Hume Steps Down From SAP Channel Chief Post

Patricia Hume has stepped down as head of SAP's Global Indirect Sales Organization and a company spokesman said her departure comes as the software company is reorganizing its indirect sales and channel operations.

The spokesman said Hume stepped down for personal reasons. Hume could not be reached to learn more about her plans or whether she has taken a job with another company.

Fritz Neumeyer, currently Vice President of Operations for SAP's ecosystem, will be taking over Hume's duties with the title of head of Volume Reseller and Service Partners, the spokesman said.

A source inside the company said employees and managers were informed of Hume's departure earlier today.

Hume joined SAP in December 2007 as Senior Vice President in charge of SAP's global SME (small and midsize enterprise) channel organization. In late 2010 she was elevated to the post of Head of Global Indirect Sales. Before joining SAP Hume held channel management positions at Avaya, IBM and Critical Path.

Hume is widely credited with taking SAP's channel operations to a higher level.

Before her arrival SAP largely focused on direct sales, especially to large companies, while sales through solution providers were a low priority.

SAP is currently restructuring its channel organization and its "ecosystem," the latter encompassing ISVs, consultants, and online communities for partners and customers, the spokesman said. Details of the changes weren't immediately available.

SAP has been undergoing changes since February 2010 when CEO Leo Apotheker stepped down following the company's poor performance in 2009. He was replaced by co-CEOs Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe.

In September Hewlett-Packard stunned the industry when it named Apotheker as the company's new CEO, replacing Mark Hurd who stepped down in the wake of allegations of improperly filed expense reports.

Apotheker has been vocal about building up HP's software product lines, which in fiscal 2010 accounted for only 3 percent of the company's $126 billion in sales. 

That has led to speculation that Apotheker could raid SAP for management talent or even try to acquire the software company.

A source inside HP said speculation is rampant inside the company that Hume might be taking a job there as HP prepares to make a bigger push into the enterprise software market. Hume wouldn't be the first SAP executive to leave and join Apotheker at HP. The technology blog All Things Digital reported that HP has hired William Wohl, Vice President, Public Relations and Global Communications at SAP, to serve as Chief Communications Officer reporting to Apotheker.