Hasso Plattner | |
---|---|
Born |
Berlin, Germany |
21 January 1944
Occupation | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
Known for | Founder of SAP SE; majority owner of the San Jose Sharks ice hockey team |
Net worth | US$10.8 billion (November 2016) |
Hasso Plattner (born 21 January 1944) is a German businessman. A co-founder of SAP SE software company, he has been chairman of the supervisory board of SAP SE since May 2003. As of November 2016, Forbes reported that he had a net worth of $10.8 billion.
For his commitment to economics and science, Plattner has received a number of honours. Germany's manager magazin awarded its Leadership Award for Global Integration to the "technology guru" and inaugurated him into their Hall of Fame, which honours those who promote economic and social development in Germany. In 2001, Time Magazine Europe ranked Plattner #1 on its list of the most important and influential IT personalities.
On 21 January 2004, at a ceremony at the Hasso Plattner Institute celebrating the 60th birthday of its founder, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder made the following comments on Plattner’s achievements: "We need more Hasso Plattners and more SAPs in order to get Germany moving again economically." According to the Chancellor, Plattner created an international corporation proving "that German companies can be at the top of the technological hierarchy worldwide". In an interview in August 2004, the Munich-based management consultant Roland Berger named Hasso Plattner as one of the five Germans who have made the greatest impression on him. In the Welt am Sonntag article Berger pointed out how Plattner founded, built up and adapted SAP to a changing market was a "master achievement". In 2016, Plattner was estimated to be worth US$10.8 billion by Forbes.
Along with sailing, Plattner is a keen golfer. He owns the Fancourt Golf Estate, which has four Gary Player-designed championship courses. The Links of Fancourt staged the 2003 Presidents Cup matches between the USA and an international team, captained by Gary Player. Plattner is an investor in San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises, which owns the San Jose Sharks, and other related properties as well as managing the city owned SAP Center at San Jose. In 2013, he bought out two of the partners in SJS&E, and began serving as the Sharks' representative on the National Hockey League's board of governors.