP moved quickly to realign the executive suite, making Leo Apotheker, Deputy CEO.
Shai's biggest contributions to SAP - charisma, and talent recruitment, especially in Palo Alto
His biggest liability - I thought was too much focus on SOA, NetWeaver, platform issues - not enough on applications which is after all SAP's core strength.
Good to see the green world get an energetic, charming champion, though.
So if Shai was at GE, he'd go become the CEO at Home Depot or Sears or some such blue chip company. No such options in our business, no?
Posted by: Samir | March 28, 2007 at 09:11 PM
Vinnie,
Are we seeing a trend here?
It was Vinod Khosla, now Shai, who were leaders (and of course, first movers).
May be "IT doesn't matter" anymore and it is going to be ET (Energy Technology).
Posted by: Anil Kurnool | March 29, 2007 at 09:46 AM
If you speak with customers of SAP, at least large ones trying to go down the SOA and NetWeaver path (one of which I work for), Shai's focus on these areas was a breath of fresh air. SAP needed to innovate and gain some traction in these areas and Shai helped greatly in forcing SAP down the path of SOA. What worries us now is SAP will go back to the old guard way and innovation will disappear.
Posted by: Brian French | March 30, 2007 at 02:16 PM
Brian, SAP is spelt mega in a dictionary. Shai was charismatic but just continued that tradition with his mega SOA thinking. Multi year projects. SAP needs a true innovation leader. Innovation is about short burst projects - constrained, high payback. Like using RFID in supply chain, Telemetry in healthcare. Mobility in sales forces. Utility servcies in infrastructure. When I see lots of 3 month projects at SAP customers in focused areas, I will say they have changed. Till then it is multi-year slogs,over budget, low payback stuff...
Posted by: vinnie mirchandani | March 30, 2007 at 08:45 PM
Samir, Shai's in a great position. At 37 - large global exec experience. Wealthy. Now free to do what he wants to do. And spend time with family. Running big companies is draining. He will have a lot more fun if his ego can accept not have armies reporting to him.
Posted by: vinnie mirchandani | March 30, 2007 at 08:48 PM
Reuters/Yahoo has the following::
Silicon Valley's "best brains" work on energy (http://in.tech.yahoo.com/070404/137/6e653.html)
Posted by: Anil Kurnool | April 04, 2007 at 04:32 PM