Executive Committee
The Executive Committee oversees the sound running of all Sage operations and it comprises ten senior leaders from across the Sage Group plc, including the Chief Executive, Group Finance Director and the CEOs from our regional businesses. The other members are the Group Chief Technology Officer, the Company Secretary, the Director of Group HR & Communications and the Director of Strategy and Corporate Development.
The role of the committee is to assist the Chief Executive in the performance of his duties, including:
- the development and implementation of strategy, operational plans, policies, procedures and budgets;
- the monitoring of operating and financial performance;
- the assessment and control of risk;
- the prioritisation and allocation of resources;
- monitoring competitive forces in each area of operation.
The committee is also responsible for the consideration of all other matters not specifically reserved for consideration by the Board and approved by the Chief Executive.
Guy Berruyer, Chief Executive
Guy joined Sage in 1997 to run its French operation. He was appointed to the Board of Directors in January 2000 as CEO for its Mainland Europe business and in 2005 also took charge of its Asian operations. Guy succeeded Paul Walker as Group Chief Executive in October 2010. Prior to joining Sage he was Country Manager and then European Managing Director for Intuit, the US software company. Previously he worked at the French hardware company Groupe Bull where he was a Director of Marketing and Claris as Southern European General Manager.
Paul Harrison, Group Finance Director
A chartered accountant, Paul joined Sage in 1997 from Price Waterhouse to become Group Financial Controller. He joined the Board in April 2000 as Chief Financial Officer. In May 2007, Paul was appointed to the Board of Hays plc as a Non- Executive Director and, in November 2011, became the Senior Independent non-executive director.
Alvaro Ramírez, Chief Executive Officer, Sage Europe
Alvaro Ramírez became CEO of Sage Europe in January 2011. He joined Sage as CEO of Sage Spain in 2003 after the acquisition of Grupo SP, which he co-founded in 1989. Alvaro grew Grupo SP to become the leader in Spain for entry-level business
management software, with subsidiaries in Portugal and across Central and South America. Since joining Sage, Alvaro has grown the Spanish business, both organically and through acquisition, transforming it into a market leading software company. He studied in France and Spain, and holds an M.Sc. in Telecommunications Engineering.
Pascal Houillon, Chief Executive Officer, Sage North America
Pascal Houillon became CEO of Sage North America in April 2011. He became CEO of Sage France in 1997 and in 2005 also took on responsibility for Sage in Belgium, Brazil, Switzerland
and Morocco. He started his career as a systems analyst for UAP Insurance and in 1987 Pascal co-founded Sinequanon, a company that provided business management solutions to SMEs. He joined Sage in 1989 in sales and held a number of management positions as a Regional Director and Sales Director before leading the Sybel business when it was acquired by Sage in 1995. For 9 years Pascal was Vice President of Syntec, the French software and IT association.
Ivan Epstein, Chief Executive Officer, Sage AAMEA
After spending five years at Price Waterhouse Ivan co-founded
Softline. In 1997 Softline was listed on the Johannesburg Stock
Exchange. With operations in South Africa, Australia, the USA
and Canada. Softline was delisted in 2003 upon its acquisition by
Sage. Ivan continued as CEO of the Southern Hemisphere of
Sage which includes Softline and Sage Australia. His role was expanded to cover the Middle East and Asia in October 2010. Ivan has been recognised for his entrepreneurial attributes and contribution in South Africa and in 1999/2000 was the recipient of “South Africa’s Best Entrepreneur Award” awarded by Ernst & Young, and continues to serve as a panel judge.
Michael Robinson, Company Secretary
Michael Robinson was born and educated in the North East of England before leaving to study law at Oxford University. After qualifying as a solicitor, Michael spent 15 years at one of the largest law firms in the UK. In 2002 he joined The Sage Group plc as Group Legal Director and Company Secretary.
Klaus Michael Vogelberg, Group Chief Technology Officer
Klaus-Michael Vogelberg was R&D Director and partner of the German KHK Software group, acquired by Sage in 1997. In 2000 he joined the Group team to assist Sage operating companies and the Board on software architecture and technology strategy. Between 2004 and 2007 Klaus-Michael acted as R&D Director for Sage UK and Ireland, before taking up his current post of Group Chief Technology Officer.
Karen Geary, Group Human Resources Director.
Karen Geary has more than 20 years of international HR experience across a variety of industries where she has helped organisations through periods of large scale change and integration. Her early career was spent at Monsanto Inc. and Electrocomponents plc. She spent six years at Stena Line, the Swedish transport and leisure operator, ultimately as HR Director. She has been in her current role at Sage for eight years, following five years as HR Director for Sage in the UK.
David Clayton, Director of Strategy and Corporate Development
David Clayton is responsible for the strategic development of new businesses, particularly in relation to the web, and the expansion of Sage Pay into Europe. After a career in senior executive roles at a number of international technology companies, David joined BZW in 1995 where, after its merger with CSFB in 1997, he was Managing Director and Head of European Technology Research until 2004. He previously joined the Sage Board in June 2004 as a Non -Executive Director before taking up his current executive role in October 2007.