Today’s Global Leader with Christian Klein
Leading at full speed: Christian Klein on transforming SAP
March 17, 2026, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. CET
ESMT Berlin, Schlossplatz 1, 10178 Berlin
and via livestream
This event will take place on campus and online. To attend, please register using the form below.
Few CEOs have transformed a global company at the speed of Christian Klein of SAP.
Since taking over as CEO at the age of 39, Klein has steered SAP through cloud transformation, the rise of AI, and unprecedented external headwinds – turning SAP into one of Europe’s most valuable enterprises. In conversation with journalist Astrid Frohloff, Klein will reflect on how to lead a global tech company in a fiercely competitive and fast-moving environment, what it takes to transform an organization at scale, and what this journey has required from leaders and employees alike.
The discussion will explore strategic and political questions around AI, digital sovereignty, and Europe’s digital future. Leadership will be a central theme, including leading transformation at speed, maintaining trust during change, and the skills future leaders need in the age of AI.
Thorsten Lambertus, managing director of DEEP – Institute for Deep Tech Innovation at ESMT, will set the stage with a perspective on deep tech, venture building, and how scientific breakthroughs are translated into scalable global ventures. As always, audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions directly.
About the Today’s Global Leader event series
Today’s Global Leader is an ESMT event series in hybrid format. Successful business leaders share their leadership philosophies and position themselves on current political and economic topics in an open discussion. Interaction with a diverse audience, including international students and other young leaders, is guaranteed. Check out our past events with Ola Källenius, Christian Sewing, among others on YouTube.
About the speakers
Christian Klein is CEO and chair of the executive board of SAP SE. In his role, Klein holds the overall responsibility for the corporate strategic direction, management, and performance of SAP.
Klein joined the SAP Executive Board in 2018 as the head of the Intelligent Enterprise Group, combining global responsibility for the development and delivery of SAP’s core applications with the cross-board area mandate for SAP’s global business operations.
Klein started his career at SAP in 1999 as a student. After holding various positions across the company, including chief financial officer of SAP SuccessFactors and chief controlling officer of SAP. He was appointed chief operating officer of SAP in 2016, a role in which he continued until 2021. In October 2019, Klein was named Co-CEO of SAP SE, before being appointed the sole CEO in April 2020.
Klein holds a diploma in international business administration from the University of Cooperative Education in Mannheim, Germany.
Thorsten Lambertus has been the managing director of DEEP – Institute for Deep Tech Innovation at ESMT and site lead of CDL-Berlin since 2022. Prior to his role at ESMT, he built up the neurotechlab by Biogen in Germany, initiated and led Fraunhofer’s central tech transfer and startup incubation programs, and co-founded two startups. For the past 15 years, he has also been an entrepreneurship educator at various universities and research organizations, such as Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, TU Munich, and WU Vienna. He has been named as one of the top 100 most important figures in Berlin’s economy by Tagesspiegel. His podcast Deep Tech Unlocked is emerging as a rising star in the German-speaking deep-tech podcast landscape.
About the moderator
Astrid Frohloff is an independent conference moderator, executive coach, and communications consultant specializing in executive media training and high-level moderation. A former national TV presenter, she produced some 250 films and reports, served as spokesperson for Reporters Without Borders for 12 years, and now trains executives in media and presentation skills while advising organizations on event design and delivery.
In cooperation with Initiative Zukunftsfähige Führung
