Dr. Clas
Neumann
Senior Vice President and Head at Global SAP Labs Network
As the Head of SAP Labs Network (SLN), Neumann is leading the management and operation of 21 labs across the globe. Under his leadership, the SLN organization has grown significantly and is successfully running as the backbone of the entire R&D value chain in SAP. Today, SAP Labs is ranked among the best employers in most countries and has transformed its business to support global, innovative product development and local business growth alike.
Being part of SAP’s Senior Executive Team, Neumann has a 30-year advantageous career in SAP.
Neumann has spent years in the fast-growing markets to develop the organization, with more than 20 years in India and China. Neumann has played an instrumental role in SAP’s entry into China, later being considered as the second home for SAP from the corporate strategy perspective. Before his role as Head of SLN, he was SVP in SAP’s breakthrough innovation group and the President of SAP Labs India. He helped establish this largest R&D Hub of SAP outside of Germany in Bangalore by growing it constantly to its current strength of 10,000+ talented engineers, responsible for various products and solutions of SAP.
Neumann is recognized for his business achievements in Asia, evident through his many invitations to join high-level business circles and associations. At present, he serves as Chairperson of the German Chamber of Commerce East China, the Vice Chairman of the Board and Member of the Steering Committee in the East Asian Association (OAV), and a Board Member of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC). Furthermore, he co-authored several books and articles on innovation and business practice in emerging markets. Neumann speaks regularly at major conferences (e.g. World Economic Forum, China International Import Expo, Asia Berlin Summit) and top universities, such as Tsinghua University, Tongji University, San Jose State University, Seoul National University etc.
Neumann holds a doctoral degree in Business Administration from École des Ponts Paris Tech Business School in France, and an MBA degree from INSEAD, Fontainbleau, and Singapore. Neumann has been appointed as the Adjunct Professor of Tongji University and School of Economics and Management, Dalian University of Technology.
He lives with his family in Shanghai, China.