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Mike Ettling

Thought Leader | Investor

Advisor | Operating Partner, Advent

Mike Ettling

Ertman Dulis & Helisek PLLC

Mike Ettling’s Biography

Mike Ettling is Chairman of SYSPRO, a leading global provider of digital manufacturing solutions, and an Operating Partner with Advent International, one of the world’s largest and most experienced private equity investors. In his role at Advent, Mike helps identify new investment opportunities in the enterprise technology sector and oversees key initiatives across portfolio companies.

A globally recognized thought leader in IT, HCM, and cloud software, Mike is also an active investor and advisor to emerging technology businesses. He is widely respected for building and inspiring high-performing teams, championing diversity and inclusion, and leveraging technology to transform workplaces and unlock human potential.

Previously, Mike served as CEO of Unit4, where he led the company’s successful transformation into a modern cloud enterprise software provider. His leadership emphasized vision, culture, and innovation, reshaping Unit4’s market position and product strategy.

Before Unit4, Mike was President of SAP SuccessFactors, a global leader in cloud-based human capital management... Mike Ettling is Chairman of SYSPRO, a leading global provider of digital manufacturing solutions, and an Operating Partner with Advent International, one of the world’s largest and most experienced private equity investors. In his role at Advent, Mike helps identify new investment opportunities in the enterprise technology sector and oversees key initiatives across portfolio companies.

A globally recognized thought leader in IT, HCM, and cloud software, Mike is also an active investor and advisor to emerging technology businesses. He is widely respected for building and inspiring high-performing teams, championing diversity and inclusion, and leveraging technology to transform workplaces and unlock human potential.

Previously, Mike served as CEO of Unit4, where he led the company’s successful transformation into a modern cloud enterprise software provider. His leadership emphasized vision, culture, and innovation, reshaping Unit4’s market position and product strategy.

Before Unit4, Mike was President of SAP SuccessFactors, a global leader in cloud-based human capital management (HCM). He also served as Chief Executive of NGA HR (now Strada) and held senior executive roles at Unisys.

A proud South African, Mike is a dedicated father and an avid supporter of the Springboks and Liverpool Football Club. READ MORE VIEW LESS

Mike Ettling’s Newsfeed

LinkedIn

Advent | Meet our new Operating Partner, Mike Ettling

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YouTube

"I Am Because You Are": Exploring a Transformative Business Leadership Philosophy

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Mike Ettling’s Background

Advent

Operating Partner

May 2025 - Present

Boston, MA, USA

Mike joined Advent as Operating Partner to assist them in identifying new investment opportunities in the enterprise technology sector. He has oversight of portfolio company initiatives and collaborates on broader leadership and culture activities.

SYSPRO

Executive Chairman

Aug 2024 - Present

SYSPRO is a global partner in digital transformation, creating solutions for mid-market manufacturers and distributors.

Unit4

CEO

May 2019 - Apr 2025

Unit4 is a software company that designs and delivers enterprise software and ERP applications and related professional services, with a focus on the professional services, education, public services, and non-profit sectors.

SAP SuccessFactors

President

Mar 2014 - Feb 2018

San Francisco, CA, USA

SAP SuccessFactors is the leading global provider of cloud-based human capital management software.

NGA Human Resources

Chief Executive

Apr 2009 - Mar 2014

London, UK

NGA Human Resources', now Alight, was a global pioneer in digital HR, offering master local, regional and international payroll, compliance, workforce data, and HR operations solutions to small, mid-range, and large organizations.

Unisys

Vice President: Global Business Process Outsourcing

Dec 2006 - Mar 2009

London, UK

Unisys is a global IT company that develops highly secure, modern digital platforms. It provides multi-cloud solutions, including cybersecurity, digital government, banking, and transportation.

Unisys

Vice President: Global Outsourcing APAC

Apr 2004 - Nov 2006

Sydney, AU

Unisys is a global IT company that develops highly secure, modern digital platforms. It provides multi-cloud solutions, including cybersecurity, digital government, banking, and transportation.

