SAP will assure customers at a conference that its products remain "in safe hands" following next year's departure of outgoing co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe, according to an SAP UG CEO.

Snabe, who is due to step down in May 2014 after more than 20 years with the company and four years as co-CEO, will address around 1,000 delegates in a keynote speech at the conference in the ICC, Birmingham.

He will leave Bill McDermott to lead the company, but is widely considered to be the exec who ensured SAP focused on product development as well as sales.