Get to know the Think
2019 speakers

Ginni Rometty
Chairman, President, and CEO
IBM

Now serving as CEO, President, and Chairman, Ginni Rometty began her career with IBM in 1981 in Detroit. She currently serves on the Council on Foreign Relations, the board of trustees of Northwestern University, as well as the board of overseers and the board of managers of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Joe Montana
Legendary NFL Quarterback

Widely considered one of the best NFL quarterbacks of all time, Joe Montana personifies excellence and personal integrity both on and off the field. Yet the word most closely associated with him is not "winner"-it's "leader." During his career, Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowls Championships. Montana won more than 70% of the games he started during his 16-year career.

Dr. John E. Kelly III
Senior Vice President
Cognitive Solutions and IBM Research

As SVP of Cognitive Solutions and IBM Research, Dr. John Kelly's primary focus is on IBM’s investments in enterprise artificial intelligence, cloud, security, and emerging technology.

Michelle Peluso
Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer
IBM

As SVP and CMO of IBM, Michelle Peluso oversees all global marketing and brand initiatives, strategy, and execution for IBM, including stewardship of thousands of marketing professionals worldwide.

Bob Lord
Chief Digital Officer
IBM Digital Business Group

As IBM's first Chief Digital Officer, Bob Lord's mission is to give business leaders, developers, startups, and Business Partners an unparalleled experience with IBM’s products and services.

Tiffany Pham
Founder & CEO
Mogul

Tiffany Pham is the Founder & CEO of Mogul, an award-winning platform enabling women to connect, share information, and access knowledge from each other. A coder, she developed the first version of Mogul, which now reaches millions of women per week from over 196 countries and 30,470 cities worldwide, and was named one of the 100 Most Exciting Startups by Business Insider.

Kareem Yusuf, Ph.D
General Manager, Watson IoT
IBM

Kareem Yusuf is the General Manager of Watson IoT, an IBM Business Unit focused on providing solutions that harness the power of IoT to provide insights, intelligence and innovation that help clients transform their business. He maintains an active interest in all things technical, with a particular interest in digital media and programming languages. He is a TED Speaker and also the author of “Enterprise Messaging Using JMS and IBM WebSphere.

Tony Hawk
Legendary Skateboarder & Entrepreneur
Founder, The Tony Hawk Foundation

Now the most recognized action sports figure in the world, Tony Hawk was nine years old when his brother changed his life by giving him a blue fiberglass Bahne skateboard. By fourteen he’d turned pro, and by sixteen he was widely considered the best skateboarder on earth. In 1999, he became the first skater to ever complete a 900, and shortly thereafter, teamed up with Activision to launch Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, now a billion dollar video game franchise. He has created a Tony Hawk brand that includes Birdhouse Skateboards, Hawk Clothing, and the Tony Hawk Signature Series sporting goods and toys, authored a New York Times bestseller, and his 900 Films production company launched The RIDE Channel, the most popular skateboarding destination on YouTube. His Tony Hawk Foundation has given away over $7.4 million to 609 skatepark projects throughout the United States.

Tom Rosamilia
Senior Vice President
IBM Systems

In his role as SVP of IBM Systems, Tom Rosamilia has global responsibility for IBM server and storage systems and software, as well as the company's global Business Partner organization.

Dr. Kate Darling
Research Specialist
MIT Media Lab & Harvard University

Kate Darling is a researcher at the MIT Media Lab where she investigates social robotics. Darling explores the emotional connection between people and life-like inventions, seeking to influence technology design and policy direction. Her research anticipates difficult questions that lawmakers, engineers and the public must address as human-robot relationships evolve.

Bob Picciano
Senior Vice President
IBM Cognitive Systems

As SVP of Cognitive Systems for IBM, Bob Picciano is responsible for reinventing the computer for the Cognitive Era, helping to drive fundamental advancements in next-generation workloads.

Bridget van Kralingen
Senior Vice President
IBM Global Industries, Clients, Platforms & Blockchain

As SVP of Global Industries, Clients, Platforms & Blockchain, Bridget van Kralingen leads IBM's efforts to build a range of strategic capabilities—designed as cloud platforms and solutions—by industry.