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Mike Ettling’s Gallery

Mike Ettling celebrates Unit4 anniversary

Mike Ettling at a Unit4 anniversary event

Mike Ettling of Unit4 attends a panel

Current Board Positions

NCC Group

Non-Executive Director | Investor

Sep 2017 - Present

Manchester, UK

NCC Group is a global expert in cyber security and risk mitigation, working with businesses to protect their brand, value and reputation against the ever-evolving threat landscape.

BCX

Non-Executive Director

Sep 2013 - Present

Johannesburg, ZA

BCX is Africa’s leading premier ICT solutions and service provider with the technology, capability and skills to deliver end-to-end digital solutions for large and medium enterprises in the public and private sectors.

Previous Board Positions

Topia

Board of Directors

Dec 2017 - Jan 2021

San Francisco, CA, USA

Topia (formerly MOVE Guides and Polaris) provides the leading global mobility management solution to move and manage your global talent, enabling companies & employees to work everywhere.

Impellam Group

Non-Executive Director & Audit Committee | Investor

2013 - 2024

London, UK

Impellam are the second largest staffing company in the UK and the sixth largest managed service provider worldwide. They provide managed services & specialist staffing in the UK, North America, Australasia, the Middle East & Europe.

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Current Advisory Roles

EnterpriseAlumni

Investor & Advisor

Mar 2018 - Present

Los Angeles, CA, USA

EnterpriseAlumni is the market-leading alumni & retiree management platform for large enterprise, enabling rapid acceleration of recruiting & sales programs. EnterpriseAlumni powers the alumni networks of the world's largest companies, enabling them to create engaging and vibrant alumni communities.

Previous Advisory Roles

PeopleDoc

Advisor

May 2018 - Apr 2019

New York, NY, USA

PeopleDoc is on a mission to make the difficult job of HR easier. The PeopleDoc HR Service Delivery platform helps HR teams more easily answer employee requests on demand, automate employee processes, and manage compliance across multiple locations.

LLR Partners

Advisor | Operating Partner

Dec 2013 - Jul 2014

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Founded in 1999, LLR Partners is a private equity firm committed to creating long-term value by growing portfolio companies. They invest in a targeted set of industries, including Education, FinTech, Healthcare, Software & Security, with a focus on technology and services businesses.

Media

The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast | Hard-won truths on leading transformation

Podcast

Jun 2025

Richard Medcalf speaks to Mike about his new role as a Chairman and Mentor to CEOs with the latter sharing his thoughts on what it takes to lead and increase impact.

Elevated Leadership in Software: Unit4’s Mike Ettling

Podcast

Nov 2024

Listen to Mike's interview with Growth Investor's host, RJ Lumba, on this podcast.

Unit4 Studies: Organizations Adopting Shared Services to Drive Transformation

Article

Sep 2023

Unit4 has highlighted key trends in the adoption of shared services by public sector companies and professional services organisations, drawing on the results of two studies.

Unit4 rolls out packaged services to help its on-premise customers go cloud in the next 2-3 years

Article

Nov 2023

Unit4 has set out a plan for the ERP vendor to assist clients in the completion of their cloud migrations through a catalog of packaged customer success offerings.

Latest Unit4 research unveils global trends in shared services adoption

Quoted

Sep 2023

“PSOs are adapting quickly and they understand that shared services can help to build resilience against market uncertainty, which is critical if they are to remain competitive,” said Mike Ettling, CEO of Unit4.

The Role of the CFO in the Age of AI

May 2023

Las Vegas, NV, USA

At UnLeash America, Mike Ettling explains how CFOs must guide their peers on the leadership team to focus on areas where AI can improve their company’s output.

People Experience during a Pandemic

Virtual Discussion

Dec 2020

Mike Ettling joins Lisa Dodman, Unit4's Chief People Officer, for a discussion on the importance of creating and maintaining people experience during a pandemic.

Talking Leadership with the CEO of Unit4 | Human First CEO Series

Human First CEO Series

Nov 2020

CEO of Unit4, Mike Ettling, discuss how he creates success for his company, customers, employees, and the community at large. The Human-First CEOs series invites leaders to talk about how they are leading their companies today.

