Published on the 23/03/2020 | Written by Zag
Sue Suckling takes on key role as Zag eyes international opportunities…
SAP provider Zag has appointed Sue Suckling (pictured) as board chair as the company gears up to add more than 60 new staff and take on the North American market.
Suckling is a director and chair of several New Zealand-based tech companies including Jade Software, and was previously chair of Callaghan Innovation for six years.
Zag says she brings extensive experience in strategy, governance and leadership to the role at a time when the company is experiencing strong growth in its SAP services and is set to target new markets.
“The international experience she brings to the board is of strategic importance to us as we look to both Australia and North America for growth opportunities.”
Zag CEO Nick Mulcahy says Suckling brings crucial experience to Zag (previously Soltius) at a time when the company is seeking to expand its offerings and grow its presence overseas.
“Sue has a wealth of experience in tech companies and knows the challenges of taking New Zealand companies offshore. The international experience she brings to the board is of strategic importance to us as we look to both Australia and North America for growth opportunities.”
Mulcahy says Zag is experiencing strong growth driven in part by companies making the shift to S/4HANA before SAP phases out support for older ERPs in 2027. It’s a trend that’s likely to continue with Gartner’s latest Quarterly Spending Forecast predicting software spend in Australia to grow 12.0% to hit AU$18 billion, with 12.1 percent growth in New Zealand taking it to NZ$2.4 billion.
“We had record sales across the board in the last quarter of 2019 and are looking to add more than 60 people this year,” Mulcahy says.
“We’ve established new management roles in the past 12 months to better position us to service demand for our traditional SAP business. It’s very important to us that growth doesn’t change the core culture of the company which is vital to attracting and keeping the right people. Sue is not just a great fit for the company, but she understands how important maintaining a great culture is to help us successfully navigate growth.”
Suckling says she looks forward to helping Zag achieve its growth goals.
“For New Zealand companies expanding into Australia it’s never an easy proposition and only companies with strong offerings, good strategy and experienced leadership can make that jump successfully. Zag has all of that and more in place and I’m looking forward to being involved in what is going to be an exciting phase in the company’s story.”
