Hasso Plattner

Template:Infobox person

Hasso Plattner (born January 21, 1944) is a German billionaire businessman, software engineer, and philanthropist who co-founded SAP SE, one of the world's largest enterprise software companies. From 2003 to 2024, he served as chairman of SAP's supervisory board, wielding enormous influence over one of Germany's most important technology companies. As of 2020, with a net worth of approximately $17.9 billion, Plattner is one of the wealthiest individuals in Germany and among the richest people in the technology industry globally.

Beyond his role at SAP, Plattner has become one of Germany's most significant philanthropists, establishing the Hasso Plattner Institute for software systems engineering, funding major cultural institutions including the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, and supporting HIV/AIDS programs in South Africa. His philanthropy has been estimated at hundreds of millions of euros, making him one of the largest private donors in German history.

Plattner's influence extends beyond software and philanthropy into sports and venture capital. He owns a significant stake in the San Jose Sharks NHL hockey team and operates venture capital funds in Germany and Africa. His passion for sailing has led him to own yachts that have set records in transoceanic races, while his love of art has made him a major collector of Impressionist works, including a Claude Monet painting purchased for $110.7 million in 2019.

Early life and education

Wartime birth and childhood

Hasso Plattner was born on January 21, 1944, in Berlin, Germany, just months before the end of World War II in Europe. His father, Horst Plattner (1918-2001), was a German ophthalmologist. The circumstances of Plattner's birth - in the final, chaotic months of Nazi Germany - shaped his earliest years, though the family survived the war and its aftermath.

After the war, the Plattner family settled in Bavaria, where young Hasso grew up amid Germany's postwar reconstruction. The devastated country that Plattner knew in his childhood would transform during his lifetime into one of the world's leading economies, and Plattner himself would play a role in that transformation through the company he would help create.

Education in engineering

Plattner demonstrated aptitude in technical subjects from an early age. He pursued higher education at the University of Karlsruhe (now the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), one of Germany's leading technical universities.

In 1968, Plattner earned his master's degree in communications engineering from Karlsruhe. This technical education provided the foundation for his career in software and enterprise computing, equipping him with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills that would prove essential in building SAP.

Career at SAP

Founding of SAP

In 1972, Plattner and four colleagues - Dietmar Hopp, Claus Wellenreuther, Hans-Werner Hector, and Klaus Tschira - left IBM to launch their own software company. The five founders had worked together at IBM and saw an opportunity to create software that would help businesses integrate their operations.

The company was named SAP, an acronym for "Systemanalyse Programmentwicklung" (System Analysis Program Development) in German, later reinterpreted as "Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing." From its founding in Mannheim, the small startup would grow into one of the world's most important software companies.

SAP's initial focus was on developing software for enterprise resource planning (ERP) - systems that help companies manage their core business processes including finance, human resources, manufacturing, and supply chain. The company's products were designed to integrate these various functions into a unified system, providing businesses with real-time visibility into their operations.

Rise to leadership

As SAP grew from a startup into a global software giant, Plattner rose through the leadership ranks. His technical expertise and strategic vision made him a central figure in the company's development.

From 1998 to 2003, Plattner served as co-chief executive officer of SAP, sharing the top leadership role with Henning Kagermann. This partnership combined Plattner's technical background with Kagermann's operational expertise.

In 2003, at age 60, Plattner stepped down from the CEO role but remained deeply involved in SAP's governance as chairman of the company's supervisory board - a position he would hold for the next two decades.

Supervisory board chairman

From 2003 to 2024, Plattner chaired SAP's supervisory board, giving him enormous influence over one of Germany's most valuable companies. Under the German corporate governance system, the supervisory board oversees the management board and plays a key role in major strategic decisions.

As chairman, Plattner orchestrated several significant leadership changes at SAP, including the hiring of co-CEOs Jennifer Morgan and Christian Klein in 2019. His influence on the company remained substantial even after stepping down from day-to-day management.

During his time as chairman, Plattner also reduced his ownership stake in SAP through periodic sales, though as of 2020 he remained the company's largest individual shareholder with approximately 5.89% of the shares.