Experience Connection: Michelle MacCarthy & Mike Ettling

Unit4 Live Session

Nov 2020

Mike Ettling and Michelle MacCarthy, Global Head of Customer Success at Unit4, discuss the role they have in transforming the way Unit4 thinks about the customer experience.

Panel Discussion @BCX Disrupt

Panel

Nov 2017

Midrand, ZA

"How to Create the Future": A panel discussion with Mike Ettling, Aki Anastasiou, Ian Russell, Malcolm Gladwell, will.i.am and Rapelang Rabana.

DisrupTV

Panel Discussion

2016

DisrupTV is a weekly Web series with hosts R "Ray" Wang and Vala Afshar. The audience can expect A-list guests, the latest enterprise news, hot startups, insight from influencers, and much more

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Interviews

Mike Ettling explains how to streamline management for the modern workplace

Interviewee

Oct 2023

Mike speaks to Amber Hickman about the use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to streamline operations and improve engagement of employees.

ERP Today Live! with Unit4's Mike Ettling

Interviewee

Oct 2023

Mike is in conversation with Paul Esherwood about the role that business leaders play in the improvement of organisational resiliency.

Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling on enterprise resilience, ChatGPT, and the BRICS effect

Interviewee

Jul 2023

Mike speaks to Diginomica on the impact of BRICS growth and the emergence of generative AI as examples of changes to the world that require enterprises to build resilience in order to respond.

Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling on people-centric, HCM-inflected ERP

Nov 2021

Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling discusses the mid-market vendor's evolution to multi-tenant SaaS ERP and the "people experience" of ERP for service industries.

Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling on the stale, the bad and the agile in midmarket ERP

Oct 2021

With Unit4's Experience4U 2021 event taking place in a few weeks (Nov.16-17), CEO Mike Ettling joins Diginomica to discuss why he believes midmarket organizations need a different kind of ERP.

Unit4's 2020 sets up 2021 and ERPx - a conversation with CEO Mike Ettling

Feb 2021

Mike Ettling, CEO of Unit4, talks with Diginomica about the company's success and growth in 2020 and ERPx, the company's take on modern core systems that act as a platform for building sophisticated business systems.

The Importance of Leadership, Purpose and Wellbeing in a Crisis

Jul 2020

In this interview with ERP, Mike Ettling shares his thoughts on leading a company during the COVID-19 crisis, the long-term effects on the workplace, and developing new programs for employees to aid them as they adjust to new working realities.

Here are a top Tech CEO’s three keys to building a better normal after COVID-19

Jun 2020

New York, NY, USA

As businesses reset after lock-down, Mike Ettling, Chief Executive of the global software firm Unit4, reflects on his purpose and optimism for the very different world now emerging.

New Normal: Mike Ettling of Unit4

May 2020

Mike Ettling, CEO of Unit4, talks to Vinnie Mirchandani, Deal Architect, about leadership and acrobatics during the COVID-19 crisis, especially from the people/services industries they service including professional services, higher education and non-profits, and the European and Asian market point of view

NOW of Work

May 2020

New York, NY, USA

Mike Ettling, CEO of Unit4, joins Jason Averbook, founder and CEO of Leapgen, to discuss the changing nature of work, the emergence of the digital workplace, and the changes companies are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling shares his take on the business impact of COVID-19

Mar 2020

Speaking to Phil Wainewright of diginomica,Mike Ettling shares his thoughts on what significant changes he see in our business lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Firing Line with Bill Kutik®

Feb 2015

New York, NY, USA

Mike Ettling says HCM & Finance Must Work Together. With only two levers – people and money – to manage a business, CEO’s must coordinate them as smoothly as driving a stick shift car.

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Thought Leadership

How Europe Can Automate Its Way Out Of Trouble

Author

Oct 2024

Mike believes that there is a critical need for investment in productivity in order for Europe to be more competitive. In this article, he suggests that this will require investment in innovation.

