Léo Apotheker

Léo Apotheker is a German business executive best known for his brief and tumultuous tenure as the chief executive officer of the technology giant HP. His career was largely defined by a long and successful period at the European software corporation SAP, where he rose to become its co-CEO. His strategic decisions at HP, including a proposed shift in business focus and a major acquisition, proved highly controversial with investors and led to his rapid departure after less than a year in the role.

Early life and education

Born in Aachen, West Germany, Apotheker is the son of Holocaust survivors. His family later moved to Antwerp, Belgium, where he spent much of his youth. He pursued higher education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, where he studied international relations and economics. Fluent in several languages including German, French, Dutch, and English, his multilingual and international background would later inform his global business perspective during his career at SAP and beyond.

Career at SAP

Apotheker joined the German enterprise software company SAP in 1988 and spent over two decades with the firm, holding various sales, marketing, and executive positions. He played a significant role in the company's global expansion, particularly in key markets like Asia and the Americas. In 2008, he was appointed co-CEO alongside Henning Kagermann, and later served as sole CEO. His tenure was marked by the successful launch of major products like SAP Business Suite 7 and navigating the global financial crisis. However, his leadership also faced criticism over software maintenance fee policies and challenges in transitioning SAP's products to new cloud-based models, leading to his departure from the company in early 2010.

Tenure as CEO of HP

Apotheker was named president and CEO of HP in September 2010, succeeding Mark Hurd. His short tenure, lasting just 11 months, was one of the most controversial in modern corporate history. He announced a radical strategic shift, proposing to spin off HP's market-leading PC division and discontinue its webOS-based hardware like the TouchPad. Most notably, he orchestrated the $11.1 billion acquisition of the British enterprise software company Autonomy Corporation. These moves, communicated amid declining financial performance, sparked a severe loss of confidence on Wall Street and within HP's board of directors. Following a disastrous earnings call and a sharp drop in the company's stock price, the HP Board of Directors requested his resignation in September 2011, replacing him with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.

Post-HP career and activities

Following his exit from HP, Apotheker largely receded from the forefront of the corporate world. He served for a time as a senior advisor to the investment firm One Equity Partners. He has occasionally spoken on business strategy and technology trends, including at events like the DLD Conference in Munich. The aftermath of the Autonomy Corporation acquisition continued to cast a long shadow, as HP later wrote down most of the acquisition's value and became embroiled in legal battles with Autonomy's former leadership, though Apotheker was not a central figure in those subsequent lawsuits.

Personal life

Apotheker maintains a relatively private personal life. He is married and, following his time at HP, has resided primarily in Paris, France. An avid reader with interests in history and philosophy, his personal and professional experiences have been shaped by his family's background and his international upbringing. He holds citizenship in both Germany and Belgium.

Category:German business executives Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:Hewlett-Packard people Category:SAP SE people