SAP Appoints New Southeast Asia Head as Regional Cloud Strategy Expands

SAP has appointed Liher Urbizu as the new President and Managing Director for its Southeast Asia operations, taking over from Verena Siow, who transitions to a newly established position as Regional Business Suite Leader for Asia Pacific.

Liher Urbizu, with 25 years of experience at SAP, will manage the software company's operations, strategy, and customer success initiatives throughout Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and additional nations in Indochina.

His appointment signifies a return to the Southeast Asia area, which he described as the beginning of his path with SAP. Urbizu aims to enhance clients' business results by promoting the utilization of artificial intelligence, cloud technology, and data-driven innovation in the region.

Before this role, Urbizu was Chief Business Officer for SAP in the Asia Pacific region. Throughout his extensive career, he has served in positions such as Global Head of Partner Success Services, Head of Services for Asia Pacific & Japan, Chief Operating Officer in Japan, and Managing Director for SAP Indochina. While in these positions, he directed teams acknowledged for significant accomplishments and industry recognition.

Commenting on his new role, Urbizu said, "Southeast Asia was the launchpad of my career within the SAP ecosystem. I am energized by the opportunity to return and lead this dynamic market unit, with a focus on delivering tangible business outcomes for our customers by harnessing AI and SAP's industry-leading business software solutions. I firmly believe that by aligning our technology with the region's growth ambitions, we will help businesses of all sizes and industries innovate and thrive in the digital-first era."

The leadership transition sees Verena Siow, with over 13 years at SAP and experience as President and Managing Director for Southeast Asia, taking on the new role of Regional Business Suite Leader for the Asia Pacific region. In this position, she will be responsible for promoting cloud growth and leading strategic business development initiatives across the wider Asia Pacific area.

Reflecting on the achievements of her Southeast Asia team, Siow stated, "Over the past five years, the Southeast Asia team has demonstrated remarkable resilience and consistent success, anchored by our customers' trust in SAP's solutions and innovation. I'm excited to bring my experience to the whole of APAC, as SAP continues to deliver next-generation cloud solutions and expand our footprint across Asia. I look forward to helping customers, both in Southeast Asia and across APAC, continue to Accelerate to Innovate and unlock further value on their transformation journeys."

Both appointments aim to enhance SAP's strategy and footprint in the Asia Pacific region, specifically focusing on expanding cloud and artificial intelligence services for its corporate clients.