Avoiding the AI trap

Author

Oct 2024

Mike shares his thoughts around the growing acknowledgement that the overuse or misapplication of AI within ERP systems can possibly lead to unintended results. He calls this paradox “The AI Trap'', and says it requires a delicate balance between "innovating for the future and avoiding costly overreach".

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Features

Experience4U - Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling on cloud adoption, and the non-negotiable principles of vertical ERP

Nov 2021

Following another day of the Experience4U event, CEO Mike Ettling joined diginomica to discuss Unit4's ERPx and cloud adoption numbers, the acquisition of Compright, and other important news.

People Experience Solutions: Mike Ettling

Sep 2021

In this feature, Mike Ettling discusses his career, how he came to take on the role of CEO of Unit4 and his philosophy of a creating a best “people experience”, and the firm's capabilities and evolution as a leader in the cloud-based enterprise software and ERP space.

Publications

Invoking Ubuntu to Heal a Divided World

Author

Aug 2024

Mike writes about Ubuntu, a South African philosophy that comes from the central thought that "I am because we are" and focuses on our interconnectedness, compassion and humanity towards others.

The Business Case for Intelligent Transformation

Author

Aug 2023

Mike Ettling discusses the business case for investing in intelligent transformation and shares his insights on AI and the future of business.

Build a resilient organization ready for new global opportunities

Author

Jul 2023

Mike Ettling discusses the importance of organizational resilience within the context of the IMF's latest report on global economic growth growth and the opportunities in emerging economies.

Time To Swagger

Author

Jul 2023

Mike Ettling discusses a recent Unit4 whitepaper that outlines why organizational resilience matters and how leaders can improve it. Ettling builds on the whitepaper's ideas, discussing how organizations can anticipate, prepare for, respond and adapt to both incremental change and sudden disruptions.

Intelligent Transformation In A Multipolar World: Why Organizational Resilience Is Critical

Author

Jun 2023

New York, NY, USA

With terms such as “de-globalization” and “de-dollarization” commonly used in global economics and the likely shift to a multipolar world, Mike Ettling sees the present as an opportunity for leaders to improve organizational resilience to meet future challenges.

Chatter about ChatGPT

Author

Jun 2023

Mike Ettling discusses Chat GPT and other transformational technologies, such as AI, outlining what they could mean for organizations and how they can help to uncover new opportunities for improvement and growth.

Five Ways CEOs Can Upgrade Organizational Resilience

Author

Apr 2023

Mike Ettling discusses the importance of making investments in the three pillars of Organizational Resilience: people, processes and technology.

3 years as CEO: 3 Key Learnings at Unit4

Article

Apr 2022

Mike reflects on his first three years as CEO at Unit4 and shares his thoughts on the learnings from this time.

An Exciting New Chapter for Unit4

Author

Jul 2021

Mike wrote this article on the first day of a new chapter for Unit4 with TA Associates by their side, expressing his hopes for international growth

Today Unit4 Delivers on its Promise of ERP for a Digitally Transformative Future

Author

Apr 2021

In this post on the Unit4 blog, MIke Ettling, Unit4 CEO, discusses one of the most significant milestones in his career: becoming 'the first cloud vendor to create an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that really delivers the building blocks for the mid-market people-based company of the future.' He also offers thanks to the Unit4 teams that were the driving force behind this innovation.

2020: a year of challenges, innovation, and change

Author

Feb 2021

Mike Ettling shares his thoughts on UNIT4's success in 2020 and what lies ahead for the company in 2021, notably ERPX, a product for companies that are looking for more agile ERP solutions that can help them accelerate digital transformation.

Why mid-market companies should get their Goldilocks mindset on

Author

Nov 2020

In this article for Diginomica, Mike Ettling, CEO of Unit 4, discusses the reasons why mid-market companies should apply a Goldilocks mindset — 'not too big, not too small' — to getting the best fit when selecting a business software supplier.

What can a new ERP do for your people and your business?