Rodney Mullen
Legendary Skateboarder & Entrepreneur

Widely considered the most influential skateboarder in the world, Rodney Mullen invented the majority of the tricks done in the modern era of the sport and defended his world title an unprecedented 35 times. Rodney’s engineering background and love for Linux & Open Source inspire him to relate the seemingly disparate subcultures of tech and skateboarding, addressing both innovation and resilience in entertaining, pragmatic ways.

Taylor Richardson
Astronaut StarBright

Taylor Richardson, also known as Astronaut StarBright, is an advocate, speaker, and philanthropist with aspirations of becoming an astronaut. After visiting numerous NASA Space Centers and participating in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Space Camp she was inspired to get more girls interested in STEM.

Arvind Krishna
Senior Vice President
Hybrid Cloud, and Director of IBM Research

As SVP of Hybrid Cloud and Director of IBM Research, Arvind Krishna leads the company’s hybrid cloud business as well as IBM’s technical strategy in core and emerging technologies.

Krzysztof Goworek
Chief Innovation Officer
TUATARA

Krzysztof Goworek, the Vice President of TUATARA, is an expert with vast international experience in telecommunications and IT. Goworek co-founded TUATARA, a Polish company on a mission to help enterprises flourish in the digital economy, and leads the areas of Product Development, Big Data and Real-Time Analytics. Designing data monetization, advanced personalized marketing and digital transformation initiatives, he is the mastermind behind TASIL, an online data monetization platform implemented in the Middle East.

Mary O'Brien
General Manager, Security
IBM

Mary O'Brien is Vice President of Engineering at IBM Security. She leads IBM's global team of research and development professionals focused on delivering the IBM Security product portfolio. Mary has worked with IBM since 2007 and joined IBM Security as Infrastructure and X Force executive in 2013. Mary started her career with the last indigenous Semiconductor manufacturer in the UK. In 1994 she joined Motorola GSM systems division and developed her career in ASIC, PBC and Software development of telco products. Mary has 30 years of industry experience developed through tenures in the UK, US and Ireland. Currently based in Ireland, Mary earned her Bachelor of Engineering degree from Dublin City University.

Sam Wong
Head of Analytics and Data Science
QuadReal Property Group

Sam Wong is Head of Enterprise Analytics at QuadReal Property Group. He has over 15 years of experience in Analytics and has worked within numerous industries with a wide range in technologies. Sam is a featured speaker on Data Science and Analytics, most recently he spoke at IBM Think 2018, 2018 Gartner Data and Analytics Summit and at IBM Analytics University Miami.

Beth Smith
General Manager, Watson AI
IBM

As the GM of Watson, Beth Smith is responsible for the overall success of IBM Watson’s AI strategy and execution. She leads the end-to-end business including the engineering and delivery of the technology, and the global ecosystem of Watson partners and developers. Fueled by scientific innovations born out of IBM’s research and engineering teams, Watson is IBM’s flagship AI system.

Wannes Rams
Senior Architect
Ramsit

Wannes Rams is the owner and Senior Architect at Ramsit, an IBM Business Partner in Belgium. He started his career as a system engineer for Econocom working on Windows, Exchange, Domino and Novell Netware. He then joined EMD to focus on the IBM Collaborative products like Domino, Quickr, Sametime, WebSphere, Portal and Connections. Rams is an IBM Champion for Collaboration and has a passion for Enterprise Collaboration. He also co-organizes the Social Connections Conference, a User group focused on IBM Connections.

Conor Walsh
Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Harvard University

Conor Walsh is a Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the John A. Paulson Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a Core Faculty Member at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. He founded the Harvard Biodesign Lab, which brings together researchers from engineering, industrial design and apparel communities to develop new robotic technologies for augmenting and restoring human performance.

Marie Wieck
General Manager
IBM Blockchain

In her role as GM of Blockchain, Marie Wieck is in charge of IBM’s participation in the Hyperledger project, and  transformative industry solutions including IBM Food Trust, TradeLens, and global payments.

