VR Ferose
Senior Vice President, HEAD of SAP Engineering Academy, SAP SE
Based in Palo Alto, Ferose heads the SAP Academy for Engineering. The mission of the organization is to create the next generation of engineers who are involved in solving some of the most complex problems in the world.
He formerly headed the Globalization Services unit and was responsible for enabling the global adoption of SAP products worldwide.
Ferose was also the Managing Director of SAP Labs India. Starting at the age of 33, he held this post for over 5 years during which he transformed SAP Labs India into an innovation hub. In 2012, the company got the Great Place to Work certification in India for its very first time.
Ferose is the Chairperson on the Board of Specialisterne USA, a not-for profit foundation with the goal to create one million jobs for people with autism and similar challenges. He is the founder of the India Inclusion Foundation a nonprofit that aims to bring the topic of inclusion to the forefront in India. The India Inclusion Summit, The Inclusion Fellowship, Art For Inclusion and The Inclusive Walkathon are some of the initiatives under the nonprofit.
Ferose has co-authored a best selling book on people with disabilities, GIFTED. The book has been translated into six Indian regional languages. The Kannada translation won the prestigious Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award. He also co-authored “Innovating the World: The Globalization Advantage” and “GRIT: The Major Story”. Ferose teaches “Personal Leadership” at Columbia University, New York and is a columnist for Forbes, New Indian Express and Mint.
Honors & Achievements
‘Young Global Leader’ in March 2012 by the World Economic Forum
‘India’s Top 40 under 40’ – 2014 by Economic Times and Spencer Stuart.
Rising star at SAP by Business Insider in 2016
‘Happiness Hall of Fame’ inductee at Stanford in 2016.
Eagle Award by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) 2016 for advancing equal rights for people with disabilities.
AUCD award by Senator Tom Harkin in March 2017 for his groundbreaking initiative at SAP- ‘Autism at Work’.
Leadership Energy Award, Kuala Lumpur in November 2017 for showing that Diversity and Inclusion makes business sense.
GIFTED won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy award in 2017.
Lifetime achievement award for Global Philanthropy in 2018 by Transperfect
India Living Awards for Thought Leadership in 2018 by Global Adjustments
GRIT: The Major Story was nominated for the Neev Literary Award in 2020