Author

Dec 2020

In this article, Mike Ettling asks if organizations are ready to remodel their processes to meet the needs of users in every location, role, and function. Ultimately, he writes, it is vital that companies reassess and modernize their digital architecture, especially in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

The Bridge to Equality - Unit4’s Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Growth

Author

Jun 2020

In this piece, Mike discusses the personal meaning and inspiration he finds in two significant days: “Youth Day" in his birth country of South Africa, and "Juneteenth" in his current home of the U.S. He shares his thoughts on the importance of diversity and how it inspires Unit4's core values rested in a people-first, impactful philosophy.

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Memberships

Forbes Technology Council

Member

2019 - Present

New York, NY, USA

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only organization comprised of leading CIOs, CTOs, and technology executives.

Awards & Recognition

The Software Report | The Top 50 Software CEOs of 2024

Award Recipient

Jan 2025

Mike was named in The Software Report's Top 50 Software CEOs of 2024.

Top 50 SaaS CEOs

Honoree

2023

Mike Ettling and other SaaS leaders were honored for their foresight and capabilities to lead their companies to even greater heights, while also developing some of the world's most advanced software solutions.

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Speaking Engagements

TheALUMS Conference

Featured Speaker

Jun 2023

New York, NY, USA

Mike Ettling was a featured speaker at the conference presented by EnterpriseAlumni. The event convened an esteemed network of professors, researchers, executive leaders and community management experts.

Strategic Growth and Selling a HR Tech Company: Tales from the Frontline with Mike Ettling

Featured Speaker

May 2023

Las Vegas, NV, USA

Mike Ettling shares lessons from his own journey, and asks how fellow CEOs and leaders can best adapt and evolve to lead organizations – and, crucially, their people – through unpredictable and unchartered territory.

How the "3 Qs" will Shape the Future of Effective Leadership

Featured Speaker

May 2023

Las Vegas, NV, USA

Mike Ettling as he shares insights on why balancing IQ, EQ, and WeQ are crucial for leaders and HR in today's complex world.

When will ERP Deliver on its Promise?

Panel Member

Feb 2021

Paul Esherwood talks to Unit4 CEO, Mike Ettling, and new Chief Product Officer, Dmitri Krakovsky, about the evolution of enterprise applications.

Experience4U preview: The Power of Community

Two-day Virtual Event

Oct 2020

With Mark Jeffries as the host, keynote speakers for Experience4U, Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, IAMTHECODE's founder, Lady Mariéme Jamme, and Unit4's own CEO Mike Ettling are teaming up to share their thoughts on their joint passion: building communities. The event takes place on October 14th & 15th.

Millennium Consulting Unit4 Financials Conference 2020

Keynote Speaker

May 2020

The Millennium Consulting Unit4 Financials Conference 2020 brings together the ecosystem of Unit4 Financials users to learn and connect. The virtual conference includes presentations relating to Unit4 Financials, associated products, and tools and Project/Change Management.

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Charitable Interests

Act4Good

Supporter

Act4Good is Unit4's CSR Initiative. Reflecting the people-first approach Unit4 lives by every day, its approach strongly aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals - the world's best plan to build a better world for people and our planet by 2030.

Business Interests

AppLearn

Investor

Mar 2018 - Present

Manchester, UK

AppLearn help businesses to adopt digital transformation, as the leading provider of software adoption solutions for enterprise organisations.

RavenIntel

Investor

Jan 2018 - Present

Chicago, IL, USA

RavenIntel ensures that HR software is a success by finding, hiring and reviewing the best consulting partners for their client's software projects.

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Press Releases

Unit4 Acquires Compright, Extending its “Right for your Business” Capabilities with Best-in-Class SaaS Compensation Planning

Nov 2021

Compright offers a leading SaaS compensation planning platform and will, as Unit4 CEO Mike Ettling says, complement the company's combined power of ERP, HCM and FP&A.

Unit4 Business Maturity Index Reveals Urgent Need for Organizations to Take a Balanced Approach Across Profit, Productivity and People

Nov 2021

The Unit4 Business Maturity Model looks at the maturity of respondent organizations against their overall business state, their ability to manage financial processes and their people and talent strategies.

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Mike Ettling’s Education

London Business School

Masters in Finance, Private Equity

2000 - 2001

University of the Witwatersrand

Bachelor of Accounting, Auditing

1986 - 1986

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