Martin Jetter
Senior Vice President
IBM Global Technology Services

In his role as SVP of GTS, Martin Jetter has worldwide responsibility for Infrastructure Services, which includes Mobility, Resiliency, Systems and Networking service lines, and Technical Support Services.

Inhi Cho Suh
General Manager, Watson Customer Engagement
IBM

Inhi Cho Suh is the GM of Watson Customer Engagement, responsible for SaaS and premise-based digital experience, marketing, order management and supply chain applications, and infusing AI, machine learning and analytics capabilities in the solutions.

Inhi joined IBM in 1998, holding executive roles that spanned IBM Collaboration Solutions (ICS), IBM Analytics Strategy & Business Development, strategic partnerships with Twitter and Box, and the acquisition of The Weather Company. A champion of diversity and inclusion, Inhi co-chairs IBM’s Global Women Diversity Initiative. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology, History and Women’s Studies from Duke University and a Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Volker Fischer
Senior Manager Server operations AIX and Linux for SAP
Robert Bosch GmbH

Volker Fischer is a Senior Manager at Robert Bosch GmbH where he manages an operations team that supports the server environment for the company-wide SAP landscape. Before taking the management position, Fischer developed and implemented an SAP HANA infrastructure solution based on IBM Power systems and Spectrum Scale RAID storage systems. This was the second system architecture for SAP HANA he developed, and it is now the standard implementation for running SAP HANA at Bosch.

Rob Thomas
General Manager, Analytics
IBM

Rob Thomas is currently the General Manager of IBM Analytics, IBM’s software unit focused on data management, data governance, data science and machine learning, business intelligence, and artificial intelligence. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of IBM’s Analytics software, including product strategy, engineering, support, services, and sales & marketing. Additionally, he has responsibility for appliance manufacturing and software development sites around the world, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Japan, China, and India.

Heather Cole
Analytics Advisor
Lodestar Solutions, Inc.

Heather L. Cole transforms executives into Analytic Leaders so they can guide their organizations through the cultural shift required to become data and analytics-driven. Heather's entertaining and informative speeches, workshops, blogs, and executive advisory services provide clients with pragmatic methods they can implement immediately to deliver "Faster Analytics." Heather founded Lodestar Solutions and Heatherized, Inc. to share her diverse knowledge in Finance, IT, Law, Psychology, Sales and Marketing.  Heather is a Certified High-Performance Coach, licensed attorney, Scrum Master and has over 25 years of experience in Business Intelligence. She is a best-selling author, a five-time winner of the IBM Champion Award and is on the board of the Tampa Bay chapter of FEI (Financial Executives International).

Joaquin Pinto
Public Policy Manager
Roche Peru

Joaquin Pinto has an extensive career leading engagement strategies with key stakeholders at all levels. He has vast experience in Corporate Affairs & Project Management at local and international levels. He is considered to be an innovation project leader and is currently Public Policy Manager at Roche Pharmaceutical's division in Peru.

Stacy Groves
Technical Account Executive
ComResource

Stacy Groves is an international supply chain expert with over 18 years experience and recognized as a valuable technical business integration professional. Groves managed and supported international supply chain distribution organizations worldwide in various industries such as retail, manufacturing, healthcare. Groves created cost saving, operational efficiencies, and has overseen seamless integration with supply chain entities worldwide.

Gus Ortiz
Managed Services Program Manager
Jenzabar

In his current assignment as Jenzabar Managed Services Program Manager, Gus coordinates a team of Managed Services engineers to deliver Cloud Hosting, Cybersecurity-as-a-Service, Cloud Backup-as-Service, Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service, Remote DBA, and other IT support services to Jenzabar software clients. He has worked at Jenzabar over 18 years. As a Jenzabar Project Manager, he supervised over 200 client software implementations, including clients in Morocco, Italy, France, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, and Honduras. He previously worked 13 years in higher education (private, post-secondary) in a variety of administrative roles, as well as 10 years in the public and private sectors.

