The Executives Leading Multinational Technology Corporation IBM

IBM appointed Arvind Krishna as Chief Executive Officer in April last year, a company veteran who has served at the multibillion-dollar computer hardware corporation since 1990.

Krishna was tasked with leading IBM through the coronavirus pandemic, which has changed workplaces indefinitely. And his hard work has been paying off, becoming the Chairman of IBM in January this year. The company has also shown strong signs of growth under his leadership, with its revenue being the highest it’s been in three years.

The Org has taken a dive into the org chart of IBM’s leadership team, which has been with Krishna every step of the way. Together, Krishna and the team are responsible for ensuring that the multibillion-dollar company stays profitable going into this new future of work.

Krishna started his 30 year career with IBM at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center, where he served for 18 years. He later became a General Manager of Development and Manufacturing, Systems and Technology Group. He was promoted to SVP of Hybrid Cloud and Director for IBM Research in 2015, and then in 2016 was named by Wired Magazine as “one of 25 geniuses who are creating the future of business” for his work on blockchain. Since becoming CEO, Krishna has been the driving force behind the $34 billion acquisition of software company Red Hat.

IBM’s acquisition of Red Hat falls under larger plans for the company to emerge as a winner in the hybrid cloud, automation and AI space. Overseeing IBM’s cloud offerings is Howard Boville, SVP of IBM Hybrid Cloud. A seasoned executive with over 25 years experience in sales, marketing, product and engineering, Howard was previously the Chief Technology Officer at the Bank of America, where he led infrastructure transformation by delivering the largest internal private cloud. A graduate of Teesside University, Howard has also served over a decade at British telecommunications company, BT Global Services.

Making strategic decisions alongside Krishna is IBM’s Vice Chairman, Gary Cohn. The Ohioan started his career at US Steel, then later became a trader at the New York Commodities Exchange. He joined investment banking corporation Goldman Sachs in 1990, making his way through the ranks to become President and Chief Operating Officer from 2006 through 2016. After leaving Goldman Sachs, Cohn became an assistant to former President Donald Trump for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council. He joined IBM’s leadership team in January this year.

Overseeing one of the world’s largest corporate research labs is Dr. Darío Gil, SVP and Director of IBM Research. Gil has been with IBM for almost two decades. Shortly after obtaining his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Gil joined IBM’s T.J. Watson Research Center. He made his way through the company ranks, eventually becoming the COO of IBM in August 2018. He is recognized as a leader in the quantum computing industry and is an advocate for collaborative research models.

Michelle Browdy is the SVP, Legal and Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel for IBM, overseeing all aspects of legal, security and corporate governance at the company., Previously, she served as the company’s worldwide head of litigation. Prior to joining IBM, Browdy was a partner at one of the largest U.S. law firms, Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Princeton University, a Masters in Science in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University and a JD from Yale Law School.

Running IBM’s Global Business Services and Global Technology Services -- a $48 billion business with 240,000 employees -- is Mark Foster. The Oxford graduate has many years of consulting and business experience under his belt. Foster served at consulting firm Accenture for over 27 years, leaving in 2011 to become Chairman of the International Business Leaders Forum, before joining IBM in 2016. Foster sits on the boards of multiple businesses, including management consulting firm Heidrick & Struggles, CRM and business process outsourcing provider Atento and workforce solutions company Alexander Mann Solutions, to name a few.

These are just a handful of the executives that serve at IBM, explore more positions at IBM through The Org’s database here.