SAP appoints Ryan Poggi as managing director for UK and Ireland

SAP has announced the appointment of Ryan Poggi as managing director for the software giant’s UK and Ireland business, replacing the outgoing Michiel Verhoeven.

Reporting to the president of SAP EMEA north, Rohit Nagarajan, Poggi will lead the company’s UKI strategy and team of around 5,000 employees, placing a focus on driving customer value, and accelerating cloud growth, as well as the customer experience in the region.

No stranger to managing organisations and scaling high-performing teams across complex markets, Poggi has previously held various senior executive roles across EMEA and APJ regions since joining SAP in 2007 – including serving as COO of the UK and Ireland business.

He replaces Michiel Verhoeven, who is leaving the role after almost three years to become CEO at data automation platform provider Xceptor.

In an announcement, Rohit Nagarajan, president of EMEA north at SAP, said Poggi’s extensive experience in serving SAP customers made him an ideal replacement.

“We’re pleased to welcome Ryan back to the UK and Ireland,” he said. "He previously demonstrated his relevance and impact in serving the commitments of SAP’s customers, partners, and teams in this market.

“His solid expertise in the development of our cloud business, as well as his leadership skills, are all assets we need to consolidate the foundations of SAP UKI and maximise the opportunities ahead.”

Most recently, Poggi held the position of chief operating officer for SAP EMEA north, playing an instrumental role in launching SAP’s RISE enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution across five markets.

During that spell, he also acted as interim managing director for SAP France, where he is credited with helping transform the business into a singular team operating across all board areas.

It’s also not the first time Poggi has worked for SAP’s UK and Ireland unit. Previously, he served as chief operating officer for the business, responsible for overall readiness and execution of its growth strategy.

Additionally, his back catalogue of roles includes include managing director for SAP Philippines, director of global strategic initiatives, legal and commercial director, and has led multiple line of business (LoB) organisations across Asia and EMEA.

“I’m delighted to be taking on this role at a hugely exciting time for the UKI business,” said Poggi. “We are privileged to have some of the most innovative customers and one of the most dynamic partner ecosystems here in the UKI.

“The opportunity ahead of us cannot be overstated; to be the UKI’s most trusted technology partner, by coming together as one ecosystem and driving customer value.”