Johannesburg, 02 Jul 2008
In a move that surprised the industry, Pfungwa Serima, newly resigned Microsoft SA MD, will take over from SAP's current MD, Claas Kuehnemann.
Kuehnemann will assume a new role in SAP, as regional MD of South East Europe and the Middle East. He was MD of SAP SA for five years.
Serima announced his resignation as MD of Microsoft, after only two years on the job, on 30 June. "Now that we have come to the end of our fiscal year and moved to the next level, I believe it is the right time to seek pastures new and embark upon fresh challenges," he said.
He will officially leave Microsoft at the end of July.
SAP says it undertook an extensive process to find a new CEO. According to the company, Serima's profile fitted perfectly - he brings a wealth of experience to SAP, having headed up several top companies and divisions over the course of a 20-year career.
"Africa has been one of the better performing platforms for SAP, and Serima has the right experience to take this to the next level," the company says.
Serima will be responsible for strategic planning, operational excellence, sales and field operations, professional services and overall performance in the Africa region.
In a press statement issued this morning, Jose Duarte, SAP's president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, says: "I want to thank Claas Kuehnemann for his considerable contribution to expanding SAP's business in the region. During his five-year tenure, SAP Africa has seen phenomenal growth, and has become one of SAP's fastest growing markets."
Serima says he is honoured to join SAP, which has a strong African presence and ongoing commitment to the region.
He joined Microsoft in 2004 as the director of its services group, taking up the position of MD in 2006. Before joining Microsoft, Serima was CEO of Accenture Technology Solutions and Accenture Technology Infrastructure Services.
He has a degree in Business Studies and Computing Science, and has over 17 years of working experience in both public and private sector organisations.
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