SAP's growth and global impact

Under the leadership of its founders, including Plattner, SAP grew from five employees in 1972 to more than 100,000 employees worldwide, with customers including most of the world's largest companies. SAP software runs critical business processes for organizations around the globe, from manufacturing and logistics to finance and human resources.

The company's flagship products have evolved over the decades, from the original R/2 system (designed for mainframe computers) to R/3 (client-server architecture) to S/4HANA (the current generation, designed for cloud computing and in-memory processing). Plattner was particularly involved in developing SAP's in-memory database technology, SAP HANA, which represented a major technological innovation.

Venture capital and investments

Hasso Plattner Ventures

In 2005, Plattner established his own venture capital fund, Hasso Plattner Ventures (HPV), with initial capital of more than €25 million. The fund invests in technology startups and growing companies, particularly those in the enterprise software and digital services sectors.

By December 2009, HPV managed €150 million and had 17 companies in its portfolio. Investments have included companies in areas such as online travel (including cruise portal Dreamlines) and enterprise software.

HPV Africa

In 2008, Plattner established an affiliated fund, HPV Africa, based in Cape Town, South Africa. The African fund was launched with €29 million and has invested in technology companies operating on the continent.

The African investments reflect Plattner's long-standing connection with South Africa, where he has spent significant time and engaged in substantial philanthropic activities.

Other investments

In September 2010, HPV invested $6 million in Israeli software company Panaya in exchange for equity stakes. This investment exemplified Plattner's continued interest in enterprise software innovation beyond SAP.

In 2021, Plattner became the biggest shareholder in biotech company Eirgenix, demonstrating a diversification of his investment portfolio beyond traditional software.

Philanthropy

Overview

Plattner signed The Giving Pledge in February 2013, joining other billionaires in committing to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. His philanthropy spans education, art and culture, medical research, and conservation.

In 2015, Plattner formalized his charitable activities by establishing the Hasso Plattner Foundation. Since 2017, the foundation has been headquartered at Villa Wunderkind in Potsdam, the former home of German fashion designer Wolfgang Joop.

Hasso Plattner Institute

In 1998, Plattner founded the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) for software systems engineering, based at the University of Potsdam. The institute is solely funded by the non-profit Hasso Plattner Foundation for Software Systems Engineering.

Plattner initially pledged €50 million of his personal fortune over 20 years to the institute. However, his commitment has grown significantly; since its foundation, Plattner's total contributions to HPI have exceeded €200 million.

Beyond funding, Plattner is actively involved in HPI as a director and lecturer. He holds the position of Chair of Enterprise Platform and Integration Concepts and Professor of Enterprise Systems at the institute, teaching and mentoring the next generation of software engineers.

Stanford d.school

In October 2005, Plattner donated $35 million to found the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University, commonly known as the "d.school." The institute brings together students from various disciplines to develop user-friendly innovations using design thinking methodology.

The Stanford d.school has become one of the most influential centers for design education and innovation methodology in the world, with its alumni founding numerous successful startups and its methods being adopted by major corporations.

HIV/AIDS work in South Africa

Plattner has maintained strong connections with South Africa over many years and has spent significant time living there. His philanthropic work in the country has particularly focused on combating HIV/AIDS.

In 2003, at the Presidents Cup golf tournament held at his Fancourt golf course, Plattner announced a €6 million donation for the Isombululo programme for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. The funding has helped an estimated 360,000 people.

Plattner has also supported HIV/AIDS research and treatment programs at the universities of KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town.

In 2005, Plattner personally covered the costs of the 46664 benefit concert, which took place at The Links of Fancourt and was broadcast globally. Proceeds went to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, co-founded by former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Cultural philanthropy

Plattner has made major contributions to cultural institutions, particularly in Potsdam, Germany:

Stadtschloss Potsdam: Plattner contributed more than €20 million to enable reconstruction of the historic exterior of the Potsdam City Palace, which had been damaged during World War II and demolished in 1959. At the time, this was the largest donation ever given in Germany by a single individual.

Museum Barberini: Plattner helped establish the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, which opened in 2017. The museum houses Plattner's collection of modern and Impressionist art, as well as works by artists active in the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

For the Museum Barberini, Plattner purchased one of Claude Monet's 1890 Meules (Haystacks) paintings at a Sotheby's auction in 2019 for $110.7 million, making it the most expensive Impressionist work ever sold at auction.

