Forum 2024 speaker:

Rob Thomas

Senior Vice President, Software and Chief Commercial Officer, IBM

Rob Thomas is the Senior Vice President, Software and Chief Commercial Officer, IBM. He leads IBM’s software business, including product management and design, product development and business development. In addition, Thomas has global responsibility for IBM revenue and profit, including worldwide sales, strategic partnerships and ecosystem. 

In his over 20 years in IBM, Thomas has held roles in IBM Consulting, IBM Microelectronics and IBM Software, including two years living in Tokyo, Japan. In 2007, Thomas joined IBM’s software business, focusing on data and analytics, including leading IBM’s transition from databases to delivering broader analytical capabilities and investing in open source and artificial intelligence. Thomas has overseen numerous acquisitions by the firm, representing over $12 billion in transaction value.

Thomas is a published author of three books: “Big Data Revolution: What farmers, doctors, and insurance agents can teach us about patterns in big data,” “The End of Tech Companies,” and “The AI Ladder: Accelerate Your Journey to AI.” Today, he writes extensively on his blog robdthomas.com and publishes ‘The Mentor’ on Substack.