Stefan Gaiser

SUSE, an open source infrastructure software company, has appointed Stefan Gaiser as chief financial officer, moving the executive from his existing role on the company’s supervisory board into its finance organization. He succeeds Ian Halifax, who will provide advisory support until the end of 2024 to support the transition.

Gaiser has served on SUSE’s Supervisory Board and chaired its Audit Committee. Before joining the board, he held CFO positions at TeamViewer, Kofax plc and P&I Personal & Informatik AG. He is based in Freiburg, Germany.

The appointment places an executive with experience across enterprise software companies in charge of SUSE’s financial function. CEO Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen said the CFO role will remain closely tied to the company’s growth and financial performance.

“I would like to thank Ian for his service, driving consistent focus on revenue and EBITDA performance,” said SUSE CEO Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen. “The CFO function is a true accelerator for our business, driving growth and unlocking new value across SUSE. Stefan will do an exceptional job of leading us through this next phase. His deep familiarity with our strategy and financial expertise positions us well for the future.”

Gaiser said his previous experience with the company through the supervisory board influenced his decision to take on the executive role, citing SUSE’s focus on open source infrastructure software and its position within developments around AI and digital sovereignty.

“The board meetings I have attended at SUSE always left me very excited about the company’s future,” said Stefan Gaiser. “Supporting critical enterprise infrastructure software based on open source, in this age of AI and digital sovereignty, plus working with colleagues across the globe is a powerful combination. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with DP and the whole team at SUSE.”