If you were wondering just how serious IBM is about the Internet of Things (IoT), look no further than the firm’s latest move. Big Blue has just announced two new business units that promise to leverage its big data, advanced analytics and cognitive computing strengths: an IoT unit and an education unit.
Leading the charge is Harriet Green (pictured), formerly CEO and executive director of travel company Thomas Cook Group as well as of technology company Premier Farnell. She joins IBM as vice president and general manager for the new units and is responsible for developing these and other new growth businesses for IBM. Green will lead a team that will eventually swell to 2,000 consultants, researchers and developers working to help clients unlock value in new insights.
“Harriet brings to IBM a strong, proven track record as a transformative leader,” said John Kelly, senior vice president of solutions portfolio and research at IBM. “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.”
A $ 3 Billion Investment
Big Blue’s move to launch an IoT business unit should not come as any surprise. In March, the company announced plans to invest $ 3 billion over the next four years to build an Internet of Things unit. IBM is also building a cloud-based open platform to help clients and ecosystem partners build IoT solutions.
IBM has done its IoT homework. The company has determined that 90 percent of all data generated by devices such as smartphones, tablets, connected vehicles and appliances is never analyzed or acted on. What’s more, as much as 60 percent of this data begins to lose value within milliseconds of its generation.
In its announcement, IBM noted that its Smarter Planet and Smarter Cities initiatives were based on practical IoT applications that led to a broad set of solutions that combine and analyze data from various sources.
IBM plans to use that knowledge as a jumping off point with an IoT unit that will make available an open platform that lets manufacturers design and produce connected IoT devices and systems that inform decision-making. Pat Toole will lead the unit as general manager. The new education unit will formally launch later this year.
Green’s Industry Street Cred
“I’m honored to join IBM and to become part of a team that is shaping this exciting and transformative moment for industries,” said 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.”
Green is known for her work related to 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 she 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.
She was named Leader of the Year 2013 in the U.K. National Business Awards, as well as the Sunday Times Business Leader of the Year 2013. Green was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in June 2010 for services to electronics.