Mark Foster
Senior Vice President
IBM Global Business Services

In his role as SVP of Global Business Services, Mark Foster leads IBM’s consulting, systems integration, digital agency, business process outsourcing, and application management services across all industries.

David Kenny
Senior Vice President, Cognitive Solutions
IBM

As SVP of IBM Cognitive Solutions, David Kenny oversees IBM’s AI platform and portfolio across multiple areas including health, security, talent, IoT, and engagement while identifying new areas of growth.

Jeff Crose
Software Development Engineer in Test
Alaska Airlines

Jeff is a Software Development Engineer in Test who partners with development and quality assurance teams to provide high quality, right-sized test data sources for functional and performance testing. After spending nearly a decade and a half in the public sector, Jeff joined Alaska Airlines in December 2013 where he took the lead on implementing a test data management strategy for the organization. Driven by a passion for data, he has helped launch a number of mission-critical business applications and supported key airline integration efforts.

Diane Gherson
Chief Human Resources Officer
IBM

Diane Gherson is the CHRO of IBM, a global cloud, technology and services company spanning 170 countries with more than 360,000 employees worldwide. As a member of the top leadership team, she has worldwide responsibility for the company’s people and culture including HR offerings, workforce skills, leadership, and employee experience.

Marc-Antoine Auger
Master Product Owner
National Bank of Canada

Marc-Antoine Auger has been working his entire professional life (23 years) with the National Bank of Canada, serving as everything from a customer service clerk to MDM chief advisor. Now, he is in charge of a major transformation program that will change the face of the organization. Using his scientific background in physics, he helped define and promote the data-driven vision that will ensure the organization success in the new digital world.  Making sure the appropriate business data models are implemented to solve data-related issues that the organization is facing, combining business perspectives with technological know-how.

Dr. Dario Gil
COO, IBM Research and VP, AI & Quantum

Dr. Dario Gil is the Chief Operating Officer of IBM Research, a global organization with over 3,000 researchers across 13 laboratories and 21 locations devoted to advancing the frontiers of information technology. As COO, Dr. Gil is responsible for guiding the strategic agenda of IBM Research, defining IBM’s annual Global Technology Outlook, driving operations and financial plan execution, and establishing partnerships with companies and universities worldwide. As the Vice President of AI and Quantum Computing, Dr. Gil is also responsible for IBM’s global research efforts in artificial intelligence and for IBM's quantum computing program. He co-chairs the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab along with Professor Anantha Chandrakasan, Dean of the MIT School of Engineering. Dr. Gil’s research results have appeared in over 20 international journals and conferences and he is the author of numerous patents. Dr. Gil is an elected member of the IBM Academy of Technology. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT.

Guillermo Miranda
Vice President & Global Head, Corporate Citizenship
IBM

Guillermo Miranda is VP & Global Head of IBM Corporate Citizenship. He leads IBM’s Citizenship Sustainability and Reputation (CSR) and Social Impact initiatives which drive the digital transformation of IBM's citizenship programs and initiatives to create the future. Guillermo is deeply engaged in using digital learning to transform the workforce for the future. He is passionate about the tangible benefits of diversity and inclusion.

Since 1997, he has served IBM in various leadership roles around the world, beginning in Peru and extending across Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa and the Middle East. His previous leadership roles include IBM’s Chief Learning Officer, People & Talent Head for the Digital Business Group, Regional HR VP for Africa & Middle East, among others. Guillermo holds an MBA from Deusto University (Spain), and a Law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. He and his family live near Washington, D.C.

Faiyaz Shahpurwala
General Manager, Cloud Platform
IBM

Faiyaz Shahpurwala is general manager of IBM Cloud Platform and is responsible for IBM's global public cloud footprint with data centers across 19 countries and six continents, delivering a portfolio of cloud offerings that enable enterprises to leverage solutions such as Watson, Blockchain and IoT. Faiyaz is also an inventor and holds a patent for NatKit, a remote network-monitoring tool. He holds a master's degree in computer engineering from Western Michigan University.