Das Minsk: In 2022, Plattner opened another private museum in Potsdam called Das Minsk, which focuses on East German artists who were active after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Wildenstein Plattner Institute: In 2016, Plattner partnered with art dealer Guy Wildenstein to form the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, a foundation dedicated to advancing art historical scholarship through the accessibility, cataloguing, and digitisation of primary sources.

University of Mannheim library

In 2003, Plattner pledged €10 million to redevelop the library at the University of Mannheim, further demonstrating his commitment to educational philanthropy in Germany.

Sporting interests

Sailing

Plattner is an avid sailor and yacht owner. In 2005, his maxi yacht maxZ86 set a record at the Transpacific Yacht Race, completing the race from Los Angeles to Honolulu in 6 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes, and 11 seconds. The yacht won "the Barn Door" trophy, awarded to the monohull with the fastest elapsed time.

In 2013, Plattner won the German Dragon Championship as part of a three-man crew that included New Zealand sailor Hamish Pepper.

Golf

Plattner is also a passionate golfer. In 1994, he acquired the Fancourt Hotel and Country Club in South Africa, which features three Gary Player-designed championship courses. The Links of Fancourt hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup matches between the United States and an international team captained by Gary Player.

In the United States, Plattner owns CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California.

Ice hockey

Plattner is an investor in San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises, which owns the San Jose Sharks NHL hockey team, the SAP Center at San Jose arena, and related properties.

In 2013, Plattner bought out two of the partners in SJSE, increasing his stake and beginning to serve as the Sharks' representative on the NHL's board of governors. However, the hockey operations are managed by general manager Mike Grier and his staff.

Recognition

German Chancellor's praise

On January 21, 2004, at a ceremony at the Hasso Plattner Institute celebrating his 60th birthday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder praised Plattner's achievements:

"We need more Hasso Plattners and more SAPs in order to get Germany moving again economically... [Plattner] created an international corporation proving that German companies can be at the top of the technological hierarchy worldwide."

Business recognition

In August 2004, management consultant Roland Berger named Plattner as one of the five Germans who had made the greatest impression on him, noting that Plattner's work in founding, building, and adapting SAP was a "master achievement."

Academic honors

Plattner has received numerous honorary degrees and academic appointments:

Honorary doctorate from the University of Potsdam (2002)
Honorary professorship from the University of Potsdam (2004)
Honorary doctorate from Saarland University (1990)
Honorary professorship in Information Systems from Saarland University (1994)
Named honorary senator of Saarland University (1998)

Awards

2014: Leonardo European Corporate Learning Award, "Thought Leadership" category
2015: GABA Lifetime Achievement Award from the German American Business Association
2016: Prize for Understanding and Tolerance from the Jewish Museum Berlin
2017: Werner von Siemens Ring, one of Germany's highest honors for technical achievement

Personal life

Family

Plattner is married to Sabine Plattner, a former teacher. The couple has two daughters who grew up in Heidelberg, Germany.

Despite his German citizenship, Plattner considers San Jose, California, his "adopted home" and has lived primarily in the United States since his retirement from SAP's day-to-day management. Reports indicate he has not visited Germany since his retirement from SAP.

The family also maintains residences in Potsdam's Babelsberg district, on the island of Sylt in northern Germany, and in Yzerfontein, South Africa.

Legacy

Hasso Plattner's legacy spans multiple domains:

In enterprise software: As a co-founder of SAP, Plattner helped create one of the most important software companies in history. SAP's products have transformed how businesses operate, and the company remains a global leader in enterprise software.

In education: Through the Hasso Plattner Institutes in Potsdam and Stanford, Plattner has shaped how software engineering and design are taught, influencing generations of students and practitioners.

In philanthropy: Plattner's charitable giving has exceeded hundreds of millions of euros, supporting causes ranging from HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa to art museums in Germany to design education in Silicon Valley.

In German business: Plattner demonstrates that German entrepreneurs can build globally significant technology companies, challenging stereotypes about German industry being limited to traditional manufacturing.

In sports and culture: Plattner's ownership of sports teams, his art collecting, and his yachting pursuits reflect the breadth of interests that his success has enabled him to pursue.

References

External links