Rob Johnson

Rob is a visionary leader and entrepreneur with a strong track record of delivering change by defining and executing strategic plans, recruiting, developing and inspiring high-performance teams, and implementing systemic improvements to deliver on business goals.

Rob joined Vertiv, a Platinum Equity company and spin-off from Emerson) in December 2016 as Chief Executive Officer reporting to the Board of Directors, leading the 20,000-person company through a series of divestitures, acquisitions, and eventually a public offering. Before joining Vertiv, Rob was an Operating Partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers from 2014 to 2016. Earlier in his career, he worked in executive positions at Consolidated Container Corporation, a packaging solutions company and A123 Systems, a leading lithium-ion battery technology company.

In 1989, Rob founded and led Systems Enhancement Corporation, a company that created innovative software and hardware solutions for the data center industry. He sold the company to American Power Conversion (APC) in 1997 at which point he became general manager of APC. After his promotion to CEO, Rob eventually managed the company’s sale to Schneider Electric for $6.1 billion in 2007.

Rob earned a bachelor’s degree and an honorary doctorate in engineering management from The Missouri University of Science and Technology. He has served on several boards in the past and is the co-author of “Executing Your Business Transformation,” a guide for companies navigating transformation published in 2010.