Cape Town - Global software giant SAP announced on Friday that Claas Kuehnemann will step into the role of acting managing director for Africa while the company’s investigation into its South Africa business is conducted.
This comes after the company announced earlier that four employees in SA have been placed on "administrative leave" pending the outcome of an investigation after a #GuptaLeaks exposé by AmaBhungane and Scorpio revealed it allegedly paid a Gupta front R100m in "kickbacks" for state business.
“The SAP Africa management team will continue to deliver on its promise to help African business run optimally,” said Kuehnemann. “My interim role is to support our employees, customers and partners across all our business sectors while the due diligence process is conducted.”
Peter David, regional chief financial officer for SAP EMEA, will support Kuehnemann as acting CFO, SAP Africa.
READ: SAP forensics team gets cracking on Gupta allegations
The company also announced that it had appointed multinational law firm Baker McKenzie to lead the external investigation in concert with other global experts such as forensic firm FTI Consulting.
Kuehnemann, who has been with the company since 1992, will assume all managing director responsibilities across the company’s Africa portfolio, totaling 51 countries. His track record with SAP dates back more than two decades from when he first started the newly formed SAP subsidiary in South Africa.
“Claas is a veteran SAP executive who has held various senior leadership positions throughout the company across different geographies – he has the full backing and trust of the SAP Executive Board,” said Adaire Fox-Martin, executive board member for global customer operations, who earlier this week flew to South Africa to oversee the investigation and ensure complete business continuity.
Kuehnemann has held various executive roles at SAP, including senior vice president of professional services overseeing SAP’s consulting business in EMEA based in Paris; managing director Africa based in Johannesburg; as well as managing director for the south-east Europe and Middle East region based out of Dubai.
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