IBM Launches New Internet of Things and Education Business Units

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IBM has announced two new business units that will apply the company’s considerable strengths in Big Data, advanced analytics and cognitive computing to the Internet of Things (IOT) and Educations markets, respectively. Harriet Green, formerly CEO and executive director of the Thomas Cook Group and of Premier Farnell plc, has joined the company as vice president and general manager for the new units, and will be responsible for developing these and other new growth businesses.

“Harriet brings to IBM a strong, proven track record as a transformative leader,” said John E. Kelly, senior vice president, solutions portfolio and research. “Throughout her career, across multiple geographies and cultures, she has consistently shown a deep understanding of the needs of her customers and clients, and how to help them achieve their goals and aspirations. Her creativity and vision will help organizations transform themselves to take fuller advantage of emerging data and cognitive technologies.”

IBM announced in March 2015 that it will invest $3 billion over the next four years to deliver new industry-specific cognitive computing technologies, cloud data services and developer tools to help clients and partners integrate data from an unprecedented number of sources across the Internet of Things. Ms. Green will lead a team that will soon comprise more than 2000 consultants, researchers and developers dedicated to helping clients unlock value in new insights.  IBM has helped thousands of organizations to deploy IOT solutions, working with leading partners such as The Weather Company, ARM, AT&T and others to make cities smarter and safer, to transform automobile and electronics manufacturing, and to safeguard food and water supply chains, among other applications.

The new Education unit will formally launch later this year.

“I’m honored to join IBM and to become part of a team that is shaping this exciting and transformative moment for industries,” said Ms. Green. “The Internet of Things will help enterprises and governments at every level unlock entirely new areas of opportunity and growth, and no company is better positioned than IBM to be the partner of choice as these organizations embrace its potential.  Likewise, education is being transformed by technology and IBM is incredibly well positioned to help leaders in the field enable this change.”

Ms. Green is widely recognized for the transformation of the Thomas Cook Group during her tenure as group CEO and executive director. Earlier in her career, she was CEO and executive director of Premier Farnell, a high-service distributor of technology products and solutions for electronic system design, maintenance and repair, and spent over a decade in executive roles at Arrow Electronics, a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions.

Ms. Green was named Leader of the Year 2013 in the UK National Business Awards, as well as the Sunday Times Business Leader of the Year 2013.  She was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to electronics in June 2010.